Taysīr al-ʿAllām - Abd Allah al-Bassam - (204)

Taysīr al-ʿAllāmAbd Allah al-Bassam

Chapter: Traditions Concerning Garlic, Onions, and Similar Foods

Hadith 1
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh (may Allah be pleased with them both) related that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever eats garlic or onion should keep away from us—or, he said, should keep away from our mosque—and remain in his house.”

A cooking pot containing assorted green vegetables was then brought to the Prophet ﷺ. When he noticed its odor he inquired about the contents and was told that it held such vegetables. He said, “Bring it closer” to one of the Companions who was with him. When that Companion saw that the Prophet ﷺ himself did not wish to eat from it, he hesitated. The Prophet ﷺ told him, “Eat, for I hold confidential discourse with One with whom you do not discourse.”

Lexical notes
• qidr: the vessel in which food is cooked.
• khaḍrāt (sing. khaḍra): fresh green herbs.
• buqūl (sing. baql): every plant by which the earth turns green. (Ibn Fāris)
• unājī (“I converse privately”): Ibn Fāris explained that munājāh is the secret talk between two; here the Prophet ﷺ refers to his exclusive communion with his Lord.

Hadith 2
Jābir reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever eats onions, garlic, or leeks should not come near our mosque, for the angels are offended by the same things that offend human beings.” In another wording: “the children of Adam.”

Overall meaning
A worshipper is expected to present himself with the finest and most pleasant scent, especially when he intends to pray in a public congregation. For that reason the Prophet ﷺ instructed anyone who has eaten raw garlic or onion to avoid the Muslims’ mosques and pray at home until the offensive odor has disappeared, for it troubles both the worshippers and the angels who draw near.

When a pot of green herbs and vegetables was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and he sensed its unpleasant smell, he ordered that it be offered to those Companions who were with him. One of them, noticing the Prophet’s dislike, assumed the dish was forbidden and hesitated to eat. The Prophet ﷺ then clarified that it was not unlawful; he disliked it only because of its odor, not because the food itself was prohibited.

بَاب ما جَاء في الثوم والبصل ونحوهما الحديث الأول عن جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله رَضىَ الله عَنْهُمَا عَنْ النَّبي ﷺ قالَ: "مَنْ أكَل ثُوماً أوْ بَصَلاً فَلْيَعْتَزِلنا - أوْ ليعْتَزِلْ مَسْجِدَنَا- ليْقْعُدْ في بَيتهِ". وَأُتي بقِدْرٍ فيه خَضِراتٌ من بُقُولٍ فَوَجَدَ لها ريحاً، فسأل، فَأُخْبِرَ بِمَاَ فِيهَا من البُقُولِ، فَقَال: " قرِّبُوهَا " إِلى بَعْض أصحَابِهِ كان معه- فَلَمَّا رَآهُ كَرِهَ أكلهَا قال: "كُل فإنّي أنَاجي من لا تُنَاجى ". غريب الحديث: قدر: هو الوعاء الذي يطبخ فيه. خضرات: واحدته "خضرة " وهي البقلة الخضراء. البقول: جمع بقل، وهو كل نبات اخضرت به الأرض. عن ابن فارس. أناجى: قال ابن فارس اللغوي: النحوي: السر بين اثنين. وناجيته: اختصصته بمناجاتي. ويريد بذلك ﷺ مناجاته مع ربه، إختصاصه ربه بذلك. الحديث الثاني عَن جَابِر: أن النبي ﷺ قَالَ: " مَنْ أكلَ البُصَلَ أو الثُّومَ أو الْكُرَّاثَ فَلا يَقْرَبَنَّ مَسْجدَنَا فَإنَّ الْمَلاِئكَةَ تَتَأَذّى ممَّا يَتَأذّى مِنْهُ بَنوُ الإنْسَانِ " وفي روَاية " بَنُو آدَمَ ". المعنى الإجمالي: المطلوب أن يكون المصلى على أحسن رائحة وأطيبها، لاسيما إذا كان يريد أداء صلاته في المجامع العامة. ولذا أمر النبي ﷺ، من أكل ثوياً أو بصلاً نيئين أن يتجنب مساجد المسلمين، ويؤدى صلاته في بيته، حتى تذهب عنه الرائحة الكريهة، التي يتأذى منها المصلون والملائكة المقربون. ولما جيء إلى النبي ﷺ بقدر من خضروات وبقول، فوجد لها ريحاً كريهة، أمر أن تفرب إلى من حضر عنده من أصحابه، فلما رأى الحاضر كراهته ﷺ لها، ظن أنها محرمة، فتردد في أَكلها، فأخبره أنها ليست بمحرمة، وأنه لم يكرهها لأجل حرمتها.