Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Medications For The Aforementioned Illnesses

‘Abd Allah and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Ahmad b. Ribah al-Mutabbib, who cited these medications and said that they were shown to the Imam, peace be upon him, and he approved of them. He [Ahmad] said: ‘They will be beneficial, if Allah, the Exalted, wills, for black and for yellow bile, for phlegm, pain in the belly, vomiting. fever, pleurisy (al-birsam), chapping of hands and feet, suppression of urine (al-usr), looseness of the bowels, pain in the belly and in the liver, and heat in the head. It is necessary to abstain from dried dates, fish, vinegar (khall) and legumes (al-baql), and the person who drinks it should eat zirabaja [a dish of sugar, almonds, and vinegar] with sesame oil. He should drink it for three days, two mithqal a day. I would give him one mithqal to drink but the Imam, peace be upon him, said: “Two mithqal”, and said that the Prophets had apportioned it for our Prophet, blessings be on him and his family.’

‘Take one ratl of cleansed Cassia fistula and steep it in a ratl of water for a day and a night. Then strain it, taking the clear liquid and throwing away the residue. Add to the clear liquid one ratl of honey, one ratl of the juice of quince, and forty mithqal of the oil of roses. Cook it on a low fire until it thickens. Then remove it from the fire and leave to cool. When cooled, add three mithqal each of pepper, long pepper, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger, Chinese cinnamon, and nutmeg, all ground and sieved. Mix it well and put in a green earthenware jar or in a bottle. Drink two mithqal of it on an empty stomach and it will be beneficial, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing. It is beneficial for what has been mentioned, and for jaundice and severe, continuous fever from which there is a fear of the person getting pleurisy, and for a high temperature.’

[Pain Of The Bladder And Urethra]

He said: “Take cucumber and peel it. Cook its peel in water with the roots of endive (al-hindiba’). Then strain it and pour lump sugar over it. Drink one ratl of it every day before breakfast for three days. It is good, tried, and beneficial, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

On Pain in the Waist

He said: “Take four mithqal of pepper, and a similar quantity of ginger, long pepper, rice (birinj), mace (basbasa), and Chinese cinnamon, each of them the same quantity, that is, four mithqal. Take forty-five mithqal of good, pure, fresh butter (al-zibd), and forty-six mithqal of white sugar. Grind them all and sieve them in a cloth or fine sieve. Add twice its total weight of honey which has had its foam removed. Whoever drinks it for the waist, let him take the weight of three mithqal; whoever drinks it as a laxative (al-mashw), let him take the weight of seven mithqal or eight with tepid water. It will remove every illness, Allah, the Exalted, willing, and with this medication there is no need for any other. It compensates and is a substitute for all medication. When it is taken as a laxative and the bowels have stopped moving, then let it be taken with honey, for it is good and tried.”

The Medication for Sciatica

He said: “Take the nail parings (qulama zufur) of one who has sciatica and tie them on to the place of the vessel, for it is beneficial, Allah, the Exalted, willing. If it overcomes the person and his throbbing increases in severity, take two pillows and tie them on to the thigh which is affected by sciatica from the hip (al-wark) to the foot (al-qadam) as tightly as possible until he almost faints. Do that while he is standing, then press on the arch of the foot (batin hadr al-qadam) which is painful and squeeze it hard. It will bring out black blood. Then apply salt (milh) and olive oil and it will be cured, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Medications For Heart Flutter, Strengthening The Abdomen, Pain In The Waist, Increasing Brightness Of The Face, And Removing The Yellowness

Take seventy-two mithqal of dry ginger, forty of long pepper, and four each of heelweed (shina), cinnamon leaves (sadhaj), pepper, black myrobalan, preserved cardamom (qaqula murabban), walnut, bishop's weed, sweet-pomegranate (al-rumman al-hulw) seeds, fennel flower and Kirmani cumin (kammun). Grind and sieve them all. Then take six hundred mithqal of good fanidh and put it into a clay vessel and pour some water over it. Light a low fire under it so the fanidh melts. Then put it in a clean container and add to it the ground ingredients. Mix them well, then put it away in a bottle or green jar. Drink of it the equivalent of a walnut and it will not disagree [with you], Allah, the Exalted, willing.

A Marvellous Remedy For Swelling Of The Belly, Pain Of The Abdomen, Stopping Phlegm, Melting Stones In The Bladder, And For Pains In The Waist

Take equal parts ol black myrobalan, beleric myrobalan, emblic myrobalan, blue bdellium, pepper, long pepper, Chinese cinnamon, ginger, seeacul, wash, asarawan, and galanga. Grind and sieve them and add the clarified butter from a cow. Mix all that with twice its weight of honey which has had its froth removed, or with good quality fanidh. Drink the equivalent of a hazelnut or gallnut.

A Medicine to Increase Intercourse, Etc.

He said: “This is a marvellous [remedy]. It warms the kidneys (al-kulyatan) increases intercourse (al-jima’) for the person who takes it, and removes al-barun [sic] from all the joints. It is beneficial for pains of the waist and the belly, for wind (al-riyah) in the belly and in the joints, for one who experiences difficulty in passing urine, for one not able to control his urine, for heart palpitations (darban al-fu’ad), difficulty in breathing, flatulence (al-nifkha), indigestion, and worms in the belly. It clears the heart, arouses an appetite for food, allays pain in the breast, yellowness of the eyes (sufra al-'ayn) and yellowness of the colour, jaundice, and excessive thirst. It is for one who complains of his eyes, for pain in the head, deficiency in the brain (al-dimagh) degenerative fever, and for every illness, old and new. It is good, has been tried, and will never disagree. Drink two mithqal of it - it was one mithqal among us, but the Imam, peace be upon him, changed it.

“Take six mithqal each of black myrobalan, yellow myrobalan and scammony; four mithqal each of pepper, long pepper, dry ginger, bishop’s weed, red-poppy seeds (khishkhash ahmar), and Indian salt (milh hindi), two mithqal each of Cassia spuria, cardamom, Indian nard, secacul, balm branches, balm seeds, cinnamon (silikha) with its bark removed, Byzantine mastic, pyrethrum, and Chinese cinnamon. Grind all these ingredients and mix after having sieved them all, except the scammony, which is ground separately and not sieved. Mix them all together and take eighty-five mithqal of good quality Sajzi fanidh, and melt it in two pans on a low fire Add the other ingredients to it and mix all that with honey which has had its froth removed. Put it away in a bottle or green earthenware jar. Whenever required, take two mithqal of it before breakfast, and before sleeping, with whatever drink you wish. It is marvellous for all that we have described, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

A Medication for Pain of the Belly and the Back

Take ten mithqal each of dry storax and the roots of sweet asa (al-anjudan) and two mithqal of dodder (al-afitimun). Grind each of them separately and sieve them in a piece of silk or a fine cloth, all except the dodder, which does not need to be sieved but only ground finely. Mix them all with honey which has had its froth removed, and drink two mithqal of it with tepid water when you go to bed.

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, of the family of al-Mu’alla b. Khunays, narrated from Ya’qub b. Abu Ya’qub al-Zayyat from Muhammad b. Ibrahim from al-Husayn b. Mukhtar from al-Mu’alla b. Abu ‘Abd Allah from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [al-Mu’alla] said: We were with him on a journey, and Isma'il b. al-Sadiq was with him. He complained to him [al-Sadiq] of pain in his belly and his back. He [al-Sadiq] dismounted and made him lie down and said:

“In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and by the handiwork of God, who has created everything very well. He is aware of the things you do (27:88). Subside, O wind, by Him in Whose trust is what is in the night and the day, and He is All-hearing, All-knowing.”

On The Severe Agony of Death

Al-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from al-‘Abbas b. Muhammad from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz al-Sijistani, who said: We were with Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, when a man came to him and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, my brother has been suffering from the agony of death (al-naz’) for three days and it has increased in severity, so pray to Allah.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “O Allah, ease for him the agonies of death.” Then he told the man: “Move his mattress to the place in which he prayed, and his suffering will be eased for him, if there is a delay in his appointed time of death. If his time has come, then it will be made easy for him. Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

On Instructions for the Dying

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Zahiri al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar and Fadl Allah from Muhammad b. Abu Zaynab, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “When you are present before a dying person, instruct him on this matter, that is [recitation of] the declaration of unity (kalima al-tawhid) of Allah. It strikes terror into their hearts. If he has adhered to the truth, he will be saved.”

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Massisi narrated from al-Qaddah from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father, peace be upon him, who said: When ‘Ali b. Abu Talib was with any member of his family at their death, he would say to him: ‘Say: “There is no god but Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. There is no god but Allah the Clement, the Noble. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the seven earths, and what is between the two, and what is in them, and what is between them, and what is under them, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”’ When the patient had said that, he [‘Ali] would say: "Go, there is no fear for you.”

Ahmad b. Yusuf narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from Abu al-Ash’ath al-Khuza’i from Jabir from Abu Ja’far from his grandfather, peace be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, was with a man who was in the agony of death and said: ‘Say: “O Allah, forgive me the greatness of my disobedience to You, and accept from mc the insignificance of my obedience to You.”’

The Condition of a Dying Person

Muhammad b. al-Ash’ath, one of the offspring of al-Ash’ath b. Qays al-Kindi, narrated from ‘Ali b. al-Hakam from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Zarara b A’yan, who said: A son of Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, was ill during the lifetime of Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him. Ja’far was sitting in a corner of the room and the boy was in the agony of death. Whenever anyone came close to him [the boy], he said: “Do not touch him, for his weakness will increase. A patient is at his weakest when he is in this condition, so whoever touches him makes him weaker.” When the boy died, he gave instructions about bim and the boy's eyes were closed. Then he said to us: “Sadness and distress and grief are only as long as Allah's command has not been revealed. When Allah's command is revealed, then there is nothing but submission and acceptance.”

Then he called for oil and anointed himself and applied al-kuhl around his eyes. He called for food, and he and those with him ate together. Then he said: “This is the sweet patience (12:18) in which we were promised excellence. Allah, the Exalted, has said: Upon those rest blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those- they are the truly guided (2:157). Then he gave orders concerning him (the boy] and he was bathed. He [al-Sadiq] dressed in his finest clothes and went out to pray over him."

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he said; ‘There is not one who is about to die but that Satan assigns to him one of his demons to call him to disbelief and make him doubt his charge and his religion until his soul departs. He [the demon] will not have any power over whoever is an enlightened believer, declaring the unity of Allah. He will make whoever is weak in his religion doubt his condition and his religion. So, when you are present with those about to die instruct them to recite the declaration of sincerity, and it is: “There is no god but Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. There is no god but Allah, the Clement, the Noble. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the seven earths, and what is in them, and what is between them, and what is under them, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”’

He said: Al-Mu’alla narrated from Ahmad b. ‘Isa from Ibrahim b Muhammad from Ahmad b. Yusof from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘When a believer who is a stranger is about to die, he turns to the right and the left and, seeing no one, raises his head to the heavens. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says, “My servant and my friend, to whom do you turn? Do you seek a friend or a relative closer to you than Me? By My Power and My Majesty, if I loosen your bond, I will surely cause you to worship Me, and if I hold you to Me, I will surely bring you to my Magnanimity and into the proximity of your friends and loved ones.”’

On A Change In Colour

Ahmad b. Ishaq narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Najran from Abu Muhammad al-Thumali from Ishaq al-Jariri, who said: ‘Al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said: “O Jariri, I see you have become pale. Do you have haemorrhoids?” I replied: “Yes, O son of the Messenger of Allah, and I ask Allah, the Mighty and Sublime not to deny me the reward.” He said: “Shall I suggest a medication for you?” I replied: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I have treated it with more than a thousand remedies, but have not benefited from any and my hemorrhoids are bleeding.” He said; "Woe be to you, Jariri. I am the physician of physicians, the leader of the scholars and the sages, the treasure-house of the religious scholars, and the chief of the progeny of the Prophets on the earth.” I said: “It is so, my lord and master.”

He said: “Your haemorrhoids are female (inath), they pour out blood.” I said: “You are right, O son of the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “You must take beeswax (sham'), the oil of jasmine (duhn zanbaq), storax (lubna 'asal), sumac, sar and flax. Put them together on a ladle over the fire. When they are mixed together, take a quantity equal to a chick-pea and smear it on your buttocks (al-maq’ad). You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing”.’

Al-Jariri said: ‘By Allah, there is no god but Him, I did that only once and I was cured of what was in me I did not experience any bleeding or pain after that.’

Al-Jariri said: ‘I waylaid him [al-Baqir] the next time and he said to me: “O Abu Ishaq, you have been cured, praise be to Allah.” I replied: “May I be your sacrifice [blank in the original].” Then he said: “As for Shu’ayb b. Ishaq, his hemorrhoids are not as they were with you. They are masculine (dhukran).” Then he said: “Tell him to take abradhar and divide it into three parts. Let him dig a hole, then pierce a baked brick, and make a hole in it. Then put that abradhar on the fire, place the brick over it, and sit on it. Let the hole on the brick be opposite the buttocks. When the fumes rise from it, its heat will reach him. Let him prolong [his sitting] as long as possible, perhaps five to seven nathalil [sic]. If it is successful let him remove it and throw it away. If not, let him put the second third of abradhar on it and it will remove it completely.

Then let him apply the ointment (al-marham) of beeswax, oil of jasmine, storax, sar, and flax.” He said; This is for the masculine hemorrhoids, so let him prepare it as I have prescribed and coat the buttocks with it with only a single coating”. I returned and prescribed that to him [Shu'ayb]. He did it and was cured, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.

‘When I performed the Hajj next time, he [al-Baqir] said to me: “O Abu Ishaq, tell rne the news of Shu’ayb.” I said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Him Who chose you over mankind and made you a proof (hujja) on earth, he only applied one coating of it.”’

Excessive Dirt

Ibn Jariri narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il from al-Walid b. Aban from al-Nu’man b. Ya’la from Jabir al-Ju’fi, who said: I complained to Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, of excessive dirt (wasakh kathir) making my garment filthy. He said: “Grind myrtle and extract its water. Whisk it vigorously with the best wine vinegar available until it becomes foamy. Then wash your head and beard with it as vigorously as possible; after that, oil it with fresh sesame oil. It will remove it [the dirt], Allah, the Exalted, willing”.

On Truffles, Manna, And 'Ajwa Dates

Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from his father from Muhammad b. Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’ fi from Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “Truffles (al-kama’) are from manna (al-mann) and manna is from Paradise. Its water is a healing for the eyes. The 'ajwa dates are from Paradise arid in them is a healing from poison (al-samm).”

Antimony

Jabir b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Ibn al-Mufaddal from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Yazid from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: A Bedouin called Fulayt came to the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, and he had watery eyes (ratb al-'ayn). The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said to him: “I see your eyes are watery, O Fulayt.” He replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, as you see they are weak.” He [the Prophet] said: “You must use antimony (al-ithmid) for it is manure (al-sirjin) for the eyes.”

Mansur b. Muhammad narrated from his father from Abu Salih al-Ahwal from ‘Ali b. Musa Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, who said: “Whoever is afflicted with weakness in his sight should apply seven strokes of antimony before sleeping.”

An Invocation For Inflammation Of The Eyes

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [the narrator] said: A man complained about his eyes. He [al-Sadiq] said: “What about the three ingredients?” The man said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what are the three ingredients, may my father and mother be your sacrifice?” He replied: “Aloe (al-sabir), myrrh (al-murr), and camphor (al-kafur).”

Muhammad b. al-Muthanna narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from 'Amr b. Abu al-Miqdam from Jabir from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, or one of his family, or one of his companions suffered from inflammation of the eyes, he prayed this prayer: “O Allah, grant me my hearing and my sight and make them my heirs, and help me against the one who oppresses me, and give me my revenge of him.”’

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he said: “[Applying] kohl (al-kuhl) at night makes the mouth fragrant.”

From Jabir b. Khaddash from ‘Abd Allah b. Maymun al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abd Allah from his father, peace be upon him, who said: “The Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, had a container of kohl, and he would apply three strokes of kohl from it on each eye every night before sleeping.”

On Fish

Ahmad b. al-Jarud al-‘Abdi narrated from the son of al-Hakam b. al-Mundhir from ‘Uthman b. ‘Isa from Maysar al-Halabi from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Fish liquifies the fat of the eye.”

From him, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘Al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said: “This fish damages the covering of the eye (ghiswa al-‘ayn). Fresh flesh produces flesh.”

Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. Musa from al-Mutallib b. Ziyad al-Radi’i from al-Halabi from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Al-haff [sic] is beneficial for the sight.”

On Clipping the Nails

Ahmad b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Muhammad b. Abu al-Hasan from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Whoever clips his nails every Thursday will never have inflammation of the eyes. Whoever clips them on Friday removes from under each nail an illness.” He said: “Kohl increases the light of the eyes and causes eyelashes (al-ashfar) to grow.'

From him, that he would clip his nails every Thursday beginning with the right little finger (al-khinsir), then beginning with the left. He said: “Whoever does that has taken protection from inflammation of the eyes.”

An Invocation for Inflammation of the Eyes

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Za’farani narrated from ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-Aziz from ‘Isa b. Sulayman, who said: I went to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, one day and saw him with his eyes somewhat inflamed and I was grieved for him. I visited him the next day and he no longer had any inflammation. I asked him about that and he said: ‘I treated it with something. It is an invocation I have, in which I took refuge.’ He [‘Isa] said: He informed me of it and this is the copy of it:

“I take refuge in the Might of Allah. I take refuge in the Power of Allah. I take refuge in the Exaltedness of Allah. I take refuge in the Majesty of Allah. I take refuge in the Beauty of Allah. I take refuge in the Magnificence of Allah. I take refuge in the Forgiveness of Allah. I take refuge in the Clemency of Allah. I take refuge in the remembrance of Allah. I take refuge in the Messenger of Allah. I take refuge in the family of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and on them, from what I am wary of and fear for my eyes, and the pain that I suffer in my eyes and what I fear from it and am wary of. O Allah, Lord of the Good, remove that from me by Your Might and Your Power.”

For Inflammation Of The Eyes

Ahmad b. Bashir narrated from Ja’far b. Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Jammal attributing the hadith to Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘Salman and Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with them, complained of an ailment of the eyes. The Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, came to visit them. When he saw them, he said to each one: “Do not sleep on your left side as long as your eyes are suffering, and avoid dates until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, cures you.”’

On Consumption

Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Ibrahim narrated from Ahmad b. Bashara that he said: When I went to perform the Hajj, I went to Medina. I entered the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, and there was Abu Ibrahim sitting by the side of the minbar. I approached him and kissed his head and hands and greeted him. He returned my greeting and said: “How is your illness?” I replied: “I am still suffering from it.” I had consumption. He said: “Take this medication in Medina before you leave for Mecca and you will be restored to health, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

I brought out an ink-well and paper and he dictated to us: “Take equal parts of Indian nard, cardamom, saffron, pyrethrum, henbane (al-banj), white hellebore (kharbaq abyad), and two parts of abarfiyun. Grind and sieve them in a piece of silk, and mix with honey which has had its froth removed. Give the person afflicted with consumption the equivalent of a chick-pea with warm water to take before sleeping. You will not drink that for three nights without being cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.” I did that and Allah removed it from me and I was cured by the will of Allah, the Exalted.

On Coughing

Ahmad b. Salih narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Salam, who said: I visited Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, with a group of people from Khurasan. We greeted him and he responded. He asked each of us our request and fulfilled it. Then he looked at me and said: “And you, make your request.” I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, I complain to you of a severe coughing.” He asked: “Is it recent (hadith) or chronic (‘atiq)?” I replied: “Both.” He said: “Take one part of white pepper (al-filfil al-abyad), two parts of abarfiyun, and one part each of white hellebore, Indian nard, cardamom, saffron, and henbane. Sieve with a piece of silk and mix with an equal weight of honey which has had its froth removed. Take one grain (habba) with fennel water before sleeping, for chronic and recent coughs. Let the water be tepid and not cold. It will remove it [the cough] completely.”

Jasmine Oil

Ahmad b. Talib al-Hamdani narrated from ‘Urnar b. Ishaq from Muhammad b. Salih b. ‘Abd Allah b. Ziyad from al-Dahhak from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “There is nothing better for the body than al-raziqi.” I asked: “And what is al-raziqi?” He replied: “Jasmine (al-zanbaq).”

Al-Hasan b. al-Fadl narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: “Jasmine (al-raziqi) is the most excellent thing with which you oil your body.”

Myrobalan

From al-Musayyib b. Wadih, who served al-‘Askari, peace be upon him, from his father from his grandfather from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, who said: “If people knew what was in yellow rnyrobalan (al-halilaj al-asfar), they would buy it by its weight in gold.” He said to one of his companions: “Take one grain of yellow rnyrobalan and seven grains of pepper. Grind and sieve them and use as kuhl around the eyes.”

For Whiteness in the Eyes and Pain in the Teeth

Abu ‘Atab and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from ‘Umar b. Thuwayh from his father from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that a man complained to him [al-Sadiq] of whiteness in the eyes (bayad al-‘ayn), pain in his teeth, and wind in his joints. He instructed him to take the weight of two dirhams each of white pepper and long pepper and the weight of one dirham of good, pure salammoniac (nushadir). Grind and sieve them, and apply three strokes around the edges of each eye. Keep it on for an hour. It will put an end to the whiteness, purify the white of the eye, and ease the pain, Allah, the Exalted, willing. Then wash the eyes with cold water and apply antimony.

Ahmad h. Habib narrated from al -Nadr b. Suwayd from Jamil b. Salih from Dharih, who said: A man complained to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, of whiteness in the eyes. He [al-Baqir] said: “Take one part each of impure oxide of zinc, (tutiya hindi), scoria of gold (iqlimiya al-dhahab), good quality antimony, yellow myrobalan, and andarani salt [salt evaporated from sea water]. Grind each one separately with rainwater. Then grind them together and apply around the eyes. It will put an end to the whiteness, clear the white of the eye, and purify it of every illness, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Al-Hasan b. Aruma narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. al-Mughira from Buzigh al-Mu'adhdhin, who said: I said to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, “I wish to remove my cataract.” He said: “Ask Allah and do it.” I said: “They claim that the person should sleep on his back in such-and-such a way, and should not pray sitting down.” He said: “Do that.”

On Cold In The Head

‘Ali b. al-Husayn al-Hannat narrated from ‘Ali b. Yaqtin that he said: I wrote to Abu al-Hasan, Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, “I suffer from severe cold in my head so that when the wind blows I almost faint.” He wrote to me: “You must inhale ambergris and jasmine (al-zanbaq) after eating. You will be cured of it, Allah, the Sublime and Majestic, willing.”

Flatulence

‘Abd Allah b. Zuhayr al-‘Abid, one of the Shi'a ascetics, narrated from ‘Abd Allah al-Mufaddal al-Nawfali, from his father, who said: “A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, and said: “I have a son who is sometimes seized by the winds of flatulence (rih umm al-sibyan), and I give up all hope for him because of the severity of what seizes him. If you think it proper, O son of the Messenger of Allah, blessings on him and his family, pray to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, that he be cured.” He [the narrator] said: He [al-Sadiq] prayed for him and said: “Write the sura al-Hamd (1) for him in saffron and musk seven times. Then wash it out with water and let him drink of it for one month. He will be cured of it.” He [the man] said: We did that for one night and it did not recur. He was calm and we rested.”

From him [al-Sadiq, peace be upon him], that he said: “The sura al-Hamd (1) is not read over any pain seventy times without it subsiding, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

For The Newborn Baby Suffering From Moisture and Weakness

Ahmad b. Ghayath narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from al-Qasim b. Muhammad from Bukayr b. Muhammad, who said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, when a man said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, a child has been born with moisture (al-billa) and weakness.” He [al-Sadiq] said: “What prevents you from [giving him] sawiq. Make him drink it, and tell your wife to take it, for it produces flesh and strengthens the bones and you will beget only strong children.”

For The Sting of a Scorpion

Ahmad b. al-‘Abbas b. al-Mufaddal narrated from his brother ‘Abd Allah b. al-‘Abbas b. al-Mufaddal that he said: A scorpion stung me and when it struck me its pincers nearly entered my belly from the severity of its sting. Abu al-Hasan al-‘Askari, peace be upon him, was our neighbour, so I went to him. He [my father] said: “My son ‘Abd Allah has been stung by a scorpion and there is fear for him.” He [al-Askari] said: “Give him ‘the comprehensive medication’ (al-dawa’ al-jami’) to drink, for it is the medicine of Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him.” I said: “What is it?” He replied: “It is a well known medicine.” I said: “My lord, I do not know it.”

He said: “Take Indian nard, saffron, cardamom, pyrethrum, white hellebore, henbane, and white pepper, all in equal measures, and two parts of abarfiyun. Grind them finely and sieve in a piece of silk. Mix with honey which has had its froth removed. Give one grain of it to drink with asafetida (al-hiltit) water for the bite (al-lasa’) of the snake and scorpion, and he will be cured immediately.” He said: We treated him with it and gave it to him to drink, and he was restored to health at once. We use it and give it to people until this day.

The Medicine for Puffiness around the Eyes

Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Ibrahim narrated from al-Fadl b. Maymun al-Azdi from Abu Ja’far b. ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, that he [al-Azdi] said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I experience severe pain from this puffiness around the eyes (al-shausa).” He replied: “Take one gram of the medicine of Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, with some saffron and apply it around the [affected] area.” He asked: 'And what is the medicine of your father?” He replied: “The ‘comprehensive medication’, and it is well known among such-and-such [people].” He said: “I went to one of them and took from him one grain and applied it around the area with saffron water, as he had mentioned, and I was cured of it.”

For Semi-Paralysis and Facial Paralysis

Ahmad b. al-Musayyib b. al-Musta'in narrated from Salih b. Abd al-Rahman that he said: I complained to Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, of my wife's being afflicted with semi-paralysis (al-falij) and facial paralysis (al-laqwa). He said: “What about the medicine of my father?” I asked: “And what is it?” He replied: “The ‘comprehensive medication’. Take one grain of it in marjoram (al-marzanjush) water and make her inhale it. She will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

For Pain of the Throat

Al-Kalabi al-Basri narrated from ‘Umar b. ‘Uthman al-Bazzaz from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from Muhammad b. Khalid from al-Halabi, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “We have not found anything similar to milk soup (hasw al-laban) for pain of the thoat.”

On Coldness of the Abdomen and Fluttering of the Heart

Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. Ranjawayh al-Mutatabbib narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Uthman that he said: “I complained to Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, of coldness in my abdomen and of fluttering (al-khafaqan) in my heart. He said: “What about the medication of my father, the ‘comprehensive medication’?” I replied: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is it?” He said: “It is well known among the Shi'a.” I said: “My lord and master, I am one of them, so describe it to me so that I may use it as treatment and give it to people.”

He replied: “Take equal measures of saffron, pyrethrum, Indian nard, cardamom, henbane, white hellebore, and white pepper, and two parts of abarfiyun. Grind them all finely, sieve in a piece of silk, and mix with twice its weight of honey which has had its froth removed. Give the one suffering from heart-fluttering and coldness in the abdomen one grain to drink with a decoction of cumin water. He will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

A Medication for Pain of the Spleen

‘Abd al-Rahman Sahl b. Mukhlid narrated from his father, who said: I went to ‘Ali Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, and complained to him of a pain in my spleen, the severity of which kept me sleepless at night and confined to bed during the day. He said: “What about the ‘comprehensive medication’?” that is the previously mentioned ingredients. He said: “Take a grain of it with cold water and vinegar soup.” I did as he instructed me and what was in me abated, praise be to Allah, the Exalted.

For Pain in the Side

Muhammad b. Kathir al-Bazwadi narrated from Muhammad b. Sulayman, who studied the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt from Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, that he said: I complained to ‘Ali b. Musa Al-Ridha’ peace be upon him, of a pain on my right and left side (janb). He said: “What about the ‘comprehensive medication’, for it is a well-known medication” - meaning by it the medicine previously mentioned. He said: “As for the right side, take one grain of it with a decoction of cumin. For the left side, take it with a decoction of celery root (usul al-karafs).” I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, shall I take one or two mithqal of it?” He replied: “No, rather take the weight of one grain and you will recover, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

The Medication For The Belly

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Katib narrated from Ahmad b. lshaq, who said: I would often sit with Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him. I said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, my father has been suffering from an ailment of the belly for three nights and he cannot control it.” He said: “What about the ‘comprehensive medication’?” I replied: “I do not know it.” He said: “Ahmad b. Ibrahim al-Tammar knows it. Take one grain of it and give it to your father to drink with a decoction of myrtle. He will recover at once.” He [Ahmad b. Ishaq] said: I went to him [al-Tammar] and took from him a large amount. I gave my father one grain of it and he found relief immediately.

On Stones

Muhammad b. Hakim narrated from Muhammad b. al-Nadr, a teacher of the child of Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, that he said: I complained to him [Abu Ja’far] of my suffering from stones. He said: “Woe be to you, what about the ‘comprehensive medication’ of my father?” I said: “My lord and master, describe it for me.” He said: “We have it. Girl, bring out the green container.” He [Muhammad b. al-Nadr] said: She brought it out and he took out a grain of it and said: “Drink this grain with rue water or a decoction of radish (al-fujl) and you will be cured of it.” He [al-Nadr] said: I took the grain with rue water and, by Allah. I have not felt its pain until this day.

A Beneficial Invocation for a Young Boy

Ishaq b. Hassan al-‘Allaf al-‘Arif narrated from al-Husayn b. Mahbub from Jamil b. Salih from Dharih al-Muharibi, who said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and he was seeking protection for a young boy of his, saying: “In the Name of Allah, I adjure you, O pain and O wind, wherever it may be, with the invocation with which the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, and ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, conjured the jinn of the valley of al-Sabra, and they answered and obeyed, that you answer and obey and get out of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, at once, at once.” He said that three times.

For Persistent Pain

Al-Hasan b. al-Husayn al-Damighani narrated from al-Hasan ‘Ali b. Faddal from Ibrahim b. Abu al-Bilad, who attributed it to Musa b. Ja’far al-Kazim, peace be upon him, that he [Ibrahim] said: The governor of Medina complained to him [Musa b. Ja’far] of his son's persistent pain. He [Musa b. Ja’far] said: ‘Write for him this invocation on parchment, put it in a silver container, and fasten it on to the boy. Allah will remove every illness through it:

“In the Name of Allah, I take refuge in Your Exalted Face, and Your Might, which is unceasing, and Your Power, which nothing can resist, from the evil of what I fear in the night and the day, from all the pains, and from the evil of this world and the next and from every illness, pain, sorrow, sickness, affliction, or tribulation, or that which Allah knows he created me for and which I do not know myself. Protect me, O Lord, from the evil of all of that in my night until it is morning, and in my day until it is evening, by the Perfect Words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the ungodly can pass over, and from the evil of what comes down from the heavens, and what ascends it, and what enters into the earth and what comes out of it. Peace be upon the Messengers and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

“I ask you, O Lord, by that with which Muhammad, blessings of Allah on him and his Ahl al-Bayt, asked You.

God is enough for me; there is no god but He. In Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (9:129).

Put a seal on that from You, O Good, O Compassionate, with Your Name, O Allah, the Single, the One, the Refuge. Allah bless Muhammad and his family and repel from me the evil that 1 suffer, by Your Power.”’

An Invocation for Someone Afflicted With the Falling Sickness

Ibrahim b. al-Mundhir al-Khuza’i narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abu Bishr from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Invoke protection for the individual afflicted with the falling sickness (al-masru’) and say: “I call on you, O possessing one, with an invocation with which ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, called on the jinn of the valley of al-Sabra, and they answered and obeyed, that you answer and obey and get out of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, at once.”’

Al-Husayn b. Mukhtar al-Hanzali narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Hashim from Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, that he recited this invocation for every pain: ‘Place your hand on your mouth once and say: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate” three times; “By the Majesty of Allah”, three times; “By the Perfect Words of Allah”, three times. Then place your hand on the painful area and say three times: “I take refuge in the Might of Allah and His Power over what He wills, from the evil that is under my hand.” It will subside, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Ibrahim b. al-Hasan narrated from Ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Abu Hamza from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: “Oil [applied] at night passes into the blood vessels and nourishes the skin.”

Oil of Violets

Hisam b. Muhammad narrated from Sa’d b. Junab from Muhammad b. Abu ‘Umayr from Hisham b. al-Hakam, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The oil of violets (al-banafsaj) is the chief oil.”

From him, peace be upon him, that he said: “The most excellent oil is violet. Anoint yourselves with it, for its excellence over the rest of the oils is like our excellence over men.”

From him, peace be upon him, that he said: “Oil of violets among the oils is as the believer among men.” Then he said: “It is hot in the winter and cold in the summer. The rest of the oils do not have this merit.”

He also said: “The violet is hot in the winter and cold in the summer, gentle for our Shi’a, and dry for our enemies. If people knew what is in the violet, it would be valued in dinars.”

From him, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “Use oil of violets, for the excellence of violet over all the oils is as the excellence of the Ahl al-Bayt over people.”’

The Oil of Ben

Yahya b. al-Hajjaj narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Khalid b. ‘Uthman from Abu al-‘Ays, who said: I mentioned the oils in the presence of Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be upon him, until I came to mention the oil of the ben tree (al-ban). Al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said: “A male oil (duhn dhakar) and an excellent oil, the oil of ben.” Then he said: “Al-khaluq [a perfume] appeals to me.”

From Yahya b. al-Husayb from Hamza b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Zarara from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “Whoever anoints himself with the oil of ben,” then he said: “Before Satan he will not be harmed, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”’

Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: “The best oil is the oil of ben. It is a protection and it is masculine, a security from every affliction. So anoint yourselves with it, for the Prophets, blessings of Allah be on them, used to use it.”

The Oil of Jasmine

Al-‘Abbas b. ‘Asim al-Mu'adhdhin narrated from Ibrahim b. al-Mufaddal from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Abu Hamza from Abu Ja’far Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him, said: “There is no oil more beneficial for the body than oil of jasmine (al-zanbaq). In it are numerous benefits and healing for seventy illnesses.”

From Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Use al-kays and anoint yourselves with it, for in it is a healing for seventy illnesses.” We said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is al-kays?” He replied “Jasmine (al-zanbaq), that is the al-raziqi variety.”

The Pains of the Body

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Zahiri from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar al-Ju’fi from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Abu Ri’ab from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, from his father ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, who attributed it to Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, that he said: “ If anyone of you has pains in his body and is overcome by fever, he must [practise] al-firash.” It was said to al-Baqir, peace be upon him, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is the meaning of al-firash?” He replied: “Intercourse (ghashayan) with women, for it will calm and allay it.”

An Invocation for Difficulty in Childbirth

‘Abd al-Wahhab b. Mahdi narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Ibn Himmam from Muhammad b. Sa’id from Abu Hamza from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said: “If a woman experiences difficulty during childbirth, write these verses for her in a vessel cleaned with musk and saffron. Then wash it out with spring water (ma’ al-bi'r) and have the woman drink from it and sprinkle her belly and genitals (al-farj). She will give birth at once. Write:

It shall be as if, on the day they see it, they have but tarried for an evening, or its forenoon (79:46). It shall be as if, on the day they see that they are promised, they had not tarried but for an hour of a single day. A Message to be delivered! And shall any be destroyed but the people of the ungodly? (46:35). In their stories is surely a lesson to men possessed of minds; it is not a tale forged, hut a confirmation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of everything, and a guidance, and a mercy to a people who believe (12:111)