awf ibn alqaqa said to his master prepare for us food whose surplus will satisfy the people of the season. you said when he saw the thin and thick bread the roasted bread the colors and the peoples enjoyment of one color after another and their constant eating due to the constant interest and that if it were one color their food would be less he said why didnt you make it food for the hand and not food for two hands? you said it expanded then narrowed when he wanted to feed them tharid and hais and everything that is eaten with the hand and not with two hands. ibn alqaqa was an arab who hated for his master to turn away from the food of the arabs to the food of the persians and he wanted his people to continue as they were. and that luxury spoils them and corrupts them and that what was opened to them through the door of luxury is more severe for them than what was closed to them through the door of superfluous pleasure. and omar did more than that as a matter of discipline when he was invited to a wedding and he saw a yellow pot and another red and one bitter and another sweet and one sour. he mixed it all in a large pot and said if the arabs eat this they will kill each other.
وقال عوف بن القعقاع لمولاه اتخذ لنا طعاما يشبع فضله أهل الموسم. قلتم فلما رأى الخبز الرقاق والغلاظ والشواء، والألوان، واستطراف الناس للون بعد اللون، ودوام أكلهم لدوام الطرف، وأن ذلك لو كان لونا واحدا لكان أقل لأكلهم، قال فهلا جعلته طعام يد، ولم تجعله طعام يدين. فقلتم اتسع ثم ضاق، حين أراد إطعامهم الثريد والحيس ٢ ، وكل ما يؤكل بيد دون يدين. وابن القعقاع عربي كره لمولاه أن يرغب عن طعام العرب إلى طعام العجم، وأراد دوام قومه على مثل ما كانوا عليه. وعلى أن الترفة ٣ تفنخهم ٤ وتفسدهم، وأن الذي فتح عليهم من باب الترفة أشد عليهم مما أغلق عليهم من باب فضول اللذة. وقد فعل عمر، من جهة التأديب، أكثر من ذلك، حين دعي إلى عرس، فرأى قدرا صفراء، وأخرى حمراء، وواحدة مرة، وأخرى حلوة، وواحدة محمضة. فكدرها كلها في قدر عظيمة. وقال إن العرب إذا أكلت هذا، قتل بعضها بعضا.