Food & Eating

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا فَقَرَّبَتْ إِلَيْهِ كِسَراً فَقَالَ هَلْ عِنْدَكِ إِدَامٌ فَقَالَتْ لَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا عِنْدِي إِلَّا خَلٌّ فَقَالَ ص نِعْمَ الْإِدَامُ الْخَلُّ مَا أَقْفَرَ بَيْتٌ فِيهِ الْخَلُ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once the Messenger of Allah went to the house of ‘Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, and she brought pieces of bread. He (the Messenger of Allah) asked, ‘Do you have any sauce?’ She replied, ‘No, O Messenger of Allah except vinegar.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Yes,

الْخَلُّ يَشُدُّ الْعَقْلَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Vinegar strengthens the power of understanding.’”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ مَا أَقْفَرَ بَيْتٌ فِيهِ خَلٌّ وَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص ذَلِكَ.

‘A house in which there is vinegar does not become needy, and the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has already said it.’”

الرَّجُلُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَمَرْتَنَا أَنْ نَفْتَتِحَ بِالْمِلْحِ فَقَالَ هَذَا مِثْلُ هَذَا يَعْنِي الْخَلَّ وَ إِنَّ الْخَلَّ يَشُدُّ الذِّهْنَ وَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْعَقْلِ.

“A man in Khurasan once was with al-Rida’ (a.s.), and the table-spread with food inside, vinegar and salt, was brought to him. He (the Imam) began with vinegar and the man said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, have you commanded us to begin with salt?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is like that’

إِنَّا لَنَبْدَأُ بِالْخَلِّ عِنْدَنَا كَمَا تَبْدَءُونَ بِالْمِلْحِ عِنْدَكُمْ فَإِنَّ الْخَلَّ لَيَشُدُّ الْعَقْلَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘We begin with vinegar which is with us as you begin with salt which is with you, and vinegar strengthens the ability to understand better.’”

كَانَ أَحَبَّ الْأَصْبَاغِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص الْخَلُ‌[2].

the best sauce to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, was vinegar.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ نِعْمَ الْإِدَامُ الْخَلُّ- يَكْسِرُ الْمِرَّةَ وَ يُطْفِئُ الصَّفْرَاءَ وَ يُحْيِي الْقَلْبَ.

The best sauce is vinegar, it breaks bitterness, (bile) extinguishes yellowness (gall) and brings the heart to life.’”

ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ خَلُّ الْخَمْرِ[1] فَقَالَ ع إِنَّهُ لَيَقْتُلُ دَوَابَّ الْبَطْنِ وَ يَشُدُّ الْفَمَ.

‘It kills dawab (the insects) in the belly and strengthens the mouth (the teeth).’”

خَلُّ الْخَمْرِ يَشُدُّ اللِّثَةَ وَ يَقْتُلُ دَوَابَّ الْبَطْنِ وَ يَشُدُّ الْعَقْلَ.

‘Vinegar of wine strengthens tooth gum, kills dawab in the belly and strengthens the ability to understand.’”

الِاصْطِبَاغُ بِالْخَلِّ يَقْطَعُ شَهْوَةَ الزِّنَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Using vinegar as sauce cuts down the desire of fornication.’”

عَلَيْكَ بِخَلِّ الْخَمْرِ فَاغْمِسْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَبْقَى فِي جَوْفِكَ دَابَّةٌ إِلَّا قَتَلَهَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must eat vinegar of wine and immerse (the morsel or use it very often) in it, because it does not leave any dawab (insects) animal in your belly without killing them.’”

إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانُوا يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ بِالْخَلِّ وَ يَخْتِمُونَ بِهِ وَ نَحْنُ نَسْتَفْتِحُ بِالْمِلْحِ وَ نَخْتِمُ بِالْخَلِّ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Banu Israel would begin their food with vinegar and end with it but we begin with salt and end with vinegar.’”

إِنَّ يُوسُفَ ع لَمَّا كَانَ فِي السِّجْنِ شَكَا إِلَى رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَكْلَ الْخُبْزِ وَحْدَهُ وَ سَأَلَ إِدَاماً يَأْتَدِمُ بِهِ وَ قَدْ كَانَ كَثُرَ عِنْدَهُ قِطَعُ الْخُبْزِ الْيَابِسِ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ الْخُبْزَ وَ يَجْعَلَهُ فِي إِجَّانَةٍ وَ يَصُبَّ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءَ وَ الْمِلْحَ فَصَارَ مُرِّيّاً فَجَعَلَ يَأْتَدِمُ بِهِ ع.[2]

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when Yusuf (Joseph) was in jail, he complained before his Lord, most Majestic, most Glorious, about eating bread alone and asked for sauce and there were a great deal of pieces of dry bread with him. He commanded him to place the bread in a pot, pour water on it with salt and it be

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ كُلُوا الزَّيْتَ وَ ادَّهِنُوا بِالزَّيْتِ فَإِنَّهُ‌ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ. - مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مِثْلَهُ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ariy from ibn al-Qaddah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, 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

كَانَ مِمَّا أَوْصَى بِهِ آدَمُ ع إِلَى هِبَةِ اللَّهِ ابْنِهِ أَنْ كُلِ الزَّيْتُونَ فَإِنَّهُ‌ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ.

‘Of the matters that Adam said in his will to Hibbahtu Allah, his son was this: ‘You must eat olives because they are from the blessed tree.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الزَّيْتُونُ يُهَيِّجُ الرِّيَاحَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الزَّيْتُونَ يَطْرُدُ الرِّيَاحَ.

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that they say, ‘Olives stir up gas. He (the Imam) said, ‘Olives dispel gas.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ ادَّهِنُوا بِالزَّيْتِ وَ أْتَدِمُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ دُهْنَةُ الْأَخْيَارِ وَ إِدَامُ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ مُسِحَتْ بِالْقُدْسِ مَرَّتَيْنِ بُورِكَتْ مُقْبِلَةً وَ بُورِكَتْ مُدْبِرَةً لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَهَا دَاءٌ.

“’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘Use olives for rubbing and as sauce; it is the rubbing oil of the virtuous people and the sauce of the chosen ones. It was touched with holiness twice and it was blessed when coming and returning (plentiful or scarce) and with it illness does not harm.”’

ذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَهُ الزَّيْتُونَ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَجْلِبُ الرِّيَاحَ فَقَالَ لَا بَلْ يَطْرُدُ الرِّيَاحَ.

“We mentioned olives before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and a man said it stirs up gas. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it dispels gas.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الزَّيْتُ دُهْنُ الْأَبْرَارِ وَ إِدَامُ الْأَخْيَارِ بُورِكَ فِيهِ مُقْبِلًا وَ بُورِكَ فِيهِ مُدْبِراً انْغَمَسَ بِالْقُدْسِ مَرَّتَيْنِ.

‘Olives are the rubbing oil of the virtuous ones and the sauce of the selected ones. It was blessed when coming as well as returning (plentiful or scarce) and immersed in holiness twice.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ الزَّيْتُونُ يَزِيدُ فِي الْمَاءِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Olives increase in water.’”

مَا اسْتَشْفَى النَّاسُ بِمِثْلِ الْعَسَلِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘People are not cured as good as with honey.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَعْقُ الْعَسَلِ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِها شَرابٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوانُهُ فِيهِ شِفاءٌ لِلنَّاسِ‌ وَ هُوَ مَعَ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَضْغِ اللُّبَانِ يُذِيبُ الْبَلْغَمَ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘Licking honey is cure for all illnesses. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “From its belly, drink of many colors come out. In it there is cure for people.” Honey with reading Quran and chewing frankincense dissolves phlegm.’”

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يُعْجِبُهُ الْعَسَلُ.

“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, liked honey a great deal.’”

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَأْكُلُ الْعَسَلَ وَ يَقُولُ آيَاتٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَضْغُ اللُّبَانِ يُذِيبُ الْبَلْغَمَ.

eating honey, reciting verses of Quran and chewing frankincense dissolve phlegm.’”

مَا اسْتَشْفَى مَرِيضٌ بِمِثْلِ الْعَسَلِ.

“A patient does not receive a cure as he can with honey.’”

كَانَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلُ ع كَثِيراً مَا يَأْكُلُ السُّكَّرَ عِنْدَ النَّوْمِ.

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal would eat sugar very often when going to sleep.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَئِنْ كَانَ الْجُبُنُّ يَضُرُّ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَ لَا يَنْفَعُ فَإِنَّ السُّكَّرَ يَنْفَعُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَ لَا يَضُرُّ مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ.

‘If cheese is harmful in all things and does not benefit in anything, sugar on the other hand benefits in all things and does not harm in anything.’”

شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ شَاكِي فَقَالَ أَيْنَ هُوَ عَنِ الْمُبَارَكِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا الْمُبَارَكُ قَالَ السُّكَّرُ قُلْتُ أَيُّ السُّكَّرِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانِيُّكُمْ هَذَا.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Azdiy from certain persons of our people in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “Once, a man complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I am a complaining man.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What he needs is al-Mubarak.’ I then

بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: السُّكَّرُ الطَّبَرْزَدُ يَأْكُلُ الْبَلْغَمَ أَكْلًا[1].

the sugar which is chipped with a hammer eats away (abolishes) phlegm entirely.’”

شَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْوَجَعَ فَقَالَ لِي إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَكُلْ سُكَّرَتَيْنِ قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ فَبَرَأْتُ فَخَبَّرْتُ بَعْضَ الْمُتَطَبِّبِينَ وَ كَانَ أَفْرَهَ أَهْلِ بِلَادِنَا فَقَالَ مِنْ أَيْنَ عَرَفَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هَذَا هَذَا مِنْ مَخْزُونِ عِلْمِنَا أَمَا إِنَّهُ صَاحِبُ كُتُبٍ فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ أَصَابَهُ فِي بَعْضِ كُتُبِهِ.

“I once complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), against pain and he (the Imam) said, ‘When you lie down in your bed eat two pieces of sugar.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I followed the instruction and I became well. I told a physician about it, which was the best in our town. He asked me, ‘How has abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s

لَمَّا تَعَشَّى أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ لِي إِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْخِزَانَةَ فَاطْلُبْ لِي سُكَّرَتَيْنِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَيْسَ ثَمَّ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقَالَ ادْخُلْ وَيْحَكَ قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ فَوَجَدْتُ سُكَّرَتَيْنِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهِمَا.

“After abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), took his dinner, he said, ‘When you go in the storage look for two pieces of sugar for me.’ I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, there is nothing there.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Go there, fie upon you.’ He has said, ‘I went there and found two pieces of sugar an

شَكَا إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ الْوَبَاءَ فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ عَنِ الطَّيِّبِ الْمُبَارَكِ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الطَّيِّبُ الْمُبَارَكُ فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانِيُّكُمْ هَذَا قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ السُّكَّرَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ ع.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “Once, a man complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about plague. He (the Imam) said, ‘What you need is the fine and blessed.’ I then asked, ‘What is the fine and blessed?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It i

لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا عِنْدَهُ أَلْفُ دِرْهَمٍ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ غَيْرُهَا ثُمَّ اشْتَرَى بِهَا سُكَّراً لَمْ يَكُنْ مُسْرِفاً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man has one thousand dirham and he does not have anything else with him but he buys sugar with it, he is not considered a spendthrift.””

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِأَبِي يَا بَشِيرُ بِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تُدَاوُونَ مَرْضَاكُمْ فَقَالَ بِهَذِهِ الْأَدْوِيَةِ الْمِرَارِ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَا إِذَا مَرِضَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَخُذِ السُّكَّرَ الْأَبْيَضَ فَدُقَّهُ وَ صُبَّ عَلَيْهِ الْمَاءَ الْبَارِدَ وَ اسْقِهِ إِيَّاهُ فَإِنَّ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشِّفَاءَ فِي الْمَرَارَةِ قَادِرٌ أَنْ يَجْعَلَهُ فِي الْحَلَاوَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to my father, ‘O Bashir, with what do you treat your people for illnesses?’ he replied, ‘It is those bitter medicines.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When any of you becomes ill take white sugar, make it into powder, pour cold water on it and make him drink it. The One who has made cure in bitt

السُّكَّرُ الطَّبَرْزَدُ يَأْكُلُ الْبَلْغَمَ أَكْلًا.

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘The sugar chipped with a small hammer dissolves phlegm entirely.’”

حُمَّ بَعْضُ أَهْلِنَا فَوَصَفَ لَهُ الْمُتَطَبِّبُونَ الْغَافِثَ‌[1] فَسَقَيْنَاهُ فَلَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِهِ فَشَكَوْتُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ مَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ فِي شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنَ الْمُرِّ شِفَاءً خُذْ سُكَّرَةً[2] وَ نِصْفاً فَصَيِّرْهَا فِي إِنَاءٍ وَ صُبَّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ حَتَّى يَغْمُرَهَا وَ ضَعْ عَلَيْهَا حَدِيدَةً وَ نَجِّمْهَا مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَأَمْرِسْهَا بِيَدِ

“Someone in our family had a fever and physicians had prescribed al-ghafith (a certain herb) and we made the patient to drink it, but it did not benefit him I then complained against it before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) said, ‘Allah has not placed cure in anything which is bitter (only). Take one or one a

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ سُمُونُ الْبَقَرِ شِفَاءٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘In ghee from cows there is a cure. 5 ”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ السَّمْنُ دَوَاءٌ وَ هُوَ فِي الصَّيْفِ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ فِي الشِّتَاءِ وَ مَا دَخَلَ جَوْفاً مِثْلُهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘In ghee there is a cure. It is better in summer than it is in winter and no other thing like it enters inside (the stomach).’”

نِعْمَ الْإِدَامُ السَّمْنُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Ghee is a very fine sauce.’”

إِذَا بَلَغَ الرَّجُلُ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً[1] فَلَا يَبِيتَنَّ وَ فِي جَوْفِهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنَ السَّمْنِ.

‘When a man becomes fifty years old he must not go to sleep with an amount of ghee in his stomach.’”

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَكَلَّمَهُ شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا لِي أَرَى كَلَامَكَ مُتَغَيِّراً فَقَالَ لَهُ سَقَطَتْ مَقَادِيمُ فَمِي‌[2] فَنَقَصَ كَلَامِي فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ أَنَا أَيْضاً قَدْ سَقَطَ بَعْضُ أَسْنَانِي حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيُوَسْوِسُ إِلَيَّ الشَّيْطَانُ فَيَقُولُ لِي إِذَا ذَهَبَتِ الْبَقِيَّةُ فَبِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَأْكُلُ فَأَقُولُ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا ق

“Once I was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and an old man from Iraq spoke to him (the Imam) who asked the man, ‘Why has your voice changed?’ The man replied, ‘It is because my front teeth have gone, so there is defect in my speaking.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘Certain ones of my teeth have also gone. Satan pres

السَّمْنُ مَا دَخَلَ جَوْفاً مِثْلُهُ وَ إِنَّنِي لَأَكْرَهُهُ لِلشَّيْخِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Nothing entering inside is (as good) as ghee but I dislike it for an old man.’”

لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَأْكُلُ طَعَاماً وَ لَا يَشْرَبُ شَرَاباً إِلَّا قَالَ- اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَ أَبْدِلْنَا بِهِ خَيْراً مِنْهُ إِلَّا اللَّبَنَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَ زِدْنَا مِنْهُ.

‘Whenever the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, ate food or drank a drink, he said, “O Lord, grant us blessing in it and better to replace it.” However when drinking milk he (the Messenger of Allah) would say, ‘O Lord, grant us blessing in

لَبَنُ الشَّاةِ السَّوْدَاءِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ لَبَنِ حَمْرَاوَيْنِ وَ لَبَنُ الْبَقَرِ الْحَمْرَاءِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ لَبَنِ سَوْدَاوَيْنِ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The milk of black sheep is better than that of the red ones; and the milk of red cows is better than that of the black ones.”’

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ص إِذَا شَرِبَ اللَّبَنَ قَالَ- اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَ زِدْنَا مِنْهُ.

when drinking milk would say, ‘O Lord, make it a blessing for us and increase it for us.’”

قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِنِّي أَكَلْتُ لَبَناً فَضَرَّنِي قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا يَضُرُّ لَبَنٌ قَطُّ وَ لَكِنَّكَ أَكَلْتَهُ مَعَ غَيْرِهِ فَضَرَّكَ الَّذِي أَكَلْتَهُ فَظَنَنْتَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّبَنِ.

“Once, a man said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I eat milk products and they harm me.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to him, ‘No, by Allah, milk never harms; but you may have eaten something else with it which has harmed you, but you thought it is milk.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَغَصُ‌[1] بِشُرْبِ اللَّبَنِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- لَبَناً خالِصاً سائِغاً لِلشَّارِبِينَ‌.

‘There is no one who is choked when drinking milk; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, ‘ . . .pure milk which is suitable for those who drink.’”*

اللَّبَنُ طَعَامُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Milk is the food of the Messengers.”’

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ‌ وَ أَنَا أَسْمَعُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَجِدُ الضَّعْفَ فِي بَدَنِي فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ بِاللَّبَنِ فَإِنَّهُ يُنْبِتُ اللَّحْمَ وَ يَشُدُّ الْعَظْمَ.

“I once was with abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and a man said to him (the Imam), when I was hearing, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I feel weakness in my body.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must drink milk, it grows flesh and strengthens the bones.’”

مَنْ تَغَيَّرَ عَلَيْهِ مَاءُ الظَّهْرِ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْفَعُ لَهُ اللَّبَنُ الْحَلِيبُ وَ الْعَسَلُ.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ’For one on whom water of the back (sexual desire) has changed milk and honey are beneficial.”’