flipDate Nabidh — The Sweet, Non-Intoxicating Infusion
Date Nabidh — The Sweet, Non-Intoxicating Infusion
Why this dish? Wine being forbidden to Muslims, Abu Bakr and his people drank water, camel's milk, and nabidh: water in which dates or raisins have been soaked to sweeten it. Tradition reports that it was prepared in the evening to be drunk the next day — before it began to ferment, for beyond that it became unlawful.
Water infused with dates, lightly sweet and fruity, drunk the same day. Thirst-quenching in the heat, it is the desert lemonade before refined sugar.
Wine is forbidden to us, and no regret dwells in my heart for it. Throw a handful of dates into the waterskin at evening, let them sleep in it overnight, and in the morning you will have a sweet drink that delights the mouth without clouding the mind. But drink it that same day, O you who hear me: after two nights it sours and becomes what is forbidden. Pure water and the milk of the she-camel remain the drink of the believers.
- •Ripe dates (tamr) — a handful (sweetness and flavor)
- •Fresh well water — a waterskin (base)
Date Nabidh — The Sweet, Non-Intoxicating Infusion
Water infused with dates, lightly sweet and fruity, drunk the same day. Thirst-quenching in the heat, it is the desert lemonade before refined sugar.
Why this dish? Wine being forbidden to Muslims, Abu Bakr and his people drank water, camel's milk, and nabidh: water in which dates or raisins have been soaked to sweeten it. Tradition reports that it was prepared in the evening to be drunk the next day — before it began to ferment, for beyond that it became unlawful.
Wine is forbidden to us, and no regret dwells in my heart for it. Throw a handful of dates into the waterskin at evening, let them sleep in it overnight, and in the morning you will have a sweet drink that delights the mouth without clouding the mind. But drink it that same day, O you who hear me: after two nights it sours and becomes what is forbidden. Pure water and the milk of the she-camel remain the drink of the believers.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ripe dates (tamr) — a handful (sweetness and flavor)
- Fresh well water — a waterskin (base)
Ingredients
- Pitted dates — 8 to 10 (natural sweetness)
- Fresh water — 1 liter (base)
- A few raisins (optional) — 1 handful (roundness)
Method
- Split the pitted dates and place them in a pitcher of fresh water.
- Optionally add a few raisins.
- Let infuse in a cool place for 6 to 12 hours (overnight).
- Gently press the dates to release their sweetness, then strain.
- Serve cool the same day, without letting it ferment.
How it was made : Nabidh (نبيذ) originally referred to this maceration of fruit in water, perfectly lawful as long as it remained non-fermented. Hadith collections recommend consuming it quickly and discarding what has turned. It was the most widespread sweet drink in a society without sugar cane, where the date provided all available sweetness.
The contemporary twist : Serve over ice with a splash of orange blossom water and a date piece at the bottom of the glass — a 'date water' worthy of contemporary Gulf cafes.
Sources : Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, chapters on drinks (kitab al-ashriba) · Peter Heine, Food Culture in the Near East, Middle East, and North Africa, 2004
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq · Charactorium
