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Message: <blockquote data-quote="sirajstc" data-source="post: 11991679" data-attributes="member: 91140">Part 2                                                                             Charms and Incantations: A Thing of the Past   There are several authentic  hadiths, according to which people were said to come to the Prophet for  spiritual remedies for their illnesses and that of their kith and kin.  The Prophet, of course, prayed for them, but only after suggesting  remedies in the form of medicines. Often he would advise the patients to  consult the best physician in the area. On one occasion a lady came to  the Prophet with her child who was bleeding because of a throat  infection. He admonished her and advised her to treat the disease by  using the extract of costus and pseudo-saffron. Similarly, once his wife  complained of an abscess on her finger. The Prophet suggested an  application of sweet flag on the fingers and then asked her to pray to  Allah for recovery. There was also an occasion when a scorpion bit the  Prophet himself. He immediately asked for hot water to which salt was  added. The hot solution was poured on his bitten fingers while he  recited Qur’anic verses.   These occasions and Prophetic  hadiths led Muslims to believe in the rationale of using medicine rather  than resorting to charms and incantations. On several occasions he  exhorted them not to depend on supernatural methods of healing. He is  also reported to have said, “charm is nothing but a work of Satan.”The Human Prophet   Although the Prophet on one hand  gave suitable advice to his followers on earthly affairs when such  situations were brought to his attention, on the other hand he tried his  best to create confidence in themselves so that they could act  according to their own experience and opinions. Once, while withdrawing  his advice given earlier on the cross pollination of date palm he said,  “Whenever I command you to do something related to religion, do obey.  And if I command you something about earthly matters, act on your own  (experience) and (do remember) I am a human being.”Putting Prophetic Medicine Into Perspective      In recent years, several books  on prophetic medicine have been published, particularly in India and  Pakistan, which do not project the true essence of the Prophet’s  message. For instance, the author of a recently published book entitled Tibbe Nabwi Aur Jadid Science  (Prophetic Medicine and Modern Science), claims that Prophetic  treatment of heart attack by eating seven dates, as was suggested to  Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas, should still be preferred over modern by-pass  surgery for the disease, provided people have faith in the treatment of  the Prophet. The learned author failed to understand that the Prophet,  while suggesting to Sa`d to take dates as temporary relief, also advised  him to consult the expert physician Harith bin Kalda for treatment.   As a matter of fact, it is not  desirable to consider the Prophet’s traditions on medicine as similar to  the prescription of a physician. In this connection, the opinion of Ibn  Khaldun (14th century AD) is highly relevant and realistic. He says,  “The Prophet’s mission was to make known to us the prescription of the  Divine Law and not to instruct us in medicine of the common practice of  ordinary life” (Muqqaddima). In his opinion, even very authentic  hadiths cannot be taken as a mere medicinal prescription, which is the  duty of an experienced physician. He says, however, that “with sincere  faith, one may derive from them [hadiths] great advantage though this  forms no part of medicine as it is properly called.” To emphasize his  point of view, Ibn Khaldun refers to occasions when the Prophet tried to  create confidence in his followers by advising them to take their own  judgments in worldly affairs.   Prophetic medicine is a message par excellence.  It is an advice to keep a healthy body and soul and to have faith in  both physical and spiritual treatment. It is a command to us to strive  hard to find newer medicines and newer remedies. It is a warning to  those who consider diseases as the will of God for which no remedy is  needed. It is an admonition for us to keep away from so-called spiritual  treatment based on superstitions like sorcery, amulets, and charms.   ------------------------  * This article is an edited version of a  chapter from a book by the author entitled “Medicinal Plants in the  Traditions of Prophet Muhammad.” It was submitted by Dr. Farooqi and  published with his permission. Dr. Farooqi is a retired  scientist/deputy director of the National Botanical Research Institute  in Lucknow, India. You can contact the author at: <A  href="mailto:mihfarooqi@satyam.net.in">mihfarooqi@satyam.net.in islamonline.net</blockquote>

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