QUESTION:
Please advise if serving Kheer to the bereaved is a Sunnah. There is a post quoting a Hadith wherein Hadrat Aisha Radiallahu Anha advises the women to eat Talbina as a means of comfort and reprieve. Would Kheer be considered as a substitute for Talbina in this instamce?
ANSWER:
The narration quoted is authentic and appears in Bukhari Shareef:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ إِذَا مَاتَ الْمَيِّتُ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَاجْتَمَعَ لِذَلِكَ النِّسَاءُ، ثُمَّ تَفَرَّقْنَ، إِلاَّ أَهْلَهَا وَخَاصَّتَهَا، أَمَرَتْ بِبُرْمَةٍ مِنْ تَلْبِينَةٍ فَطُبِخَتْ، ثُمَّ صُنِعَ ثَرِيدٌ فَصُبَّتِ التَّلْبِينَةُ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ قَالَتْ كُلْنَ مِنْهَا فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ التَّلْبِينَةُ مَجَمَّةٌ لِفُؤَادِ الْمَرِيضِ، تَذْهَبُ بِبَعْضِ الْحُزْنِ ) صحيح البخاري #5417)
Aa’isha Radiallahu Anha narrates that whenever one of her relatives passed away, the women assembled and then dispersed (returned to their houses) except her relatives and close ones. She would order that a pot of Talbina (a dish prepared from milk and flour or husk and sometimes honey will be added) be cooked. Then Tharid (a dish prepared from meat and Roti) would be prepared and the Talbina would be poured on it. Aa’isha Radiallahu Anha would then say to the women, “Eat of it, for verily I heard Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying, “Talbina soothes the heart of the patient and relieves him from some of his sadness.”
(تلبينة) طعام رقيق يصنع من لبن ودقيق أو نخالة وربما جعل فيه عسل سميت بذلك تشبيها باللبن لبياضها ورقتها. (ثريد) خبز يفتت ثم يبل بمرق. (مجمة) استراحة. (لفؤاد) لقلب]
It seems from the narration that the Talbina was served to bring some sort of comfort to the bereaved family. This was prescribed by none other than Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, hence there was good and blessings in practicing upon it. The Kheer or almond milk is simply a customary practice and not proven from any narration, hence it cannot be categorized as a Sunnah. However, there is no prohibition from preparing a similar dish to that of Aisha Radiallahu Anha since it was prescribed by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
ALLAH TA’ALA IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
