The Vinegar and Oil

كُنْتُ أُفْطِرُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ ع فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا يُؤْتَى بِهِ قَصْعَةً مِنْ ثَرِيدِ خَلٍّ وَ زَيْتٍ فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا يَتَنَاوَلُ مِنْهَا ثَلَاثَ لُقَمٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْتَى بِالْجَفْنَةِ[3].

“I would break my fast with abu ‘ Abd Allah, and abu al-Hassan al-Awwal, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, in the month of Ramadan. First they would bring a bowl of Tharid (bread made in pieces in broth) with vinegar and oil, and at first he (the Imam) would take three morsels, then afterward a big bowl would come.”’

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَلَمَّا تَكَلَّمْتُ قَالَ لِي مَا لِي أَسْمَعُ كَلَامَكَ قَدْ ضَعُفَ قُلْتُ قَدْ سَقَطَ فَمِي‌[4] قَالَ فَكَأَنَّهُ شَقَّ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ فَأَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَأْكُلُ قُلْتُ آكُلُ مَا كَانَ فِي الْبَيْتِ- فَقَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالثَّرِيدِ فَإِنَّ فِيهِ بَرَكَةً فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَحْمٌ فَالْخَلُّ وَ الزَّيْتُ.

“I once visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and when I spoke to him he (the Imam) asked, ‘Why do I hear your voice as weak?’ I replied, ‘Because my mouth has fallen (perhaps a tooth).’ As if it seemed to grieve him (the Imam); and then he asked, ‘What do you eat?’ I replied, ‘I eat whatever is at home.’ He (the Imam) said,

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَشْبَهَ النَّاسِ طِعْمَةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ يَأْكُلُ الْخُبْزَ وَ الْخَلَّ وَ الزَّيْتَ وَ يُطْعِمُ النَّاسَ الْخُبْزَ وَ اللَّحْمَ.

3. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from ’Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from Zayd ibn al-Hassan who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin was very similar to the Messenger of Allah in eating. He would eat bread with vinegar and oil an

تَعَشَّيْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بَعْدَ عَتَمَةٍ وَ كَانَ يَتَعَشَّى بَعْدَ عَتَمَةٍ فَأُتِيَ بِخَلٍّ وَ زَيْتٍ وَ لَحْمٍ بَارِدٍ فَجَعَلَ يَنْتِفُ اللَّحْمَ فَيُطْعِمُنِيهِ وَ يَأْكُلُ هُوَ الْخَلَّ وَ الزَّيْتَ وَ يَدَعُ اللَّحْمَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا طَعَامُنَا وَ طَعَامُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع.

“I once had dinner with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), after Salat (prayer) of al-‘Isha’. He (the Imam) would take dinner after Salat (prayer) of al-‘Isha’. Vinegar, oil and cold meat were brought. He began to pull pieces of meat and give them to me but himself eat vinegar and oil and left the meat. He (the Imam) said, ‘This i

أَكَلْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ يَا جَارِيَةُ ائْتِينَا بِطَعَامِنَا الْمَعْرُوفِ فَأُتِيَ بِقَصْعَةٍ فِيهَا خَلٌّ وَ زَيْتٌ فَأَكَلْنَا.

“I once ate with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) said, ‘O Jariyah (female servant), bring for us our popular food.’ She then brought a bowl with vinegar and oil in it and we ate.’”

كَانَ أَحَبَّ الْأَصْبَاغِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص الْخَلُّ وَ الزَّيْتُ وَ قَالَ هُوَ طَعَامُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع.

‘The best of dishes to the Messenger of Allah was vinegar and oil and he would say it was the food of the Prophets ‘Alayhim al-Salam.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ مَا افْتَقَرَ أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ يَأْتَدِمُونَ بِالْخَلِّ وَ الزَّيْتِ وَ ذَلِكَ أُدْمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع.

“’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘A family that uses vinegar and oil as their sauce, never becomes needy; it is the sauce of the Prophets, ‘Alayhim al-Salam.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الطَّعَامِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالْخَلِّ وَ الزَّيْتِ فَإِنَّهُ مَرِي‌ءٌ فَإِنَّ عَلِيّاً ع كَانَ يُكْثِرُ أَكْلَهُ وَ إِنِّي أُكْثِرُ أَكْلَهُ وَ إِنَّهُ مَرِي‌ءٌ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about food. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must use vinegar and oil for food; it is palatable and Ali (a.s.), ate it very often. I eat it very often and it is palatable.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَأْكُلُ الْخَلَّ وَ الزَّيْتَ وَ يَجْعَلُ نَفَقَتَهُ تَحْتَ طِنْفِسَتِهِ‌[1].

9. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from his uncle Ya’qub ibn Salim who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin, would eat vinegar with oil and keep his expenses under the carpet.’”