Another Chapter about Measurement and that there is no Accounting for Food

كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع رُبَّمَا أَطْعَمَنَا الْفَرَانِيَّ وَ الْأَخْبِصَةَ[1] ثُمَّ يُطْعِمُ الْخُبْزَ وَ الزَّيْتَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ لَوْ دَبَّرْتَ أَمْرَكَ حَتَّى تَعْتَدِلَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا نَتَدَبَّرُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَإِذَا وَسَّعَ عَلَيْنَا وَسَّعْنَا وَ إِذَا قَتَّرَ عَلَيْنَا قَتَّرْنَا

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), would feed us milk with sugar or a mixture of dates and bread, then give us bread and oil. It was then said to him (the Imam), ’We wish you organize and plan your affairs to balance them out.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘We do so by the command of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. When He expands s

ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْيَاءَ لَا يُحَاسَبُ عَلَيْهِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُ طَعَامٌ يَأْكُلُهُ وَ ثَوْبٌ يَلْبَسُهُ وَ زَوْجَةٌ صَالِحَةٌ تُعَاوِنُهُ وَ يُحْصِنُ بِهَا فَرْجَهُ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘There are three things for which Allah does not ask a believing person for accounting. One of such item is the food that he eats, the clothes that he

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع جَمَاعَةً فَدَعَا بِطَعَامٍ مَا لَنَا عَهْدٌ بِمِثْلِهِ لَذَاذَةً وَ طِيباً وَ أُوتِينَا بِتَمْرٍ نَنْظُرُ فِيهِ إِلَى وُجُوهِنَا مِنْ صَفَائِهِ وَ حُسْنِهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَنْ هَذَا النَّعِيمِ الَّذِي نُعِّمْتُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ ابْنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَكْرَمُ وَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُطْعِمَكُمْ طَعَاماً فَيُسَو

“Once we were in a group with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). He (the Imam) ordered such a food the like of which in good taste and elegance we had never seen. Thereafter dates were brought, in which we could see the reflection of our faces because of their clarity and goodness. A man then said, ‘We will be held accountable for

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَيْسَ فِي الطَّعَامِ سَرَفٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Extragance (overspending) is not applicable in food.’”

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فَدَعَا بِالْغَدَاءِ فَأَكَلْتُ مَعَهُ طَعَاماً مَا أَكَلْتُ طَعَاماً قَطُّ أَنْظَفَ مِنْهُ وَ لَا أَطْيَبَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغْنَا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ قَالَ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ طَعَامَكَ أَوْ قَالَ طَعَامَنَا قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا رَأَيْتُ أَطْيَبَ مِنْهُ وَ لَا أَنْظَفَ قَطُّ وَ لَكِنِّي ذَكَرْتُ الْآيَةَ الَّتِي فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ

“I once visited abu Ja‘far (a.s.). He (the Imam) ordered food. I ate a food with him the like of which I never before had seen in cleanness and elegance. When we finished our food he (the Imam) asked, ‘O abu Khalid, how was your food’ or that he (the Imam) said, ‘Our food?’ I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in s

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ اعْمَلْ طَعَاماً وَ تَنَوَّقْ‌[1] فِيهِ وَ ادْعُ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابَكَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Prepare food and make it unique; then invite your friends for it.’”