Excellence of Salt

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘In salt there is cure for seventy kinds of pains.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Had people known that which is in salt they would not seek treatment for an illness with anything other than salt.’”

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘A table-spread with food in it has no blessings without salt. For good health of the body one must begin his food with salt.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent revelation to Moses son of ‘Imran (a.s.) to command his people to begin their food with salt and end it with salt, otherwise, they must not blame anyone other than their ownselves.’”

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), once asked us, ‘Which food is of greater preference?’ Certain ones among us said that it is meat, others said that it is oil, yet others said it is milk. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is salt.’ We then went outside for freshness and a certain one of servants forgot salt. They slaughtered a sheep for us which was the most fat one and we could not benefit thereof anything until we returned back.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one spreads salt on the first morsel of his food, blemish of skin goes away from his face.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that once scorpion bit the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and he (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘May Allah condemn you. You do not distinguish between a believer and unbeliever and do not know whom you can hurt’. He (the Messenger of Allah) then asked for salt and rubbed it on the bitten place and it calmed down. Abu Ja’far (a.s.), then said, ‘Had people known that which is in salt they would not seek another antidote.’”

“Once, scorpion bit the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He (the Messenger of Allah) then threw it away, saying, ‘May Allah condemn you, both believers and unbelievers are not safe from you.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) then asked for salt, placed it on the bitten place and squeezed it with his thumb until it melted and then said, ‘Had people known that which is in salt, they would not need to seek any other antidote.’”