(601) From the Master, the Scholar — exalted be his glory — that He was asked regarding wine, and He said: "Wine consists of two wines: a permitted wine and a forbidden wine. The permitted is the drink which is Abd al-Nur. The forbidden is the person for whose sake the drink was forbidden to everyone who was with him, but it was not forbidden to those who were against him." It was said to Him: "O our Master, who is he? Tell us more so that we may recognize him." He replied: "He is the one regarding whom the Exalted said: {We have certainly created man in the best of stature ❁ Then We returned him to the lowest of the low}1." We asked: "And who is that, O our Master?" He replied: "Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Uthman; he was created in the best of stature — meaning the best form — while Muhammad was in his loins; when Muhammad emerged, We returned him to the lowest of the low."
(602) From my sheikh — may God have mercy on him — raising it by his chain to Bashshar al-Sha’iri — upon him be the peace of God. Bashshar said: "A group of brothers and I gathered in a room to partake of Abd al-Nur. A man among us jumped up to pray. When morning came, we went to our Master al-Sadiq — exalted be his glory — and He said: 'Last night you were remembering Me, while this prayer-performer was cursing Me.'"
(603) From him [Bashshar] also — peace be upon him: "We were gathered in a room partaking of Abd al-Nur when suddenly the wall split open and a palm emerged from it holding a chamomile flower. He [the Master] greeted us with it and said: 'Be exhilarated by wine; it is lawful for you when among yourselves, and forbidden for you when with others.' We looked at the palm and found it was the palm of our Master al-Sadiq — exalted be his glory. Thus He commanded us to practice Dissimulation with the adversary and forbade us from practicing it with the affirming brother."