The hadith states that after the prohibition of alcohol, there used to be wine on the dining table of Sayyiduna Muawiyah.
Some ignorant people have falsely accused Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) of drinking wine even after embracing Islam. (May Allah forbid) To prove this falsehood, they rely on a certain narration. We present the reality of that narration before you.
Narration with Translation
حدثنا عبد الله بن بريدة قال:دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبِي عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَأَجْلَسَنَا عَلَى الْفُرُشِ، ثُمَّ أُتِينَا بِالطَّعَامِ فَأَكَلْنَا، ثُمّ أُتِينَا بِالشَّرَابِ فَشَرِبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ، ثُمَّ نَاوَلَ أَبِي، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ” مَا شَرِبْتُهُ مُنْذُ حَرَّمَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ "، ثُمَّ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: كُنْتُ أَجْمَلَ شَبَابِ قُرَيْشٍ وَأَجْوَدَهُ ثَغْرًا، وَمَا شَيْءٌ كُنْتُ أَجِدُ لَهُ لَذَّةً كَمَا كُنْتُ أَجِدُهُ وَأَنَا شَابٌّ غَيْرُ اللَّبَنِ، أَوْ إِنْسَانٍ حَسَنِ الْحَدِيثِ يُحَدِّثُنِي
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Edition: Al-Risalah 38/26
The translation by Muhammad Ali Mirza Jhelumi is presented here:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Buraidah Tabi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that my father Sayyiduna Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him, and I went to meet Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him. Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, seated us on a floor seating (i.e., carpet), then food was brought which we ate, then a drink was brought before us which Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, drank and then handed the vessel containing the drink to my father. He (Sayyiduna Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Since the time the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared this drink forbidden, I have never consumed it." Then Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Among the Qurayshi youth, I was the most handsome and the one with the most beautiful teeth, and in those days of my youth, nothing was more delightful to me than milk and a good storyteller."
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 23329 (Volume 10, Page 661), Sheikh Zubair Ali Zai and Sheikh Al-Arna'ut said: Its chain of narration is authentic
Reference: (The True Background of the Event of Karbala: 72 Authentic Ahadith in the Light of the Youth of Ahl al-Sunnah Islamabad, Islamabad, 2017, p. 15)
First Point: Sayyiduna Muawiyah's Hatred for Alcohol and Drunkards
Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه had a strong hatred for alcohol and drunkards; in fact, he himself narrated the prohibition of alcohol. Let us observe:
عَنْ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فِي شَارِبِ الْخَمْرِ:’’ إذا شَرِبُوا الخمر فاجلِدُوهُم، ثم إن شَرِبُوا فاجلدُوهُم، ثم إن شَرِبُوا فاجلِدُوهُم، ثُمَّ إنْ شَرِبُوا فاجلِدُوهُم، ثم إن شَرِبُوا فاقتلُوهُم‘‘.
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 4482, Jami' at-Tirmidhi: 1444)
Translation: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "When a drinker drinks alcohol, give him a beating; if he drinks again, give him a beating; if he drinks again, give him a beating; and if he drinks again, then kill him."
From the aforementioned narration, it becomes clear that Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه was among those companions who declared the prohibition of alcohol and even mentioned its punitive punishment. Beyond this, Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه increased the discretionary punishment for alcohol to eighty lashes; Sayyiduna Uthman applied both forty and eighty lashes during his time.
Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه maintained the punishment at eighty lashes.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 4488, Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir: 1/135, 1003, Sunan ad-Daraqutni 4/195, 3320)
It is known that Sayyiduna Muawiyah had a strong aversion to alcohol and drinkers, and in fact, he maintained strict punishments to eradicate it.
Second Point: The Use of the Word "Sharab" in Different Meanings in the Quran and Sunnah
The word "Sharab" has been used in different meanings in the Holy Quran, for example:
◈ 1. Sharab meaning "Hot Water"
In various places in the Holy Quran, Sharab refers to hot water, as Allah Almighty says:
وَذَرِ الَّذِيْنَ اتَّخَذُوْا دِيْنَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَّلَهْوًا وَّغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَا وَذَ كِّرْ بِهٖٓ اَنْ تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَلِيٌّ وَّلَا شَفِيْعٌ ۚ وَاِنْ تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لَّا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَا ۭاُولٰۗىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ اُبْسِلُوْا بِمَا كَسَبُوْا ۚ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيْمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَكْفُرُوْنَۧ
Reference: (Al-An'am:70)
Translation: And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. And admonish with the Quran whoever fears My threat. And do not be an assistant to the disbelievers. And let every soul be a pledge for what it has earned. And they will not be wronged. And if they deny you, then say, "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do." And those who disbelieve will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment.
اِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيْعًا ۭوَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقًّا اِنَّه يَبْدَؤُا الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيْدُهٗ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ بِالْقِسْطِ ۭ وَالَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَھُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيْمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوْا يَكْفُرُوْنَ
Reference: (Yunus:4)
Translation: You have to return to Him. This is Allah's firm promise; He is the one who initiates creation and He will recreate it so that He may justly recompense those who believed and continued to do righteous deeds. And for those who disbelieved, there will be boiling water and a painful punishment. This is the recompense for the denial of the truth that they used to commit.
In these places, the word "wine" is used to mean hot water, as is clear.
◈ 2. Pure Wine
The Quran mentions the wine of Paradise and describes it as pure wine, as Allah the Exalted says:
عٰلِيَهُمْ ثِيَابُ سُـنْدُسٍ خُضْرٌ وَّاِسْتَبْرَقٌ ۡ وَّحُلُّوْٓا اَسَاوِرَ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ ۚ وَسَقٰىهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُوْرًا
Reference: (Ad-Dukhan: 21)
They will be clothed in fine silk and thick silk, and they will be adorned with silver bracelets, and their Lord will give them a pure drink.
Consider that in the previous verse, "wine" was mentioned for the inhabitants of Hell, and in the mentioned verse, "wine" is mentioned for the inhabitants of Paradise, but in both places, it does not mean intoxicating wine that affects worldly intellect.
◈ 3. Drinking Beverage Water
The divine revelation is:
هُوَ الَّذِيْٓ اَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاۗءِ مَاۗءً لَّكُمْ مِّنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَّمِنْهُ شَجَـرٌ فِيْهِ تُسِيْمُوْنَ
Reference: (An-Nahl:10)
Translation: It is He who sends down water from the sky for you. From it you drink, and from it grows the vegetation on which you pasture your livestock.
◈ 4. In the Meaning of Honey
Regarding the honey produced by the honeybee, the Quran states:
ثُمَّ كُلِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرٰتِ فَاسْلُكِيْ سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا ۭ يَخْرُجُ مِنْۢ بُطُوْنِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ اَلْوَانُهٗ فِيْهِ شِفَاۗءٌ لِّلنَّاسِ ۭ اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَةٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يَّتَفَكَّرُوْنَ
Reference: (An-Nahl:69)
Translation: Then eat from every fruit and follow the ways of your Lord made easy. From their bellies comes a drink of various colors (honey), in which there is healing for people. Indeed, in that is a sign for people who reflect.
Allama Baydawi, while translating the word "drink" mentioned in the verse, writes:
شَرابٌ يعني العسل لأنه مما يشرب
Reference: (Tafsir Baydawi)
Translation: Here, the drink refers to honey because it is also consumed.
It is understood that in the Quran, the word "drink" is used in multiple meanings.
The Use of the Word "Drink" in Multiple Meanings in Ahadith
◈ First Hadith:
Sayyida Aisha states that the beloved "drink" (beverage) of the Prophet ﷺ was something cold and sweet.
Reference: (Jami' Tirmidhi: 1895)
In one narration, it is asked which drink is the best? The Prophet ﷺ replied: Cold and sweet.
Reference: (Musnad al-Humaydi: 259, Musannif Ibn Abi Shaybah: 24197)
In the mentioned narration, the drink referred to as wine is Nabidh.◈ Second Hadith:
In one hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would take three breaths before drinking something.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 2028)
◈ Third Hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ forbade blowing into the drink.
Reference: (Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir: 1896, Silsilat al-Sahihah: 388)
◈ Fourth Hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ saw a waterskin hanging on the wall and asked for wine, meaning water. The companions said that this waterskin was made from the skin of a dead animal. The Prophet ﷺ said: Coloring it is its purity.
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 20061)
◈ Fifth Hadith:
Sayyida Aisha states that while I was menstruating, I would nibble meat off the bone while eating, then give it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he (would accept it and) place his mouth exactly where I had eaten. And I would drink a beverage, meaning water, then give it to the Prophet ﷺ, and he ﷺ would drink from the same place where I had drunk.
Reference: (Sunan Abu Dawood: 259)
In all the aforementioned hadiths, the word "sharab" (drink) is used, but in the meanings of water, honey, milk, or nabidh, etc., and the original meaning of sharab is simply "to drink." Therefore, in these hadiths, there is no scope for "sharab" to mean "khamr" (intoxicant) in any form.
The Word Sharab in the Speech of the Scholars
The statement of Ikramah, may Allah have mercy on him:
لَا تَشْرَبُوا نَفَسًا وَاحِدًا، فَإِنَّهُ شَرَابُ الشَّيْطَانِ
Reference: (Shu'ab al-Iman)
Translation: Do not drink in one breath; this is the drinking of Satan.
In Shu'ab al-Iman, the word sharab is used, while in the work of Ibn Abi Shaybah, the word shurb is used; both are verbal nouns meaning "to drink."
In Muwatta Imam Malik, it is mentioned that Aslam, the freed slave of Umar, went to Abdullah bin Ayyash Al-Makhzumi and saw Nabidh with him (these words are clearly present), then he said:
إِنَّ هَذَا الشَّرَابَ يُحِبُّهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ
Reference: (Muwatta 2610, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)
Translation: This drink was liked by Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him.
Furthermore, Sayyiduna Umar also called it Tayyib (good).
From the above examples, it is clear that the word "Sharab" was applied either to general drinks or to Nabidh, and was not used in the sense of Khamr (intoxicant).
Third point: The arrival of the companion Buraidah at this occasion
The arrival of the companion Buraidah at this occasion is also evidence that this drink was not intoxicating because our viewpoint regarding the companions is that they would avoid even a table where there was opposition to Shariah and drinking of intoxicants, because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
..ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فلا يجلس على مائدة يدار عليها بالخمر
Reference: (Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 2801)
Translation: And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not sit at a table where intoxicants are being served.
Therefore, the presence of Sayyiduna Buraydah at this occasion, in addition to Sayyiduna Muawiyah, also clarifies the reality of this drink.
Fourth Point: Understanding of the Scholars
Under this point, we will present the correct meaning of the mentioned narration in the light of the statements of the scholars.
➊ Ibn al-Sa'ati's Classification
Reference: "Al-Fath al-Rabbani li Tartib Musnad al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal al-Shaybani”
Ibn al-Sa'ati arranged
Reference: "Musnad Ahmad”
into chapters and established a chapter on this hadith: "Chapter on what has been mentioned about milk, drinking it, milking it, and other related matters," i.e., statements about milk and its drinking, milking, etc. He absolutely did not derive the meaning from this hadith that the ill-natured people want.
➋ Allama Haithami's Classification
Imam Haithami established the title "Chapter on what has been mentioned about milk" for this narration in Majma' al-Zawa'id. This makes it clear that for him also, this narration has no connection with wine.
➌ Translation by Maulana Iqbal
The translation of "Musnad Ahmad" published by Maktaba Rahmaniya, which Maulana Iqbal has done, has explained the meaning in such a way that there is no room for interpreting it as referring to wine. Please observe:
"Abdullah bin Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him, says that once I and my father went to Hazrat Amir Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him. He lifted us onto the bed, then food was served which we ate, then a drink (nabidh) was brought, which Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, drank first. Then he handed the vessel to my father, who said that since the Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade it, I have not drunk it. Then Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I was the most handsome young man of Quraish and had the best teeth; I did not find pleasure in anything more than milk or the company of people who spoke well."
Reference: (Translator of Musnad Ahmad: 10 / 661, Maktaba Rahmaniya)
➍ Abu al-Qasim Muhammad Mahfuz Awan
While explaining this narration, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad Mahfuz Awan writes:
"This proves that milk is a delightful and blessed food. What Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) drank and presented to Sayyiduna Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) was Nabidh. Sayyiduna Buraydah's refraining from drinking it was out of caution, so that it would not be that it had become intoxicating. Otherwise, Nabidh is not something forbidden. However, when it becomes intoxicating, drinking it is considered prohibited."
Reference: (Al-Fath al-Rabbani: Translator: 7/199, Ansar al-Sunnah Hadith Number: 7479)
For a correct understanding of the issue, these examples are sufficient to clarify the opinion and stance of the scholars regarding this narration. It has become clear that this word has been used in various meanings in the texts of the Qur'an and Hadith.
Warning: Some scholars have interpreted this as Nabidh (i.e., dates or raisins soaked in water and the water consumed before it ferments to produce intoxication), some have explained it as milk, but in any case, scholars agree that it was not wine (khamr).
Fifth Point: Words of Musnad Ahmad
To further understand the correct meaning of the hadith, here are the words of the author Ibn Abi Shaybah:
حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبِي عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَأَجْلَسَ أَبِي عَلَى السَّرِيرِ وَأَتَى بِالطَّعَامِ فَأَطْعَمَنَا، وَأَتَى بِشَرَابٍ فَشَرِبَ، فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: «مَا شَيْءٌ كُنْتُ أَسْتَلِذُّهُ وَأَنَا شَابٌّ فَآخُذُهُ الْيَوْمَ إِلَّا اللَّبَنَ، فَإِنِّي آخُذُهُ كَمَا كُنْتُ آخُذُهُ قَبْلَ الْيَوْمِ»
Reference: (Author Ibn Abi Shaybah: 30560)
Translation: Zaid bin Habbab narrates from Hussain bin Waqid that Abdullah bin Buraidah told us, he said that my father and I came to Muawiyah, he made us sit on a couch and food was brought, he fed us, and then a drink was brought and we drank. Then Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that in my youth, I did not enjoy anything more than milk. I have taken it today, I have taken it today just as I used to take it before. And I also like good things.
The additional words (ما شربتُه منذ حرّمه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم) are not present in the mentioned narration of the author Ibn Abi Shaybah.
The second point is that the meaning of these additional words has also been explained as being attributed to Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه. It is surprising that Muhammad Ali Mirza Jhelumi mentioned Shoaib Al-Arna'oot's ruling on the hadith but did not give importance to his explanation regarding this statement.
Shoaib Al-Arna'oot, while attributing this sentence to Sayyiduna Muawiyah, said that when Sayyiduna Buraidah showed disgust on his face, Sayyiduna Muawiyah replied that he had not drunk wine since the time the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared it forbidden.
Sixth point: Response according to Arabic grammar
Among the eloquent expressions of the Arabs is that where a noun should appear explicitly, a pronoun is used instead, implying that the explicit noun is omitted to indicate that the speaker does not even wish to mention its name. The situation would be that Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, while handing a drink vessel to Sayyiduna Buraydah, said, "ما شربتُه," meaning, "I have not drunk 'it' (i.e., alcohol) since the Prophet ﷺ prohibited it." The proper expression would have been ’’ما شربت الخمر منذ حرمه النبي ﷺ‘‘, but instead of using the explicit noun, a pronoun was used, showing reluctance even to mention its name.
Now the question arises, if wine (khamr) was not present here, then where did the mention of wine (khamr) come from? The answer is that this type of speech is called istitraad in Arabic grammar terminology, meaning that there was no place for the mention of wine here, but some reason arose that made it necessary to mention it here. For example, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked about the purity of seawater, but in response, he ﷺ also gave the ruling regarding carrion in the sea.
Reference: (Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 69)
Since when a person travels by sea, the issue of carrion may also arise for him, so it was mentioned as well. The same situation happened here that when Sayyiduna Muawiyah saw wine (nabidh, etc.) on his dining table, it reminded him of the era of ignorance, where wine was a permanent part of the tables of the people of ignorance, whereas on the tables of Muslims, the drinks might be milk, etc., but not wine.
Summary of the Speech
In light of these detailed answers, it has become clear that deriving a self-made meaning from this hadith seems to be merely a result of ignorance, prejudice, and worldly interests, and has no connection with the truth. Furthermore, the scholars have explained its correct meaning.
