The Book of Drinks

كتاب الأشربة

Chapter 22: It is recommended to take the stones out of dates, and it is recommended for the guest to pray for the host and to ask a righteous guest to supplicate, and he should respond to that request

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters and they did not doubt about keeping the dates between his fingers (as is expressed in the previous hadith).

Chapter 25: The prohibition of eating two dates etc., at a time when eating with a group, except with the permission of one's companions

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters but these words of his (are not found)

" The people were hard pressed because of the famine during those days."

Jabala b. Suhaim reported

I heard Ibn 'Umar as saying that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade anyone taking two dates together without seeking the consent of his companions.

Chapter 27: The virtue of the dates of Al-Madinah

Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas, on the authority of his father, reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said

He who ate seven dates (of the land situated) between these two lava plains in the morning, no poison will harm him until it is evening.

'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

He who ate seven 'ajwa' dates in the morning, poison and magic will not harm him on that day.

Chapter 29: The virtue of the black fruit from the Arak tree

Jabir b. Abdullah reported

We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Marr az-Zahran, and we were plucking the fruit of the Arak tree, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: Pluck only its black ones (for they are the most pleasant). We said: Allah's Messenger, it seems you shepherded the flock. He said: Yes. Has there been a prophet who did not shepherd it (or some words like it)?

Chapter 30: The virtue of vinegar and using it as a condiment

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Sulaiman b. Bilal with the same chain of transmitters and he is reported to have said

" The best condiment." And he did not doubt (about this word).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of my hand one day (and led me) to his residence. There was presented to him some pieces of bread, whereupon he said: Is there no condiment? They (the members of his household) said: No, except some vinegar. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Vinegar is a good condiment. Jabir said: I have always loved vinegar since I heard it trom Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Talha said: I have always loved vinegar since I heard about it from Jabir.

Chapter 31: It is permissible to eat garlic, but the one who is going to address prominent people should refrain from eating it, and the same applies to other, similar foods

Abd Ayydb Ansari reported that when food was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) he ate out of that, and sent the remaining part to me, and one day he sent to me the left-over; (I found that he) had not taken from it at all for it included garlic. I asked him whether that was forbidden, whereupon he said

No, but I do not like it because of its odour. He (Abu Ayyub Ansiri) said: Then I also do not like what you do not like.

Chapter 32: Honoring guests and the virtue of showing preference to one's guest

Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said

I am hard pressed by hunger. He sent (message) to one of his wives (to procure food for him). but she said: By Him Who has sent you with Truth, thrre is nothing with me (to serve him) but only water. He (the Holy Prophet) then sent the (same) message to another, and she gave the same reply, until all of them gave the same reply: By Him Who has sent thee with the Truth, there is nothing with me but only water, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah would show mercy to him who will entertain this guest tonight. A person from the Ansar stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, I (am ready to entertain). He took him to his house and said to his wife: Is there anything with you (to serve the gdest)? She said: No, but only a subsistence for our children. He said: Distract their attention with something, and when the guest enters extinguish the lamp and give him the impression that we are eating. So they sat down. and the guest had his meal. When it was morning he went to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) who said: Allah was well pleased with what you both did for your guest this night.

Abu Huraira reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) so that he should entertain him as a guest, but he had nothing with which he could entertain him. He, therefore, asked if there was any person who would entertain him (assuring the audience) that Allah would show mercy to him. A person from the Ansar who was called Abu Talha stood up and he took him to his house. The rest of the hadith is the same and mention is (also) made in that about the revelation of the verse as narrated by Waki'.

Miqdad reported

I and two of my companions were so much afflicted by hunger that we had lost our power of seeing and hearing. We presented ourselves (as guests) to the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), but none amongst them would entertain us. So we came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and he took us to his residence and there were three goats. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Milk these for us. So we milked them and every person amongst us drank his share and we set aside the share of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). (It was his habit) to come during the night and greet (the people present there) in a manner that would not wake up one in sleep but make one who was awake hear it. He would then go to the mosque and say prayer, then go to the milk and drink it. Miqdad added: One night the Satan came to me when I had taken my share, and he said: Muhammad has gone to the Ansar, who would offer him hospitality and he would get what is with them, and he has no need for this draught (of milk). So I took (that milk) and drank it, and when it had penetrated deeply in my stomach and I was certain that there was no way out (but to digest it), the Satan aroused (my sense of) remorse and said: Woe be to thee! what have you done? You have taken the drink reserved for Muhammad! When he would come and he would not find it, he would curse you, and you would be ruined, and thus there would go (waste) this world and the Hereafter (for) you. There was a sheet over me; as I placed (pulled) it upon my feet, my head was uncovered and as I placed it upon my head, my feet were uncovered, and I could not sleep, but my two companions had gone to sleep for they had not done what I had done. There came Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and he greeted as he used to greet (by saying as-Salamu 'Alaikum). He then came to the mosque and observed prayer and then came to his drink (milk) and uncovered it, but did not find anything in it. He raised his head towards the sky, and I said (to myself) that he (the Holy Prophet) was going to invoke curse upon me and I would be thus ruined; but he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah, feed him who fed me and give drink to him who provided me drink. I held tight the sheet upon myself (and when he had supplicated), I took hold of the knife and went to the goats (possessed by the Holy Prophet) so that I may slauhter one for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which was the fattest amongst them, and in fact all of them were milch goats; then I took hold of the vessel which belonged to the family of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in which they used to milk and drink therefrom, and milked them in that until it swelled up with foam. I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he said: Have you taken your share of the milk during the night? I said: Drink it. and he drank it; he then handed over (the vessel) to me and I said: Allah's Messenger, drink it, and he drank it and handed over (the vessel) to me again, I then perceived that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had been satiated and I had got his blessings. I burst into laughter (so much) so that I fell upon the ground, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Miqdad, it must be one of your mischiefs. I said: Allah's Messenger, this affair of mind is like this and this. and I have done so. Thereupon. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: This is nothing but a mercy from Allah. Why is it that you did not give me an opportunity so that we should have awakened our two friends and they would have got their share (of the milk)? I said: By Him Who has sent you with Truth. I do not mind whatever you give (to them), and whatever the (other) people happen to get, when I had got it along with you from among the people.

Chapter 33: The virtue of sharing a small amount of food, and the food of two is sufficient for three, and so on.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Food for two persons suffices three persons and food for three persons suffices four persons.

Chapter 21: It is permissible to eat soup, and it is recommended to eat squash, And for the people eating together to show preference to one another even if they are guests, so long as the host does not object to that

Anas b. Malik reported that a person invited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to a meal. I also went along with him. He brought soup containing pumpkin. Allah's 'messenger (ﷺ) ate that pumpkin with relish. He (Anas) said

When I saw that I began to place it before him, and did not eat it (myself). Anas said: It was since then that pumpkin was always my favourite (food).

Chapter 22: It is recommended to take the stones out of dates, and it is recommended for the guest to pray for the host and to ask a righteous guest to supplicate, and he should respond to that request

'Abdullah b. Busr reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to my father and we brought to him a meal and a preparation from dates, cheese and butter. He ate out of that. He was then given dates which he ate, putting the stones between his fingers and holding his forefinger and middle finger together" - Shu'bah said: "I think we learn from this that one may hold the date stones between two fingers, In shaAllah." Then a drink was brought for him and he drank it, and then gave it to one who was on his right side. He (the narrator) said: My father took hold of the rein of his riding animal and requested him to supplicate for us. Thereupon he said: O Allah. bless them in what You have provided them as a sustenance; and forgive them and have mercy upon them.

Chapter 24: It is recommended to be humble when eating, and how to sit

Anas reported that there were brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) dates. He distributed them in the state that he had been sitting upright (in an easy posture) and he had also been eating them a (bit) quickly.

Chapter 25: The prohibition of eating two dates etc., at a time when eating with a group, except with the permission of one's companions

Jabala b. Suhaim reported

Ibn Zubair used to provide us with dates during the time that the people were hard pressed because of famine (Once) as we were busy in eating there happened to appear before us Ibn 'Umar. He said: Don't eat two dates together, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade eating them together but only after seeking permission from his brother (partner). Shu'ba said: I do not think these words pertaining to seeking permission but from the words of Ibn 'Umar.

Chapter 26: Storing dates and other provisions for one's children

'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

'A'isha a family which has no dates (in their house) its members will be hungry; (or) 'A'isha the family which has no dates its members may be hungry. He said this twice or thrice.

Chapter 27: The virtue of the dates of Al-Madinah

'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The 'ajwa' dates of 'Aliya' contain healing effects and these are antidote in the early morning.

Chapter 28: The virtue of truffles, and treating the eyes with them

Sa'id b. Zaid b. 'Amr b. Nufail reported

I heard Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying: Truffles are a kind of 'Manna' and their juice is a medicine for the eyes.