Nasai

Hadith Commentary:
The eminent Companion who asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about the intoxicating drink "bit‘" was Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu.

When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent him for da‘wah and preaching, he asked about the drinks that were prepared there.

He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“What are they?” He replied:
“They are bit‘ and mizr.”
Bit‘ is a fermented drink (nabidh) made from honey, and mizr is a fermented drink (nabidh) made from barley.

He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Every intoxicating drink is unlawful (haram).”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Hadith: 4343)

This definition of bit‘ and mizr is itself narrated from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Thus, it is narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu that he said: I asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about the drink made from honey, and he said:
“This is bit‘.”
I said:
(Intoxicating) nabidh is also prepared from barley and corn.
He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“This is mizr.”
In the end, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Inform your people that every intoxicant is unlawful (haram).”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Ashribah, Hadith: 3684)

Every intoxicant is unlawful, even if intoxication is caused by drinking a large amount of it. Thus, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“That which intoxicates in large quantities, a handful of it is also unlawful.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Ashribah, Hadith: 3687)

Rather, we say that even less than that, even if it is only a drop, is unlawful.
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
Nabeedh refers to a drink made from dates that is sweet and has not become intoxicating. Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah has permitted ablution (wudu) with it when water is not available, whereas according to Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, and all the other scholars among the Ahl al-Hadith, ablution with nabeedh is not permissible. This is also the fatwa of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah. The narration from Hasan has been transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaybah, the narration from Abu’l-‘Aliyah by Daraqutni, and the narration from ‘Ata by Abu Dawud in a connected (mawsul) form. The purpose of the hadith under discussion is that when an intoxicating substance is prohibited, how then can ablution with it be permissible?

Hadith Commentary:
Nabeedh refers to a drink made from dates that is sweet and in which intoxication has not developed.
Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah has permitted ablution (wudu) with it when water is not available, whereas according to Imam Shafi‘i, Imam Ahmad, and all the other Imams among the Ahl al-Hadith, ablution with nabeedh is not permissible.
This is also the fatwa of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah.
The narration from Hasan has been transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaybah, the narration from Abu’l-‘Aliyah by Darqutni, and the narration from ‘Ata’ by Abu Dawud in a connected (mawsul) form.
The purpose of the hadith under discussion is that when an intoxicating substance is prohibited, then how can ablution with it be permissible?

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The things that mix with water are of two types:
Impure and pure.
Then, the pure is of two kinds:
One is that which, despite being pure, is repugnant, such as saliva or phlegm, etc.
The second is that which is not repugnant, such as dates, etc.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s ruling is that if any impure thing mixes with water and causes a change, then the water becomes impure.
As for pure but repugnant things, he has already clarified this in the previous chapter.
Now he wants to explain that if something mixes with water which is pure and also not repugnant, but it changes one of the three characteristics of the water to the extent that it can no longer be called water, then ablution (wudu) with it is not permissible.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah also alludes to the fact that if something mixes with water but neither changes its name nor any of its characteristics, then performing ablution with it is not impermissible.

2.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, to prove his claim, has cited the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha that every intoxicating drink is forbidden.
Ablution (wudu) is an act of worship in which it is not permissible to use anything forbidden, therefore performing ablution with an intoxicating substance is haram.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s reasoning is as follows: “Sukr” (intoxicant) is general:
Whether the intoxication is actual, such as wine, etc., or potential, such as nabidh, etc., it is not permissible to perform ablution with them.
Nabidh has such potency that if it is left for a longer time or boiled more, it becomes intoxicating.
Moreover, after nabidh is prepared, the term “water” no longer applies to it, i.e., it is no longer called water, whereas the command of Allah, the Exalted, is:
“When you do not find water, then perform tayammum with clean earth.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:6)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has also deduced from this that in the presence of nabidh, tayammum can be performed, because he does not have water.
It should be clear that the narrations in which permission to perform ablution with nabidh is reported do not reach the level of proof, therefore they cannot be presented as evidence.

3.
Imam Tadabbur, even at this point, did not reflect and immediately objected to Imam Bukhari rahimahullah. Observe:
“It is not known what need there was to establish this chapter? The question of performing ablution with anything other than water does not even arise.” (Tadabbur Hadith: 1/334)
The Hanafi jurists have expended all their scholarly and intellectual energies in permitting ablution with nabidh.
It is discussed with great emphasis in every book of fiqh.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is refuting these gentlemen here, but Islahi Sahib is unaware of this—why, it is not known.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Bita‘:
An intoxicating drink made from honey and nabidh (fermented drink).

Benefits and Issues:
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave the questioner an extremely comprehensive answer,
so that he could know the ruling regarding all drinks, and from this hadith it is established that
every intoxicating substance, without distinction whether in small or large quantity, is prohibited.

Explanation:
1:
In this hadith, the meaning of "a faraq (sixteen ratl)" and "a handful" is also that of abundance and smallness,
that is, if a large quantity of something is intoxicating, then even its small quantity is prohibited.

Benefits and Issues:
Benefit: Rather, even an amount less than this, even if it is just a single drop, is prohibited (haram).

Your answer means that if betel nut is intoxicating, then it is prohibited; otherwise, it is not.

Takhrij al-Hadith: [الموطأ رواية يحييٰ بن يحييٰ 845/2 ح 1640، ك 42 ب 4 ح 9، التمهيد 124/7، الاستذكار : 1569 و أخرجه البخاري 5585، ومسلم 2001 ● من حديث مالك به من رواية يحيي]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ This hadith is mutawatir (mass-transmitted) that every intoxicating drink is forbidden. See: [قطف الازهار المتناثره فى الاخبار المواتره للسيوطي 85 ولفظ الآلي المتناثره فى الاحاديث المتواتره للزيبدي 40، ونظم المتناثر من الحديث المتواتر للكتاني 165، و ذم المسكر للامام ابن ابي الدنيا البغدادي]
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ خَمْرٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَكُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ» Every intoxicant is khamr (wine), and every intoxicant is forbidden. [صحيح مسلم 2003]
● It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «مَا أَسْكَرَ كَثِيرُهُ فَقَلِيلُهُ حَرَامٌ» Whatever intoxicates in large quantity, its small quantity is also forbidden. [سنن الترمذي : 1865، وسنده حسن، وقال الترمذي: ”حسن غريب“ وصححه ابن الجارود: 860]
➌ Some people say that «إنّ ما يتخذ من الحنطة ولشعير و العسل والذرة حلال۔۔۔۔ ولا يحد شاربه۔۔۔ وإن سكر منه» wine made from wheat, barley, honey, and corn is lawful, and the prescribed punishment (hadd) will not be applied to the one who drinks it, even if it causes intoxication. See: [الهدايه للمرغيناني 496/4 كتاب الاشربه]
● This statement is rejected because it is contrary to the hadith.
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari radi Allahu anhu said: «مَا أُبَالِي شَرِبْتُ الْخَمْرَ، أَوْ عَبَدْتُ هَذِهِ السَّارِيَةَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ» If I drink khamr (intoxicating wine), then I do not care if I worship this pillar besides Allah. [سنن النسائي 314/8 ح 5666 وسنده صحيح] That is, drinking wine is a sin like shirk (associating partners with Allah). «أَعاذنا الله منه»

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that every substance which intoxicates a person is forbidden (haram). This is a general benefit, encompassing every type of intoxicant, regardless of what it is made from.