Excellence of Salt

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn abu Mahmud who has said the following: “Al-Rida’ عليه السلام, once asked us, ‘Which food is of greater preference?’ Certain ones among us said that it is meat, others said that it is oil, yet others said it is milk. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is salt.’ We then went outside for freshness and a certain one of servants forgot salt. They slaughtered a sheep for us which was the most fat one and we could not benefit thereof anything until we returned back.’”