21. Foods

وَعَن سعدٍ قَالَ: مَرِضْتُ مَرَضًا أَتَانِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعُودُنِي فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ بَيْنَ ثَدْيِيَّ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَهَا عَلَى فُؤَادِي وَقَالَ: «إِنَّكَ رجلٌ مفْؤودٌ ائْتِ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ كَلَدَةَ أَخَا ثَقِيفٍ فَإِنَّهُ رجل يتطبب فليأخذ سبع تمرات منم عَجْوَةِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَجَأْهُنَّ بِنَوَاهُنَّ ثُمَّ لِيَلُدَّكَ بِهِنَّ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

When I was ill the Prophet came to visit me, and putting his hand between my nipples so that I felt its coolness on my heart, he said, “You are suffering from a heart disease. Go to al-Harith b. Kalada who belongs to Thaqif, for he practices medicine, and get him to take seven of the 'ajwa dates of Medina and pound them together with their stones, then administer them to you.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ الْبِطِّيخَ بِالرُّطَبِ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَزَادَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ: وَيَقُولُ: «يَكْسِرُ حَرَّ هَذَا بِبَرْدِ هَذَا وَبَرْدَ هَذَا بِحَرِّ هَذَا» . وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيّ: هَذَا حَدِيث حسن غَرِيب

‘A’isha said the Prophet used to eat melon with fresh dates. Tirmidhi transmitted it. Abu Dawud added that he used to say, “The heat of the one is broken by the coolness of the other, and the coolness of the one by the heat of the other.” Tirmidhi said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

وَعَن أَنَسٍ قَالَ: أَتَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِتَمْرٍ عَتِيقٍ فَجَعَلَ يُفَتِّشُهُ وَيُخْرِجُ السُّوسَ مِنْهُ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Anas told that when the Prophet was brought some old dates he began to examine them and remove the worms from them. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: أَتَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِجُبُنَّةٍ فِي تَبُوكَ فَدَعَا بالسكين فسمَّى وقطَعَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Umar told that when the Prophet was brought a piece of cheese in Tabuk he called for a knife, and after mentioning God’s name, he cut it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ سَلْمَانَ قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ السَّمْنِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْفِرَاءِ فَقَالَ: «الْحَلَالُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَالْحَرَامُ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَمَا سَكَتَ عَنْهُ فَهُوَ مِمَّا عَفَا عَنْهُ» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وموقوفٌ على الأصحِّ

Salman told that when God’s messenger was questioned about clarified butter, cheese and wild asses he replied, “What is lawful is what God has declared lawful in His Book, what is unlawful is what God has declared unlawful in His Book, and what He has said nothing about belongs to the things He ignores.” Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition which, according to the soundest opinion, is mauquf.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَدِدْتُ أَنَّ عِنْدِي خُبزةً بيضاءَ منْ بُرَّةٍ سَمْرَاءَ مُلَبَّقَةً بِسَمْنٍ وَلَبَنٍ» فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَاتَّخَذَهُ فَجَاءَ بِهِ فَقَالَ: «فِي أَيِّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ هَذَا؟» قَالَ فِي عُكَّةِ ضَبٍّ قَالَ: «ارْفَعْهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد: هَذَا حَدِيث مُنكر

Ibn ‘Umar reported God's messenger as saying, “I wish I had a white loaf made from tawny wheat and softened with clarified butter and milk.” A man who was present rose up and getting one brought it. He asked what it had been in, and when he was told it had been in a lizard skin, he told him to take it away. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Abu Dawud saying this is a tradition which is rejected.

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَن أَكْلِ الثُّومِ إِلَّا مَطْبُوخًا. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد

‘Ali said God’s messenger forbade eating garlic unless it was cooked. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي زيادٍ قَالَ: سُئلتْ عائشةُ عَنِ الْبَصَلِ فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّ آخِرَ طَعَامٍ أَكَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ طَعَامُ فِيهِ بصل. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Ziyad told that when he asked ‘A’isha about onions she replied that the last food God’s messenger ate was some which contained onions. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن ابْنيْ بُسرٍ السُّلَمِيَّين قَالَا: دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَدَّمْنَا زُبْدًا وَتَمْرًا وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ الزبدَ والتمرِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

The two Sulami sons of Busr* told that when God’s messenger came in to visit them they offered him butter and dates, for he liked butter and dates. *These are said to have been 'Abdallah and'Atlya. But each is called Mizini. Ibn Abd al-Barr, Ist'iab, p. 67, mentions Busr as-Sulami, saying he is also called al-Mazini. Tahdhib, v, 158 calls ‘Abdallah al-Mazini al-Qaisi and vii, 223 calls 'Atiya al-Mazini al-Hilali. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عِكْرَاشِ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ قَالَ: أُتِينَا بِجَفْنَةٍ كَثِيرَة من الثَّرِيدِ وَالْوَذْرِ فَخَبَطْتُ بِيَدِي فِي نَوَاحِيهَا وَأَكَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ فَقَبَضَ بِيَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى يَدِيَ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا عِكْرَاشُ كُلْ مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ وَاحِدٍ فَإِنَّهُ طَعَامٌ وَاحِدٌ» . ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَا بِطَبَقٍ فِيهِ أَلْوَانُ التَّمْرِ فَجَعَلْتُ آكُلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَجَالَتْ يَدُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الطبقِ فَقَالَ: «يَا عِكْرَاشُ كُلْ مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ فَإِنَّهُ غَيْرُ لَوْنٍ وَاحِدٍ» ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَا بِمَاءٍ فَغَسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَيْهِ وَمسح بَلل كَفَّيْهِ وَجْهَهُ وَذِرَاعَيْهِ وَرَأْسَهُ وَقَالَ: «يَا عِكْرَاشُ هَذَا الْوُضُوءُ مِمَّا غَيَّرَتِ النَّارُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

We were brought a platter with a large amount of tharid and slices of boneless meat and I plunged in my hand in all directions, but God’s messenger ate what was in front of him. He seized my right hand with his left and said, “Eat from one place, Ikrash, for it is all one kind of food.” Afterwards we were brought a plate containing various kinds of dates and I began to eat what was.in front of me while God’s messenger’s hand went round in the plate. He then said, “Eat where you wish, ‘Ikrash, for it is not all one kind.” Next water was brought to us and when God’s messenger had washed his hands and wiped his face, forearms and head with the moisture on the palms of his hands, he said, “This, ‘Ikrash, is the ablution for what has been changed by fire.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَخَذَ أَهْلَهُ الْوَعْكُ أَمَرَ بِالْحَسَاءِ فصُنعَ ثمَّ أَمر فَحَسَوْا مِنْهُ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّهُ لَيَرْتُو فُؤَادُ الحزين ويسرو عَن فؤاد السقيم كَمَا تسروا إِحْدَاكُنَّ الْوَسَخَ بِالْمَاءِ عَنْ وَجْهِهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

‘A’isha said that when his family were exhausted by fever God’s messenger ordered some hasa’* to be prepared and then ordered them to sip some of it; and he used to say, “It heartens the sad and clears the heart of the invalid as one of you clears dirt away from her face with water.” *A kind of soap made of flour, water and either oil or clarified butter. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْعَجْوَةُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَفِيهَا شِفَاءٌ مِنَ السُّمِّ وَالْكَمْأَةُ مِنَ الْمَنِّ وماؤُها شفاءٌ للعينِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The 'ajwa dates come from paradise and contain a cure for poison; truffles are a kind of manna and their juice is a medicine for the eye.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

عَن المغيرةِ بن شعبةَ قَالَ: ضِفْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَأَمَرَ بِجَنْبٍ فَشُوِيَ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الشَّفْرَةَ فَجَعَلَ يَحُزُّ لِي بِهَا مِنْهُ فَجَاءَ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَأَلْقَى الشَّفْرَةَ فَقَالَ: «مَا لَهُ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاهُ؟» قَالَ: وَكَانَ شارِبُه وَفَاء فَقَالَ لي: «أُقْصُّه عَلَى سِوَاكٍ؟ أَوْ قُصَّهُ عَلَى سِوَاكٍ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

I was a guest one night along with God's messenger and he ordered a haunch to be roasted, then took a broad knife and began to cut off slices for me. Bilal then came to tell him the time for prayer had come, and he threw down the knife saying, “What is the m atter with him! May his hands be covered with dust!”* My moustache was long, so he said, “I shall clip it for you over a tooth-stick,” or, “Clip it over a tooth-stick.” *Taribat yadahu. I have here translated the phrase literally, but cf. p. 658. It is not normally to be taken literally. In this tradition the Prophet is evidently displeased because the call to prayer has been made so soon, but it should not be understood that he is calling down a curse on Bilal. In its use here it may indicate some degree of displeasure, but nothing more. Tirmidhi transmitted it*

وَعَن حُذيفةَ قَالَ: كُنَّا إِذَا حَضَرْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم لَمْ نَضَعْ أَيْدِيَنَا حَتَّى يَبْدَأُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيَضَعُ يَدَهُ وَإِنَّا حَضَرْنَا مَعَهُ مَرَّةً طَعَامًا فَجَاءَتْ جَارِيَةٌ كَأَنَّهَا تُدْفَعُ فَذَهَبَتْ لِتَضَعَ يَدَهَا فِي الطَّعَامِ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ كَأَنَّمَا يُدْفَعُ فَأَخَذَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَسْتَحِلُّ الطَّعَامَ أَنْ لَا يُذْكَرَ اسمُ اللَّهِ عليهِ وإِنَّه جَاءَ بِهَذِهِ الْجَارِيَةِ لِيَسْتَحِلَّ بِهَا فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهَا فَجَاءَ بِهَذَا الْأَعْرَابِيِّ لِيَسْتَحِلَّ بِهِ فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ يَدَهُ فِي يَدِي مَعَ يَدِهَا» . زَادَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ: ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ اسمَ اللَّهِ وأكَلَ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

When we were at food with the Prophet we did not put in our hands till he had put his in first. Once when we were at food with him a girl came in as though she were being impelled and was about to put her hand in the food when God’s messenger seized her by the hand. Then a nomadic Arab came in as though he were being impelled and he seized his hand. God’s messenger then said, “The devil considers food lawful when God’s name is not mentioned over it, and he brought this girl th at it might be lawful by means of her, so I seized her hand; then he brought this nomadic Arab that it might be lawful by means of him, so I seized his hand. By Him in whose hand my soul is, the devil’s hand is in mine along with hers.” He added in a version, ‘Then he mentioned God’s name and ate.’ Muslim transmitted it.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ غُلَامًا فَأَلْقَى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ تَمْرًا فَأَكَلَ الْغُلَامُ فَأَكْثَرَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الْأَكْلِ شُؤْمٌ» . وَأَمَرَ بِرَدِّهِ. رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

‘A'isha told that God’s messenger wanted to buy a young slave, so he threw some dates in front of him, but when the youth ate greedily he said, “Voracious eating is ominous,” and ordered him to be sent back. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu‘ab al-iman.

وَعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَيِّدُ إِدَامِكُمُ الْمِلْحُ» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Anas b. Malik reported God’s messenger as saying, “The lord of your condiment is salt.”* *Probably meaning that salt is necessary to make food palatable, while other condiments are extras. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا وُضِعَ الطَّعَامُ فَاخْلَعُوا نِعَالَكُمْ فإِنَّه أرْوَحُ لأقدامكم»

He reported God’s messenger as saying, "When food is set down take off your sandals, for it gives more rest to your feet."

وَعَن أسماءَ بنتِ أبي بكرٍ: أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ إِذَا أَتَيْتُ بِثَرِيدٍ أَمَرَتْ بِهِ فَغُطِّيَ حَتَّى تَذْهَبَ فَوْرَةُ دُخَانِهِ وَتَقُولُ: أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُول: «هُوَ أعظم للبركة» . رَوَاهُمَا الدَّارمِيّ

Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr told that when she was brought tharid she ordered it to be covered until the force of its steam had gone, saying she had heard God’s messenger say it is more effective in producing a blessing. Darimi transmitted the two traditions.

وَعَن نُبَيْشَة قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " مَنْ أَكَلَ فِي قَصْعَةٍ ثُمَّ لَحِسَهَا تَقُولُ لَهُ الْقَصْعَةُ: أَعْتَقَكَ اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ كَمَا أعتقتَني منَ الشيطانِ ". رَوَاهُ رزين

Nubaisha reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone eats from a dish and licks it, the dish will express to him the wish that God may free him from hell as he has freed it from the devil.” Razin transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلَا يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: بَدَلَ «الْجَارِ» وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَصِلْ رحِمَه "

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "He who believes in God and the last day should honour his guest; he who believes in God and the last day should not annoy his neighbour ; and he who believes in God and the last day should say what is good, or keep silent." In a version instead of speaking of the neighbour he said, "He who believes in God and the last day should join ties of relationship." (Bukhari and Muslim.)