Bahlool and the Grapes

One day, a friend of Bahlool asked, “O Bahlool, if I eat grapes, is it forbidden?”

Bahlool replied, “No.”

The friend continued, “What if I lie under the sun after eating grapes? Is that forbidden?”

Bahlool answered, “No.”

The friend then asked, “So, why is it that if we put grapes in a jar and place them under the sun, and after some time we drink it, it becomes forbidden?”

Bahlool said, “Look, I will sprinkle some water on your face. Does it hurt?”

The man replied, “No.”

Bahlool then said, “Now I will sprinkle some soft soil on your cheek. Does it hurt?”

The man again said, “No.”

Bahlool mixed the water and soil together, made a clay ball, and then firmly struck it on the man’s forehead.

The man screamed, “My head is broken!”

Bahlool, with surprise, said, “Why? I didn’t do anything! It’s just the mixture of water and soil, and you shouldn’t feel any pain. But I broke your head to show you that when you combine water and grapes, it results in something harmful. Consuming it causes damage to the person, and therefore, those who drink it must face the appropriate punishment.”

Bahlool explained, “Just as the combination of water and soil can cause harm to a person, the combination of water and grapes results in a substance that harms the drinker, and they must be punished accordingly.”