Al-Nabidh (A kind of Wine)

“I once heard a man who asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What do you say about al-Nabidh? Abu Maryam drinks it and he thinks that you have commanded him to drink. ’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Abu Maryam has spoken the truth. He asked me about al-Nabidh but not about intoxicating liquor.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Intoxicating liquor is as such that one must not even seek Taqiyah (caution because of fear) before al-Sultan or others. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “Intoxicating liquor is unlawful and whatever is intoxicating in large quantity is unlawful in small quantity also.’” The man then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what is al-Nabidh which you allowed abu Maryam to use?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘My father (a.s.), would order the servant to bring a bowl and place raisins in it; wash them clean, place it in a bowl then pour on it three or four times as much water. Then keep it overnight to drink it in the morning and place it in a bowl in the morning to drink it in the evening. He (the Imam) commanded the servant to wash the bowl after every three days to remove the stain, if it had formed. If you want al-Nabidh, this is al-Nabidh.’”

narrated to me Ayyub ibn Rashid who has said the following: “I once heard abu al-Balad ask abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about al-Nabidh and he (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’ He then said, ‘The residue is placed in it.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘It is the worst drink, however, you can soak it in water in the morning to drink in the evening.’ He then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, it is bad for our bellies.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is much worse for your bellies if you drink what is unlawful.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about al-Nabidh. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful.’ I said, ‘We soak it, then place the residue in it and other things.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Shashsh! That is putrid wine.’ I then asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what kind of al- Nabidh is what you mention?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘People of al-Madinah once complained before the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, about the change in their water and the ruined condition of their health. He commanded them to make al-Nabidh. A man commanded his servant to make al-Nabidh for him. He would take a handful of dates and throw it in al-Shin (water container) and from this they would drink and cleanse themselves.’ I then asked, ‘How many dates they would use?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Whatever a handful picks or perhaps two handfuls.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Perhaps it was one handful or two handfuls.’ I then asked, ‘What was the size of al-Shin (water container)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Between forty to eighty or more.’ I then asked, ‘Is it in rzt/?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is in ritl of Iraqi measurement.’”

“I once was with abu Ja’far (a.s.), and I said, ‘O Jariyah (girl or slave-girl) give me some water.’ He (the Imam) said to her, ‘Give him from my al-Nabidh.’ She then brought al-Nabidh which was a dry date in a cup of brass.’ I then said, ‘People of al-Kufah do not agree with it.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is their al-Nabidh?’ I said, ‘They place in it al-Qa‘wah.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is al-Qa‘wah?’ I said, ‘It is al-Dadhiy.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is al-Dadhiy?’ I said, ‘It is residue of dates.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It stains the pot by the time it rises, then boils, then it becomes intoxicating liquor; then it is used for drink.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘This is unlawful.’”

“I once visited abu Ja‘far, ibn al-Rida’ (a.s.), and said to him, ‘I want to touch your belly with my belly.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Here O abu Tsma‘il,’ He uncovered his belly and I uncovered my belly and touched his belly with my belly. He then made me sit and called for a plate of raisins. I ate and he began to speak and complained about his stomach. I felt thisty and asked for water. He (the Imam) said, ‘O Jariyah, give him from my al-Nabidh. She brought for me al-Nabidh of Maris (soaked) in a cup of brass. I drank and found it sweeter than honey. I then said to him, ‘This has made your stomach upset.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is dates from the charity of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. It is taken in the morning and water is poured on it. The girl soaks it and I drink it after food and during the day. In the evening the girl takes it and the people of the house drink.’ I then said, ‘People of al-Kufah do not agree with it.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is their al-Nabidh?’ I said, ‘It is taken from dates of finiqiy and al-Qa‘wah is placed in it.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is al-Qa‘wah?’ I said, ‘It is al- Dadhiy.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is al-Dadhiy?’ I said, ‘It is grain which is brought from al- Basrah. It is thrown in al-Nabidh until it boils and becomes intoxicating liquor; then it is used as a drink.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘That is unlawful.’”

“I once asked for permission to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), for a certain person of our people and he asked him (the Imam) about al-Nabidh. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful.’ He then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, I ask about al-Nabidh in which residue is placed, then is boiled until it becomes intoxicating liquor.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘All intoxicating liquor is unlawful.’”

“Once a people from Yemen came to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, to ask him (the Messenger of Allah) for the guidance of their religion and he (the Messenger of Allah) answered them. All of the people then left. When they went a certain distance certain ones among them said, ‘We forgot to ask the Messenger of Allah about what is important to us.’ The people disembarked and sent a delegate to the Messenger of Allah who said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, people have sent us to you to ask about al- Nabidh.’ The Messenger of Allah asked. ‘What is al-Nabidh? Describe it for me.’ They said it is taken from dates which is placed in a pot, then water is pour on it until it is full, then fire is lit beneath. It is cooked, then it is taken to be placed it in another pot, then water is poured on it to soak, then it is filtered with a cloth, then it is placed in another pot and the residue from before is poured in it. It then rises and boils, then it sits down on the residue.’ The Messenger of Allah then said, £ 0 you, you have said a great deal. Is it intoxicating?’ He replied, ‘Yes, it is intoxicating.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘All intoxicating substances are unlawful.’ The delegate left and informed their people of what the Messenger of Allah had said. The people said, ‘We must go back to the Messenger of Allah so we can hear what he (the Messenger of Allah) has said without anyone in between.’ So all of the people came back and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, our land is vast and we farm. We cannot work without al- Nabidh.’ The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, asked them to describe it for him (the Messenger of Allah). They described it for him (the Messenger of Allah) as their delegate had done. The Messenger of Allah asked, ‘Does it intoxicate?’ They replied, ‘Yes, it does.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) then said, ‘All intoxicating substances are unlawful. It is a right on Allah to make the drinker of intoxicating liquor to drink of Tinah of Khabal. Do you know what Tinah of Khabal is?’ They replied, ‘No, we do not know.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘It is the puss from the people of hellfire.’”