Salt - Authentic Hadith

[Als99]

Salaams!

I've come across this hadith:

"Whoever begins his meals with salt will be saved from seventy diseases" Holy Prophet (SAW)

I just wanted to make sure it was authentic-can anyone confirm?

Thanks!

[Ali_Hussain]

(salam)

Make sure that you use a quality salt, Himalayan Salt is good, that stuff that costs next to nothing isn't even salt, and these days, with all the rubbish that is bumped into the sea, Sea Salt is also a big dodgy.

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

(bismillah)

 

 

In al-Khisāl, authored by al-Sadūq, page 610-624:

 

حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله قال: حدثني محمد ابن عيسى بن عبيد اليقطيني، عن القاسم بن يحيى، عن جده الحسن بن راشد، عن أبي بصير، ومحمد بن مسلم، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: حدثني أبي، عن جدي، عن آبائه عليهم السلام أن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام علم أصحابه في مجلس واحد أربع مائة باب مما يصلح للمسلم في دينه ودنياه .قال عليه السلام: (الى ان قال):  وابدؤوا بالملح في أول طعامكم فلو يعلم الناس ما في الملح لاختاروه على الترياق المجرب. من ابتدأ طعامه بالملح ذهب عنه سبعون داء وما لا يعلمه إلا الله عز وجل

 

 

Told me, my father [r.a], said: Told us, Sa'ad b. Adullah, said:Told me, Muhammad b.`Īsa b. Ubayed al-Yaqtīnī, from Al-Qāsim b. Yahyā, from his grandfather al-Ḥasan b. Rāshid, from Abī Basīr, and Muhammad b. Muslem, From Abī `Abd allāh [as] said: Told me, my father, from my grandfather, from his fathers [as], that Amīr al-Mu'minīn (Ali) [as], that he taught his companions in one gathering four hundred doors, of what will make right (/or benefit) the Muslim in his religion and worldly matters, he said [as]: "......(In a very long narration).... until he says: "And begin with salt in your first meal (/before eating)[1], For if the people knew what was in the salt, they would have chosen it over a tested antidote. Who ever starts his meal with salt, he will be rid (/saved) of seventy illnesses, and what no one knows except Allāh (عز وجل)......".

 

 

Source:

•  al-Sadūq's al-Khisāl, pg. 623. 

Grading:

• al-Majlisī said this Hadīth is Mu'tabar (Authentic), and has a comment concerning the chain and narration.
  --> Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 10, pg. 140.
• al-Muḥsinī said this Hadīth is Mu'tabar (Authentic)
  -->  Mu‘jam al-aḥādīth al-mu‘tabarah, vol. 8, pg. 572.
   

___________________________________________

[1] In al-Tuhaf: "And end it (with salt)"./واختموا به
 

 

(wasalam)

Edited March 16, 2015 by Jaafar Al-Shibli

[Als99]

Thank you so much. So does this mean the hadith is authentic but it's Imam Ali that said it rather than the Prophet?

Thanks again for the help!

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

On 3/16/2015 at 1:18 PM, Als99 said:

Thank you so much. So does this mean the hadith is authentic but it's Imam Ali that said it rather than the Prophet?

Thanks again for the help!

Knowledge of Imam Ali [as] is from the prophet SA, so I don't see how that would make a difference. The prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), had said this to Imam Ali [as]. There is a whole chapter in al-Kāfī , on the merits of salt. A number of those narration are authentic and reliable. If you want, I can translate those narrations for you, with their grading.

__________

(wasalam) 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Hameedeh
Removed strike through or line through problem.

[Al-Englisi]

Bismillah

 

Similar narrations can be found in Al-Mahaasin of Barqi. However, just looking at them quickly, not all were authentic. 

 

http://shiaonlinelibrary.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A8/1116_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%86-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%AC-%D9%A2/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9_290

 

The particular one you are looking for is:

 

وَ قالَ (صلى الله عليه وآله): يا عَلىّ! اِفْتَحْ طَعامَكَ بِالْمِلْحِ، فَإنَّ فيهِ شِفاءٌ مِنْ سَبْعينَ داء، مِنْها: الْجُنُونُ وَ الْجُذامُ وَ الْبَرَصُ وَ وَجَعُ الْحَلْقِ وَ الاْضْراسِ وَ وَجَعُ الْبَطْنِ

 

The Prophet (s) said: O Ali! Begin your food with salt, for in (beginning your meals with) salt there is cure from seventy diseases...

[dawudansari2]

The benefit of salt

In some narration it's recommended to begin eating food with a little salt .For example, Imam Ali (pbuh) said" start your meals with salt, if people knows the benefit of salt they certainly use salt instead of taking other medicines'' and also Al-Imam Al- Sadeq said " if one use salt with the first morsel  freckle will remove from his/ her face . The holy prophet ( pbuh) said " eating salt before meal  take away 330 kind of physical  illnesses from human''           

[Als99]

Thank you so much.

Yes please. If you can translate the different narrations on salt that would be great.

You're right-it doesn't matter who said it in the broader sense but if I'm quoting something I'd prefer to associate it with the right personality.

Thank you again for all your help. May you be rewarded for sharing your knowledge.

[Muhammed Ali]

Think about the excessive amount of salt in today's western diets.

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

Think about the excessive amount of salt in today's western diets.

 

I'm not sure what you're trying to imply, but an excess amount of intake, of any nutrients is no doubt harmful. It's no rocket science. The Narration holds great value.

___________

(wasalam)

Edited March 17, 2015 by Jaafar Al-Shibli

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

Thank you so much.

Yes please. If you can translate the different narrations on salt that would be great.

You're right-it doesn't matter who said it in the broader sense but if I'm quoting something I'd prefer to associate it with the right personality.

Thank you again for all your help. May you be rewarded for sharing your knowledge.

 

 

(bismillah)

 

 

Of course no problem brother. Here, we read in al-Kāfī, authored by al-Kulaynī, Volume 12, Chapter 76: Merits of Salt (بَابُ فَضْلِ الْمِلْحِ), page 469, [the following two of the authentic narrations in this chapter]:

 

 

ـ محمد بن يحيى ، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى ، عن علي بن الحكم ، عن ابن بكير ، عن زرارة ، عن أبي عبد الله عليه‌السلام قال قال النبي صلى‌الله‌عليه‌وآله لأمير المؤمنين عليه‌السلام يا علي افتتح بالملح في طعامك واختم بالملح فإنه من افتتح طعامه بالملح وختمه بالملح دفع الله عنه سبعين نوعا من أنواع البلاء أيسرها الجذام.

 

 

 

1- Muḥammad b. Yaḥya, from Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b.`Īsa, from Ali b. al-Ḥaka, from Abī Bakīr, From Zurārah, from Abī `Abd Allāh (عليهم السلام)said: "Said the prophet (صلى‌ الله‌ عليه‌ وآله) to Amīr al-Mu'minīn [Ali] (عليهم السلام): ' O Ali, begin with salt in your meals, and finish with salt, For, who ever begins their meals with salt, Allāh will repel from them seventy kinds of calamities (/diseases), the easiest of them is leprosy.[1]

 

 

Grading:

• al-Majlisī said this Hadīth is Muwaththaq (Reliable) like the Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic).

  -->Mir’āt al-`Uqūl, Vol. 22, pg. 154.

• Hādī al-Najafī, said this Hadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ al-Isnād (Authentic Chain of narrators).

  -->Mawsū`ah Aḥādīth Ahl al-Bayt , vol. 6, pg. 286, N. 7492.

• Āṣif al-Muḥsinī, said this Hadīth is Mu'tabar (reliable).

  --> Mu‘jam al-aḥādīth al-mu‘tabarah, vol. 7, pg. 470.

 

 

 

علي بن إبراهيم ، عن أبيه ، عن ابن أبي عمير ، عن هشام بن سالم ، عن أبي عبد الله عليه‌السلام قال قال رسول الله صلى‌الله‌عليه‌وآله لعلي عليه‌السلام يا علي افتتح طعامك بالملح واختم بالملح فإن من افتتح طعامه بالملح وختم بالملح عوفي من اثنين وسبعين نوعا من أنواع البلاء منه الجذام والجنون والبرص.

 

 

2-`Alī b. Ibrāhīm, from his father, from Ibn Abī Umair, from Hāshim b. Sālim, from Abī `Abd Allāh (عليهم السلام) said: "Said the Messenger of Allāh (صلى‌ الله‌ عليه‌ وآله) to Alī (عليهم السلام): ' O Alī, begin you meal with salt, and finish it with salt. For, who ever begins his meal with salt and finishes it with salt, he is disburdened (relieved) from seventy two kinds of calamities (/disease), from them are Leprosy, insanity, and Albinism.[2].

 

 

 

Grading:

• al-Majlisī said this Hadīth is Hasan (Good).

  -->Mir’āt al-`Uqūl, Vol. 22, pg. 154.

• Hādī al-Najafī, said this Hadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ al-Isnād (Authentic Chain of narrators).

  -->Mawsū`ah Aḥādīth Ahl al-Bayt , vol. 6, pg. 285, N. 7491.

• Āṣif al-Muḥsinī, said this Hadīth is Mu'tabar (reliable).

  --> Mu‘jam al-aḥādīth al-mu‘tabarah, vol. 7, pg. 470.

 

_____________________________________

[1] Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection that affects parts of the body and the nervous system, particularly the peripheral nerves. Leprosy is characterised by skin lesions. Leprosy is also known as Hansen's disease, Hanseniasis or HD. The disease is common in tropical and subtropical regions but is curable with multi-drug therapy.

[2] Albinism is a defect of melanin production that results in little or no color (pigment) in the skin, hair, and eyes. Albinism occurs when one of several genetic defects makes the body unable to produce or distribute melanin, a natural substance that gives color to your hair, skin, and iris of the eye. The defects may be passed down through families.

 

 

 

There are many other benefits, from using salt. I will translate more narrations concerning this, if time sides with me God Willing. 

__________

(wasalam)

Edited March 17, 2015 by Jaafar Al-Shibli

[The Green Knight]

Are we talking about table salt? NaCl? It is bactericidal, antiseptic, good for tonsils, great for gargles with warm water during soar throat, increases body pH which is good for all the fried and acidic diet we eat these days, it increases the volume of bodily fluids so increases blood pressure too which is not bad unless hypertensive / high blood pressure. Boon for the other type who have usually lower blood pressure than normal (120/80 is considered normal). Has other uses too, e.g., meat preservative. Have to admit that all its secret mechanisms must be hidden in plain sight. Probably when you start a meal with salt it kills all the germs in the mouth and denies them further passage into the digestion system. May be the key to good health. Or who knows. May be its pH increasing role.

[Guest]

Are we talking about table salt? NaCl? It is bactericidal, antiseptic, good for tonsils, great for gargles with warm water during soar throat, increases body pH which is good for all the fried and acidic diet we eat these days, it increases the volume of bodily fluids so increases blood pressure too which is not bad unless hypertensive / high blood pressure. Boon for the other type who have usually lower blood pressure than normal (120/80 is considered normal). Has other uses too, e.g., meat preservative. Have to admit that all its secret mechanisms must be hidden in plain sight. Probably when you start a meal with salt it kills all the germs in the mouth and denies them further passage into the digestion system. May be the key to good health. Or who knows. May be its pH increasing role.

agree with everything else, however it does not increase body pH, on the contrary sodium in combination with negatively charged anions acts as a buffer, sodium is required for absorptions of different nutrients in food like glucose, amino acids, but the quantity required is minimal...... hmmm... so don't know what could the benefits...  *thinking*

[Muhammed Ali]

I'm not sure what you're trying to imply, but an excess amount of intake, of any nutrients is no doubt harmful. It's no rocket science. The Narration holds great value.

___________

(wasalam)

 

If an excess is already occurring then adding to it isn't wise. The narration may be restricted to a situation where there isn't an excess or where there is a deficiency.

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

If an excess is already occurring then adding to it isn't wise. The narration may be restricted to a situation where there isn't an excess or where there is a deficiency.

 

 

Clearly, somehow you've made the assumption that a large portion of the population has an excess intake of salt, which may be a true, however it is no doubt that the information given, is applied to situations where you are to take salt moderately. In addition, there maybe a merit in starting and ending your food with salt, as said in the narration provided.

 

________________________

(wasalam) 

[Muhammed Ali]

Clearly, somehow you've made the assumption that a large portion of the population has an excess intake of salt, which may be a true,

 

If this is the case (and it seems like it is) then the precautions must be mentioned to those who would  be told the hadith.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Muhammed Ali

[Jaafar al-Shibli]

On 3/17/2015 at 3:06 PM, Muhammed Ali said:

If this is the case (and it seems like it is) then the precautions must be mentioned to those who would  be told the hadith. 

Nope. Wrong. First and foremost, my above statement does not support your inevident assumption, rather a statement of uncertainty. Second, the advice given by the prophet SA or Imam Alī [as] was to a general population , they did not specify a certain group with an X disease or illness. If you have bothered reading the first narration provided in my post, it originally it comes from the 'Narration of four hundred', al-Khisāl , where Imam Alī [as] teaches his companions a number of acts that will benefit them, generally many and religious  advices, thus not narrowed towards a specific time or individual. Third, there are international recommendations on the amount of intake of salt, and the amount to avoid in processed foods, which is different when consuming unprocessed natural foods , and therefore benefits in having a small amount of salt in the beginning and ending of a meal specifically as suggested by the narration, (and not eating or adding salt excessively as you tried to apply generally), which rids or repels one from Leprosy, insanity, and Albinism. I can provide peer-reviewed articles if you prefer. And please don't try approaching narration that are in concern with health issues with mere logic. Approach them scientifically thanks.

_____________

(wasalam) 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Hameedeh
Removed strike through or line through problem.

[Ashvazdanghe]

According to reliable traditions, the Holy Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).a.) used to have cucumber with salt. Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) has said that cucumber should be eaten from the root side as it is more advantageous.

http://Islamic-laws.com/eatinghabbit.htm

[Haji 2003]

On 3/16/2015 at 4:40 PM, Ali_Hussain said:

Himalayan Salt is good

I always thought that using this was a bit of an affectation, but there was a small bag near the till in a local Afghan store, so I bought it. One of my mum's friends had previously used my Amazon account to buy a large bag and she was really enthusiastic about it.

Wow.

The stuff is really potent! And it really does have a 'flavour'. Sure, it's more expensive than ordinary salt, but it'd be what's called an affordable luxury and you don't need to use very much.