The Endives

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Muthanna’ ibn al-Walid who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’If one goes to sleep with seven leaves of endives in his belly he will remain safe from colic (colitis) pain that night by the will of Allah.’”

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

2. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Khalid ibn Muhammad from his grandfather, Sufyan ibn al-Simt who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’If one likes to increase his seed and children he should eat endives very often.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’If one likes to increase his seed and children he should eat endives very often.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The endive is a very good herb. On every one of its leaves there is a drop of paradise, so you should eat it and do not shake it off when eating.’ He (the Imam) has said, ’My father (a.s.), prohibited us from shaking off when we were eating it.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah from Ziyad who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The endive is the master of herbs.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar all from al-Hajj al from Tha’labah from a man who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said, ‘You must eat endives because it increases one’s seed and forms children well. It is hot, soft and increases male children.’”

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

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from abu Sulayman al-Hadhdha’ al-Jabaliy from Muhammad ibn al-Fayd who has said the following: “I once had lunch with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and on the table-spread there were herbs and with us: there was an old man who avoided endive. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘You think that endive is of cold nature, in fact, it is not the way you think it is. It is balanced and its excellence over other herbs is like our excellence over other people.’”*

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

8. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from certain persons of our people from al-Asamm from Shu’ayb from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘You should eat endives. Every morning one drop descends on it from paradise and when you eat it do not shake it off.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘My father (a.s.), prohibited us from shaking off when we ate endives.’”

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

9. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il who has said the following: “I once heard al-Rida’ (a.s.), saying, ‘The endive is cure for a thousand illnesses. There is no illness in the belly of the sons of Adam that endives cannot dispel.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘One day he asked for it because one of the servants suffered from fever and headache. He ordered to make it thin, spread it on a piece of paper then a certain amount of viola oil was poured on it and placed on his forehead. He (the Imam) then said, ‘This removes fever and is beneficial in headaches and to dispel it off.’”

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

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from abu Yahya al-Wasitiy from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The endive is the herb of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. The herb of ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), is al-Badharuj (sweet basil) and the herb of Fatimah, ‘Alayha al-Salam, is al -Farfakh (purslane).

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