The Origin of the Prohibition on Wine

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the origin of wine and how in the beginning it was lawful and its unlawfulness and when it was found. He (the Imam) said, ‘When Adam (a.s.), descended from the garden (paradises) he desired its fruits; and Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent him two twigs of grape vine which he planted. When they grew leaves and fruits came out and ripened, Satan, may Allah condemn him built a wall around them. Adam (a.s.) asked how is your condition, O condemned one?’ He said, ‘They are for me.’ He said, ‘You are lying.’ They agreed to go for Judgment before the Holy spirit. When they arrived before him, Adam (a.s.) told his side of the story. The holy spirit took a certain amount of fire and threw it on them, when there were grapes on their branches. Adam (a.s.) thought that nothing is left from them and so also thought Satan, may Allah condemn him.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The fire worked as it did but two-third were gone and one-third was left. The Holy Spirit said, ‘Whatever is gone is the share of Iblis, may Allah condemn him, and what is left is the share of Adam (a.s.).’” Al-Hassan ibn Mahbub has narrated from Khalid ibn Nafi’ from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has narrated a similar Hadith.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made Adam (a.s.) to descend, He commanded him to farm and plant and threw to him a plant from the plant of the garden (paradises). He gave him palm trees, grape vines, olives and pomegranates. He planted them for his offspring and descendents. He ate from its fruits. Iblis, may Allah condemn him, asked, ‘What are these plantations, O Adam, which I did not know of on earth even though I was here before you? Will you allow me to eat from them something?’ Adam (a.s.) did not allow him. Iblis came during the end of the life of Adam (a.s.), to Eve saying, ‘I am in a very bad condition because of hunger and thirst.’ Eve asked, ‘What do you want?’ He said, ‘I want you to allow me taste these fruits.’ She said, ‘Adam (a.s.), has made me to promise not to feed you anything from these plantations because it is from the garden (paradises) and it is not proper for you to eat anything from them. He said to her, ‘Squeeze something from them on my palm.’ She refused. He said, ‘Allow me to suck but I will not eat.’ She took one bunch of grapes and gave it to him who sucked but did not eat from it because Eve had stressed on him not to eat. When he was about to bite Eve pulled it out from his mouth and Allah, most Blessed, most High, revealed to Adam (a.s.) that My enemy and your enemy, Iblis, has sucked the grape and the juice of wine is unlawful for you which is mixed with the breath of Iblis. Wine became unlawful because of the enemy of Allah, Iblis deceived Eve until he sucked the grape, but if he would eat, grapes would have become unlawful from the beginning to end and all of its fruits and what comes out of it. He then said to Eve, ‘I wish you to allow me to suck from this date as you allowed me to suck the grape. She gave him one date and he sucked it. Grapes and dates had strong smells, finer than musk al -Adhfar (sweet smelling) and sweeter than honey. When the condemned enemy of Allah, Iblis sucked them, their fragrance went away and sweetness reduced.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Iblis, may Allah condemn him, went after the death of Adam (a.s.), and urinated on the root of grape vines and palm trees. Water flowed in their veins of the urine of Iblis, the enemy of Allah; and thereafter grape and dates ferment. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made it unlawful for the offspring of Adam (a.s.), all intoxicating things because water carried the urine of the enemy of Allah in the palm tree and grape vines. Every fermenting thing becomes wine because water fermented in the palm tree and grape vines and it is because of the urine of the enemy of Allah, Iblis, may Allah condemn him.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When Noah (a.s.), disembarked from the ark, he established a plantation and of the things that he planted was a vine of grapes. He went back to his family and Iblis, may he be condemned, uprooted it. Noah (a.s.), went to his plantation. He found everything in its condition except the grape vine that was uprooted. He found Iblis, may he be condemned, nearby. Jibril ‘Alayhi al-Salam, came and informed him that Iblis, may he be condemned, has uprooted it. Noah asked Iblis, ‘What made you to uproot it? None of my plantations is more beloved to me than this. I by Allah will not allow it without being planted? Iblis said, ‘I, by Allah, will not allow it to grow without my uprooting? He asked Noah to give him a share? He (the Imam) said, ‘Noah then gave him a share of one-third but he rejected. He gave him one-half and he rejected. Noah also refused to increase but Jibril ‘Alayhi al-Salam said to Noah, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you should do him a favor because it comes from you? Noah then noticed that the authority over it is given to him so Noah (a.s.) left two-thirds for him? Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If you have grape juice; boil it until two-thirds of it evaporates; then eat and drink and that (which is gone evaporated) is the share of Satan?”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Iblis, may Allah condemned him, disputed with Noah (a.s.) about the grape vine and Jibril (a.s.), came and said, ‘He has a right, so give him? He gave him one-third but he did not agree. He gave one-half but he did not agree. Jibril then threw a fire, which burnt two-thirds and one-third was left. He said, ‘Whatever fire has burnt is his share and what has remained, O Noah, is lawful for you?”