His Guidance in Drink

His guidance in drink was the most perfect for protecting health. His favourite was asweet and cold drink.

He used to drink milk, both undiluted and mixed with water.And he would say:

“Allaahumma barik lana feehi wa zidna minhu, fa innahu laysa shayun yujzee `anat-ta`aamiwash-sharaabi illal-laban." (O Allah, bless it and increase it for us, for nothing suffices as food and drink except milk.)

It was not of his guidance to drink during his meal. They used to prepare for him nabidh in the early night and he would drink from it the following morning, the following night and one more day and night until the afternoon. If some of it remained, he would give it to the servant or pour it out.He would not drink from it after three days, fearing it would become intoxicant.

It was from his guidance to usually drink while sitting down, and he would admonishthose who drank while standing. But once, he drank standing, which was said to be for are ason or that the prohibition had been abrogated, or else to show that both ways are permissible.

He used to pause three times to breath while drinking and said: “It is better for quenching the thirst, is more satisfying and is  healthier.” It meant that he moved the vessel away from his mouth and breathe outside of it. He said: “When one of you drinks, he should not breathe in the vessel but move it away from his mouth.”

He also prohibited drinking from the crack of a vessel or from its spout.

He used to pronounce the name of Allah when he started to drink and praise Allah when he finished. He said: “Allah is pleased with the servant who eats something and praises Him or drinks something and praises Him.”

He used to be provided with fresh water (palatable without saltiness), and he would prefer water that had been standing.

When drinking, he would pass it on to the right, even if there was someone on the left older than him.

He ordered the container to be covered and closed firmly, even with a stick, and to pronounce the name of Allah at that time.