The Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean)

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), would eat cooked chickpeas before and after food.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘People narrate that the Holy Prophet has said, “Seventy Prophets have blessed chickpeas.’” He (the Imam) said, ‘This is what you call chickpeas but we call it lintels.’”

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘When Allah, most Blessed, most High, granted good health to Ayyub (a.s.), he looked to the Israelites who had their plantations. He raised his eyes to the sky and said, ‘O Lord, my Master, this is Your slave Ayyub who was in suffering and You granted him good health but he does not have any plantation. These are people of banu Israel who have their plantations.’ Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent him revelation that said, ‘Take a handful from you rosary beads and use it as seed .’ His rosary beads had salt in it, Ayyub (a.s.), took a handful from it and used it as seed and what grew was this lintel. You call it chickpeas and we call it lintels.’”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘Chickpeas are good cures for back pain and he (the Imam) would ask for it before and after food.’”