Chapter I: Etiquette of Eating
(7) Don't eat the food of a tyrant and an oppressor. If there is no alternative, eat a little , but don't eat their best foods. It is reported that when the sage Zunnun Misri was sent to prison, he did not take his meal for three days. He had a foster sister who sent food to him through the guard of the prison. He did not eat it. He sent news to her : Your food is lawful , but it has reached me through the hand of an oppressor. This is the height of God-fear.
(8) Imam Shafeyi said : Four things make the body strong-eating meat, using scents, taking much bath and putting on linen cloth. Four things make the body idle-excessive sexua' intercourse, too much thinking, too much drinking of water when hungry and top much pepper. Four things give power of eye-sight-to sit towards the Qibla, to use antimony before sleep, to look towards green colour and to keep the clothes clean. Four things reduce eye- sight-to look to unclean and impure things, to see one being hanged, to look to the female organ and tr sit keeping the Qibla behind. Four things increase the power of-
20 The Book of Wordly Usages Vol-II
sexual intercourse-to eat the meat of sparrows, to eat big Atri fruit, to eat pistachio and to eat water-fruit. Sleep is of four kinds — to lie with belly upwards is the sleep of the Prophets, to sleep on the right side is the sleep of the worshipers, to sleep on the left side is the sleep of the rulers and to sleep upon the face downwards is the sleep of the devil. Four things increase wisdom-to give up useless talk, to cleanse teeth, to keep company with the learned and the pious men. Four things appertain to divine service-to take steps with ablution, to prolong prostration, to keep attached to the mosque and to recite the Quran much. He said also : If a man enters a bathroom after being hungry and makes delay in taking food soon after coming of it, it is wonder that he is alive. If a man eats soon after cupping, it is wonder that he is alive . He also said : I don't see any better medicine than Banafsa for epidemic diseases. Body is to be beasmeared therewith and it is to be taken as a drink. God knows best.