Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s Guidance on Beverages / Drinks
Habits / choices of Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam regarding beverages were the most beneficial for preserving the health. Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam used to drink honey with cold water, and this is an especially effective method to preserve the health that only the best doctors could have knowledgeof. Drinking honey on an empty stomach will dissolve phlegm, purify the stomach’s protective layers and dissipate its viscidity and excrements while heating it mildly. Honey helps against the clogs in stomach, kidney, liver and prostate. Honey is much more profitable to the stomach than any other sweet.
Habits / choices of Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam regarding beverages were the most beneficial for preserving the health. Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam used to drink honey with cold water, and this is an especially effective method to preserve the health that only the best doctors could have knowledgeof. Drinking honey on an empty stomach will dissolve phlegm, purify the stomach’s protective layers and dissipate its viscidity and excrements while heating it mildly. Honey helps against the clogs in stomach, kidney, liver and prostate. Honey is much more profitable to the stomach than any other sweet.
We should state that honey might harm those suffering from bile, because it aggravates it. In this case, the harmful side effect of honey is neutralized when taking it with vinegar, as this method makes the honey very beneficial. In addition, honey is much more preferable than any other sugar based drink, especially for those who are not used to these types of sweet drinks. When one takes sweet drinks that he is not used to, he will not benefit as much as he will from honey, as this is the role that one’s customs play. Customs remove foundations & establish foundations.
When the drink is both sweet & cold, it will be most beneficial for the body and one of the best methods to preserve its health and well-being of the soul, strength, liver & the heart. When a drink is both cold & sweet, the body will be eager for it (nutrition wise), will quickly digest and transfer it to other organs.
Allah Said in Quran:
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ
“And We Have Made from water every living thing”. (Surah Ambiaa ~ verse # 30)
Cold water is wet, quenches the thirst, preserves the moistures in the body, and regenerates the moistures that the body has lost, softens the food and helps transfer it through the veins quickly.
In short, when water is cold and mixed with a sweet substance, such as honey, raisins or dates, it will be one of themost beneficial substances that enter the body and will indeed preserve health. This is why the best drink toProphet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam was cold and sweet. Warm water begets flatulence and is not favorable for the body or the health.
Since water that is kept overnight is more favorable than recently drawn water, Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said when he entered the garden of Abu At-Taihan:
قال النبىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وقد دخل إلى حائط أبى الهيثم بن التيهان: “هَلْ من ماءٍ بات فى شَنَّة” ؟ فأتاه به، فشرب منه، رواه البخارى ولفظُه: “إنْ كان عِنْدَكَ ماءٌ باتَ فى شَنَّة وإلاَّ كَرَعْنَا”
“Do you have any water that was kept in its skin overnight?”
He was brought some of that water and he drank from it. [Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah].
This Hadith was collected by Bukhari, who narrated that our beloved Prophet said:
“If you have some water still in its skin, then bring me some, otherwise we will sip from the well”.
When water is soaked overnight, its earthly and sandy pollutants will rest in the bottom. It was mentioned that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam liked kept water, as Aishah Radi Allaho Anha said:
وقالت عائشة: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُستقى له الماء العذب مِن بئر السقيا
“Fresh water was being brought to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) drawn from the well designated for drinking”.
Water that is kept in skins, especially leather skins, has a better taste than water kept in clay containers; this is why our beloved Prophet asked for the water that was kept in skins rather than other types of pots. When water is kept in skin, it will filter through the pores [thus making the taste better].
Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam had the best methods, the most honorable soul & the best guidance in every manner. He has shown his Ummah (nation) the most beneficial methods and means concerning the benefit of their hearts and bodies in this life & the next life (Aakhirah).
Aishah Radi Allaho Anha said that the best type of drink loved by Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam was cold & sweet. This statement might indicate that the drinks of Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam contained fresh, sweet water drawn from wells & springs. Her statement might indicate that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam used to drink water that that mixed with honey or soaked dates / raisins, or her statement could carry both meanings, which is the correct opinion.
Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam guided his Ummah (nation) to drink while sitting down. He specifically commanded his Ummah not to drink while standing up.
Some people said that our beloved Prophet’s drinking while standing only demonstrates that this practice is only disliked not prohibited. Another group said that there is no contradiction between the two Ahadeeth. Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam drank while standing when he needed to do so, as he came to the well of Zam Zam and was given a bucket of water; from which he drank while standing.
Drinking while standing begets many ailments and does not quench the thirst, nor will the water settle in the stomach so that the liver transforms it to the rest of the body. In this case, water will descend quickly so the stomach and will aggravate it, and the water will not be digested properly. However, if one does this occasionally, it will not harm him.
