Wine was forbidden when it was forbidden (i.e. by the Qur’an), but we get only a little of the wine from grapes, most of our wine being from unripe dates and dry dates.
Narrated Ibn 'Umar told that ‘Umar gave an address on God’s Messenger’s pulpit, saying, “The prohibition of wine has come down (Al-Qur’an, 5:90) and it comes from five things:
grapes, dates, wheat, barley and honey. Wine (khamr) is what infects (khamara) the mind.”
'A’isha said that when God’s Messenger was asked about bit’, which is the nabidh* from honey, he replied, “Every liquor which intoxicates is forbidden.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
* Nabidh is a drink made from dates, raisins, honey, wheat, barley, etc. The ingredients were steeped in water in a vessel, and provided the drink was used before fermentation took place it was lawful.
