Libation of Black Tea With Fruit

While black tea was not indigenous to Pre-Islamic Arabia, it was present as an import from cultural exchange with China on the Silk Road. The local drinks would have been water with herbs and fruits steeped in them for flavor. However, a living revivalist practice encourages the use of materials accessible to modern followers in the present moment. Black tea is a strong, caffeinated, and bitter drink that is widely accessible and likely to gain a positive response as an offering to many different gods. For this ritual, boil black tea in a large pot with dried fruit. Add some dates, figs, or other meaningful additions such as rose petals, bay leaves, or herbs that carry personal or devotional significance. Dates are the most culturally continuous choice because they have associations of abundance, survival, hospitality, and generosity from deep within Pre-Islamic Arabian culture. The date palm made desert civilization possible and dates sustained life itself. Figs are associated with sweetness, physical pleasure, and wisdom. Together they form a complete offering. Once brewed, divide the offering as an act of sacred hospitality. Consume the fruit yourself if you are not going to offer it for this purpose. Pour it into a bowl at a shrine or directly onto the ground as a libation, accompanying the gesture with prayer or spoken acknowledgment of the powers you are providing for.