The Khali (Wine Turned to Vinegar)

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.’”