Preparation of Food for a Ceremony, like Wedding and so forth

“Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), ordered to prepare food for the ceremony of a certain one of his children and fed people of al-Madinah with Faludhat (a certain kind of sweet) in large cooking pots for three days in Masjids and streets. Certain people of al-Madinah criticized him (the Imam) about it. The information reached him (the Imam) and he (the Imam) said, ’Everything that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, gave to any Prophet, He gave such things to Muhammad (SAW), and more which He did not give to the Prophets. To Sulayman (a.s.) He said, “This is our gift. You can give to others or keep it without being questioned.” He said to Muhammad, “What the messenger brings you must take and what he prohibits, you must stay away from it.’” (Deeds of ‘A’immah are of the Sunnah like the deeds of the Holy Prophet)”

“Inviting (people for food) is not obligatory except for four occasions. Such occasions are: weddings, the birth of a child, circumcisions, and returning from a journey.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ’Food can be prepared for four kinds of ceremonies. It is for a wedding, birth of a child for whom ‘Aqiqah is offered and fed to deserving people, circumcision of a male child, and returning of a man from a journey, for which he invites his brothers (in belief) after his absence.’ In another Hadith it is said that it is for a new home and others.’”

“Abu Ibrahim (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, prohibited feeding during a ceremony, only the rich and not the poor.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Why do we find the aroma in a food for wedding which is not found in other food?’ He (the Imam) said, ’In every wedding for which a camel or sheep or a cow is slaughtered Allah, most Blessed, most High, sends an angel with a carat (carafe) of musk from paradise which he soaks in water in their food and that is the aroma which is felt because of it.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Why is it that we prepare good food and make it unique but we do not find the fragrance like that of the food for wedding in it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because in the food for wedding, air from paradise blows; it is a food that is prepared for a lawful matter (marriage).’ ”