Tharid (Pieces of Bread in Broth)

أَكَلْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَأُتِيَ بِلَوْنٍ فَقَالَ كُلْ مِنْ هَذَا فَأَمَّا أَنَا فَمَا شَيْ‌ءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الثَّرِيدِ وَ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ الْإِسْفَانَاجَاتِ حُرِّمَتْ‌[2].

“I once ate food with abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), and the food was of one kind. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can have this food but to me any other food is not as desirable as Tharid. I would have liked if al-Asfanajat was prohibited.’” (Al-Asfananjat is either spinach or something presented before the main course of food, whi

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ أَوَّلُ مَنْ لَوَّنَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع وَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ هَشَمَ الثَّرِيدَ هَاشِمٌ.

The first one who made food of several kinds was Ibrahim, and the first who made Tharid was Hashim.’”

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لِأُمَّتِي فِي الثَّرْدِ وَ الثَّرِيدِ قَالَ جَعْفَرٌ الثَّرْدُ مَا صَغُرَ وَ الثَّرِيدُ مَا كَبُرَ.

“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, ‘O Lord, bless for my followers al-Thard and al-Tharid.’ Ja‘far has said, that al-Thard is whatever is small and al-Tharid is whatever is large.”

الثَّرِيدُ طَعَامُ الْعَرَبِ.

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

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ عَلَيْكَ بِالثَّرِيدِ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ شَيْئاً أَوْفَقَ مِنْهُ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘You should eat Tharid because I do not find anything more agreeable than Tharid.’”

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى سَيِّدِي أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ هُوَ يَأْكُلُ سِكْبَاجاً بِلَحْمِ الْبَقَرِ[1].

“I once went to visit my master abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when he (the Imam) was having sikbajah (broth with vinegar) of cow meat.’”

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَدَعَا بِالْمَائِدَةِ فَأُتِيَ بِثَرِيدٍ وَ لَحْمٍ وَ دَعَا بِزَيْتٍ وَ صَبَّهُ عَلَى اللَّحْمِ فَأَكَلْتُ مَعَهُ.

“Once I was with ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and he (the Imam) asked for table-spread with food. Tharid and meat was brought and he (the Imam) asked for oil which he (the Imam) poured on the meat and I ate with him (the Imam).”’

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ الثَّرِيدُ بَرَكَةٌ.

“He (the Imam) said that the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Tharid is a blessing.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَا تَأْكُلُوا مِنْ رَأْسِ الثَّرِيدِ وَ كُلُوا مِنْ جَوَانِبِهِ فَإِنَّ الْبَرَكَةَ فِي رَأْسِهِ.

’Do not eat from the top of Tharid but eat from its sides because blessing is in its top.’”

أَطْفِئُوا نَائِرَةَ الضَّغَائِنِ بِاللَّحْمِ وَ الثَّرِيدِ.

‘You must extinguish the flame of malice with meat and Tharid (bread in broth).’”