روي أنه نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الدباء والحنتم والنقير والمزفت، لا يكون زيتا أو خلا، وأن يخلط البلح بالزهو وأن يخلط التمر بالزبيب والزهو بالتمر. وكل مسكر حرام.
وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا لم يجد شيئا ينتبذ له فيه نبذ له في تور من حجارة.It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) directed the people against using Dubbaa, Hantam, Naqeer and Muzaffat1 for any [fermented] drink, if it is neither olive oil nor vinegar; and that Balah and Zahaw2 should not be mixed [in fermented drinks]; or that Tam’r and Zabeeb3 or Zahaw and Tam’r should not be mixed4. All intoxicants are prohibited5.
It is also narrated that when nothing [besides the mentioned utensils] could be found for fermenting a drink for the Prophet (pbuh), [even then, these utensils were not used, rather] drinks were fermented for him in utensils made of stone.
General Notes:
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These are names of utensils, which were generally used for the preparation of liquor. Seen in the light of the Qur’an, and as is clarified in other narratives, the prohibition of these utensils, in fact, implies the prohibition of the liquor prepared in them. The prohibition of liquor is clearly because of its potential affects on human consciousness. Thus, the important thing in the prohibition of liquor is not the material from which it is prepared or the utensils in which it is prepared, but the potential intoxicating affects, which it entails.
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Balah and Zahaw are names given to the various stages of ripeness of dates. Balah (البلح) is an initial stage of the development of a date, while Zahaw (الزهو) is a stage, in which the date becomes slightly reddish in color. The Arabic dictionary “Mukhtar al-Sihah” has specified the names given to dates at various stages of their development. These include: Tal` (الطلع), Khilaal (الخلال), Balah (البلح), Bus’r (البسر), Rutab (الرطب) and Tamr (التمر).
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Generally used for dried grapes.
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The express mention of these mixtures is evidence that these must have been the common ingredients of liquor prepared in the area.
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This is a more generalized principle statement. This sentence constitutes the main theme of this and other related narratives.
Notes on the Text of the Narrative:
This narrative or a part of it, with minor variations, has been reported in Muslim (narrative no. 3697, 3720), Nasaiy (narrative no. 5079, 5080, 5453, 5454, 5462, 5495, 5496, 5529, 5537, 5538, 5539, 5540, 5542, 5543, 5546, 5549, 5550, 5551, 5553, 5554, 5555, 5583), Abu Dawood (narrative no. 3205, 3211), Ibn Maajah (narrative no. 3392, 3393, 3394, 3395), Ahmad ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 180, 340, 917, 1103, 1104, 2369, 2374, 2476, 2518, 2632, 2635, 2923, 2991, 3000, 3130, 4678, 4773, 4973, 5237, 5740, 7425, 8986, 10106, 11420, 11421, 11423, 14314, 14529, 14590, 14610, 16193, 16205, 17185, 17187, 17189, 18996, 19129, 19668, 19720, 19724, 22897, 23070, 23367, 23515, 23530, 23670, 23775, 23851, 24221, 24228, 24863, 24878, 25451), Daarimiy (narrative no. 2020), Ibn Hibban (narrative no. 5379, 5397, 5401, 5403, 5405, 5406, 5407, 5408, 5411) Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 17146, 17245, 17246, 17252, 17253, 17254, 17255, 17256) Ibn Abi Shaybah (narrative no. 16926, 16927, 16933, 16934, 16935, 16937, 16960, 16962, 16963, 16964, 16965, 16966, 16968, 23779, 23780, 23781, 23782, 23785, 23786, 23787, 23788, 23789, 23790, 23792, 23793, 23794, 23795, 23796, 23798, 23802, 23804, 23805, 23807, 23808, 23809, 23810, 23811, 23820, 23821, 23869, 23780, 23781, 23872, 24661), Abu Ya`laa (narrative no. 1322, 1323, 4450, 6077, 6128). Except where otherwise specified, this text has been reported in Muslim, narrative no. 3697.
In some narratives, as in Nasaiy’s narrative no. 5537, there is an addition of the word “والقرع“ after the utensils named in the text. However, according to another narrative on Nasaiy (narrative no. 5551), “القرع“ is the same as “الدباء“. There is also an addition of the word “والنقير“, as given in Nasaiy, narrative no. 5496. According to another narrative, “نبيذ الجر“ is also included in the prohibited items, as reported in Ibn Hibban, narrative no. 5403.
The words “لا يكون زيتا أو خلا“ (i.e., ‘provided it is neither olive oil nor vinegar’) have been reported in Nasaiy, narrative no. 5542.
The words “وأن يخلط البلح بالزهو“ (i.e., ‘and that Balah and Zahaw2 should not be mixed [in fermented drinks]’) have been reported in Muslim, narrative no. 3700. In some of the narratives, this sentence has been reported as: ” وأن يخلط التمر بالزبيب والزهو بالتمر“ (i.e. ‘that you mix dates with raisin or mix dates of varying ripeness’), as in Nasaiy, narrative no. 5454, while in other narratives, the sentence has been reported
as: “ وعن البسر والتمر أن يخلطا وعن الزبيب والتمر أن يخلطا وكتب إلى أهل هجر أن لا تخلطوا الزبيب والتمر جميعا“ (i.e. the Prophet directed us to refrain from mixing dates, which are at various degrees of ripeness or to mix dates with raisin. The Prophet (pbuh) wrote to the people of Hajr that they should not mix dates with raisin), as reported in Nasaiy, narrative no. 5462.
The words “وأن يخلط التمر بالزبيب والزهو بالتمر“ (i.e., ‘or that Tam’r and Zabeeb3 or Zahaw and Tam’r should not be mixed’) have been reported in Nasaiy’s narrative no. 5454.
The words “وكل مسكر حرام“ (i.e., ‘all intoxicants are prohibited’) have been reported in Nasaiy’s narrative no. 5496.
The last part of the text, “وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا لم يجد شيئا ينتبذ له فيه نبذ له في تور من حجارة“ (i.e., ‘when nothing [besides the mentioned utensils] could be found for fermenting a drink for the Prophet (pbuh), [even then, these utensils were not used, rather] drinks were fermented for him in utensils made of stone.’) is reported in Muslim’s narrative no. 3720.
(This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi)