Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Cupping, Inhaling [Medications], Steam Baths, and Clysters

Hafs b. ‘Umar narrated from al-Qasim b. Muhammad from Isma’il b. Abu al-Hasan from Hafs b. ‘Umar - and he is Bayya’ al-Sabiri- who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The best ways in which you treat yourselves are through cupping, inhaling medications, steam baths, and clysters.”

Al-Mundhir b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Ja’far b Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said: “The medications are of four kinds: cupping, daubing (al-taly) [of oil, tar, clay, mud, etc.] vomiting, and clysters.”

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated from Ishaq b. Hassan from ’Isa b. Bashir al-Wasiti from Ibn Muskan and Zarara, who both said: Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, said: “The medicine of the Arabs is of three kinds: cupping, clysters, and, the final remedy, cauterization.”

From Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “The medicine of the Arabs is of five kinds: cupping, clysters, inhaling medications, vomiting, steam baths, and the final remedy is cauterization.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, “The medicine of the Arabs is of seven kinds: cupping, clysters, steam baths, inhaling medications, vomiting, taking honey. The final remedy is cauterization, and sometimes added to that is [the application of] lime.”

On Signs of Disturbance in the Blood

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ubayda narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Maysar from Ibn Sinan, who said: Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: “Disturbance (al-hayajan) in the blood has three signs: [emitting an] odour (al-nashr), itching (al-hakka), and the [sensation of] crawling creatures (dabib al-dawabb).”

An Invocation During Cupping

Muhammad b. al-Qasim b. Munjib narrated from Khalaf b. Hammad from ‘Abd Allah b. Muskan from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’ fi, who said: Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said to one of his companions: ‘When you wish to perform cupping and the blood comes out into your cupping-glass, recite before you finish and while the blood is still flowing:

“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I take refuge in Allah, the Noble, from the evil eye in the blood and from every evil in this cupping of mine.”’

Then he said: ‘Did you know that when you say this, you have combined together [the following]: Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says in His Book: Had I knowledge of the Unseen I would have acquired much good, and evil would not have touched me (7:188), that is, poverty.

Then He, Sublime be His Majesty, said: For she desired him, and he would have taken her, but that he saw the proof of his Lord. So was it that We might turn away from him evil and abomination (12:24). Evil here means adultery.

He, the Mighty and Sublime, said in the story of Musa, peace be upon him: Thrust thy hand in thy bosom and it will come forth white without evil (27:12) - that is, without illness. Combine together all this in your cupping and the blood will flow with this aforementioned invocation.’

Chooosing Days for Cupping

Muhammad b. Yahya al- Bursi narrated from Muhammad b Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar al-Ju’fi, who said: Talha b. Zayd asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about cupping on Saturday and Wednesday. He mentioned the hadith narrated by the Sunnis from the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family. He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] rejected it and said: ‘The authentic report on the authority of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, is: “When the blood is inflamed in one of you then perform the cupping; it will not be fatal.”’ Then he said: ‘I do not know any of my Ahl al-Bayt who had any objection to it.’

It is also related from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him: “Cupping on the first Tuesday of the Greek month of Azar [March] promotes health for a year, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

It is also related from the Imams, peace be upon them: “Cupping on Tuesday up to the 17th of the lunar month promotes health for a year.”

Al-Sijistani narrated from Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said: “Travel any day you wish and give alms (al-sadaqa).”

The Benefits of Cupping

Muhammad b. al-Husayn narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Isma’il from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said; “The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be on him, never complained of any pain without taking recourse to cupping.” Abu Tiba said: ‘I cupped the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, and he gave me a dinar. I drank his blood. The Messenger of Allah asked: “Did you drink it?” I replied: “Yes.” He said: “And what made you do that?” I replied: “I am blessed by it.” He said: “You have taken protection from pains and illnesses, poverty and want. By Allah, Hell will never touch you.”’

Al-Zubayr b. Bakkar narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, from Muhammad b. Ishaq from Ammar from al-Fadl al-Rassan, who said: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “Among the medical treatments of the Prophets are cupping, lime and inhaling medications.”

The Various Times for Cupping

Ahmad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Zurayq said Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, passed by some people performing cupping. He said: “Where was the harm if you had delayed it until Sunday evening, for he would have been cured of the illness.”

The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: “Perform the cupping when there is a disturbance of the blood in you. Sometimes it becomes inflamed in a person and kills him.”

From al-Baqir, peace be upon him, “The best remedies you treat yourselves with are clysters, inhaling medications, cupping, and steam baths.”

Cupping In Various Parts Of The Body

Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from Abu Muhammad b. Khalld from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Zarara b. A’yan who said: I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, say: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “Cupping in the head is a healing for every illness except the poison.”’

Al-Hadr b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Abu Muhammad al-Bardha’i from Safwan from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, would be cupped in three places: one of them in the head, which he called the al-mutaqaddima; one between the shoulders, called al-nafi’a; and one between the hips, called al-mu'ayyana.”

Looking at the Flow Of Blood

‘Abd Allah b. Musa al-Tabari narrated from Ishaq b. Abu al-Hasan from his mother Umm Muhammad, who said: My master, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever looks at the first cupping-glass of his blood will be safe from al-wahiya until his next cupping.” I asked my master: “What is al-wahiya?” He replied: “Pain of the neck (al-'unq).”

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Khuzami narrated from al-Husayn b. Yusuf b. ‘Urnar from his brother from ‘Umar b. Shimr from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, who said: “Whoever is cupped and looks at the first of his blood will be protected from inflammation until his next cupping.”

Abu Zakariyya Yahya b. Adam narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Sabiri from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Shu’ayb al-‘Aqrqufi from Abu Ishaq al-Azdi from Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i from one who said to him that Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, used to bathe himself after the cupping and steam bath. Shu’ayb said: I mentioned this to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “When the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, would be cupped, blood would be stirred up and inflamed, so he would bathe in cold water to abate the heat of the blood. When Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, entered the steam bath, the heat of the blood would rise in him and he would pour cold water on himself to cool it down.”

Cupping At The Base Of The Neck

Al-Harith, the son of al-Harith al-A’war al-Hamdani, narrated from Sa’id b. Muhammad from Abu Basir, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace he upon him, said: “The Prophet, blessings on him, would be cupped in the lateral parts of the neck (al-akhda’an) so Jibra’il, peace be upon him, brought him [the message] from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, regarding cupping at the base of the neck (al-kahil).”

Dawud b. Sulayman al-Basri al-Jawhari narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abu Nasr from his father from Abu Basir, who said: “I asked al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, about cupping on Wednesday. He disagreed with the people who regard it as an evil omen [and said that] it was a cure from every disease and protection from every calamity.”

Ibrahim b. Sinan narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Darimi from Zarara b. A’yan from Abu ‘Abd Allah Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he was cupped and said: “O maid, bring three darnel grasses (sakkarat). After cupping, it will bring out pure blood and will put an end to the heat.”

From Abu al-Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him, “After cupping, eat a sweet pomegranate (al-rumman), for it calms the blood and purifies it in the chest (jawf).”

On Abstaining From Certain Foods

Ishaq b. Yusuf narrated from Muhammad b. al-‘Ays that he said to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him: “May I be your sacrifice, someone among us is ill and the medical practitioners instruct him to abstain from certain foods.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “We Ahl al-Bayt do not abstain except from dates (al-tamr) and we cure ourselves with apples and cold water.” He [Muhammad] said: “Why do you abstain from dates?” He said: “Because the Prophet, blessings on him, made ‘Ali peace be upon him abstain from eating them when he was ill.”

And he said: “The patient is not harmed by the food from which he abstains.”

Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hasan b. Mahbub from ‘Ali b. Ri’ab from al-Halabi who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, say: “Abstaining from food is not beneficial after seven days.”

Al-Hasan b. Raja’ narrated from Ya’qub b. Yazid from one of his associates from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Abstaining from food is for eleven mornings, then there is no abstaining [from it].”

On Indigestion

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Asqalani narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Ali b. Abu Salb, the son of my brother Shihab, [that he said:] I complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of pains and indigestion [al-tukham]. He said to me: “Eat the morning meal and the evening meal, and do not eat anything in between, for in it is corruption of the body. Did you not hear Allah, the Exalted, say: There they shall have their provision at dawn and evening (19:62)?”

Muhammad b. Bukayr al-Musaffi narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Dawud b. Farqad from one who mentioned it from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, [that] he said: “I fully guarantee that one who eats food and says Allah, the Exalted’s, Name, will not be harmed by it.” A man from among the people stood up and said: “O Amir al-Mu’minin, I ate food yesterday and pronounced Allah’s name over it, but it harmed me.” He replied: “You ate various kinds [of food] and pronounced Allah's Name over some and did not do so over others.” The man laughed and said: “You have spoken truly, Amir al-Mu’minin.” He said: ‘That [harm] is only from [the food] over which you did not pronounce Allah's Name, foolish man.”

For Pain In The Waist

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: “Drink lovage, for it is good for pain of the waist.”

Al-Bursi [narrated] from Muhammad b. Yahya from Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Ja’far from Jabir from Abu Ja'far, peace be upon him, who said that Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: ‘Whosoever wishes that food not harm him should not eat until he is hungry. When he eats, let him say: “In the Name of Allah, and by Allah”. Let him chew his food well and stop eating while he still has an appetite for it and desires it.’

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Zurayq from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, who said that Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever wishes for the eternal life and not for permanence [in this world], let him wear light clothes, eat early, and have less frequent sexual intercourse with women.”

Salih b. Muhammad al-‘Anbari narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from ‘Awn b ‘Abd Allah that Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘Pass your hand over the warts (al-thu’alil) and say: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family. There is no power nor might except with Allah, the Most High, the Mighty, O Allah, remove from me my suffering.” Pass your right hand [over it] and repeat the invocation three times.’

Description of a Drink

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Hatim at-Tamimi from ‘Umar b. Abu Khalid from Ishaq b.’Ammar, who complained to Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of a pain and said to him that a physician had suggested for him a drink and said that it was beneficial for this illness. Al-Sadiq said: ‘And what did the physician suggest for you?’ He said; ‘Take raisins (al-zabib) and pour water over them. Then pour honey over it and cook it until two-thirds of it evaporates and one-third is left.’ He [al-Sadiq] said: ‘Is it sweet?’ He replied: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Drink the sweet when you experience it [the pain] and when you are afflicted with it.’ He did not tell [Ishaq] any more than this.

Disapproval of Taking Medications except When Required

Al-Muzaffar b. ‘Abd Allah al-Yamani narrated from Muhammad b. Yazid al-Ashhali from Salim b Abu Khaythama from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘He whose good health overcomes his illness and then drinks medications has helped [his health to work] against itself.’

Ayyub b. Hariz narrated from Abu Hariz b. Abu al-Ward from Zur’a from Muhammad al-Hadrami and from Sama’a b. Mihran, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said to me concerning a man who had an illness and was instructed to drink urine (al-bawl). ‘He should not drink it.’ I said: ‘He is compelled to drink it.’ He [al-Sadiq] replied: ‘If he is compelled to drink it and finds no medicine for his illness, then let him drink his urine. As for the urine of others, no.’

Wine Used In Medications

Hatim b. Isma’il narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from al-Husayn b. ‘Abd Allah al-Arjani from Malik b. Musamma’ al-Musamma’i from Qa’id b. Talha, who said: 1 asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about wine used in medications. He said: “It is not proper for anyone to seek a cure in what is forbidden.”

Ibrahim b. Muhammad narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Isma’il b, Muhammad from Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, forbad that one should be treated with impure (khabitha) medications.”

From ‘Abd al-Hamid b. ‘Umar b. al-Hurr who said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, when he arrived from Iraq. He said: “Go to [my son] Isma’il b Ja’far, for he is ill. See what ails him.” He said: I left al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, and went to him [Isma’il] and asked him about the pain which he suffered. He told me of it and I described for him a medication which contained wine. He told me: “O Isma'il b. Hurr [sic], wine is forbidden and we Ahl al-Bayt do not seek a cure in the forbidden.”

Medications Prepared With Wine And Pig Fat

‘Abd Allah b. Ja’far narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Bayya’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Muskan from al-Halabi, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about a medication prepared with wine (al-khamr). It could not be prepared without it and was only a necessity. He said: “No, by Allah, it is not permissible for a Muslim to look at it, so how can he be treated with it? It is merely the same as the fat (shahm) of a pig (al-khinzir) used in such-and-such a medication which is not complete without it. Allah does not heal anyone with a medication of wine and the fat of a pig.”

On The Urine of Cattle and Sheep

Ahmad b. al-Fadl al-Damighani narrated from Muhammad from Isma’il b. ‘Abd Allah from Zur’a from Sama’a b. Mihran, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about a person drinking the urine of camels, cattle, and sheep, suggested to him for pain, and if it were permissible to drink it. He replied: “Yes, there is no objection to it.”

Ibrahim b. Riyah narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from al-‘Ala’ b. Abu. Ya’qub, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about a person drinking the milk (alban) of she-asses (al-utun) as a medication. He replied: “There is no objection to it.”

On The Medications Of Jews, Christians, And Magians

Marzuq b. Muhammad al-Ta’i narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, about a man being treated by Christians and Jews and taking medications frum them. He [al-Baqir] replied: “There is no objection to that. Healing is only in the Hand of Allah, the Exalted.”

Ibrahim b. Muslim narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Najran from Yunus b. Ya’qub, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon hirn, about a man taking medications which sometimes kill and sometimes cure, those who are cured being more numerous. He replied: “Allah has sent down the illness and the cure. He has not created an illness without making a cure for it. So take it, and take the Name of Allah, the Exalted.”

On Theriac

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ajlah narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Bayya’ from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj, who said: A man asked Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, about theriac (al-tiryaq). He replied: “There is no objection to it.” He said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, it contains the flesh of vipers (al-afa’i).” He [Abu al-Hasan] replied: “It has no power over us.”

On Apples

Ibrahim b. Muhammad narrated from Zur’a from Sama’a, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, about a patient who craved apples but was forbidden to eat them. He replied: “Give apples to those among you who have fever, for there is nothing more beneficial.”

On The Continuous Flowing Of Blood

Al-Mas’udi narrated from al-Hasan b. Khalid, who said: A woman wrote to Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, complaining of a continuous flow of blood (dawam al-dam). He wrote to her: “Take, Allah willing, one handful of coriander (kuzbara) and one of sumac (summaq), and soak them for a night outdoors. Then boil them in a clay pot and drink a saucer of it. It will stop the blood flow except during the time of menstruation.”

On The Weakness Of The Body

Muhammad b. Musa al-Sudayfi narrated from Ibn Mahbub and Harun b. Abu al-Jahm from Isma’il b. Muslim al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: ‘Nuh, peace be upon him, complained to his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, of weakness (al-du'f) of his body, Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him: “Cook meat (al-lahm) with milk and eat it, for I have created strength and blessing in both.”’

Ibrahim b. Hizam al-Hariz narrated from Muhammad b. Abu Nasr from Taghlaba from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Majid al-Qusayr from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whosoever is afflicted with weakness in his heart or his body, let him eat mutton (lahm al-da'n) with milk. It will expel from his limbs every illness and danger, and will strengthen his body and harden his gums.

Let him say: “There is no god but Allah, the One. No partner has He. He gives life, and makes to die (7:158), and makes die and gives life. He is the Living, the Undying.”

Repeat it ten times before sleep, glorify Allah with the tasbih of Fatima, peace be upon her. And recite the verse of the Throne (2:255) and the sura al-lkhlas (112).’

On The Common Cold

Sa’id b. Mansur narrated from Zakariyya b, Yahya al-Muzni from Ibrahim b. Abu Yahya from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that Ibrahim said: I complained to him of a common cold (al-zukam). He said: “[It is] one of the workings of Allah and one of the armies of Allah. Allah has sent it to an illness in your body to remove it. When it has been removed, you must take one daniq weight of fennel flower, and half a daniq weight of sneeze wort (kundus). Grind it and inhale it all. It will get rid of the cold. If it possible that you not treat it with something else, then do that, for it [the cold] has many benefits.”

For Al-Kham, Cold In The Belly, And Colic

Harun b. Shu’ayb narrated from Dawud b. ‘Abd Allah from Ibrahim b. Abu Yahya from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Abu Zaynab from al-Ju’fi from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, [that Jabir] said: A man complained to him [Abu Ja’far] of al-kham, cold in the belly, and wind of colic. He [Abu Ja’far] said: ‘As for the colic, write for it the first sura of the Qur’an (al-Fatiha (1)), the two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)), and the sura al-Ikhlas (112). Write below that:

“I take refuge in the Face of Allah, the Mighty, and in His Strength, which is unceasing, and in His Power, which nothing can resist, from the evil of this pain, and the evil of what is in it, and the evil of what I fear from it.”

Write this on a shoulder-blade (al-katif), tablet, or cup, with musk (misk) and saffron. Then wash it out with rainwater and drink it before breakfast (‘ala al-riq) or before bed.’

Al-Hasan b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Muhammad b. Muslim b. Yazid al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Ali b. Abu Taib, peace be upon him, “Whosoever eats ‘ajwa [a variety of dates from Medina] seven times before sleeping will kill the worms (al-dud) in his belly.”

From him, that he said: “Give him wine vinegar to drink, for it kills the creatures in the belly (dawwab al-butn).”

From Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him: “Eat ‘ajwa, for the dried date of the ‘ajwa will cause them to die - and eat it on an empty stomach.”

On Looseness Of The Bowels

Bishr b. ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Ansari narrated from al-Washsha’ from Muhammad b. Fudayl from Abu Hamza b. al-Thumali from Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir, peace he upon him, that a man complained to him of looseness of the bowels (al-zahir). He [al-Baqir] said to him: “Take some Armenian clay (al-tin al-Armani). Turn it over on a low fire, then eat some of it. It will cease.”

From him, peace be upon him, that he said concerning looseness of the bowels: “Take one part of white clay (khazaf abyad) one part of fleawort (bizr qutuniya) seeds, one part of gum Arabic (samgh ‘arabi), and one part of Armenian clay. Boil over a low fire and eat of it.”

On Phlegm and its Treatment

Hariz b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b. Abu Nusayr from Muhammad b. Ishaq from ‘Ammar al-Nawfali from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who attributed it to Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, who said: “Recitation of the Qur'an, al-siwak [twig of a particular tree used for cleansing of teeth], and storax (al-luban) are purifiers of phlegm.”

From al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he said: “Whoever enters a steam bath on an empty stomach purifies the phlegm. Whoever enters it after eating, purifies the bile. If you wish to put on weight, enter the bath when you are full: and if you wish to lose weight, enter it on an empty stomach.”

On Dampness

Salim b. Ibrahim narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: ‘A man complained to Musa b. Ja’far, peace be upon him, of dampness (al-rutuba). He instructed him to eat barni dates on an empty stomach and not to drink water. He did that and the dampness left him and he became excessively dry (al-yubs). So he complained of that to Musa b. Ja’far, who instructed him to eat barni dates on an empty stomach and to drink water after it. He did that and his balance was restored.’

Muhammad b. al-Sirraj narrated from Faddala b. Isma’il from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq from his father from ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, that he said: “Three things take away the phlegm, reciting the Qur’an, storax, and honey.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that he said: “Much carding (al-tumushshut) takes away the phlegm, and combing the head (tasrih al-ra’s) cuts the phlegm and takes it away at its root.”

The Excellence of Lump Sugar

Hamdan b. A'yan al-Razi narrated from Safwan b.Yahya from Jamil b. Darraj from Zarara, who said: I related to Abu Ja’far, peare be upon him, the statement of Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, “I am the divider of the fire (qasim al-nar) for me and for you.” He said: “Yes, Amir al-Mu’minin said that before the people.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: “Woe be to you, O Zarara, what makes people heedless of the excellence of lump sugar (al-sukkar al-tabarzad) when it is beneficial for seventy illnesses and it devours phlegm completely and uproots it?”

On Drinking Sawiq

Salih b. Ibrahim al-Misri narrated from Faddala b. Abu Bakr from Abu Ya’fur, from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: “When dry sawiq [meal of parched barley] is taken on an empty stomach, it allays the heat and calms the bile; when it is crushed and then drunk, it does not do that.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: “How great is the blessing of sawiq. lf a person drinks it when he is full, it is wholesome for him and digests the food. If he drinks it when he is hungry, it fills him. The most excellent provision on a journey and at home is sawiq.”

On Vomiting

Ja'far b. Mansur al-Wida'i narrated from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Muhammad b. Fadl from Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: “Whoever is made to vomit before he vomits, it is better for him than seventy kinds of medications. In this way vomit expels every disease and illness.”

On Wild Rue

Ibrahim b. Khalid narrated from Abu Ishaq b. Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Rabbihi from ‘Abd al-Wahid b. Maymun from Abu Khalid al-Wasiti from Zayd b. ‘Ali [Zayn al-‘Abidin, the fourth Imam (d.122/740)] who attributed it to his forefathers, peace be upon them, that [one of them] said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “The wild rue (al-harmal) does not grow a tree, or a leaf, or a fruit, but that it has an angel in charge of it until it reaches the one who comes to it, or until it becomes debris. In its root and branches is a secret, and in its seed is healing from seventy-two illnesses. So treat yourselves with it and with frankincense.”’

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he was asked about wild rue and storax. He said: “As for wild rue, neither its root in the earth nor its branch in the sky is shaken without there being an angel in charge of it until it becomes debris and becomes what it becomes. For Satan avoids seventy houses before the house in which it is, and it is a healing for seventy illnesses, the least of which is leprosy. So do not be heedless of it.”

On Fennel Flower (Al-Shuniz) and its Benefits

Al-Qasim b. Ahmad b. Ja’far narrated from al-Qasim b. Muhammad from Abu Ja’far from Muhammad b. Ya’la Abu ‘Amr from Dharih, who said: I said to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him. "I suffer from rumbling (al-qaraqir) and pain in my belly.” He replied: “What prevents you from [taking] black cumin? It is a cure for every illness except the poison.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said concerning this black cumin that in it is a cure for every illness except the poison. It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the poison?” He replied: “Death.”’

From Zarara b. A’yan, who said: I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, when asked about the statement of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, about black cumin, say: ‘Yes, the Messenger of Allah said that and made an exception in it, for he said: “except the poison”. But shall I show you what is more effective than it, and about which the Prophet, blessings on him and his family, has not made an exception?’ I said: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Prayer repels destiny (al-qada’) and that has been decided conclusively, and alms extinguish anger,’ and he brought his fingers together.

On Dripping Urine

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-‘Alawi narrated from Faddala from Muhammad b. Abu Basir from his father, who said: Amr al-Afraq complained to al-Baqir, peace be upon him, of dripping urine (taqtir al-bawl). He [al-Baqir] said: “Take wild rue and wash it six times in cold water and once in hot water. Then dry it in the shade and mix it with pure and clear oil. Eat it on an empty stomach and it will stop the dripping, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Gripes

Hamid b. ‘Abd Allah al-Madani narrated from Ishaq b. Muhammad, companion of Abu al-Hasan, from ‘Ali b. Sindi from Sa’d b. Sa’d from Musa b. Ja’far, peace he upon him, who said to one of his companions who was complaining of gripes (al-alwa’): ‘Take water and read over it this invocation three times, and do not pour oil over it. “Allah wishes for you ease, and He does not wish for you hardship”. Then recite:

Have not the unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and the earth were a mass all sewn up, and then We unstitched them and of water fashioned every living thing? Will they not believe? (21:30).

Then drink it and pass your hand over your belly and you will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

For Severe Labour Pains and Difficulty in Childbirth

Salih b. Ibrahim al-Misri narrated from Ibn Faddala from Muhammad b. al-Jahm from al-Munkhal from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi that a man came to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, help me!” He [al-Baqir] said: “What is it?” He replied: “My wife in on the threshold of death from the severity of labour pains (al-talq).” He said: “Go and read over her:

And the birthpangs surprised her by the trunk of the palm tree (al-nakhla). She said. Would 1 had died ere this, and became a thing forgotten! But the one that was below her called to her: Nay, do not sorrow. See, thy Lord has set below thee a rivulet. Shake also to thee, the palm trunk, and there shall come tumbling upon thee dates fresh and ripe (19:23-5).

Then raise your voice with this verse:

And it is God who brought you forth from your mother's abdomen not knowing anything. He appointed for you hearing, and sight, and hearts, that haply so you will be thankful (16:78). Thus come out, O labour pains, Allah, the Exalted, willing.

She will recover immediately, with Allah the Exalted's help.”

On Blood Vessels Throbbing in the Joints

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Yuuus b. Zabyan from Abu Zaynab, who said: While 1 was with Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, there came to him Sinan b. Sulama looking pale-faced. He [Ja’far b Muhammad] asked him: ‘What is the matter with you?’ He described to him the severe throbbing (al-darban) that he suffered from in his joints (al-mafasil). He [Ja’far b. Muhammad] said to him: ‘Woe be to you, say: “O Allah, I ask You by Your Names and Your Blessings, and the call of Your noble, blessed Prophet, who has influence with You, and by his right and the right of his daughter Fatima, the blessed, and by the right of his trustee (wasi), Amir al-Mu’minin, and the right of the Chiefs of the Youth of the people of Paradise [al-Hasan and al-Husayn], to remove from me the evil of what I suffer; by their right, by their right, by their right. By Your Right, O God of all the worlds.”’ By Allah, he had not risen from his seat when his suffering abated.

On Penetrating Winds

Ja’far b. Jabir al-Ta’i narrated from Musa b. Imran b. Yazid al-Sayqal from ‘Umar b. Yazid, who said Jabir b. Hassan al-Sufi wrote to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, I have been detained by a wind penetrating (rih shabika) me from my head to my feet, so pray to Allah for me.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, prayed for him and wrote to him: ‘Inhale ambergris (al-‘anbar) and mercury (al-zaybaq) on an empty stomach and you will be cured of it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’ He did that and recovered as quickly as a camel loosed from its cord.

On The Evil Wind Which Strikes The Face

Ahmad b. Ibrahim b. Riyah narrated from al-Sabbah b. Muharib, who said: I was with Abu Ja’far b. Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him. He mentioned that Shabib b. Jabir was struck by the evil wind (al-rih al-khabitha), which had pulled down his face and eyes [to one side]. He [Abu Ja’far] said: “Take five mithqal of cloves (al-qaranful) and put it in a dry bottle. Close the lid tightly and coat it with clay and place it in the sun for one day in the summer or two days in the winter. Then take out the cloves and grind it until fine. Mix it with rainwater until it becomes a thick liquid. Let him lie on his back and coat the ground clove on the side of the face that is pulled down. Let him remain lying down until the clove mixture dries. When it dries, Allah will remove it from him and restore him to his best condition, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

He [al-Sabbah] said: Our companions hastened to him and gave him the good news of that. He treated himself as the Imam, peace be upon him, had instructed, and was restored to the best condition, with the help of Allah, the Exalted.

On Leprosy and Vitiligo

‘Abd Allah and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from Muhammad al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan that he said; A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of vitiligo (al-wadah) and leprosy (al-bahaq). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “Enter the steam hath and mix henna (al-hinna’) with lime and coat your body with it. You will not be cured by anything else after that.” The man said; "By Allah, I did that only once and Allah cured me, and it did not recur after that.”

On A Pain in the Head

Salim b. Ibrahim narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, when a man from Khurasan who had performed the Hajj entered. He greeted him and questioned him on some point of religion. Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, began to explain it to him. Then the man said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, since I left my house I have been suffering from a pain in the head.” He [al-Sadiq] said to him: “Go at once, enter the steam bath and do not do anything until you pour over your head seven handfuls of hot water. Say Allah’s Name each time, and you will not suffer [from it] after that, Allah, the Exalted, wiling.”

For Pain, Cold, And Weakness in the Abdomen

He said: “Take the quantity of one ratl of Cassia fistula (khiyar shanbar) and clean it. Pound it and steep it in a ratl of water for a day and a night. Then strain it and throw away the residue.

Mix with the clear liquid one ratl of honey, two ratl of the juice (afshuraj) of quince (al-safarjal) and forty mithqal of the oil of roses (duhn al-ward). Cook on a low fire until it thickens. Then take the pan off the fire and leave it until cool. When it cools, add three mithqal each of Cassia tona (al-qilqil), long pepper (dar filfil), cinnamon (qirfa al-qaranfal), cardamom (qaqula), ginger (zanjabil), Chinese cinnamon (dar sini) and nutmeg (juzbawwa), all ground and sieved. Mix these well and put the mixture in a green earthenware jar. Drink two mithqal of it on an empty stomach at one time. It will warm the abdomen, digest the food and expel the wind from all the joints, if Allah, the Exalted, wills.”

On Stones in the Waist

Al-Khidr b Muhammad narrated from al-Kharrazi that he said: I called on one of them [the Imams, peace be upon him]. I greeted him and asked him to pray for my brother, who was suffering from stones (al-hasah) and could not sleep. He said to me: “Return and take some black myrohalan (al-ihlilaj al-aswad), beleric myrobalan (al-balilaj), and emblic myrobalan (al-amlaj). Take equal parts of blue bdellium (al-kur), pepper (al-filfil), long pepper, Chinese cinnamon, ginger, secacul (shaqaqul), sweet flag (wajj), anise (anisun), and galangal (khulanjan). Grind and sieve them and mix with the clarified butter from a cow (samn baqr). Then mix all of that with twice its weight of honey which has had its froth (al-rughwa) removed. Drink of it the equivalent of a hazelnut or a gallnut (afsa’).”

The Medication for Jaundice

Hammad b. Mihran al-Balkhi said: We frequently visited Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, in Khurasan. One day a youth among us complained of jaundice (al-yaraqan). He [Al-Ridha’] said: “Take cucumber (khiyar) and peel it. Cook the peel in water and drink one ratl of it every day for three days, on an empty stomach.” The youth informed us later that he treated a friend of his twice with the remedy and he recovered, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.

An Invocation for One Who Has a Burning in the Head

Hatim b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sai’gh from Hammad b. Zayd al-Shahham from Abu Usama, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘Do the following for every pain and burning in the head.

Draw a square and write in it:

Burn this drawing in the fire, then say: “In the Name of Allah, and blessings of Allah and peace be on the Prophet and his family.” Write the adhan and the iqama on a piece of paper and tie it to the person. The burning and the pain will subside immediately, Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, willing.’

An Excellent and Tried Medication for a Throbbing Ear

Take rue (al-sadhab) and cook it with olive oil (al-zayt). Put a few drops into the ear and it [the pain] will subside, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.

‘Abd Allah b. al-Ajlah narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Mutatabbib that he said: One of the followers complained to one of them [the Imams, peace be upon him] of a pain in the ear and of blood and pus (al-qaih) coming out of his ear. He [the Imam] said to him: “Take matured cheese (jibn ‘atiq) as mature as possible, and grind it finely. Then mix it with the milk of a woman and warm it on a low fire. Put a few drops of it into the ear from which the blond flows. It will be healed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Medication for Anxiety, Excessive Thirst and Dryness of the Mouth

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Mukhtar from Isma’il b. Jabir, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of excessive thirst (al-‘atash) and of dryness of the mouth and saliva (al-riq). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] instructed him to take two mithqal each of scammony (soghmuniya), cardamom, Indian nard (sunbula), secacul, the branches and seed of balm (al-balasan), Cassia spuria (narmishk) cinnamon (silikha) with its bark removed, Byzantine mastic, pyrethrum, and Chinese cinnamon. Grind and sieve them all except the scammony which is ground separately and not sieved. Then mix them together. Take eighty-five mithqal of Sajzi fanidh [sweet made of sugar candy and starch], and melt it in two pans on a low fire. Pour it over the rest of the ingredients, then mix it all with honey which has had its froth removed. Put it in a bottle or green earthenware jar. Whenever required, take two mithqal of it with whatever drink you wish, before breakfast or before bed.

On The Evil Eye and Ailments of the Belly

‘Abd Allah b. Musa al-Tabari narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of his wife who was afflicted with the evil eye (al-nazar wa al-‘ayn), ailments of the belly and navel, pain in the head, and migraine. The man said: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, she is still sleepless, and cries out all night. I am in distress from her crying and shrieking, so favour us and her with an invocation.’ Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: ‘When you have performed the obligatory prayer, stretch out your hands together to the heavens and say humbly and submissively:

“I take refuge in Your Sublimity, Your Power, Your Magnificence, and Your Sovereignty, from what I suffer. O my Succour, O Allah, O my succour, O Messenger of Allah, O my succour, O Amir al-Mu’minin, O my succour, O Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah, help me.”

Then pass your right hand over your head (al-hama) and say: “O He in Whose trust is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, calm what is in me by Your Strength and Your Power; bless Muhammad arid his family and calm what is in me.”’

On Headaches

Muhammad b. Isma’il narrated from Muhammad b. Khalid from Ya’qub al-Zayyat from Mu’awiya from ‘Ammar al-Duhni, who said: I complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of that [headache] and he said: ‘When you complete your obligatory prayer, place your right index finger on your eyes and say seven times while passing your finger over your right eyebrow (al-hajib): “O Compassionate, heal me.” Then pass it seven times over your left eyebrow and say: “O Bountiful, heal me.” Then place your right palm (al-raha) on your head and say: “O He in Whose trust is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, bless Muhammad and his family and calm what is in me.” Then rise for the supererogatory prayer.’

An Invocation for All Illnesses

Mohammad b. Isma’il narrated from Muhammad b. Khalid Abu ‘Abd Allah from Sa’dan b. Muslim from Sa’d al-Mawla, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, dictated to us the invocation called ‘the comprehensive’.

[It is] “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing in the earth or in the heavens causes harm. O Allah, I ask you by Your Pure, Chaste, Immaculate, Holy, Perfect, Preserving, Protective, and Blessed Name, by Which whoever asks, You grant him, and by Which whoever calls You, You answer him, to bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and to cure me of what I suffer in my hearing and my sight, my hand and my foot, my hair and my skin (al-bashari), and my belly. Surely You are Gracious to whomsoever You will, and You are Powerful over all things.”