Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma)

Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma)20%

Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma) Translator: Batool Ispahany
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
Category: Miscellaneous Books

Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma)
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Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma)

Islamic Medical Wisdom (The Tibb al-A'imma)

Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought


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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)

[An Invocation] For A Pebble in the Ear

It was narrated from Bakr from his uncle Sudayr, who said: ‘I took a pebble and scratched my ear with it. It became embedded in my ear. I made every effort to remove it, but neither I nor the medical practitioners could do it. When I performed the Hajj and met al-Baqir, peace be upon him, I complained to him of the pain I had experienced. He said to al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: “O Ja’far, take him by the hand out into the light and have a look.” Al-Sadiq looked into the ear and said: “I do not see anything.” Al-Baqir said: “Approach me.” I approached him and he said: “O Allah, remove it as You caused it to enter, without trouble or difficulty.” Then he said: “Recite that three times.” I recited it. He said: “Put your finger in.” I put my finger in and brought out the pebble. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.’

Hannan b Jabir al-Filistini narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali from Ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar b. Marwan from al-Munkhal from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, who said that a man complained to him of deafness (al-samam). Abu Ja’far said: ‘Pass your hand over him and recite:

If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God. And We make these examples for men; haply they will reflect He is God; there in god but He. He is the knower of the Unseen and the Visible. He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate. He is God. There is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the All-faithful, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise. (59:21-4).’

An Invocation for Pain Afflicting the Mouth

Hariz b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Abu Samina from ‘Ali b. Asbat from Abu Hamza from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that Abu Basir said: One of his [Abu ‘Abd Allah's] followers complained to him of pain in his mouth (al-fam). Abu ‘Abd Allah said: ‘When that afflicts you, place your hand over it and say: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name illness causes no harm; I take refuge in the Words of Allah, with Which nothing harms, Most Holy. Most Holy, Most Holy. By Your Name, O Lord, the Pure, the Holy, the Blessed, whoever asks You by it, You grant it to him, and whoever calls on You by it, You answer him. I ask You, O Allah, O Allah, O Allah, to bless Muhammad, the Prophet, and his Ahl al-Bayt, and to heal the suffering in my mouth, my head, my hearing, my sight, my belly, my back, my hand, my foot, and in all my limbs.”

Your pain will be relieved. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

An Invocation for Pain in the Teeth

Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn b. [Ahmad] Muhammad al-Khawatimi narrated from al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Yaqtin from Hannan al-Sayqal from Abu Basir from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that Abu Basir said: I complained to him of pain in my teeth, and that it kept me awake at nights. Abu Ja'far said: “O Abu Basir, when you experience that, place your hand over it, and recite the sura al-Hamd (1) and the sura al-Ikhlas (112), then recite:

And thou shalt see the mountains, that thou supposest fixed, passing by like clouds - God's handiwork, who has created everything very well. He is aware of the things you do. (27:88)

The pain will subside, and will not recur.”

Hamdan b. A’yan al-Razi narrated from Abu Talib from Yunus from Abu Hamza from Sama’a b. Mihran from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that he [Abu ‘Abd Allah] instructed a man to recite the above invocation and added to it, saying: ‘Recite the sura al-Qadr (97) once. The pain will subside, and will not recur.’

[Also for pain in the teeth,] from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace he upon him, that he said: ‘Whoever complains of pain in the teeth, let him take the object on which he performs his prostration, and rub it on the painful area, and say: “In the Name of Allah, and the Healer, Allah; there is no Might nor Power except in Allah, the Most High, the Mighty.”’

It is reported from Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘My teeth (al-asnan) were hurting me and I applied Cyperus rotundus (al-su’d) to them.’ He said: ‘Wine vinegar (khall al-khumr) strengthens the gums (al-litha).’ He also said: ‘'Take wheat (al-hinta), husk it, and extract the oil. If the tooth is decayed and rotten, put two drops of the oil in it. Put some oil on a piece of cotton and place it in the ear near the tooth for three nights. It will stop [the decay], Allah, the Exalted, willing.'

The Charm for the Tooth

Ibrahim b. Khalid narrated from Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Rabbihi from Tha’laba from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: ‘This is a charm for the teeth. It is beneficial and will never fail, Allah, the Exalted, willing. Praise .,. [sic] three leaves of the olive tree (al-zaytun), and write on the face of the leaf: “In the Name of Allah. There is no sovereign mightier than Allah, the King, and you are his Khalifa. Ya Haya Sharahiyya, remove the illness and send the cure, and may Allah bless Muhammad and his family.”’

Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘“Ya Haya, Sharahiyya", are two of the Names of Allah, the Exalted, in Hebrew. Write that on the back of the leaf, and tie it in a clean piece of cloth with a thread spun by a maid servant who has not… [sic] and tie seven knots in it and name each knot with the name of one of the prophets- Adam. Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa, Shuayb - and pray for Muhammad and his family, peace be on him and on them, and attach it to it [the tooth]. It will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Jibra’il al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be upon him [sic]: ‘How amazing it is that a creature eats the bone (al-'azm) and leaves the flesh (al-lahm). I make an invocation by Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, the Healer, the All-sufficient. There is no god but Allah, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

And when you killed a living soul, and disputed thereon - and God disclosed what you were hiding - so We said: Smite him with part of it (2:72-3).

Place your finger on the tooth, then recite this invocation seven times, on both its sides. It will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

A Proven Invocation For The Teeth

Recite the sura al-Hamd (1) the two Suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)), and the sura al-Ikhlas (112). Say ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate' with each sura. After the sura al-lkhlas (112), say:

‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate,

And to Him belongs whatsoever inhabits the night and the day, and He is the All-hearing All-knowing (6:13).

We said: O fire, be cooled and safe for Ibrahim! They desired to outwit him, so We made them the worse losers (21:69-70).

He was called: Blessed is He who is in the fire, and he who is about it. Glory be to God, the Lord of all Being’ (27:8).

Then say after that: ‘O Allah, O One Who protects from every thing, and nothing protects You. Protect Your servant and the son of your bondmaid (al-ima’), from the evil of what he fears and is wary of in this pain of which he complains to You.’

An Invocation for Coughing

‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Ayyub from ‘Amr b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him, from al-Husayn [sic], who said: Amir al-Mu’minin, peace he upon him, said: ‘Whosoever has a complaint of the throat (al-halq) and excessive coughing (al-su’al) and the desperation of his body increases, let him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the comprehensive’ (al-jami’a), for all things:

“O Allah, You are my hope, and You are my Trust, my Support, my Succour, my Exalter, my beauty.

You are the Refuge of those who are afraid.

There is no sanctuary for those who flee except in You.

There is no one on whom human beings can rely except You.

There is no wish for those who desire except before You.

There is no helper for the oppressed but You.

There is no object for the needy except You.

There is nothing to be given for the seekers except from You.

There is no place to turn for the repentant except You,

Sustenance and good and deliverance are only in Your Hand.

Oppressive matters have grieved me, difficult straits have wearied me,

and painful ailments have encompassed me.

I do not find the opening of the door of deliverance open except by Your Hand.

Thus I stand before You and seek help from You, with prayer, against its closing.

Open, O Lord, to the one who asks for help, and answer the one who calls out.

Dispel the grief, remove the harm, fulfil the need, remove the sorrow, banish the anxieties, and save me from destruction, for I am on the brink of it.

I do not find my salvation from it other than in You.

O Allah, O He who answers the constrained, when he calls

unto Him, and removes the evil (27:62),

have mercy on me and remove what is in me of sorrow and grief and pain and illness.

Lord, if You do not, I do not expect my deliverance from other than You.

Have mercy on me, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.

This is the position of the wretched, the poor.

This is the position of one who is afraid, one seeking refuge.

This is the position of one calling for help.

This is the position of the sorrowful, the hurt.

This is the troubled, the one seeking protection.

This is the position of the servant, apprehensive, dying,

drowning, frightened, fearful.

This is the position of one who has awakened from his sleep,

been aroused from his forgetfulness,

recovered from his illness and the severity of

his pain, and is afraid because of his offences.

He acknowledges his sins, is humble before his Lord,

and weeps in fear of Him.

He asks forgiveness, sheds tears, and seeks pardon,

by Allah, from his Lord.

He dreads His Power, sheds his tears, and hopes,

weeps, and prays and calls:

Lord, affliction has visited me (21:83) so set me right.

You see my position. You hear my words. Yon know my secret thoughts and my public affairs.

You know my need and You know me thoroughly.

Nothing in my affairs, whether open or secret, apparent or concealed in my breast, is hidden from You.

So I ask You, since You have authority over regulating [affairs], accepting pleas, and fixing destinies, with the request of one who has done wrong and confessed, wronged his soul, and committed crimes.

He has repented for what is past and turned to his Lord.

He has regretted and taken refuge in His courtyard, held back and restrained his desire, and devoted himself to the Rcvoker of his lapses, the Acceptor of his repentance, the Forgiver of his sins, the One Who has mercy on his state of exile, the Remover of his distress and the Healer of his illness.

Have mercy on my transgressions and my entreaties to You.

Forgive me all my deviations from Your Book which have been counted in Your record.

Your past knowledge of my sins, faults, and offences in privacy, my immorality, my evil deeds, my lapses, and all that Your recording angels witness and have written down during childhood and after puberty, in old age and youth, by night and day, early morning and evening, late evening and daybreak, forenoon and dawn, and at home and in travels, in solitude and in public. Overlook my evil deeds among the inhabitants of Paradise the promise of the very truth, which they were promised (46:16).

O Allah, by the right of Muhammad and his family, remove from mc the overwhelming illnesses in my body (jismi), my hair (sha'ri), my skin (bashari), my blood vessels (‘uruqi), my nerves ('asabi), and my limbs, for no one will remove that other than You, O Most Merciful of the Merciful, O Answerer of the call of the distressed.”’

An Invocation for Anxieties in the Breast

Abu al-Qasim al-Taflisi narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that Hariz said: I said “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I experience anxieties (al-balabil) in my breast and temptations (al-wasawis) in my heart (al-fu’ad) so that I sometimes break off my prayer and become confused in my recitation.” Abu ‘Abd Allah said: "And what about the invocation of Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him?” I replied: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, teach [it to] me.”

He said: “When you experience something of this, place your hand on it and say:

‘In the Name of Allah and by Allah. O Allah, You have blessed me with faith, and entrusted me with the Qur'an, and bestowed on me fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Grant me mercy and acceptance and compassion and forgiveness and all that You have conferred on me of blessings and beneficence.

O Compassionate. O Benefactor, O Everlasting, O Merciful, Glory be to You. I have no one but You, Glory be to You. I take refuge in You, after these expressions of esteem, from abasement. I ask You to remove the sorrows from my heart.’

Repeat this three times and you will be cured of it, with the help of Allah, the Exalted. Then bless the Prophet, blessings of Allah upon him, and mercy and blessings upon his family.”

An Invocation for a Pain in the Belly

Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, from his grandfather, peace be upon him, who said: A man complained to the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him and his family, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a brother who has a complaint of the belly.” The Prophet replied: “Tell your brother to take a drink of honey with hot water.” The man returned to him the next day and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I gave him the drink but he did not benefit from it.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has said the truth, and the belly of your brother has lied. Go, and give your brother the drink of honey and invoke for him the sura al-Fatiha (1) seven times.” When the man left, the Prophet said: “O ‘Ali, the brother of this man is a hypocrite. Whosoever is such, the drink will not benefit him.”

A man complained to Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, of pain in the belly. He instructed him to drink hot water and say:

“O Allah, O Allah, O Allah, O Merciful, O Compassionate, O Lord of the lords. O God of the gods, O King of the kings, O Master of the masters. Heal me with Your cures from every disease and illness, for I am Your servant and the son of Your servant; I turn about in Your grasp.”

Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Khawatimi narrated from Ibn Yaqtin from Hassan al-Sayqal from Abu Basir, who said: A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of pain of the navel (al-surra). Al-Sadiq told him: “Go, and put your hand on the painful area and say three times:

Surely it is a Book Sublime. Falsehood comes not to it from before it nor from behind it. A revelation from One All-wise, All-laudable (41:41-2).

You will be cured, Allah willing.”

Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “There is not one among the believers who complains of any illness and recites with sincere intention, while passing his hand over the area of the illness:

We send down of the Qu’ran that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers. The unbelievers it increases not except in loss (17:82),

but that he is cured of that illness, whatever it may be. The truth of that is confirmed in the verse, where it says, a cure and a mercy to the believers.”

An Invocation and Medication for Pain of the Waist

Hariz b. Ayyub narrated from Abu Samina from ‘Ali b. Asbat from Abu Hamza from Hamran b. A’yan, who said: A man questioned Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir, peace be upon him, saying: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer from severe pain in the waist (al-khasira) and have treated it with many remedies, but it has not been cured.”

Al-Baqir said: “What about the invocation of Amir al-Mu’minin?” The man replied: “And what is that, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “When you complete your prayers, put your hand on the place of prostration, stroke it, and say:

What, did you think that We created you only for sport, and that you would not be returned to Us? Then high exalted be God, the King, the True! There is no god but He, the Lord of the noble Throne. Whosoever calls upon another god with God, whereof he has no proof, his reckoning is with his Lord. Surely the unbelievers shall not prosper. And say: My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the best of the merciful (23:115-18).”

The man said: “I did that and the pain subsided, praise be to Allah, the Exalted.”

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, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him and his family, said: “Drink lovage (al-kashim), for it is good for pain of the waist.”’

Also from him from Muhammad b. Yahya from Yunus b. Zabyan from Jabir from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever wishes that food may not harm him, let him not eat until he is hungry and his abdomen (al-ma’ida) is cleansed. When he eats, let him take the Name of Allah and chew well and let him stop eating while he still has an appetite for it [food] and wants it.”

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Razin from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, who said: “Whoever wishes for the eternal life in the next world, and not for permanence in this world, let him wear light clothes, eat early, and have intercourse (al-mujami’a) with women less frequently.”

An Invocation for Pain of the Spleen

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Ayyub from Umar b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said: A man from Khurasan came to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I performed the Hajj and resolved to call on you upon my departure, for I have a pain in the spleen (al-tihal). Pray for me to be relieved of it.”

‘Ali b. al-Husayn replied: “Allah has protected you from that, praise be to Him. When you experience the pain, write this verse with saffron (al-za’faran) mixed with the water of [the] Zamzam [spring in Mecca], and drink it. Allah, the Exalted, will drive away that pain from you:

Say: Call upon God, or call upon the Merciful whichsoever you call upon, to Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. And be thou not loud in thy prayer, nor hushed therein, but seek thou for a way between that. And say: Praise belongs to God, who has not taken to Him a son, and who has not any associate in the Kingdom, nor any protector out of humbleness. And magnify Him with repeated magnificats (17:110-11).

Write the following on the parchment of a gazelle (ghazal) and attach it to your left arm (al-'adud) for seven days and the pain will abate: . .”

لا س س س ح ح دم كرم ل له ومحي حح لله صر ه

ر ححب سي حجحت عشره به هك ان عنها ح حل

يصر س هو بوا اميوا مسعوف

Ahmad b. Yazid narrated from al-Sahhaf al-Kufi from Musa b. Ja’far, peace be upon him, from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘One of his followers complained to al-Baqir of pain in the spleen. He had treated it with every remedy but its evil increased every day until he was on the threshold of death. Al-Baqir said to him: “Buy a piece of leek (al-kurrath) and fry it well in Arab clarified butter (saman ‘arabi). Give it for three days to the one who has this pain. If that is done, he will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”’

An Invocation for Pain in the Bladder

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar from Muhammad b. Isma’il from Abu Zaynab, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of pain in the bladder (al-mathana). Al-Sadiq said: “Seek protection for it with these verses three times before you sleep, and once when you awaken, and you will not experience the pain after that:

Knowest thou not that God is powerful over everything? Knowest thou not that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that you have none, apart from God, neither protector nor helper?” (2:106-7).

The man said: “I did that and did not experience the pain again.”

An Invocation for Pain in the Back

Al-Khidr b Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Faddala from Aban b. ’Uthman from lbn Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘A man from Hamdan complained to Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, of a pain in the back and that he had sleepless nights [because of it]. He said: “Put your hand on the area that pains you and recite three times:

It is not given to any soul to die save by the leave of God, at an appointed time. Whoever desires the reward of this world, We will give him of this. Whosoever desires the reward of the other world, We will give him of that. We will recompense the thankful (3:145).

Then recite the sura al-Qadr (97) seven times and you will be cured of it, if Allah, the Exalted, wills.”’

An Invocation for Pain of the Thighs

Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Katib narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Za’farani from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Amir a-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When one of you suffers from pain of the thighs (al-fakhdhan), let him sit in a large vessel or basin of heated water and place his hand there [on his thighs] and recite:

Have not the unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and 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)’

An Invocation for Pain of the Genitals

With this chain of transmitters (al-isnad) from Hariz al-Sijistani, who said: I performed the Hajj and called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, in Medina, and al-Mu’alla b. Khunays, may Allah have mercy on him, was complaining to him of pain in the genitals (al-farj). Al-Sadiq said to him: “You exposed your privy parts (al- ‘aura) on some occasion and Allah has punished you with this pain. But seek protection for it with the invocation which Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, gave Abu Wa’ila, after which it [the pain] did not recur.” Al-Mu’alla asked; “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is the invocation?” He replied: “Put your left hand on them and say three times:

‘In the name of Allah, and by Allah,

Nay, but whosoever submits his will to God, being a good-doer, his wage is with his Lord, and no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow (2:112).

O Allah, I have submitted myself to You and entrusted my affairs to You. There is no refuge or security from You except in You.’

You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

An Invocation for Pain of the Legs

Khaddash b. Sabra narrated from Muhammad b. Jamhur from Safwan Bayya’ al-Sabiri from Salim b. Muhammad, who said: I complained to al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of pain in my legs (al-saqayn) and that it had prevented me from pursuing my affairs and earning my living. He said: “Recite an invocation of protection over them.” I asked: “With what, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “With this verse. Recite it seven times and you will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing:

Recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord; no man can change His words. Apart from Him, thou wilt find no refuge. (18:27).”

He said: I recited the invocation over them seven times, as he had instructed me, and I never experienced the pain again.

An Invocation and Medications for Hemorrhoids

Al-Hawarini al-Razi narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Sabiri - and he is not Safwan al-Jammal - from Ya’qub b. Shu’ayb from Aban b. Taghlab from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ from Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whosoever seeks protection from haemorrhoids with this invocation will be protected from its evil, Allah, the Exalted willing. It is:

“O Magnanimous, O Exalted, O Compassionate, O Near, O Responder, O Creator, O Merciful, bless Muhammad and his family, and bestow on me Your blessing, and protect me from my pain.”

He will be cured of it, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.’

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Isma’il b. Yazid from ‘Amr b. Yazid al-Sayqal, who said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and asked him about a man who had severe haemorrhoids. He had been prescribed a bowl of strong wine (al-nabidh) and he did not want to take it for the enjoyment of it but as a medication.

Abu ‘Abd Allah said: “No, not a mouthful.” I asked: “Why?” He replied: “It is forbidden. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, does not create a medication or cure in anything He has forbidden.

“Take a white leek and cut off its white head. Do not wash it or cut it up into small pieces Take fat from the hump of the camel (al-sinam), melt it, and pour it over the leek. Take ten walnuts (jawzat) shell them, and grind them with the weight of ten dirhams of Persian cheese (jibn farsi). Put the leek on the fire. When it is well cooked, add the walnuts and cheese to it and remove it from the fire. Eat it on an empty stomach with bread, for three days or seven days, and abstain from other food. After it, take a little roasted savin (abhal) with bread and shelled walnuts. After the fat of the camel’s hump and the leek, take, in the Name of Allah, half an awqiya of sesame oil (shiraj) on an empty stomach, and an awqiya of [the resin of the] male storax [tree] (kundur dhakar). Grind and drink it. After that take another half awqiya of sesame oil. Take it for three days and delay your eating until after noon. You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

An Invocation For Pain Of The Feet

Hannan b. Jabir narrated from Muhammad b ‘Ali al-Sayrafi from at-Husayn al-Ashqar from 'Amr b. Abu al-Miqdam from Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘I was with al-Husayn b. 'Ali, peace be upon him, when one of our Shi’a from the Bani Umayya came to him and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I was hardly able to walk to you because of the pain in my feet.” He said: “What about the invocation of al-Husayn b. ‘Ali?” The man said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, and what is that?” He replied: “The verses are:

Surely We have given thee a manifest victory, that God may forgive thee thy former and thy latter sins, and complete His blessing upon thee, and guide thee on a straight path, and that God may help thee with mighty help.

It is He who sent down the Shechina into the hearts of the believers, that, they might add faith to their faith - to God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth; God is All-knowing, All-wise - and that He may admit the believers, men and women and women alike, into gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to dwell forever, and acquit them of their evil deeds.

That is in God's sight a mighty triumph, that He may chastise the hypocrites, men and women alike, and the idolaters, men and women alike, and those who think evil thoughts of God. Against them shall be the evil turn of fortune. God is wroth with them, and has cursed them, and has prepared for them Hell - -an evil homecoming! To God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth; God is All-mighty, All-wise (48:1-7).”

The man said: “I did as he instructed and did not experience any of the pain after that, with the help of Allah, the Exalted.”’

An Invocation for the Hamstring and the Sole of the Foot

Abu ‘Atab ‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Awdi from Safwan al-Jammal from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father from ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him, who said: A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, peace he upon him, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer from pain in my hamstring (al-urqub) which prevents me from standing up for prayer.” He said: “What prevents you from [reciting] the invocation?” He replied: “I do not know it.”

He said: “When you experience the pain, place your hand there and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family.’ Then recite over it:

They measure not God with His true measure. The earth altogether shall be His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens shall he rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they associate! (39:67)”

The man did that and Allah, the Exalted, healed him.

An Invocation for Swelling in all the Joints

Al-Hasan b. Salih al-Mahmudi narrated from Abu ‘Amr b. Shimr from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi from Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him, who said: “O Jabir.” I [Jabir] replied: “At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Recite over every swelling (al-waram) the end of the sura al-Hashr:

If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God. And those similitudes - We strike them for men; haply they will reflect. He is God, there is no god but He. He is the knowcr of the Unseen and the Visible; He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate.

He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the All-faithful, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above, that they associate!

He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him. He is the All-mighty, the All-wise (59:21-4).

“Recite it three times over the swelling, and it will subside, Allah, the Exalted, willing.

“Take a knife and pass it over the swelling and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, I charm you from affliction and iron and an affair of recurring grief and from the matted stone and from the root of a barren tree (‘irq al-‘aqir), and from another swelling, and from food and its ganglia (al-‘aqd), and from drink and its coldness. Pass, with the will of Allah, for a time to humans and cattle, In the Name of Allah I begin, and in the Name of Allah I end.’

Then drive the knife into the earth.”

An Invocation to Neutralize Spells

‘Abd Allah b. al-‘Ala al-Qazwini narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad from Hammad b. ‘Isa b. Ya’qub from Imran b.Maytham from Ubaya b Rab’i al-Asadi, that he heard Amir al-Mu’minin, blessings of Allah be on him, instruct one of his companions, when the latter complained of spells (al-sihr). He said: ‘Write [the following] on the parchment of a gazelle and fasten it to yourself. The spell will not harm you and its strategems will not affect you.

“In the Name of Allah, and by Allah; in the Name of Allah, and what Allah wills. In the Name of Allah, there is neither might nor power except with Allah.

Musa said, What you have brought is spells. God will assuredly bring it to naught. God sets not right the work of those who do corruption (10:81-2).

So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they were doing. So they were vanquished there, and they turned about, humbled (7:118-19).”’

Muhammad b. Musa al-Rab’i narrated from Muhammad b. Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah b. Ghalib from Sa’d b. Zarif from al-Asbagh b. Nubata from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, that al-Asbagh said: I took this invocation from him. He said to me: ‘O Asbagh, this is an invocation for spells and fear (al-khauf) of the ruler (al-sultan). Recite it seven times:

“In the Name of Allah, and by Allah. We will strengthen thy arm by means of thy brother, and We shall appoint to you an authority, so that they shall not reach you because of Our signs; you and whoso follows you, shall be the victors (28:35).”

Recite it seven times over water when you have completed the night prayer (salat al-layl) and before you begin the morning prayer (salat al-nahar). It [spells] will not harm you, Allah, the Exalted, willing.

An Invocation for a Woman Experiencing Difficulty in Childbirth

Al-Khawatimi narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Sayrafi from Muhammad b. Aslam from al-Hasan b. Muhammad al-Hashimi from Aban b. Abu al-‘Ayyash from Salim b. Qays al-Hilali from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, who said: ‘I know of two verses in the revealed Book of Allah, prescribed for a woman experiencing difficulty (al-'usr) in childbirth (al-wilada). Write them on the parchment of a gazelle and fasten it to her groin (al-haqw). Write seven times:

“In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, Truly with hardship comes ease, truly with hardship comes ease (94.5-6).”

‘Write once: O men, fear your Lord! Surely the earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing. On the day when you behold it, every suckling woman shall neglect the child she has suckled, and every pregnant woman shall deposit her burden, and thou shalt see mankind drunk, yet they are not drunk, but God's chastisement is terrible (22:1-2).

‘Write [the following] on a paper and tie it with an untwisted fibre of flax (kattan) and fasten it on to her left thigh. When she has given birth, cut it off at once and do not delay in doing it. Write:

“At the time when Maryam gave birth, Maryam brought forth a living [being]. O living [being], come down to the earth immediately, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.”’

An Invocation for a Child Who Cries Often, for One Afraid of the Night, And for a Woman Sleepless From Pain

Then We smote their ears many years in the Cave. Afterwards We raised them up again, that We might know which of the two parties would better calculate the while they had tarried (18:11-12).

Abu al-Mu’izz al-Wasiti narrated from Muhammad b. Sulayman from Marwan b. al-Jahm from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, that he said that.

An Invocation for a Stubborn Beast

Hatim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Azdi narrated from Abu Ja’far al-Maqri, the Imam of the mosque of al-Kufa, from Jabir b. Rashid from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [Jabir] said: While we were on a journey, al-Sadiq noticed a man looking gloomy and dejected. He asked him: "What is wrong with you?” He replied: "My beast (al-dabba) is stubborn (harun).” He [al-Sadiq] said: “Woe be to you, recite this verse in her ear:

Have they not seen how that We have created for them of that Our hands wrought of cattle that they own? We have subdued them to them, and some of them they ride, and some they eat (36:71-2)”

An Invocation for a Journey

‘Ali b. ‘Urwa al-Ahwazi narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, from Musa b. Ja’far, peace he upon him, who said: “Whoever is on a journey (al-safar) and fears thieves (al-lusus) and predatory animals (al-sab') let him write on the mane (al-'urf) of his beast:

Fearing not overtaking, neither afraid (20:77).

He will be safe, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Dawud al-Raqqi said: I performed the Hajj, and when we were in the desert, a group of Bedouins waylaid the caravan in which I was. I wrote on the mane of my camel (al-jamal):

Fearing not overtaking, neither afraid (20:77).

By Him Who sent Muhammad, blessings of Allah on him and his family, with the Prophethood, bestowed on him the Message, and honoured Amir al-Mu’minin with the Imamate, not one of them challenged me and Allah made them blind (a'ma) to me.

An Invocation for all Illnesses

‘Ali b. Ishaq al-Basri narrated from Zakariya b. Adam al-Maqri, who used to serve Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, in Khurasan. He said: One day Al-Ridha’ said to me: ‘O Zakariya.’ I answered: ‘At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Recite for all illnesses: “O Bestower of healing and Remover of illness, send down healing for my ailment.”

You will be restored to health, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.’

An Invocation for Sciatica

Mu’alla b. Ibrahim al-Wasiti narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Muhriz b. Sulayman al-Azraq, from Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith al-A’war al-Hamdani from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, that one of his companions had complained to him of sciatica (‘irq al-nisa'). He [Amir al-Mu’minin] replied: ‘When yon experience it place your hand on it and say:

“In the Name of the Merciful, the Compassionate. In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, I take refuge in the Name of Allah, the Great, and I take refuge in the Name of Allah, the Mighty, from the evil of every throbbing blood vessel (‘irq nuqqar), and from the evil of the heat of the fire.”

You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’ The man said: ‘I recited that only three times, and Allah removed my suffering and I was cured of it.’

An Invocation for Consumption

Muhammad b. Kathir al-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Al-Ridha’ ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, who said: ‘This is an invocation for our Shi'a for consumption (al-sill):

“O Allah, O Lord of the lords, O Master of the masters, O God of the gods, O King of the kings, O Omnipotent of the heavens and the earth. Heal me and cure me of this disease of mine, for I am Your servant and the son of Your servant. I turn about in Your grasp and my forelock is in Your Hand.”

Say it three times; and Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will protect you with His Might and Power, If He, the Exalted, wills.’

An Invocation for Pustules

‘Ali b. al-‘Abbas narrated from Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-'Alawi from ‘Ali b Musa from his father from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When you feel a pustule (al-bathr) [appearing] put your index finger (al-sabbaba) on it and circle it and say seven times:

“There is no god but Allah, the Clement, the Noble.”

The seventh time, strike it and press on it with your finger.’

An Invocation for Colic

Al-Darari narrated from Musa b. ‘Umar b. Yazid from Abu ‘Umar b. Yazid al-Sayqal from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [al-Sayqal] said that one of his followers had complained of colic (al-qawlanj). He [al-Sadiq] told him:

‘Write for him the the sura al-Fatiha (1), the sura al-Ikhlas (112), and the two suras of seeking protection (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)). Then write under that:

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

Then drink it [sic] with rainwater (ma' al-matar) on an empty stomach. You will be cured of it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

An Invocation for Fever and For the Fever of the Messenger of Allah

Ahmad b. Muhammad Abu Ja’far narrated from Abu Muhammad b. Khalid from Bakr b. Khalid from Muhammad b. Sinan from ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ammar al-Duhni from his father from ‘Amr Dhi Far and Taghlaba al-Jammali who both said: We heard Amir al-Mu’minin, peace be upon him, say: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him, had a severe fever (al-humma). Jibra’il, blessings of Allah on him, came to him and recited an invocation of protection over him. He said:

“In the Name of Allah, I invoke you. In the Name of Allah, I cure you of every illness that troubles, you. In the Name of Allah, and Allah is your Healer. In the Name of Allah, take it and may it be good for you. In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate,

No! I swear by the fallings of the stars, and that is indeed a mighty oath, did you but know it! (56:75-6).

You will surely be restored to health, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

The Prophet, blessings be on him, undid his headband and said: “O Jibra’il, this is an eloquent invocation.” Jibra’il replied: “It is from the treasury of the seventh heaven.”’

Ahmad b. Salama narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Ahmad b. Hamza from Aban b. ‘Uthman from al-Fudayl b. Yasar from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When a man falls ill and you wish to invoke protection for him say:

“Out with you, O blood vessel, or O eye of jinn, or O eye of man, or O pain, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so. Out with you, by Allah, Who addressed Musa and spoke to him, and took Ibrahim, blessings of Allah on him, as a friend, the Lord of ‘Isa b. Maryam, the spirit of Allah and His Word, the Lord of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the guides. I put you out as the fire of Ibrahim, the friend, peace be upon him, was put out.”’

Ahmad b. Abu Ziyad narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from lsma’il b. Ziyad from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, felt sluggish (al-kasal), or when the evil eye (al-‘ayn) fell on him, or when he had a headache, he would stretch out his hands and recite the opening of the Book (the sura al-Fatiha {1}) and the two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)). Then he would pass his hands over his face (al-wajh) and whatever he would be suffering would be removed from him.’

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Salama b. Muhriz, who said: 1 heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, say: “Whosoever is not cured by the sura al-Hamd (1) and the sura al-lkhlas (112) will not be cured by anything. All illnesses are cured by these two Suras.”

Muhammad b. Yazid narrated from Ziyad b. Muhammad from his father from Hisham b. Ahmar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever says: “There is no might nor power except with Allah, the Mighty”, Allah will drive away from him seventy-three kinds of affliction, the least of which is madness (al-junun).’

‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, said: The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “O ‘Ali, shall I show you one of the treasures of Paradise?” I replied: “Yes indeed, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “There is no power or might except with Allah.”

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Sarraj narrated from Faddala and al-Qasim both from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When one of you suffers from something, let him recite:

“In the Name of Allah, and blessings of Allah on the Messenger of Allah and his Ahl al-Bayt, I take refuge in the Might of Allah and His Power over what He wills, from the evil of what I suffer.”’

Ahmad b. Salih al-Nisaburi narrated from Jamil b. Salih from Dharih, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, invoke protection from wind for one of his followers and say:

“I adjure you, O ailment, with the invocation by which ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings on him and his family, called on the jinn of the valley of al-Sabra and they obeyed and answered, that you obey and answer and get out of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, at once, at once, by the will of Allah, the Exalted, by the command of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, by the Power of Allah, by the Sovereignty of Allah, by the Majesty of Allah, by the Grandeur of Allah, by the Greatness of Allah, by the Face of Allah, by the Beauty of Allah, by the Magnificence of Allah, by the Light of Allah.”

It was not long before it was expelled.


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