Prophetic Medicine

All Praise is for Allah. Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon the Best of Creation, Sayyiduna Muhammad al-Mustafa (ﷺ). Aameen Ya Rab al-Aalameen.

Milk: The Prophet (ﷺ) said that milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, increases the brain, augments intelligence, renews vision & drives away forgetfulness.

Honey: Considered to be the best remedy for diarrhea when mixed in hot water. It is the food of foods, drink of drinks & drug of drugs. It is used for creating appetite, strengthening the stomach, eliminating phlegm, as a meat preservative, hair conditioner, eye salve and mouthwash. It is extremely beneficial in the morning in warm water and is also a Sunnah.

Olive oil: Excellent treatment for skin and hair, delays old age, treats inflammation of the stomach

Mushroom: The Prophet (ﷺ) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes. It also serves as a form of birth control and arrests paralysis.

Grapes: The Prophet (ﷺ) was very fond of grapes. It purifies the blood, provides vigor and health, strengthens the kidneys and clears the bowels.

Dates: The Prophet (ﷺ) said that a house without dates has no food. They are also recommended to be eaten at the time of childbirth.

Figs: It is a fruit from Paradise and a cure for piles.

Barley: Good for fever in a soup form.

Watermelon: It contains 1000 blessings and 1000 mercies. The Prophet (ﷺ) said

“Women who are pregnant and eat of watermelon will produce offspring who are good in countenance and good in character.

Pomegranate: The Prophet (ﷺ) said that pomegranate cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days.

Water: The Prophet (ﷺ) said that water is the best drink in this world and the next. When you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps. Gulping produces sickness of the liver.

Black Seed: The One who is fully aware of the affairs of His creation decreed that trials and tribulations would affect us, and from these trials are some which may affect our health and wellbeing. Therefore from His bounty, He made for every ailment a cure and from these cures, He made the blackseed. This is supported by the narration that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

“Use the black seed, because it contains a cure for every type of ailment except death.” 

Senna: The Messenger (ﷺ) said to Asma Bint Umais (رضي الله عنها) “With what do you relieve constipation?” She said: “With the Shubrum (Euphorbia).” He said “It is hot and strong.” She then said: “I also relieve it with the Senna.” So he said “If there was a thing (which) cures from death indeed it would be the Senna.” In another Hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said “Upon you is the Senna and the Sanoot (cumin) for indeed in the two of them is a cure for every disease except death.”

Siwaak (Miswak): There are many Ahadith mentioning the importance and virtues of using the Siwaak such as the hadith in which the Prophet (ﷺ) said :

“I was ordered with the Siwaak until I thought that something would be revealed in the Qur’an in regards to it”

Ruqyah: The evidence for using Qur’an for Ruqyah and it’s effectiveness in treating both physical and spiritual diseases is established in the statement of Allah:

“And We send down of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe ” [Al-Isra 82]

The practice of Ruqyah pre-dates the appearance of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula and was refined and purified by the Prophet (ﷺ). In one Hadith, a family from the Companions came to the Prophet (ﷺ) seeking his approval to read a Ruqyah which they employed for scorpion stings. After hearing the Ruqyah and seeing that it contained nothing polytheistic, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I see no harm in it, whoever among you is able to help his brother, should do so.”

Hijama: The Messenger (ﷺ) said, “I did not pass by an angel from the angels on the night journey except that they all said to me: Upon you is cupping (hijama), O Muhammad (ﷺ).”

Further Reading

[PDF] Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet (ﷺ) by Ibn Qayyim