أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ

Prophet's Guidance on treating conjunctivitis with rest and observing a special diet

We mentioned that Prophet Muhammad Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim required Suhaib Radhi Allahu ‘anh to observe a diet from eating dates when he was suffering from conjunctivitis, and asked Ali Radhi Allahu ‘anh when he was suffering from the same condition. Furthermore, Abu Naeem narrated in his book, "The Prophetic Medicine",

وذكر أبو نُعَيْم فى كتاب "الطب النبوى": أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم "كان إذا رَمِدَتْ عينُ امرأةٍ من نسائه لم يأتِهَا حَتَّى تَبرَأَ عينُها".

"Whenever any of the Prophet's wives would come down with conjunctivitis, he would not touch her until her eyes were cured".

Conjunctivitis is an infection that attacks the conjunctiva; that is the white part of the eye. The disease is caused by one of the four conditions [hotness, coldness, dryness and wetness], or by the accumulation of hot flatulence in the head and body, that later reaches the eye and causes conjunctivitis. When the eye receives a hit, the blood and the soul will rush to the aid of the affected eye, which then becomes swollen.

We should know that there are two types of moistures that ascend to the air. One is hot and dry and the other is hot and wet. These moistures form the clouds that shade the sky from our eyes. Likewise, gaseous substances and moistures ascend from the stomach to the upper parts of the body and cause many ailments, such as Conjunctivitis. When the body's resistance is strong, it will push these gaseous substances to the nose and cause a congestion that usually accompanies colds. When these substances are pushed up through the uvula and the nostrils, they cause Angina. When these moistures are pushed towards the side, they cause pleurisy, and when they reach the chest, they cause pneumonia. When the moistures reach the heart, they cause rapid pulse, and when they reach the eyes they result in conjunctivitis. When they reach the intestinal cavity, they cause diarrhea and when they reach the brain, they cause forgetfulness. If the brain receives excessive amounts of these gaseous moisture, they might cause heavy sleeping. This is why sleep is a wet substance while being awake is dry. When the septic gases un-successfully seek to depart from the body through the head, they will cause headache and disturbance in sleep. When these gases attack one side of the brain, they cause migraines. If these gases reach the cerebral divider and impart coldness, hotness or wetness, it will cause sneezing. If the gases cause the accumulation of phlegm in the cerebral divider; so that its hot nature becomes weak, they cause unconsciousness & stroke. If the gases excite the black bile, they will cause obsession, and if they reach the nerves, they will cause epilepsy. When the cerebral nerves receive these gases they will suffer from facial paralysis (Bell's palsy). If these gases were caused by inflamed yellow bile that heats the brain, they will cause cerebral tumors, and when the chest receives a path of these gases, they will cause pleurisy.

In short, the condition of the head and body will be irritated because of conjunctivitis, and having sex in this state will only aggravate the condition even more. Sex entails a movement that is shared by the entire body, the heart and the soul. As for the body, it heats up due to the intense movements during sex, while the heart will seek to acquire its lust and pleasures. The soul will follow the lead of the body and the heart, as the first part that is connected to the soul is the heart, which in turn affects the rest of the body. As for the body, it sends the semen that is needed to bring the sexual intercourse to conclusion. Thus, sexual activity involves a movement by the entire body, the heart and the soul, and every move excites the various conditions and causes them to move to meeker parts of the body, such as the eye when suffering from conjunctivitis.

We should state that the body benefits from conjunctivitis in that it helps the body to extract harmful substances and cleanses the body and the head from septic elements. In addition, conjunctivitis compels the affected person to observe a special diet and avoid sadness, grief, strong movements and hard work. Furthermore, one of our righteous predecessors said,

لا تَكرهوا الرَّمدَ، فإنه يقطع عروق العَمَى.

"Do not hate conjunctivitis, because it prevents blindness".

Conjunctivitis requires rest and avoiding touching the eye to prevent more harmful substances from accumulating in it. Some of the Salaf once said, "The example of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Aalihi wa sallim is the example of the eye; its cure is in avoiding touching it".

وقد رُوى فى حديث مرفوع، الله أعلم به: "علاجُ الرَّمد تَقطيرُ الماءِ الباردِ فى العَيْن"

A Hadith that we are not sure about its authenticity states that sprinkling cold water on the eye helps cure conjunctivitis. The remedy mentioned in the Hadith is beneficial for hot conjunctivitis, since water is cold and thus cools down the heat that accompanies it. This is why when the wife of Abdullah Bin Mas'ud Radhi Allahu ‘anh complained about her eyes, he said to her “If you had done what Prophet Muhammad used to do, it would have bean better for you and would have brought fast healing to your eyes. Splash water on your eyes and then say,

"أَذهِبْ البأْسَ ربَّ النَّاس، واشْفِ أنتَ الشَّافِى، لا شِفاءَ إلا شِفَاؤك، شِفاءً لا يُغادِرُ سَقَماً".

"Cure the ailment, O LORD of the people, Bring about the cure, for You Alone Bring the cure and there is on cure except that which You Bring about. Bring a type of cure that eradicates every ailment"

An excerpt from "Tibb un Nabawiyy".

وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا

It has been narrated in the Sahihian that the Prophet said:

ثبت فى "الصحيحين": عن نافع، عن ابن عمرَ، أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إنَّمَا الحُمَّى أو شِدَّةُ الحُمَّى مِنْ فَيحِ جَهنمَ، فَأبْرِدُوُهَا بِالْمَاءِ
Verily fever; or severe fever is a breath of the Hell Fire, so cool it using water.

This Hadith has caused confusion for many ignorant doctors as they thought it contradicts the common method of treating fever. We will explain this Hadith in detail Insha'Allah. When the Prophet issues a statement, it is either general for all people or for specific people and conditions. The majority of the Prophet’s statements are of the first type. As for the second type, it is similar to the Prophet’s statement:

‏‏لا تستقبلوا القبلة بغائط، ولا بول، ولا تستدبروها، ولكن شرقوا، أو غربوا
"Do not face the Qiblah with urine or feces, nor leave it directly behind you. Rather, face either the East or the West".

This statement (facing the East or the West) is not for those who reside in the East, the West or Iraq, but for those residing in Madina al Munawwarah and Ash-Sham (Syria). It is the same case with the Prophet’s statement:

‘What is between the East and the West is a Qiblah.

Understanding this fact, we can realize that what the Prophet said regarding fever is particularly for the people of Hijaz (Western Arabia), for the people in this area are susceptible to a type of fever that results from sunstroke. This type of fever requires cold water, either by drinking it or taking a bath. Fever causes rising temperatures in the body that spreads out from the heart and which spreads throughout the entire body via the blood vessels and the soul, which disrupts the proper functioning of the body.

There are two types of fever, accidental that is a result of tumors, sunstroke, movements, or intense heat and another type that results from an ailment that usually starts at a particular organ and then heats up the entire body. When the fever is of the first type, it ends in one to three days. If the fever is a result of harmful mixtures, it is called septic (or toxic) fever, which is divided into four types: bilious, melancholic, phlegm and sanguinary. If the fever originates in the basic organs of the body, it is called hectic fever, which has many types in addition.

The body benefits from the fever more so than it benefits from taking medicine. This is because the fever heats up and matures harmful substances, which it could not have done without the fever. In addition, fever causes various blockages to open especially those that medicines can not reach.

An excerpt from "Tibb un Nabawiyy"

Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Jabir bin Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah  asked his wife for food and she said that I have vinegar. He asked for some of it and started eating from it while saying: "What an excellent food is Khall (vinegar), what an excellent food is Khall (vinegar)". (He ate it with bread.).

Ibn-e-Majah narrated from Umm Sa'ad Radi Allaho Anha that Prophet Muhamamd Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said : "What an excellent food Khall (vinegar) is, O Allah ! Put Your Blessings in Khall because it was the food of Prophets before me & any house having the Khall (vinegar) will never face poverty". (House having the Khall means that vinegar is the food of its residents).

Khall (vinegar) is a substance that is both hot and cold, although coldness is usually more apparent. It is dry in the third degree and a strong drying agent. Vinegar soothes the body and softens the nature, vinegar helps against gastric inflammation and bile & prevents the harm of toxic medications, and it decomposes milk and the blood when coagulated and helps the spleen. Khall coats the stomach, constipates, quenches the thirst and prevents tumors from occurring. It also helps the digestion process; works against phlegm, softens thick foods and softens the consistency of the blood.

When vinegar is drunk with salt, it will help against poisonous mushrooms. When vinegar is sipped, it will dissolve the clogs that occur in the blood in the lower jaw. When one rinses his mouth with warm vinegar, it relieves toothache and strengthens the gingival.

When a septic finger is anointed with vinegar, it helps to heal it, furthermore, vinegar relieves pustules, hot tumors and fire bums. Vinegar is an appetite stimulant, softens the stomach, and favorable for young people and for those who live in warm areas.

 خَلٌ: روى مسلم فى "صحيحه": عن جابر بن عبد الله رضى الله عنهما، أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سأل أهلَه الإدَامَ، فقالوا: ما عندنَا إلا خَلٌ، فدعا به، وجعل يأكُلُ ويقول: "نِعْمَ الإدَامُ الخَلُّ، نِعْمَ الإدَامُ الخَلُّ". وفى "سنن ابن ماجه" عن أُمِّ سعد رضى الله عنها عن النبىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "نِعْمَ الإدَامُ الخَلُّ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فى الخَلِّ، فإنه كان إدامَ الأنبياء قبلى، ولَمْ يَفْتَقِر بيتٌ فيه الخَلُّ".
الخَل: مركَّب من الحرارة، والبرودة أغلبُ عليه، وهو يابس فى الثالثة، قوىُّ التجفيف، يمنع من انصباب المواد، ويُلطِّف الطبيعة، وخَلُّ ينفع المعدة الملتهبة، ويَقْمَعُ الصَّفْرَاء، ويدفع ضَرَر الأدوية القتَّالة، ويُحَلِّل اللَّبنَ والدم إذا جَمَدا فى الجوف، وينفع الطِّحَالَ، ويدبغ المَعِدة، ويَعقِلُ البطن، ويقطعُ العطش، ويمنع الورمَ حيث يُريد أن يحدث، ويُعين على الهضم، ويُضاد البلغم، ويُلطِّف الأغذية الغليظة، ويُرِقُّ الدم.
وإذا شُرِب بالملح، نفع من أكل الفُطُر القتَّال، وإذا احتُسى، قطع العلق المتعلق بأصل الحنَكِ، وإذ تُمضمض به مُسَخَّناً، نفع من وجع الأسنان، وقوَّى اللِّثَة. وهو نافع للدَّاحِس، إذا طُلِىَ به، والنملةِ والأورام الحارة، وحرق النار، وهو مُشَهٍّ للأكل، مُطيِّب للمَعِدة، صَالح للشباب، وفى الصيف لسكان البلاد الحارة.