Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: A man came to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have been ruined." The Prophet asked, "Woe to you! What has happened?" He replied, "I had intercourse with my wife during the day in Ramadan." The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Free a slave." He said, "I do not have the means for that." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Then fast for two consecutive months." He said, "I am not able to do that either." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Then feed sixty poor people." He said, "I do not have the means for that either." The narrator says: Then a sack of dates was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which contained fifteen sa’ of dates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Take this and give it as charity." He said, "Should I give charity to people poorer than my own household? By Allah! There is no one between the two outskirts of Madinah who is more in need than my household." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled until his molar teeth became visible, and he said, "Take it! Seek forgiveness from Allah and feed it to your family." Its chain of narration is authentic.

This same narration is also transmitted with another chain of narration from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in which these words are mentioned: A sack was brought to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, which contained fifteen sa’ of dates. Then the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said:“Take it! And feed sixty needy people on your behalf.”

The same narration is also transmitted with another chain from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, however, in it are these words: A sack was brought to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in which there were fifteen sa’ of dates. In this narration, it is stated: The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Eat from it, and your family should eat from it, fast for one day, and seek forgiveness from Allah the Exalted."