The Book of Drinks

كتاب الأشربة

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

Sa'id b. Zaid reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Truffles are 'Manna' which Allah, the Exalted the Majestic, sent to the people of Israil, and its juice is a medicine for the eyes.

Sa'id b. Zaid reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Truffles are 'Manna' and its juice is the medicine for the eyes.

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

This hadith is reported on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of his hand and led him to his residence as narrated above up to the words

" Vinegar is a good condiment." But in the hadith transmitted through this chain of transmitters, there is no mention of the subsequent part.

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

Abu Huraira reported that a guest spent the night with a person from the Ansar who had nothing with him but food (sufficient) for his own self and his children. He said to his wife

(Lull) the children to sleep, and put out the lamp, and serve the guest with what you have with you. It was on this occasion that this verse was revealed:" Those who prefer the needy to their own selves in spite of the fact that they are themselves in pressing need" (Lix. 9).

'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr reported

We were one hundred and thirty (persons) with Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Does any one of You possess food? There was a person with (us) who had a sa' of flour or something about that, and it was kneaded. Then a tall polytheist with dishevelled hair came driving his flock of sheep. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Would you like to sell it (any one of these goats) or offer it as a gift or a present? He said: No, (I am not prepared to offer as a gift), but I would sell it. He (the Holy Prophet) bought a sheep from him, and it was slaughtered and its meat was prepared, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded that its liver should be roasted. He (the narrator) said: By Allah, none among one hundred and thirty persons was left whom Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not given a part out of her liver; if anyone was present he gave it to him. but if he was absent it was set aside for him. And he (the Holy Prophet) filled two bowls (one with soup and the other with mutton) and we all ate out of them to our hearts' content, but (still) some part was (left) in (those) two bowls, and I placed it on the camel- (or words to the same effect).

'Abd al-Rabman b. Abu Bakr reported that the people of Suffa were very poor. Once the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (to his Companions)

He who amongst you has food for two persons should take three (guests with him). and he who has with him food for four persons should take five or six (guests with him for entertaining them). It was (in accordance with these instructions of the Holy Prophet) that Abu Bakr brought three persons, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) brought ten persons (as guests to their respective houses). Abu Bakr had brought three persons (he himself, and myself), my father and my mother (along with therm). He (the narrator) said: I do not know whether he also said: My wife and one servant who was common between our house and that of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr had had his evening meal with Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). He stayed here until night prayer had been offered. He then came back (to the house of Allah's Apostle) and stayed there until Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) felt drowsy and (Abu Bakr) then came (back to his own house) when (a considerable) part of the night had been over, as Allah had desired. His wife said to him: What held you back from your guests? He said: Oh! have you not served them the evening meal (by this time)? She said: It was in fact served to them. but they refused to eat until you came. He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and bid myself. He (Abu Bakr) said: O, you stupid fellow, and he reprimanded me, and said to the guests: Eat, though it may not be pleasant now. He said: By Allah. I will never eat it He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: By Allah. we did not take a morsel when from beneath that (there appeared) more until they had eaten to their fill, and lo! it was more than what it was before. Abu Bakr saw that and found that it was so or more than that. He said to his wife: Sister of Band Firis, what is th-is? She said: By the coolness of my eyes. it is in excess by three times over the previous one. Then Abu Bakr ate saying: That was from the Satan (viz. his vow for not eating the food). He then took a morsel out of that and then took it (the rest) to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and it was kept there until morning, and during (those days) there was a covenant between us and some other people, and the period of covenant was over, and we had appointed twelve officials with every person amongst them. It is Allah only Who knows as to how many people were there with each of them. He sent (this food to them) and all of them ate out of it.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Bakr reported

There came to our house some guests. It was a common practice with my father to (go) and talk to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during the night. While going he said: 'Abd al-Rahman, entertain the guests. When it was evening we served the food to them, but they refused saying: So long as the owner of the house does not come and join us, we would not take the meal. I said to them: He ('Abd Bakr) is a stern person, and if you would not do that (if you do not take the food). I fear, I may be harmed by him, but they refused. As he (my father) came, the first thing he asked was: Have you served the guests? They (the peopleof the household) said: We have not served them sofar. He said: Did I not command 'Abd al-Rahman (to do this)? He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and kept myself away by that time. He again said: O stupid fellow, I ask you on oath that In case you hear my voice you come to me. I came and said: By Allah, there is no fault of mine. These are your guests; you may ask them. I provided them with food but they refused to eat until you came. He said to them: Why is it that you did not accept our food? By Allah, I shall not even take food tonight (as you have not taken). They said: By Allah, we would not take until you join us. Thereupon he Abu Bakr) said: I have never seen a more unfortunate night than this. Woe be to thee! that you do not accept from us food prepared for you. He again said: What I did first (that is the taking of vow for not eating the food) was prompted by the Satan. Bring the food. The food was brought, and he ate by reciting the name of Allah and they also ate, and when it was morning he came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, their oath (that of the guests) came to be true, but mine was not true, and after that he informed him of the whole incident. He said: Your oath came to be the most true and you are the best of them. He (the narrator) said. I do not know whether he made an atonement for it.

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

Anas b. Malik reported

I saw Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) squatting and eating dates.

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

Through another chain of transmitters, Sa'id b. Zaid b. 'Amr reported

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

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

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) asked his family for condiment. They (the members of his household) said

We have nothing with us but vinegar. He asked for it, he began to eat it, and then said: Vinegar is a good condiment, vinegar is a good condiment.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported

While I was sitting in my house there happened to pass by me Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He made a gesture to me and I stood up for him. He took hold of my hand until we came to one of the apartments of his wives. He entered and then asked me to get in. So I entered and there was hanging a curtain beside her. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Is there any food (with you)? They (the members of the household) said: Yes And then there were brought three loaves of bread for him (the Holy Prophet) and placed in the basket of palm leaves. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) picked up one loaf and placed that before him, and then picked up another one and placed it before me. He then picked up the third one and broke it into two parts, and kept the one-half before him and the other half before me, and then said: Is there any condiment? They (the members of the household) said: There is nothing (in the form of condiment) but some vinegar only. He said: Bring that, for vinegar is a good condiment.

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

Aflah, the freed slave of Abu Ayyub Ansiri, reported

Allah's Messnger (ﷺ) had alighted in his house (viz. of Abu Ayyub Ansari at the time of his emigration to Medina) and he occupied the lower storey, whereas Abu Ayyub Ansari lived in the upper storey. One night, Abu Ayyub Ansari got up and said (to himself): (How unfortunate it is) that we walk above the head of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), so they went aside and spent the night in a nook and then told Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about it whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: The lower storey is more comfortable (for me). but he (Abu Ayyub Ansari) said: We (would not live) over the roof under which you live. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) shifted to the upper storey, whereas Abu Ayyub Ansari shifted to the lower storey; and he (Abu Ayyub Ansari) used to prepare food for Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) ; and when it was brought (back) to him he asked (to locate) the part, where his fingers had touched (the food), and he followed his fingers on that part where his fingers (those of the Holy Prophet) had touched it. (One day) he prepared food which contained garlic, and when it was returned to him he asked (to locate) the part which the fingers of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had touched. It was said to him that he had not eaten (the food). He (Abd Ayyub Ansari) was distressed and went up to him (to the Holy Prophet) and said: Is it forbidden? But Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: No, (it is not forbidden), but I do not like it. and he (Abu Ayyub Ansari) said: I also do not like what you do not like or which you did not like. He (Abu Ayyub Ansari) said: (The Prophet did not eat garlic) as Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) was visited (by angels) and brought him the message of Allah.

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

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported

I heard Allah'. s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Food for one person suffices two persons and food for two persons suffices four persons, and food for four persons suffices eight persons; and in the tradition transmitted on the authority of Ishaq there is no mention of the fact that he heard it directly (from the Holy Prophet).

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 rdported that a tailor invited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to a feast. There has been an addition to this that Thabit said

I heard Anas saying that any meal that was prepared for me after that I tried that it should contain pumpkin.

Chapter 23: Eating cucumbers with fresh dates

'Abdullah b. Ja'far reported

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eating cucumber with fresh dates.

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

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

A family which has dates will not be hungry.

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

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Ibn Hashim with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

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

Sa'id b. Zaid reported

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Truffles are a kind of blessing and their juice is a medicine for the eyes. Shu'ba said: When Hakam narrated this hadith to me, I did not deem it as a Munkar hadith because of the narration of Abd al-Malik.

Sa'id b. Zaid b. 'Amr b. Nufail reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Truffles are a kind of 'Manna' which Allah the Glorious and Exalted, sent down upon the people of Israil, and its juice is a medicine for the eyes.

Sa'id b. Zaid reported Allal a Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Truffles are a kind of 'Manna' which Allah sent down upon Moses and their juice is a medicine for the eyes.