Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amn Puri
Using medicine is a Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet) and is recommended. Healing occurs by the command of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provided guidance on some remedies in which Allah has placed healing. These are discussed below:
1. Black Seed (Kalonji):
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"Indeed, in black seed, there is a cure for every disease except death."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5688, Sahih Muslim: 2215)
2. Senna Leaves (Sanay Makki):
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There are three things in which there is a cure for every disease except death, and one of them is senna."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i: 3467, with a good chain of narration)
3. Indian Incense (Oud al-Hindi):
Um Qais bint Muhsin (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) say:
"You must use this Indian incense (Qust Shireen), for in it there are cures for seven diseases."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5692, Sahih Muslim: 2214)
4. Truffle (Khumbi):
Saeed bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Truffle is a type of manna that Allah sent down upon the Children of Israel, and its water is a cure for the eyes."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5708, Sahih Muslim: 2049)
5. Ajwa Dates:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Ajwa dates are from Paradise, and they are a cure for poison."
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 2066, and he said: Hasan Gharib, with a good chain of narration)
Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning, neither poison nor magic will harm him that day."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5769, Sahih Muslim: 2047)
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There is healing in the Ajwa dates of the upper part (of Madinah) or eating them in the morning leads to healing."
(Sahih Muslim: 2048)
Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Ajwa is one of the fruits of Paradise."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/351, with a good chain of narration)
6. Sheep’s Tail Fat:
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"The cure for sciatica lies in the fat from the tail of a desert sheep, which should be melted and divided into three parts, one part to be drunk on an empty stomach each day."
(Sunan Ibn Majah: 3463, with an authentic chain of narration)
7. Honey:
Regarding honey, Allah says:
"In it there is healing for people."
(An-Nahl: 69)
Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, "My brother is suffering from diarrhea." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Give him honey to drink." The man gave it to his brother and returned, saying, "I gave him honey, but it only made his diarrhea worse." This happened three times, and then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has spoken the truth, and your brother's stomach has lied." Finally, the man gave his brother honey again, and he was cured.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2217)
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, a cut of the cupping tool, and cauterization with fire. But I forbid my Ummah from cauterization."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5680)
(Note):
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) loved sweets and honey.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5431, Sahih Muslim: 1474/21)
8. Zamzam Water:
Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, "How long have you been here (in the Haram)?" He said, "I have been here for thirty days." The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "What have you been eating?" He replied, "Nothing but Zamzam water." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"It is blessed; it provides food and heals illness."
(Musnad Al-Tayalisi: p. 61, Hadith: 457, with an authentic chain of narration)
(Note):
The Hadith "Zamzam water is for whatever purpose it is drunk" has weak chains.
9. Cow’s Milk:
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah has not sent down any disease without also sending its cure, and in the milk of cows, there is healing for every disease."
(Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/194, and he authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, with an authentic chain of narration)
In Musnad Al-Bazzar (300) and Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i (7568), it is stated:
"In cow’s milk, there is healing."
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"You must drink cow’s milk, for they graze on every tree, and its milk is healing for every disease."
(Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/403, with an authentic chain of narration)
Imam Al-Hakim authenticated its chain, and Al-Dhahabi agreed.
Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, can we use medicine?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Yes, use medicine, for Allah has not sent down any disease without also sending its cure. You must drink cow’s milk, for they graze on every tree."
(Al-Jaadiyat by Abu Al-Qasim Al-Baghawi: 2164, with a good chain of narration)
10. Cupping (Hijama):
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had cupping done and said:
"The best treatment you can use is cupping."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5696, Sahih Muslim: 1577/62)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he visited Al-Muqni’ who was sick and said, "I will not leave until you have cupping done, for I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:
'Indeed, in cupping, there is healing.'
(Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"If there is any good in your medicines, it is in a cut of the cupping tool, a gulp of honey, or cauterization with fire. But I do not like to be cauterized."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever has cupping done on the 17th, 19th, or 21st of the lunar month, it will be a cure for every disease."
(Sunan Abu Dawood: 3861, Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 34/9, Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/110, in brief, and he authenticated it according to the conditions of Muslim, and Al-Dhahabi agreed, with a good chain of narration)
Regarding Saeed bin Abdul Rahman Jumahee, Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes:
"The majority of scholars have deemed him trustworthy."
(Fath Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar: 10/150)
11. Cauterization (Cautery):
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, a cut of the cupping tool, and cauterization with fire, but I forbid my Ummah from cauterization."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5680)
In another narration:
"I do not like to be cauterized."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent a doctor to Ubay bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) who cut his vein and cauterized it.
(Sahih Muslim: 2207)
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that a spear struck Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) in his arm, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) cauterized it with the blade of a spear. His arm became swollen, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) cauterized it again.
(Sahih Muslim: 2208)
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
"I was cauterized for pleurisy while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was still alive."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5721)
It is narrated regarding Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
"He was cauterized for facial paralysis."
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 8/63, with an authentic chain of narration)
It is narrated regarding Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He used to forbid cauterization, but later he had it done."
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 8/65, with an authentic chain of narration)
Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) described the qualities of those from his Ummah who will enter Paradise without being held accountable. Their number will be seventy thousand. They are those who do not seek Ruqyah (spiritual healing), do not take omens, do not practice cauterization, and place their trust in their Lord.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5705, Sahih Muslim: 218)
Summary:
In conclusion, cauterization provides healing. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself cauterized a companion, thus demonstrating its permissibility. As for the Prophet’s discouragement of it, it is a recommendation to avoid it as it is better, but if there is no other option, it can be done. This practice is not subject to accountability.
The Prophet's dislike for cauterization does not imply prohibition. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) disliked seeking cauterization, meaning he did not prefer requesting someone else to do it. However, the Prophet’s praise for those who do not seek cauterization indicates that it is preferable to avoid it. Allah knows best.
Using medicine is a Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet) and is recommended. Healing occurs by the command of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provided guidance on some remedies in which Allah has placed healing. These are discussed below:
1. Black Seed (Kalonji):
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"Indeed, in black seed, there is a cure for every disease except death."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5688, Sahih Muslim: 2215)
2. Senna Leaves (Sanay Makki):
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There are three things in which there is a cure for every disease except death, and one of them is senna."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i: 3467, with a good chain of narration)
3. Indian Incense (Oud al-Hindi):
Um Qais bint Muhsin (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) say:
"You must use this Indian incense (Qust Shireen), for in it there are cures for seven diseases."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5692, Sahih Muslim: 2214)
4. Truffle (Khumbi):
Saeed bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Truffle is a type of manna that Allah sent down upon the Children of Israel, and its water is a cure for the eyes."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5708, Sahih Muslim: 2049)
5. Ajwa Dates:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Ajwa dates are from Paradise, and they are a cure for poison."
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 2066, and he said: Hasan Gharib, with a good chain of narration)
Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning, neither poison nor magic will harm him that day."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5769, Sahih Muslim: 2047)
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There is healing in the Ajwa dates of the upper part (of Madinah) or eating them in the morning leads to healing."
(Sahih Muslim: 2048)
Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Ajwa is one of the fruits of Paradise."
(Musnad Ahmad: 5/351, with a good chain of narration)
6. Sheep’s Tail Fat:
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
"The cure for sciatica lies in the fat from the tail of a desert sheep, which should be melted and divided into three parts, one part to be drunk on an empty stomach each day."
(Sunan Ibn Majah: 3463, with an authentic chain of narration)
7. Honey:
Regarding honey, Allah says:
"In it there is healing for people."
(An-Nahl: 69)
Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, "My brother is suffering from diarrhea." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Give him honey to drink." The man gave it to his brother and returned, saying, "I gave him honey, but it only made his diarrhea worse." This happened three times, and then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has spoken the truth, and your brother's stomach has lied." Finally, the man gave his brother honey again, and he was cured.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2217)
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, a cut of the cupping tool, and cauterization with fire. But I forbid my Ummah from cauterization."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5680)
(Note):
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) loved sweets and honey.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5431, Sahih Muslim: 1474/21)
8. Zamzam Water:
Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, "How long have you been here (in the Haram)?" He said, "I have been here for thirty days." The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "What have you been eating?" He replied, "Nothing but Zamzam water." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"It is blessed; it provides food and heals illness."
(Musnad Al-Tayalisi: p. 61, Hadith: 457, with an authentic chain of narration)
(Note):
The Hadith "Zamzam water is for whatever purpose it is drunk" has weak chains.
9. Cow’s Milk:
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah has not sent down any disease without also sending its cure, and in the milk of cows, there is healing for every disease."
(Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/194, and he authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, with an authentic chain of narration)
In Musnad Al-Bazzar (300) and Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i (7568), it is stated:
"In cow’s milk, there is healing."
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"You must drink cow’s milk, for they graze on every tree, and its milk is healing for every disease."
(Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/403, with an authentic chain of narration)
Imam Al-Hakim authenticated its chain, and Al-Dhahabi agreed.
Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, can we use medicine?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Yes, use medicine, for Allah has not sent down any disease without also sending its cure. You must drink cow’s milk, for they graze on every tree."
(Al-Jaadiyat by Abu Al-Qasim Al-Baghawi: 2164, with a good chain of narration)
10. Cupping (Hijama):
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had cupping done and said:
"The best treatment you can use is cupping."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5696, Sahih Muslim: 1577/62)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he visited Al-Muqni’ who was sick and said, "I will not leave until you have cupping done, for I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:
'Indeed, in cupping, there is healing.'
(Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"If there is any good in your medicines, it is in a cut of the cupping tool, a gulp of honey, or cauterization with fire. But I do not like to be cauterized."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever has cupping done on the 17th, 19th, or 21st of the lunar month, it will be a cure for every disease."
(Sunan Abu Dawood: 3861, Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 34/9, Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 4/110, in brief, and he authenticated it according to the conditions of Muslim, and Al-Dhahabi agreed, with a good chain of narration)
Regarding Saeed bin Abdul Rahman Jumahee, Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes:
"The majority of scholars have deemed him trustworthy."
(Fath Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar: 10/150)
11. Cauterization (Cautery):
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, a cut of the cupping tool, and cauterization with fire, but I forbid my Ummah from cauterization."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5680)
In another narration:
"I do not like to be cauterized."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5683, Sahih Muslim: 2205)
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent a doctor to Ubay bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) who cut his vein and cauterized it.
(Sahih Muslim: 2207)
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that a spear struck Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) in his arm, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) cauterized it with the blade of a spear. His arm became swollen, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) cauterized it again.
(Sahih Muslim: 2208)
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
"I was cauterized for pleurisy while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was still alive."
(Sahih Bukhari: 5721)
It is narrated regarding Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
"He was cauterized for facial paralysis."
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 8/63, with an authentic chain of narration)
It is narrated regarding Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him):
"He used to forbid cauterization, but later he had it done."
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 8/65, with an authentic chain of narration)
Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) described the qualities of those from his Ummah who will enter Paradise without being held accountable. Their number will be seventy thousand. They are those who do not seek Ruqyah (spiritual healing), do not take omens, do not practice cauterization, and place their trust in their Lord.
(Sahih Bukhari: 5705, Sahih Muslim: 218)
Summary:
In conclusion, cauterization provides healing. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself cauterized a companion, thus demonstrating its permissibility. As for the Prophet’s discouragement of it, it is a recommendation to avoid it as it is better, but if there is no other option, it can be done. This practice is not subject to accountability.
The Prophet's dislike for cauterization does not imply prohibition. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) disliked seeking cauterization, meaning he did not prefer requesting someone else to do it. However, the Prophet’s praise for those who do not seek cauterization indicates that it is preferable to avoid it. Allah knows best.