I say, and with God's success: The nabidh (fermented drink) made from dates is not permissible for ablution according to the correct opinion, except for the thin nabidh of dates before it becomes strong, for those who do not find water; this is allowed as a matter of preference despite being contrary to analogy. It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him one night among the jinn: "Do you have water?" He said: "No." He said: "Do you have nabidh, I think?" He said: "Yes, so he performed ablution with it," as found in Sunan al-Daraqutni 1: 77, Musnad Ahmad 1: 455, and it was deemed good in I'la al-Sunan 1: 283. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked me, 'What is in your container?' I said: 'Nabidh.' He said: 'A good date and pure water.' He said: 'So perform ablution from it,'" as found in Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1: 147, Sunan al-Bayhaqi al-Kabir 1: 9, Sunan al-Daraqutni 1: 77, Sunan Abu Dawood 1: 21, Sunan Ibn Majah 1: 135, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 1: 32, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar 1: 95, Musnad al-Shashi 2: 248, Musnad Ahmad 1: 402, Musnad Abu Ya'la 9: 203, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir 1: 147, and it was deemed good in I'la al-Sunan 1: 284. See: Ramz al-Haqaiq 1: 16, al-Bahr al-Ra'iq 1: 144, and Sharh al-Waqaya p. 104, and Allah knows best.