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Recollecting from very long ago.
I remember hearing in a Jumua some Hadith about having too many possessions. It went something like "In a house there should be at most three blankets (or was it bedsheets?). One for the man of the house and one for the lady and one for the guest. The fourth is for the devil". My recollection could be only partially correct.
Can you help me identify the source of the Hadith?
I finally managed to find the hadith, it was about beddings and not bedsheets. Seems that it is present in multiple Hadith collections.
Sahih Muslim 2084 (Book 37, Hadith 67)
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Messengor (ﷺ) said: There should be a bedding for a man. a bedding for his wife and the third one for the guest, and the fourth one is for the Satan.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4142 (Book 34, Hadith 123)
Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned bedding and said: There should be bedding for a man, bedding for his wife, and third for a guest, but a fourth for the devil.
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3385 (Book 26, Hadith 190)
It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah said: "A bed for a man, a bed for his wife, a third for his guest and the fourth is for the Shaitan."
It is Disliked to have more than one requires
Question
What is the reference for this narration:
Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him said, “One bed [is sufficient] for a man, one for his wife and a third for a guest. The fourth one is for Shaytan”
Answer
Imam Muslim (may Allah be pleased with him) has recorded this Hadith on the authority of Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhu).
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2084)
Having more than one requires is generally a sign of pride, boasting and becoming engrossed in the pleasures of this temporary abode, which is a reprehensible deed. Shaytan=Satan encourages these type of deeds. Therefore Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him attributed the extra bed to Shaytan.
Some commentators have preferred the literal meaning. When a person has an extra bed which he doesn’t need, Shaytan sleeps on that bed.
This will not apply when a person has some need for the extra bed. ‘Allamah Nawawi (May Allah be Pleased with him) says, The Hadith in question does not apply to a person who has an extra bed to use during sickness.
(Refer: Sahih Muslim with Al Minhaj, Hadith: 5419 and Mirqat, Hadith: 4310)
This illustrates that having an extra bed for a future need is not wrong Allah knows Best
Allah knows Best.
Almighty Allah is the highest and most knowledgeable, and the attribution of knowledge to him is the safest.
Right from Almighty Allah and wrong from me and Satan
Prepared by Mohamad Mostafa Nassar- Australia.
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