Hadith record

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Safwan al-Jammal who has said the following: “I liked al-Nabidh a great deal and I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I want to describe al-Nabidh before you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, allow me to describe it for you. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “Every intoxicating liquor is unlawful and whatever in large quantity is intoxicating liquor, it in a small quantity is also unlawful.’” I then asked, ‘What is this al-Nabidh for drinking in the courtyard of al-Ka‘bah?’ He (the Imam) said to me, ‘This was not the drinking place. The drinking place is Zamzam. Do you know who first changed it?’ I replied, ‘No’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib had a Habalah. Do you know what a Habalah is?’ I replied, ‘No, I do not know.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is grapes. He would soak raisins in the morning for them to drink it in the evening and soak it in the evening for them to drink in the morning. It was done to reduce the thickness of water for people but these people have crossed the limits so do not drink or go near it.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.