What Is Talbina?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

What is Talbina, and does a Muslim receive a reward for consuming it or other foods mentioned in the Sunna?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

Talbina

Talbina is a gentle food, which is a broth made from flour or bran, and honey is added to it. It is called “talbina” because it resembles milk in its whiteness and smoothness. [Azhari, Tahzib al-Lugha, Zamakhshari, al-Fa’iq fi Gharib al-Hadith]

Talbina is recommended for the sick and those grieving the loss of a loved one or someone dear to them. [Ibn Battal, Sharh Bukhari]

Bukhari narrated from ‘Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), that

“Whenever a relative of hers died, the women would gather and then leave except for her family and close friends. She would order a pot of talbina to be cooked. Then, she would prepare a dish of tharid (a dish made with meat and bread) and pour the talbina over it. Then she would say, ‘Eat from it, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) say: Talbina soothes the heart of the sick and takes away some of the sorrow.’” [Bukhari]

The term “soothes” indicates that it alleviates worry and grief.

Benefits of Talbina

Talbina strengthens and invigorates the patient because it is a gentle and easy-to-consume food for the sick. When the patient consumes it, the heat of hunger is alleviated, and they receive nutritional strength without much effort, which alleviates some of their distress and sadness due to illness.

‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) would make it for the family of the deceased and serve it with tharid because their grief distracted them from eating, intensifying the heat in their stomachs from hunger and sorrow. When she fed them talbina, it alleviated the heat of hunger, thus reducing some of their distress. This practice does not necessarily mean that it should be prepared this way for every patient, but rather according to the situation. [Qurtubi, al-Mufhim]

‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) used to recommend talbina and say: “It is the disliked beneficial thing.” [Bukhari]

It is called “the disliked beneficial thing” because patients usually dislike food and medicine, even though they are beneficial for them as they sustain them, strengthen their spirits, and improve their condition. [Qadi ‘Iyad, Mashariq al-Anwar]

There are other foods mentioned in the Sunna and their benefits are highlighted, including:

Black Seed

Khalid Ibn Sa‘d said: “We went out and with us was Ghalib Ibn Abjar. He fell sick on the way, and when we arrived in Madina, he was still sick. Ibn Abi ‘Atiq came to visit him and said to us, ‘You should use this black seed. Take five or seven seeds and grind them, then mix them with oil and drop them into both nostrils, for ‘Aisha told me that she heard the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) say: This black seed is a cure for every disease except al-Sam.’ I asked, ‘What is al-Sam?’ He said, ‘Death.’” [Bukhari]

Honey

Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, “My brother has a stomach disorder.” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Let him drink honey.” The man returned and said, “O Messenger of Allah, it did not help.” He said, “Go and let him drink honey.” The man returned and said, “O Messenger of Allah, it did not help.” He said, “Allah has told the truth, and your brother’s stomach has lied. Go and let him drink honey.” He went and let him drink honey and he was cured. [Ibid.]

Truffles

From Sa‘id Ibn Zayd (Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Truffles are a kind of manna, and their juice is a cure for the eye.” [Ibid.]

Ajwa Dates

Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) say,

‘Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning, will not be harmed by any poison or magic on that day.’” [Muslim]

The Reward for Consuming These

Regarding the second part of the question: Does a Muslim receive a reward for consuming these prophetic foods?

The basic principle is that these foods and their likes are permissible, and performing permissible acts does not merit reward unless there is an intention behind it.

If a Muslim prepares talbina or eats seven dates in the morning, believing in and affirming the truthfulness of the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) words, recognizing that he speaks the truth and does not speak from his own desire, as Allah (Most High) says:

“Nor does he speak of his own whims. It is only a revelation sent down (to him).” [Quran, 53:3-4]

they receive a reward for their belief, not for the mere act of eating. Similarly, if one eats these foods out of love for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), because he mentioned and recommended them, their reward lies in their love and reverence, rather than the mere act of eating.

Foods permitted by Allah (Most High) fall into the category of permissible actions, and one does not earn a reward for permissible actions without a righteous intention. The same applies to eating honey if it is consumed with belief in the words of Allah (Most High), who says:

“From their bellies comes forth liquid of varying colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect.” [Quran, 16:69]

One is rewarded for their belief and faith in the Book of Allah (Most High).

Conclusion

In conclusion, talbina is a gentle food that is generally harmless, which is why the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) recommended it.

Muslims should, when following the guidance of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in food, clothing, and all aspects of life, remember the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his compassion and mercy towards his Umma.

These actions should be performed out of love and longing for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), rather than merely focusing on commands, prohibitions, and seeking rewards, lest the meanings of love and longing for this noble Prophet, whose love is an act of worship and a means of drawing closer to Allah (Most High), be lost.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.