It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Soon there will be people in my Ummah who will recite the Qur'an, but it will not go beyond their throats. They will exit from the religion just as an arrow exits from the game, and then they will not return to it. Their sign will be shaving the head." Abdullah bin al-Samit said: I met Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) (the brother of al-Hakam bin Amr al-Ghifari) and asked him: I heard such-and-such a hadith from Abu Dharr? He replied: "What is surprising about that? I too heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Amr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: When I was still a boy, I used to throw stones at the palm trees of the Ansar to bring down dates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw me and asked: "O boy! Why do you throw stones at the date palms?" I said: To eat. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not throw stones at the trees; rather, eat those that have fallen underneath." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) passed his hand over my head and supplicated: 'Allahumma ashbi' batnahu' (O Allah, fill his stomach).

It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Amr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I was throwing stones at the palm trees of the Ansar when people caught me and took me to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They said: He throws stones at our palm trees. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Rafi'! Why do you throw stones at their palm trees?" I said: O Messenger of Allah! Because of hunger. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Eat whatever falls down; may Allah fill you and quench your thirst."