One of the miracles with which Allah The Almighty honored His Prophet, , was granting him the ability to increase a small amount of food and making it blessed to an extent that the amount that would hardly suffice one or two people would become sufficient for a large number of people.

This miracle happened several times in different places and on various occasions. The Prophet, , fed the people who were digging the trench during the Battle of Al-Khandaq, who numbered almost one thousand, with a Saa‘ (handful) of barley. Everyone ate to their fill and left while the food remained as if untouched. Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, saw that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, was very hungry. So, he went to his house, prepared a Saa‘ of barley, slaughtered a sheep and prepared food with his wife. He invited the Prophet, , who came with the People of the Trench, all together, and he, , told Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, not to take out the pot of meat or bake the bread until he came and blessed them. Then, all of the believers ate their fill, while the food remained as if untouched. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Also, when the Companions of the Prophet, , were stricken by hunger during the Battle of Tabook, they asked for his permission to slaughter some of their riding animals. However, he, , asked them to bring him the remainder of their food and he supplicated to Allah The Almighty to bless it, and then said: “Put food in your containers!” They put food in their containers until they filled all the containers in the camp. They then ate until they all became full, and even then some food remained. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Also, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, told the Prophet, , that his father had been killed in the Battle of Uhud and that he (his father) was in debt with the creditors persistently demanding their rights. Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet, , to help him pay that debt. He, , went to Jaabir’s orchard and supplicated that its fruits would be blessed. Therefore, Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, paid off his father’s debt and there was even extra dates left for him. [Al-Bukhari]

Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, invited the Prophet, , to have food in his house. The Prophet, , came with his Companions and supplicated that Allah The Exalted would bless the food and then said: “Let ten persons come [to share the meal]."Ten persons were admitted, ate their fill and left. He again said:"Let another ten come." They were admitted, ate their fill and left.He again said:"Let another ten come."They were admitted, ate their fill and left. Then he said: "Let another ten come."In short, all of them ate their fill, and they were seventy or eighty men.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Also, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I went to the Prophet with some dates and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, supplicate to Allah The Almighty to bless them!’ He held them and supplicated that Allah would bless them for me, and said:‘Take them and put them in your haversack [or in this haversack]. Whenever you want to take some of them, insert your hand in it and do not scatter them.’”Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘‘I carried large amounts of these dates in the Cause of Allah, and we would eat and feed from it. This haversack never left my waist until the day when ‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, was assassinated, and that was when it was disconnected [from my waist].” [At-Tirmithi]

Therefore, increasing food was a miracle with which Allah The Almighty supported His Prophet, . The people saw it and the Companions of the Prophet, , lived it. Such a miracle made many people adopt Islam and had a great effect on Muslims - enhancing their faith and their dependence on their Lord. It also helped them solve their problems and eased their predicaments. Truly, Exalted is Allah who cannot be made helpless by anything in the heavens or on the earth.