Book 21: Foods

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

‘Ikrash b. Dhu’aib said: 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.

‘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.

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.