- ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; my father narrated to me; Abu Muʿawiyah narrated to us, from ʿAsim al-Ahwal, from Abu ʿUthman an-Nahdi, who said:
When ʿUtbah arrived in Azerbaijan, some khabīs (a sweet confection) was brought to him. He ordered two large baskets, had them filled with the khabīs, loaded them onto a camel, and sent them off to ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him. When the baskets reached ʿUmar, he tasted the sweet and found it very pleasant. He asked, “Do all the Muslims have their fill of this in their own homes?” They answered, “No.” He said, “Then we have no need of it.” He closed the baskets and sent them back.
He then wrote to ʿUtbah: “To proceed: This is not from your father’s toil, nor from your mother’s toil. So satisfy the Muslims with the same food from which you satisfy yourself in your lodging. Beware the attire and luxuries of the non-Arabs, and adhere to the Maʿdiyyah (the plain Arab way).”