Stay Healthy/Do not get sick
yourselves/do no blame others.
Gathered from valuable books:-
I thought that the best way to end
this chapter is by mentioning general advice concerning preventive measures
so as to complete the book's benefit.
This is
a chapter that Ibn Masawayh has collected in his book, Al-Mahathir. He said,
"Whoever eats onion for forty
days and then his face becomes full of spots, has only himself to blame.
Those who want to economize and
eat salted foods will have only themselves to blame if they catch mange or
vitiligo.
Those who eat fish and eggs will
have only themselves to blame if they catch hemiplegia (paralysis affecting
only one side of the body) or facial paralysis."
Those who catch hemiplegia when
they take a bath with their stomach full [of food]. will have only themselves
to blame.
Those who eat milk and fish will
have only themselves to blame if they catch leprosy, gecko, or gout.
* Whoever mixes milk and wine and
then catches gecko or gout has only himself to blame,
Whoever has a wet dream but does not take a bath
until he has sex with his wife and then if his wife gives birth to a retarded
child. will have only himself to blame.
* Whoever eats his full of cold,
boiled eggs and then catches Asthma will have only himself to blame.
* Whoever has sexual intercourse
but did not wait until he ejaculates and then catches urinary calculus, (a stone-like mass that may form in the body under abnormal conditions), will have
himself to blame. And
whoever looks at himself in the
mirror at night and then catches facial paralysis or another disease will have
only himself to blame."
In addition, Ibn Bukhtayshu' said,
"Beware of eating eggs and fish together because they cause constipation,
hemorrhoids and toothache.
In addition, eating eggs excessively
begets spots on the face. Further, eating salted foods and salted fish and
having venesection (puncturing of a vein) after one takes a bath causes
vitiligo and mange. Eating goat kidney on a regular basis will cause the
prostate to be sterile while taking a bath with cold water after eating
soft-meat fish causes facial paralysis. In addition, having sex with a
menstruating woman causes leprosy, and sexual intercourse that is not followed by
taking a bath causes stones. Finally, spending too much time while answering
the call oi nature causes serious ailments."
Hippocrates said, "Less of a
harmful substance: is better than too much of a beneficial substance."In addition, he said, "Preserve good health by preferring tiresome activity to
laziness and abandoning having your fill of foods and drinks."
Further, a wise man once said,
"Whoever wants to be healthy, let him eat good food, preserve cleanness
and purity while eating, drinking while thirsty, refrain from drinking excessively:
amounts of water and take a rest after lunch. In addition, let him walk after
dinner and avoid going to sleep before first answering the call of nature or
taking a bath after eating his fill. Further taking a bath once during summer
is better than ten times during winter. Eating dried jerky meat at night helps
bring about death. Having sex with old women brings the person closer to old
age and sickens the healthy body." These words were falsely attributed to
Ali. However, some of these words are from Al-Harith bin Kaladah the renowned
Arab doctor.
Al-Harith said, "Whoever
seeks longevity, although eternal living is not possible, should have lunch and
dinner early, wear light clothes, and refrain from excessive sexual activity."
In addition, he said, "Four
things weaken the body: sexual intercourse when one is hungry, taking a bath
when one is full, eating dried meat and having sexual intercourse with an old
woman."
When Al-Harith was dying. some
people visited him and said, "Give us advise that we could use after
you." He said, "Only marry young women, eat ripe fruits when in
season, and refrain from seeking medications when you can bear the illness.
Clean your stomachs once a month (i.e. vomit intentionally), so as to dissipate
the phlegm and the bile and to allow the flesh to grow. When one of you eats
lunch, let him lay down for an hour and when he eats dinner, let him walk at
least forty steps."
A king once said to his doctor,
"You might not remain with me forever, so give me a prescription that I
can use after you." He said, "Only marry young women, eat fresh meat
and take medication when you are ill. Eat the fruit when ripe and in season and
chew the food well. If you eat during the day, there is no harm if you lay
down. If you eat at night, do not sleep until you walk even fifty steps. Do not
eat except when hungry and do not force yourself to have sex or refrain from
urinating. Cool hotness because it causes you tiredness. Do not eat food when
your stomach already has food, nor eat what your teeth cannot chew, because
your stomach will not be able to digest that food. Try to vomit once a week to
cleanse your body. What a good treasure the blood in your body is, so do not
cup it without necessity. Finally, take a bath, because it rids you of what the
medication cannot rid you of."
In addition, Imam Shafiey[RA] said,
"Four matters bring strength
to the body:
eating meat, smelling perfume,
taking baths without having sexual intercourse, and wearing Kittan (linen). –
Four matters weaken the body:
excessive sexual intercourse,
depression, * drinking water repeatedly while the stomach is empty and
consuming too many sour foods.
Four matters strengthen the sight:
* sitting next to the Ka'bah,
using Kohl before going to sleep, looking at green things and cleaning up the
sitting area [in the house].
Four maters weaken the sight:
* looking at dirt, crucified
persons,' a woman's vagina and sitting while your back is to theQi'bloh
(direction of the prayer).
Four matters increase sexual
power:
eating fowl-meat, the large
Itreefal (a non- Arabic medication for constipation), pistachio * and carob [a small evergreen Arabian tree which bears long
brownish-purple edible pods.].
Four matters sharpen mind power:
avoiding unnecessary speech, using
Siwak, and sitting with righteous people and with the scholars." Plato
said,
"Five matters dissipate the
strength of the body and might lead to death:
* weakness, leaving loved ones
behind, rage, rejecting good advice and the clever persons falling victim to
deceit by ignorant people."
The doctor of Al-Ma'mun said,
"Hold fast to five characteristics that whoever preserves them would never
catch a disease other than death;
* Do not eat food while there is
still food in your stomach.
* Do not eat a type of food that
your teeth cannot chew, because then your stomach would not be able to digest
it. Refrain from excessive sexual activity because it shortens life,
* Do not have sex with an old
woman because it leads to sudden death.
* Do not revert to cupping without
necessity. Vomit during the summer."
Hippocrates In addition said,
"Everything that is excessive
is unnatural." Galinus was once told
"Why do you not get sick that
often?" He said, "I do not mix two types of unfavorable food together,
nor eat food while not hungry, nor keep food in my stomach which is bothering
it."
* Excessiveness in four matters
causes sickness: speech, sexual activity, sleep, and eating habits.
* Excessive speech weakens the
mind and hastens old age.
* Excessive sleep turns the face
yellow blinds the heart, irritates the eyes, makes one lazy to work and causes
excess humidity in the body.
* Excessive eating habits spoil
the orifice of the stomach, weaken the body, cause thick flatulence and
difficult ailments.
* Having sexual intercourse
excessively depletes the strength, weakens the body, dries the moistures in the
body, adversely relaxes the nerves, causes various clogs and harms the entire
body, especially the brain because of it. Psychological effects it will
have on Weakness in the brain, which will, In addition, weaken the soul, is worse
than weakness in any other organ.
* The best time to have sex is
when one feels a strong desire for a lawful partner (wife) who is beautiful,
especially when the spouse is young, ready, and excited. In addition, occasional
legal sex makes it more desirable, especially when one does not have any
concerns and does not use it excessively. In addition, legal sex is best when
one is not full or hungry, not after conducting the serious physical activity and
extremely hot or cold weather. When one takes not during care of these ten
matters we mentioned, sex will be most beneficial. Otherwise, if some of these
matters were ignored, harm might be caused according to the seriousness of the
matters that were ignored. If one does not take care of all these ten matters,
he will be faced with a shorter life span.
* Excessive diet is as dangerous
to a healthy person as excessive eating habits when one is ill.
* Galinus said to some of his
companions, "Beware of three matters and seek four matters, and you will
not need a doctor.
*Avoid dust, smoke, and foul odors.
Seck nutritious foods, good scents (or aromas), sweets and take baths. Do not
eat above your fill, nor pickle Batharuj (a plant) and basil, and do not eat
walnuts at night. Whoever caught a cold should not sleep on his back nor should
a depressed person eat sour foods.
* Whoever had venesection (puncturing
of a vein), should not walk fast because this might cause death.
* Those who have an ache in the
eye should not vomit.
* Do not eat too much meat during
summer,
* Whoever is suffering from fever
should not sleep in the sun. Do not eat old, seeded eggplant. * Those who drink
a cup of warm water every day during winter will save themselves from illness.
* Those who rub their bodies with
pomegranate rind while taking a bath will not catch a rash or mange.
* Whoever eats five flowers of
iris with Greek mastic, roe aloes, and Musk, will persevere the strength and
health of his stomach the rest of his life.
* Eating watermelon seeds with
sugar will cleanse the stomach from stones and will prevent the burning sensation
while urinating."
Four matters bring demise to the
body:
* Depression, sadness, hunger and
staying up late at night.
Four matters bring joy:
* looking at greenery, running
water, loved ones, and fruits.
Four matters bring darkness to the
sight:
walking barefooted, seeing hated
faces mornings and afternoons or seeing the enemy, excessive crying and looking
at thin lines for extended periods of time.
Four matters bring strength to the body:
Wearing soft clothes, taking a
bath moderately, eating sweet and nutritious food and smelling good scents.
Four matters harden the face and
rid it of its youth and health:
* lying, rudeness, asking too many
questions without knowledge [or useful purpose] and sinning.
Four matters increase the youth of
the face:
* Chivalry, faithfulness,
generosity and fear of Allah.
Four matters bring about anger and
hatred:
Arrogance, envy, lying and
spreading calumnies[the making of false and defamatory statements about
someone in order to damage their reputation; slander].
Four matters bring sustenance:
Standing up in prayer at night,
seeking forgiveness [of Allah] often at night, giving away in charity and
remembering Allah morning and evening.
Four matters prevent sustenance:
* sleeping in the morning, not
praying often, laziness and treachery.
Four matters harm the mind and the
intellect:
* eating sour foods and fruits
excessively, sleeping on the back, depression, and sadness.
Four matters strengthen the
intellect and the mind:
* When the heart is not busy [or
concerned]. Consuming moderate amounts of food and drink, dieting on good
combinations of sweets and nutritious foods and getting rid of the harınful
substances in the body.
There are some matters that harm
the mind:
* eating onions, beans, olives and
eggplant excessively, having too much sexual intercourse. loneliness, worrying,
intoxication, excessive laughing and depression.
Some wise men In addition said,
"I became tired three times and could not find a reason for that except
for three matters:
* I ate too much eggplant one day.
olives another day and beans a third day."
We have mentioned several
beneficial basics of the medicinal sciences that one might not be able to find except
in this book, We, In addition, affirmed that the religion and medicinal science are
close to each other. We, In addition, stated that Prophetic medicine cannot and
should not be compared to the medicine of the doctors just as the medicine of
the doctors cannot be compared to folk medicine.
This matter is deeper and more
serious than we explained, but we mentioned what is sufficient for the reader
to recognize its importance. Those whom Allah did not endow with sound
comprehension in such matters let them know the difference between the power
that is supported by divine intervention and knowledge, strong mind and sound
comprehension that Allah has endowed the Prophets with, and between what all
others have in this regard.
Someone might ask, "What does
the guidance of the Prophet have to do with the subject of medicines and cures
and preserving health?"
This question exposes the lack of
understanding of such people, because this subject and many others are among
what the Prophet was sent with and what he has directed us to do. Sound understanding
and knowledge of Allah and His Messenger are a bounty that Allah endows to whom
He will among His creation.
We have explained the three
principal basics of medicine in the Qura'an. How can anyone deny that the religion of he who was sent with the righteousness of this and the Next Life
In addition, contains what preserves the body? How can anyone deny that the
religion, In addition, directs us to the best methods of staying healthy, just as
it directs to the best methods of preserving the heart and preventing
sicknesses that might attack them? These cures [that the religion contains] are
mentioned in general terms and the specifics are left to those of correct minds
and pure hearts to seek and implement, just as one does regarding matters of
Fiqh. Do not be among those who reject something simply because they have no
knowledge of it.*
When the slave is endowed with
sufficient knowledge of Allah's Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger b along
with sound comprehension of the Texts [of the Qura'an and Sunnah], he will rely
on these sources and would not need anything else. In addition, he will be able
to acquire all types of good knowledge from these sources.
All types of knowledge depend on
knowing Allah, His Commands, and creation. The Messengers of Allah are the only
source that we can acquire such knowledge from because they have the best
knowledge of Allah, His Commandments, and creation. The Messengers, In addition, have the best know' the 16/19 wisdom behind Allah's creation and Commandments
This is why the remedies provided by the followers of the
Prophets are better and more efficient than the remedies of all others. In
addition, the remedies provided by the followers of the best and the master of
the Prophets, Muhammad bin Abdullah, are the best, most sufficient, and
beneficial remedies.
Only those who have true knowledge of the science of medicine
and doctors and the medicine offered by the Prophets can know the difference
between them. The Prophets are those with the best minds, purest ways and
deepest knowledge. They are the nearest to the truth among the creation. They
are the best of mankind that Allah has chosen, just as the Messenger, Muhammad
b, is the best among all the Messengers. The knowledge that Allah has endowed
the Prophets and Messengers with and the wisdom and forbearing puts them in a
category that does not permit comparison. Imam Ahmad narrated that the
Messenger of Allah as said:
"You (mankind) are seventy nations (or distinct
communities); you (Muslims) are the best and most honored among them to Allah.”
This honour that Allah has endowed the Muslims with has
appeared in their knowledge, minds, intellects, and natural ways. The Muslims
are the ones who searched through the knowledge of all other nations before them and In addition, their wisdom, progress, and their works, then added this
knowledge to their own knowledge, forbearing and wisdom that Allah has endowed
them with. We are endowed with sound minds, courage, understanding, joy, happiness, and the tendency to help those in distress.
These are some secrets and facts that can only be comprehended
by those who have sound minds, sharp intellect, deep knowledge and acquaintance
with what the people have [of wisdom, knowledge, and so forth]. All success
comes from Allah.
My
hearty thanks to the Book: “Healing with the MEDICINE of the PROPHET [Sal] by
Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziah”.Published in the chapter ”Conclusion”.
Editor’s
note of the book: Some of the advice contained in this chapter are not based
upon evidence from Qur’an and Sunnah, but are merely widespread notions about
the health that was popular in the author’s time. Some of these will be clearly
recognized by the reader as superstitions. Thus it is important to the reader
to remember that only that which can be substantiated by soundproof from Qur’an
and authentic Hadeeths should be depended upon religiously. A.W.
The author is telling the people that vision and
subject are noted then the scholars or professionals who are most competent in
those fields should follow these guidelines to further wisdom. This was the
same method applied to jurisprudence and the wisdom that was realized from this
method was well known and understood among the people. His basic message is to
follow the Prophet Muhammad [Sal], there is no better guide.
