Yahya related to me from Malik from Da'ud ibn al-Husayn thatWaqid ibn Amr ibn Sad ibn Muadh informed him from Mahmud ibn Labid al-Ansari that when Umar ibn al-Khattab went to ash-Sham, the people ofash-Sham complained to him about the bad air of their land and itsheaviness. They said, "Only this drink helps." Umar said, "Drink thishoney preparation." They said, "Honey does not help us." A man fromthe people of that land said, "Can we give you something of this drinkwhich does not intoxicate?" He said, "Yes." They cooked it until two-thirds of it evaporated and one-third of it remained. Then theybrought it to Umar. Umar put his finger in it and then lifted his headand extended it. He said, "This is fruit juice concentrated byboiling. This is like the distillation with which you smear thecamel's scabs." Umar ordered them to drink it. Ubada ibn as-Samit saidto him, "You have made it halal, by Allah!" Umar said, "No, by Allah!O Allah! I will not make anything halal for them which You have madeharam for them! I will not make anything haram for them which You havemade halal for them."
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 42, Hadith 14
Arabic reference: Book 42, Hadith 1553