Tibb al-A’imma

Abu ‘Atab narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf — and I think al-Husayn [b. Bistam] also related to us — from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “One night’s sleeplessness during an illness that afflicts a believer is [equal to] a year’s worship.”

From him from Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} from ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} from his father ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say “One night’s fever expiates a year’s sins.”’

By this chain of transmitters from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan, who said: I was in Mecca and had kept secret something no one but Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, knew. When I arrived in Medina, I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)}. He looked at me, then said: “Ask Allah’s forgiveness for that which you have concealed and do not make known.” I said: “I ask Allah’s forgiveness.” He [‘Abd Allah b. Sinan] said: The medial vein (al-‘irq al-madini) on one of my feet (al-rijl) had become prominent. When I bid him [al-Sadiq] farewell— that was before the vein became prominent— he said to me, “Whosoever suffers and is patient, the decree of Allah credits him with a reward of a thousand martyrs.”

‘Abd Allah b Sinan said: When I reached the second stage [on the return journey] the vein became prominent, and I continued suffering for months. When I performed the Hajj the next year, I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace he upon him, and said to him: “Invoke Allah’s protection for my foot.” I told him that this foot was paining me. He replied: “Never mind this foot. Give me your healthy foot and Allah will heal you.” So I stretched the other foot out before him and he invoked Allah’s protection over it. When I stood up and bid him farewell and reached the second stage, the vein became prominent in the foot. I said: “By Allah, he did not protect it, but only caused an affliction.” I suffered for three nights, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, cured me and the invocation benefited me.

The invocation is:

He said: Al-Khazzaz al-Razi narrated from Faddala, from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Abu Hamza al-Thumali from al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Whosoever is afflicted with a pain in his body, let him invoke protection for himself and say:
If he recites that, no pain or illness will afflict him.’

‘Ali b. Ibrahim al-Wasiti narrated from Mahbub from Muhammad b. Sulayman al-Awdi from Abu Jarud from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith al-A’war, who said: I complained to Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} of aches and pains in my body. He said: ‘When anyone of you suffers [from pain], let him recite:

If he recites that, Allah will turn away the affliction from him, if He, the Exalted, wills.’

Sahl b Ahmad narrated from ‘Ali b. Nu’man from Ibn Muskan from ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Qusayr from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Whoever suffers from a complaint of the head, let him put his hand on it and recite seven times:

He will be relieved of the pain.’

Hariz Abu Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b. Abu Nasr from Tha’laba from ‘Amr b. Yazid al-Sayqal from Ja’far b. Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abu Talib ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [al-Sayqal] said: I complained to him of a pain in my head, and of my suffering from it night and day.
He [Ja’far b. Muhammad] said: ‘Place your hand on it and say seven times:

[The pain] will subside, by the authority of Allah, the Exalted.’

‘Ali b. ‘Urwa al-Ahwazi, a narrator of the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi from Musa b. Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [Dawud] said: I said to him; “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer constantly from a complaint in my head, and sometimes it keeps me awake at nights and distracts me from performing the night prayer.” He replied: “O Dawud, when you experience any of that [pain], pass your hand over it and say:

It will not afflict you again.”

Abu Salt al-Harawi narrated from Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} from his father from al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said; ‘Teach our Shi’a to recite the following for a pain in the head:

They are Sublime Names and have an authority given by Allah, the Exalted and Sublime. Allah will turn that [pain] away from them.’

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Ishaq b. Ibrahim from Abu al-Hasan al-‘Askari ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [Ishaq] said: I was with him [al-‘Askari] one day when one of our brothers complained to him, saying: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, my family suffers much from this accursed pain.” He asked: “And what is it?” The man replied: “Pains in the head.” He said: “Take a cup of water and recite over it:

Then drink it and pain will not afflict them, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Tamim b. Ahmad al-Sayrafi narrated from Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi from ‘Ali b. al-Nu’man from Dawud b. Farqad and Mu’alla b. Khunays, who both said: Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Combing the hair on the cheeks strengthens the teeth (al-adras); combing the beard dispels infectious diseases (al-waba’); combing loose locks of hair dispels anxieties in the breast (al-sadr); combing the eyebrows is a safeguard against leprosy (al-judham), and combing the head stops phlegm.”

He said: ‘Then he described a medication for phlegm. He said: “Take equal party of Byzantine mastic (‘ilk rumi), frankincense (al-kundur), wild thyme (sa’tar), bishop’s weed (al-nankhwah) and fennel flower (al-shuniz). Grind each of them separately into fine powder. Then sift them, put them together, and pound them until they are well mixed. Add honey to the mixture and take the equivalent of a hazelnut (al-bunduqa) of it every day and at night before sleeping, It will be beneficial, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”’

‘Abd Allah b. Mas’ud al-Yamani narrated from at-Taryani from Khalid al-Qammat that ‘Ali b. Musa Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} dictated these ingredients for phlegm. He said: ‘Take the weight of one mithqal of yellow myrobalan (ihlilaj asfar), two mithqal of mustard (khardal) and one mithqal of pyrethrum (‘aqir qarha), Grind them to a fine powder. Brush your teeth with it on an empty stomach (‘ala al-riq). It will cleanse the phlegm, make the breath fragrant, and strengthen the teeth, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from Yunus b. Zabyan from al-Mufaddal b. ’Umar from Abu ’Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: This is an invocation revealed by Jibra’il ^{(عليه السلام)} to the Prophet ^{(عليه السلام)} when the latter was suffering from a headache (al-suda’). Jibra’il said: “O Muhammad, take refuge from your headache with this invocation, Allah will relieve you of it.” Then he said: “O Muhammad, whosoever takes refuge with this invocation seven times for any pain that afflicts him, Allah will heal him if He wills.

Pass your hand over the painful area and say:

Another invocation for headache:

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Sarraj narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Hisham b. Salim from Habib al-Sijistani – he was older than Hariz al-Sijistani, though Hariz was superior in knowledge to Habib – who said: I complained to al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} of a migraine that afflicted me once or twice every week. Al-Baqir said: ‘Place your hand on the side which pains you and say:

Recite this three times and you will be relieved of the pain Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Another invocation for migraine: Al-Sayyari narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali from Muhammad b. Muslim from ‘Ali b. Abu Hamza from Abu Basir, who said: ‘I heard Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} when visiting one of his followers, mention that he was afflicted with a migraine. He cited an invocation similar to the preceding one.’

Another invocation for migraine: ‘Write the following on a paper and attach it to the part which is suffering:

Ahmad b. Muhammad Abu Ja’far narrated from Ibn Abu ‘Umayr from Abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} from al-Baqir from ‘Ali b. al-Husayn from his father, who said that ‘Ali b. Abu Talib ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and his family, called me on the day of Khaybar, he was told: “O Messenger of Allah, he has inflammation (al-ramad) of the eyes.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Bring him to me.” So I went to him and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have inflammation of the eyes and cannot see anything.” The Messenger of Allah said:
“Approach me, O ‘Ali.” I approached him and he passed his hand over my eyes and recited:

‘Ali peace be upon him, said: I recovered, and by Him Who honoured him with Prophethood, bestowed on him the Message, and chose him over His servants, I felt neither heat nor cold nor pain in my eyes after that.’

He said: ‘Sometimes ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} would go out on a bitterly cold winter’s day with a torn shirt. It would be said: “O Amir al-Mu’minin, are you not affected by the cold?” He would reply: “Neither heat nor cold has affected me since the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, protected me with the invocation.” Sometimes he would come out to us on an extremely hot day in a padded garment, and it would be said to him: “Are you not affected as other people are by this severe heat, so that you wear a padded garment?” He would give them the same reply.’

Khirash b. Zuhayr al-Azdi narrated from Muhammad b. Jamhur al-Qummi from Yunus b. Zabyan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [Yunus] said: I complained to him of pain in one of my ears (al-udhun). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: ‘Place your hand over it, and say seven times:

Aslam b. ‘Amr al-Nusaybi narrated from ‘Ali b. Ibn Rabbayta from Muhammad b. Salman from his father from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that he recited an invocation of protection similar to this, for one of his companions who had an earache.

Take a handful of unhusked sesame (simsim ghayr muqashshar) and a handful of mustard. Grind each of them separately, then mix them together and extract the oil (duhn). Place the oil in a bottle and put an iron seal on it. Whenever you require, put two drops of it in the ear and bind it with a piece of cotton for three days. It will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.

It was narrated from Bakr from his uncle Sudayr, who said: ‘I took a pebble and scratched my ear with it. It became embedded in my ear. I made every effort to remove it, but neither I nor the medical practitioners could do it. When I performed the Hajj and met al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} I complained to him of the pain I had experienced. He said to al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)}: “O Ja’far, take him by the hand out into the light and have a look.” Al-Sadiq looked into the ear and said: “I do not see anything.” Al-Baqir said: “Approach me.” I approached him and he said:

Then he said: “Recite that three times.” I recited it. He said: “Put your finger in.” I put my finger in and brought out the pebble. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.’

Hannan b Jabir al-Filistini narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali from Ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar b. Marwan from al-Munkhal from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} who said that a man complained to him of deafness (al-samam). Abu Ja’far said: ‘Pass your hand over him and recite:

Hariz b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Abu Samina from ‘Ali b. Asbat from Abu Hamza from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that Abu Basir said: One of his [Abu ‘Abd Allah’s] followers complained to him of pain in his mouth (al-fam). Abu ‘Abd Allah said: ‘When that afflicts you, place your hand over it and say:

Your pain will be relieved. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn b. [Ahmad] Muhammad al-Khawatimi narrated from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Hannan al-Sayqal from Abu Basir from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} that Abu Basir said: I complained to him of pain in my teeth, and that it kept me awake at nights. Abu Ja’far said: “O Abu Basir, when you experience that, place your hand over it, and recite the Surah al-Hamd (1) and the Surah al-Ikhlas (112), then recite:

The pain will subside, and will not recur.”

Hamdan b. A’yan al-Razi narrated from Abu Talib from Yunus from Abu Hamza from Sama’a b. Mihran from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [Abu ‘Abd Allah] instructed a man to recite the above invocation and added to it, saying: ‘Recite the Surah al-Qadr (97) once. The pain will subside, and will not reoccur.’

[Also for pain in the teeth,] from Amir al-Mu’minin, peace he upon him, that he said: ‘Whoever complains of pain in the teeth, let him take the object on which he performs his prostration, and rub it on the painful area, and say:

It is reported from Abu al-Hasan ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘My teeth (al-asnan) were hurting me and I applied Cyperus rotundus (al-su’d) to them.’ He said: ‘Wine vinegar (khall al-khumr) strengthens the gums (al-litha).’ He also said: ‘’Take wheat (al-hinta), husk it, and extract the oil. If the tooth is decayed and rotten, put two drops of the oil in it. Put some oil on a piece of cotton and place it in the ear near the tooth for three nights. It will stop [the decay], Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Ibrahim b. Khalid narrated from Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Rabbihi from Tha’laba from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘This is a charm for the teeth. It is beneficial and will never fail, Allah, the Exalted, willing. Praise .,. [sic] three leaves of the olive tree (al-zaytun), and write on the face of the leaf:

Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘“Ya Haya, Sharahiyya”, are two of the Names of Allah, the Exalted, in Hebrew. Write that on the back of the leaf, and tie it in a clean piece of cloth with a thread spun by a maid servant who has not… [sic] and tie seven knots in it and name each knot with the name of one of the prophets— Adam. Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa, Shuayb – and pray for Muhammad and his family, peace be on him and on them, and attach it to it [the tooth]. It will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Jibra’il al-Husayn b. Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} [sic]: ‘How amazing it is that a creature eats the bone (al-‘azm) and leaves the flesh (al-lahm).

Place your finger on the tooth, then recite this invocation seven times, on both its sides. It will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Recite the Surah al-Hamd (1) the two Suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)), and the Surah al-Ikhlas (112). Say ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate’ with each Surah. After the Surah al-lkhlas (112), say:

Then say after that:

‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Ayyub from ‘Amr b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} from al-Husayn [sic], who said: Amir al-Mu’minin, peace he upon him, said: ‘Whosoever has a complaint of the throat (al-halq) and excessive coughing (al-su’al) and the desperation of his body increases, let him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the comprehensive’ (al-jami’a), for all things:

Abu al-Qasim al-Taflisi narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that Hariz said: I said “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I experience anxieties (al-balabil) in my breast and temptations (al-wasawis) in my heart (al-fu’ad) so that I sometimes break off my prayer and become confused in my recitation.” Abu ‘Abd Allah said: “And what about the invocation of Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)}?” I replied: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, teach [it to] me.”
He said: “When you experience something of this, place your hand on it and say:

Repeat this three times and you will be cured of it, with the help of Allah, the Exalted. Then bless the Prophet, blessings of Allah upon him, and mercy and blessings upon his family.”

Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} from his grandfather ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: A man complained to the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him and his family, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a brother who has a complaint of the belly.” The Prophet replied: “Tell your brother to take a drink of honey with hot water.” The man returned to him the next day and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I gave him the drink but he did not benefit from it.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has said the truth, and the belly of your brother has lied. Go, and give your brother the drink of honey and invoke for him the Surah al-Fatiha (1) seven times.” When the man left, the Prophet said: “O ‘Ali, the brother of this man is a hypocrite. Whosoever is such, the drink will not benefit him.”

A man complained to Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} of pain in the belly. He instructed him to drink hot water and say:

Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Khawatimi narrated from Ibn Yaqtin from Hassan al-Sayqal from Abu Basir, who said: A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} of pain of the navel (al-surra). Al-Sadiq told him: “Go, and put your hand on the painful area and say three times:

You will be cured, Allah willing.”

Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “There is not one among the believers who complains of any illness and recites with sincere intention, while passing his hand over the area of the illness:

but that he is cured of that illness, whatever it may be. The truth of that is confirmed in the verse, where it says, a cure and a mercy to the believers.”

Hariz b. Ayyub narrated from Abu Samina from ‘Ali b. Asbat from Abu Hamza from Hamran b. A’yan, who said: A man questioned Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} saying: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer from severe pain in the waist (al-khasira) and have treated it with many remedies, but it has not been cured.”
Al-Baqir said: “What about the invocation of Amir al-Mu’minin?” The man replied: “And what is that, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “When you complete your prayers, put your hand on the place of prostration, stroke it, and say:

The man said: “I did that and the pain subsided, praise be to Allah, the Exalted.”

Muhammad b. Ja’ far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Drink lovage (al-kashim), for it is good for pain of the waist.”’
Also from him from Muhammad b. Yahya from Yunus b. Zabyan from Jabir from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} who said Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Whoever wishes that food may not harm him, let him not eat until he is hungry and his abdomen (al-ma’ida) is cleansed. When he eats, let him take the Name of Allah and chew well and let him stop eating while he still has an appetite for it [food] and wants it.”
‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Razin from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Whoever wishes for the eternal life in the next world, and not for permanence in this world, let him wear light clothes, eat early, and have intercourse (al-mujami’a) with women less frequently.”

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Ayyub from Umar b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: A man from Khurasan came to ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I performed the Hajj and resolved to call on you upon my departure, for I have a pain in the spleen (al-tihal). Pray for me to be relieved of it.”
‘Ali b. al-Husayn replied: “Allah has protected you from that, praise be to Him. When you experience the pain, write this verse with saffron (al-za’faran) mixed with the water of [the] Zamzam [spring in Mecca], and drink it. Allah, the Exalted, will drive away that pain from you:

Write the following on the parchment of a gazelle (ghazal) and attach it to your left arm (al-‘adud) for seven days and the pain will abate: . . .”

Ahmad b. Yazid narrated from al-Sahhaf al-Kufi from Musa b. Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} from al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} from al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘One of his followers complained to al-Baqir of pain in the spleen. He had treated it with every remedy but its evil increased every day until he was on the threshold of death. Al-Baqir said to him: “Buy a piece of leek (al-kurrath) and fry it well in Arab clarified butter (saman ‘arabi). Give it for three days to the one who has this pain. If that is done, he will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”’

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar from Muhammad b. Isma’il from Abu Zaynab, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} of pain in the bladder (al-mathana). Al-Sadiq said: “Seek protection for it with these verses three times before you sleep, and once when you awaken, and you will not experience the pain after that:

The man said: “I did that and did not experience the pain again.”

Al-Khidr b Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Faddala from Aban b. ’Uthman from lbn Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far Muhammad al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘A man from Hamdan complained to Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} of a pain in the back and that he had sleepless nights [because of it]. He said: “Put your hand on the area that pains you and recite three times:

Then recite the Sura al-Qadr (97) seven times and you will be cured of it, if Allah, the Exalted, wills.”’

Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Katib narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Za’farani from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Amir a-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When one of you suffers from pain of the thighs (al-fakhdhan), let him sit in a large vessel or basin of heated water and place his hand there [on his thighs] and recite:

With this chain of transmitters (al-isnad) from Hariz al-Sijistani, who said: I performed the Hajj and called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} in Medina, and al-Mu’alla b. Khunays, may Allah have mercy on him, was complaining to him of pain in the genitals (al-farj). Al-Sadiq said to him: “You exposed your privy parts (al- ‘aura) on some occasion and Allah has punished you with this pain. But seek protection for it with the invocation which Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} gave Abu Wa’ila, after which it [the pain] did not recur.” Al-Mu’alla asked; “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what is the invocation?” He replied: “Put your left hand on them and say three times:

You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Khaddash b. Sabra narrated from Muhammad b. Jamhur from Safwan Bayya’ al-Sabiri from Salim b. Muhammad, who said: I complained to al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} of pain in my legs (al-saqayn) and that it had prevented me from pursuing my affairs and earning my living. He said: “Recite an invocation of protection over them.” I asked: “With what, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “With this verse. Recite it seven times and you will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing:

He said: I recited the invocation over them seven times, as he had instructed me, and I never experienced the pain again.

Al-Hawarini al-Razi narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Sabiri – and he is not Safwan al-Jammal – from Ya’qub b. Shu’ayb from Aban b. Taghlab from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ from Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Whosoever seeks protection from haemorrhoids with this invocation will be protected from its evil, Allah, the Exalted willing. It is:

He will be cured of it, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.’

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kufi narrated from Isma’il b. Yazid from ‘Amr b. Yazid al-Sayqal, who said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} and asked him about a man who had severe haemorrhoids. He had been prescribed a bowl of strong wine (al-nabidh) and he did not want to take it for the enjoyment of it but as a medication.
Abu ‘Abd Allah said: “No, not a mouthful.” I asked: “Why?” He replied: “It is forbidden. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, does not create a medication or cure in anything He has forbidden.
“Take a white leek and cut off its white head. Do not wash it or cut it up into small pieces Take fat from the hump of the camel (al-sinam), melt it, and pour it over the leek. Take ten walnuts (jawzat) shell them, and grind them with the weight of ten dirhams of Persian cheese (jibn farsi). Put the leek on the fire. When it is well cooked, add the walnuts and cheese to it and remove it from the fire. Eat it on an empty stomach with bread, for three days or seven days, and abstain from other food. After it, take a little roasted savin (abhal) with bread and shelled walnuts. After the fat of the camel’s hump and the leek, take, in the Name of Allah, half an awqiya of sesame oil (shiraj) on an empty stomach, and an awqiya of [the resin of the] male storax [tree] (kundur dhakar). Grind and drink it. After that take another half awqiya of sesame oil. Take it for three days and delay your eating until after noon. You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Hannan b. Jabir narrated from Muhammad b ‘Ali al-Sayrafi from at-Husayn al-Ashqar from ‘Amr b. Abu al-Miqdam from Muhammad al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘I was with al-Husayn b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} when one of our Shi’a from the Bani Umayya came to him and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I was hardly able to walk to you because of the pain in my feet.” He said: “What about the invocation of al-Husayn b. ‘Ali?” The man said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, and what is that?” He replied: “The verses are:

The man said: “I did as he instructed and did not experience any of the pain after that, with the help of Allah, the Exalted.”’

Abu ‘Atab ‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Awdi from Safwan al-Jammal from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father from ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: A man complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, peace he upon him, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer from pain in my hamstring (al-urqub) which prevents me from standing up for prayer.” He said: “What prevents you from [reciting] the invocation?” He replied: “I do not know it.”
He said: “When you experience the pain, place your hand there and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family.’ Then recite over it:

The man did that and Allah, the Exalted, healed him.

Al-Hasan b. Salih al-Mahmudi narrated from Abu ‘Amr b. Shimr from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi from Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “O Jabir.” I [Jabir] replied: “At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Recite over every swelling (al-waram) the end of the Surah al-Hashr:

Recite it three times over the swelling, and it will subside, Allah, the Exalted, willing.

“Take a knife and pass it over the swelling and say:

Then drive the knife into the earth.”

‘Abd Allah b. al-‘Ala al-Qazwini narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad from Hammad b. ‘Isa b. Ya’qub from Imran b.Maytham from Ubaya b Rab’i al-Asadi, that he heard Amir al-Mu’minin, blessings of Allah be on him, instruct one of his companions, when the latter complained of spells (al-sihr). He said: ‘Write [the following] on the parchment of a gazelle and fasten it to yourself. The spell will not harm you and its strategems will not affect you.

Muhammad b. Musa al-Rab’i narrated from Muhammad b. Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah b. Ghalib from Sa’d b. Zarif from al-Asbagh b. Nubata from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} that al-Asbagh said: I took this invocation from him. He said to me: ‘O Asbagh, this is an invocation for spells and fear (al-khauf) of the ruler (al-sultan). Recite it seven times:

Recite it seven times over water when you have completed the night prayer (salat al-layl) and before you begin the morning prayer (salat al-nahar). It [spells] will not harm you, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Al-Khawatimi narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Sayrafi from Muhammad b. Aslam from al-Hasan b. Muhammad al-Hashimi from Aban b. Abu al-‘Ayyash from Salim b. Qays al-Hilali from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘I know of two verses in the revealed Book of Allah, prescribed for a woman experiencing difficulty (al-‘usr) in childbirth (al-wilada). Write them on the parchment of a gazelle and fasten it to her groin (al-haqw). Write seven times:

‘Write once:

‘Write [the following] on a paper and tie it with an untwisted fibre of flax (kattan) and fasten it on to her left thigh. When she has given birth, cut it off at once and do not delay in doing it.

Write:

Abu al-Mu’izz al-Wasiti narrated from Muhammad b. Sulayman from Marwan b. al-Jahm from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said that.

Hatim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Azdi narrated from Abu Ja’far al-Maqri, the Imam of the mosque of al-Kufa, from Jabir b. Rashid from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [Jabir] said: While we were on a journey, al-Sadiq noticed a man looking gloomy and dejected. He asked him: “What is wrong with you?” He replied: “My beast (al-dabba) is stubborn (harun).” He [al-Sadiq] said: “Woe be to you, recite this verse in her ear:

‘Ali b. ‘Urwa al-Ahwazi narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, from Musa b. Ja’far, peace he upon him, who said: “Whoever is on a journey (al-safar) and fears thieves (al-lusus) and predatory animals (al-sab’) let him write on the mane (al-‘urf) of his beast:

He will be safe, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Dawud al-Raqqi said: I performed the Hajj, and when we were in the desert, a group of Bedouins waylaid the caravan in which I was. I wrote on the mane of my camel (al-jamal):

By Him Who sent Muhammad, blessings of Allah on him and his family, with the Prophethood, bestowed on him the Message, and honoured Amir al-Mu’minin with the Imamate, not one of them challenged me and Allah made them blind (a’ma) to me.

‘Ali b. Ishaq al-Basri narrated from Zakariya b. Adam al-Maqri, who used to serve Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} in Khurasan. He said: One day Al-Ridha’ said to me: ‘O Zakariya.’ I answered: ‘At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Recite for all illnesses:

You will be restored to health, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.’

Mu’alla b. Ibrahim al-Wasiti narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Muhriz b. Sulayman al-Azraq, from Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith al-A’war al-Hamdani from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} that one of his companions had complained to him of sciatica (‘irq al-nisa’). He [Amir al-Mu’minin] replied: ‘When yon experience it place your hand on it and say:

You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’ The man said: ‘I recited that only three times, and Allah removed my suffering and I was cured of it.’

Muhammad b. Kathir al-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Al-Ridha’ ‘Ali b. Musa ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘This is an invocation for our Shi’a for consumption (al-sill):

Say it three times; and Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will protect you with His Might and Power, If He, the Exalted, wills.’

‘Ali b. al-‘Abbas narrated from Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-‘Alawi from ‘Ali b Musa from his father from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When you feel a pustule (al-bathr) [appearing] put your index finger (al-sabbaba) on it and circle it and say seven times:

The seventh time, strike it and press on it with your finger.’

Al-Darari narrated from Musa b. ‘Umar b. Yazid from Abu ‘Umar b. Yazid al-Sayqal from al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [al-Sayqal] said that one of his followers had complained of colic (al-qawlanj). He [al-Sadiq] told him:
‘Write for him the the Surah al-Fatiha (1), the Surah al-Ikhlas (112), and the two Surahs of seeking protection (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)). Then write under that:

Then drink it [sic] with rainwater (ma’ al-matar) on an empty stomach. You will be cured of it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Ahmad b. Muhammad Abu Ja’far narrated from Abu Muhammad b. Khalid from Bakr b. Khalid from Muhammad b. Sinan from ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ammar al-Duhni from his father from ‘Amr Dhi Far and Taghlaba al-Jammali who both said: We heard Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} say: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him, had a severe fever (al-humma). Jibra’il, blessings of Allah on him, came to him and recited an invocation of protection over him. He said:

You will surely be restored to health, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”
The Prophet, blessings be on him, undid his headband and said: “O Jibra’il, this is an eloquent invocation.” Jibra’il replied: “It is from the treasury of the seventh heaven.”’

Ahmad b. Salama narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Ahmad b. Hamza from Aban b. ‘Uthman from al-Fudayl b. Yasar from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When a man falls ill and you wish to invoke protection for him say:

Ahmad b. Abu Ziyad narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from lsma’il b. Ziyad from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, felt sluggish (al-kasal), or when the evil eye (al-‘ayn) fell on him, or when he had a headache, he would stretch out his hands and recite the opening of the Book (the Surah al-Fatiha {1}) and the two Surahs of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)). Then he would pass his hands over his face (al-wajh) and whatever he would be suffering would be removed from him.’

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Salama b. Muhriz, who said: 1 heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “Whosoever is not cured by the Surah al-Hamd (1) and the Surah al-lkhlas (112) will not be cured by anything. All illnesses are cured by these two Suras.”

Muhammad b. Yazid narrated from Ziyad b. Muhammad from his father from Hisham b. Ahmar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Whoever says:

Allah will drive away from him seventy-three kinds of affliction, the least of which is madness (al-junun).’

‘Ali b. Abu Talib ^{(عليه السلام)} said: The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “O ‘Ali, shall I show you one of the treasures of Paradise?” I replied: “Yes indeed, O Messenger of Allah.” He said:

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Sarraj narrated from Faddala and al-Qasim both from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When one of you suffers from something, let him recite:

Ahmad b. Salih al-Nisaburi narrated from Jamil b. Salih from Dharih, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} invoke protection from wind for one of his followers and say:

It was not long before it was expelled.

Muhammad b. Kathir at-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [al-Hasan] said: I took this invocation from Al-Ridha’. He mentioned that it was a comprehensive preventative and a safeguard and protection from every illness and fear:

‘Write the verse of the Throne (2:255) up to: And He is the Most High, the Mighty. Then write:

Muhammad b. Hamid narrated from Khalaf b. Hammad from Khalid al-‘Abasi, who said: ‘Ali b. Musa ^{(عليه السلام)} taught me this invocation and said: ‘Teach it to your brothers among the believers, for it is for every ache:

From al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)}.

Invocation For Saturday

Invocation for Sunday

Invocation for Monday

Invocation for Tuesday

Invocation For Wednesday

Invocation for Thursday

Invocation for Friday

Ahmad b. Badr narrated from Ishaq al-Sahhaf from Musa b. Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘O Sahhaf.’ I replied: ‘At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah’. He said: ‘You have been ensnared (ma’khudh) from your wife.’ I said: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah, For three years I have used every remedy but, by Allah, they have not benefited me.’ He said: ‘O Sahhaf, you did not tell me.’ I said: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I know that with you is deliverance from everything but I was ashamed before you.’ He said: ‘Woe be to you, what is shame in a man bewitched [and] ensnared? I wanted to speak to you about that.

Then recite the following over the soil (al-tin) of the grave and seal and fasten it on to the enchanted person:

Permissible Invocations, Charms and Spells

Ibrahim b. Ma’mun narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Shu’ayb al-Aqrqufi from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “There is no objection to charms for the evil eye, for fever, for the teeth (al-daras), and [for] every serious illness accompanied by a fever. When a person is aware of what he says, nothing unknown enters his invocations.”

Muhammad b. Yazid b. Salim al-Kufi narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [‘Abd Allah b. Sinan] said: ‘I asked him [Abu ‘Abd Allah] about the charm for the scorpion (al-‘aqrab) and the snake (al-hayya), and the spell (al-nashra) and charm for the insane (al-majnun) and the enchanted who is in torment.

He replied: “O Ibn Sinan, there is no objection to the charm and invocation and spell if they are taken from the Qur’an. Whosoever the Qur’an does not cure, Allah does not cure him. Is there anything more effective in these matters than the Qur’an? Did not Allah, Sublime is His Majesty, say: We send down, of the Qur’an, that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers? (17:82). Did He not, Exalted be His Mention and Sublime be His Praise, say: If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, thou would at have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God (59:21). Ask us, we will teach you and acquaint you with the verses of the Qur’an for every illness.”

Certain Charms Are Traps

Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Muslim said: I asked Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} “Should I seek protection by using some of these charms?” He replied: “Only those from the Qur’an, for ‘Ali, peace he upon him, would say that many of the charms and amulets (al-tama’im) are traps (al-ashrak).

Ja’far b. ‘Abd Allah b. Maymun al-Sa’di narrated from Nasr b. Yazid from al-Qasim that Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} said that many amulets are traps.

Permissible Invocations

Ishaq b. Yusuf al-Makki narrated from Faddala from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Zarara b. A’yan, who said: I asked Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} about a patient — should an invocation or some verses from the Qur’an be fastened to him. He replied: “Yes, there is no objection to it. The verses of the Qur’an are beneficial, so make use of them.”

Ishaq b. Yusuf narrated from Faddala from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Ishaq b. ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who was asked regarding a man who might have an illness, and whether it was permissible to write [verses of] the Quran and fasten [them] to him, or to write verses for him, wash them out and give him its water to drink. He [al-Sadiq] said: “There is no objection to all of that.”

‘Allan b. Muhammad narrated from Safwan b. Yahya from Mansur b. Hazim from ‘Anbasa b. Mas’ab from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “There is no objection to an invocation (al-ta’widh) being fastened to a child or a woman.”

‘Umar b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from ‘Umar al-Tamimi from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Shu’ayb al-Aqrqufi from al-Halabi, who said: I asked Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} “O son of the Messenger of Allah, shall we fasten some of the Qur’an and charms on to our children and women?” He replied: “Yes, if it is of leather (al-adim), the menstruating woman (al-ha’id) can wear it. If it is not of leather, a woman cannot wear it.”

Shu’ayb b. Zurayq narrated from Faddala and al-Qasim both from Aban b. ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu ‘Abd Allah— and he is Ibn Salim— who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about a patient, and whether some [verses] of the Qur’an or an invocation could be fastened to him. He replied: “There is no objection”. I said: “Sometimes we may be in a state of al-janaba [impurity due to intercourse]”. He replied: “A believer is not impure, but a woman should not wear it unless it is of leather. As for men and children, there is no objection.”

Ahmad b. al-Marzuban b. Ahmad narrated from Ahmad b. Khalid al-Ash’ari from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr, who said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} when he had fever. A bondmaid of his entered and said: “How do you find yourself?” She asked him about his condition. There was on him a threadbare garment he had thrown over his thighs. She said to him: “If you wrap yourself up so that you perspire, your body will drive out the wind.” He replied: “O Allah, curse them for opposing Your Prophet, blessings of Allah be on him and his family. The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: ‘Fever is from the severity of the heat of Hell’, and sometimes he said: ‘from the boiling of Hell, so allay it with cold water’”.

Al-Khusayb b. al-Marzuban al-‘Attar narrated from Safwan h. Yahya Bayya’ al-Sabiri and Faddala b. Ayyub from ‘Ala’ b. Razin from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Fever is from the severity (al-fayah) of the heat of Hell, so allay it with cold water.”

Abu Ghassan ‘Abd Allah b. Khalid b. Najih narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Husayn b. al-Mukhtar from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} that when he [Abu Ja’far] had fever, he would moisten two garments and put on one of them. When it dried, he would put on the other.

Muhammad b. Muslim said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “We have not found [a cure] for fever like cold water and prayer.”

‘Awn b. Muhammad b. al-Qasim narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Husayn b. al-Mukhtar from Usama al-Shahham, who said: ‘I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “Our grandfather, blessings of Allah be on him, did not take anything for fever except ten dirhams weight of sugar (al-sukkar) with cold water on an empty stomach.”’

‘Awn narrated from Abu ‘Isa from al-Husayn from Abu Usama, who said: ‘I heard al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} say that there is twice as much fever among the descendants of the Prophets, peace he upon them.’

Al-Qasari b. Ahmad b. al-Qasari narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya from Muhammad b. Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Muhammed b. Isma’il b. Abu Zaynab, who said: I heard al-Baqir, peace he upon him, say: “Fever is expelled in three things: vomit, sweat (al-‘araq) and diarrhea.”

Al-Sirri b. Ahmad b. al-Sirri narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Musa b. Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} was ill and the learned came to him with medications, that is the physicians, and they began prescribing marvelous things. I heard him say: “The idea of it! Confine yourselves to the chief of these medicines— myrobalan (al-ihlilaj), fennel (al-raziyanaj), and sugar. [Take it] at the beginning of the summer for three mouths, three times a month, and at the beginning of the winter for three months, three days a month, three times. Let the place of the fennel be from near the gummastic (mastaka) and one will not fall ill except for the illness of death.”

Quartan Fever And The Method Of Its Treatment

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Kamil from Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Ju’fi from his father that he said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} and he said: “I see you looking pale.” I replied: “I have the quartan fever (humma al-rib’).” He said: “What about the blessed, the good [remedy]. Grind sugar and add it to water. Drink it on an empty stomach whenever you want a drink of water.” He [al-Ju’fi’s father] said: I did that and the fever did not recur.

An Invocation For Quartan Fever

‘Abd Allah narrated from Abu Zakariyya Yahya b. Abu Bakr from al-Hadrami that Abu al-Hasan the first [i.e. Musa al-Kazim] ^{(عليه السلام)} wrote the following for him when his son was suffering from quartan fever. He instructed him to write:

He [Abu al-Hasan] said: “Whosoever has doubts, it will not benefit him.”

Al-Hasan b. Shadhan narrated from Abu Ja’far from Abu al-Hasan ^{(عليه السلام)} who, when asked about tertian fever (al-humma al-ghabb al-ghaliba) said: ‘Take three spoonfuls of honey and fennel flower and the fever will be uprooted, for they are both blessed. Allah, the Exalted, has said of honey:

The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him, said: “In black cumin (al-habba a-sauda’) is a healing from every illness except the poison (al-samm).” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the poison?’ He replied: “Death.” Then he said: “These two [honey and black cumin] are not predisposed to the heat or the cold, or to natural constituents, but are both a healing wherever they are.”

Al-Hasan b. Shadhan narrated from Abu Ja’far from Abu al-Hasan the third [the tenth Imam, ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (d. 254/ 868)] ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The best thing for quartan fever is to eat sweet flummery (al-faludhaj) [made of honey] and a lot of saffron on the day the fever occurs, and not to eat anything else on that day.”

Al-Jarud b. Ahmad narrated from Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Ja’fari from Muhammad b. Sinan from Isma’il b. Jabir, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “The water of the Zamzam is a healing for every illness”, and I think he said: “whatever it may be, for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, would recommend the water of the Zamzam whenever he drank it.”

Al-Jarud b. Ahmad narrated from al-Ja’fari from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. ’Umar al-Ju’fi from Muharnmad b. Isma’il b. Abu Zaynab from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi, who said:
I heard Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “The soil of the grave of al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} is a healing for every illness and a protection from every fear, when it is taken.”

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from al-Mufaddal b. ’Umar from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that one of his clients who was unwell called on him. He [al-Sadiq] said to him: “Why is it that I see your colour has changed?” He replied: “May I be your sacrifice, I have been feeling very unwell for a month. The fever has not subsided and I have treated myself with all the remedies prescribed by the learned, but have not benefited from any of that.” Al-Sadiq said to him: “Undo the buttons of your shirt and put your head in it.
Recite the adhan [the call to prayer) and the iqama [the introduction to prayer], and recite the Surah al-Hamd (1) seven times.” The man said: I did that and recovered as quickly as a camel loosened from its cord.

Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from al-Washsha’ a-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan that Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “If people knew what was in apples (al-tuffah), they would treat their illnesses only with them.”
Al-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Muhammad b. al-Abbas from ‘Abd Allah b. al-Fadl al-Nawfali that one of the Imams ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “I have not read the Surah al-Hamd (1) seventy times without [the illness] abating. So try it and you will not suffer.”

Al-Fayd b. al-Mubarak al-Asadi narrated from ‘Abd al-Aziz from Yunus from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: I was severely ill in Medina and news of that reached Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)}. He wrote to me: ‘News of your illness has reached me. Buy [the measure of] a sa’ of wheat (al-burr), lie down on your back (al-qafa’), and scatter it in any way whatever on your chest and say:

Then sit up, gather the wheat from around you, and recite the same prayer. Then divide the wheat, giving [the measure of] a madd to each beggar and recite the name prayer again.’ Dawud said: I did as he instructed and recovered as quickly as a camel loosened from its cord. More than one person used this remedy and benefited from it.

Abu Ghassan ‘Abd Allah b. Khalid h. Najih narrated from Ibn Mas’ud Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Abu Ahmad from ‘Abd al-Rahman Abu Najran from Yunus b Ya’qub that he said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} while he was teaching one of his followers the charm for fever, so I copied it from the man.
He said: ‘Recite the opening of the Book (al-Fatiha (1)), the Surah al-Ikhlas (112), the Surah al-Qadr (97), and the verse of the Throne (2:255). Then write with your index finger on the feverish side:

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-‘Alawi al-Musawi narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad [that is, his father] from Abu al-Hasan al-‘Askari ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: I heard Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} speak of his father. He said: ‘Yunus b. Ya’qub, a follower of al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, a man is cauterized with fire and sometimes is killed and sometimes survives.” He [al-Sadiq] said: “One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah was cauterized during the time of the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, while the latter was standing at his head.”’
Ja’far b. ‘Abd al-Wahid narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Asim b. Hamid from Muhammad b. Muslim, who said: I asked Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)}: “Can cauterization be used as a treatment?’ He replied: “Yes. Allah, the Exalted, made in the remedy a blessing and a cure and much good. What if someone is treated in this way? There is no objection to it.”
lbn Masha’Allah Abu ‘Abd Allah narrated from al-Mubarak b. Hammad from Zur’a from Sama’a, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} say; “The clyster is one of the remedies. They claim it strengthens the belly. Righteous people used it.”

Hafs b. ‘Umar narrated from al-Qasim b. Muhammad from Isma’il b. Abu al-Hasan from Hafs b. ‘Umar — and he is Bayya’ al-Sabiri— who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “The best ways in which you treat yourselves are through cupping, inhaling medications, steam baths, and clysters.”

Al-Mundhir b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani from Ja’far b Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The medications are of four kinds: cupping, daubing (al-taly) [of oil, tar, clay, mud, etc.] vomiting, and clysters.”

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated from Ishaq b. Hassan from ’Isa b. Bashir al-Wasiti from Ibn Muskan and Zarara, who both said: Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “The medicine of the Arabs is of three kinds: cupping, clysters, and, the final remedy, cauterization.”

From Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The medicine of the Arabs is of five kinds: cupping, clysters, inhaling medications, vomiting, steam baths, and the final remedy is cauterization.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} “The medicine of the Arabs is of seven kinds: cupping, clysters, steam baths, inhaling medications, vomiting, taking honey. The final remedy is cauterization, and sometimes added to that is [the application of] lime.”

On Signs of Disturbance in the Blood

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ubayda narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Maysar from Ibn Sinan, who said: Al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Disturbance (al-hayajan) in the blood has three signs: [emitting an] odour (al-nashr), itching (al-hakka), and the [sensation of] crawling creatures (dabib al-dawabb).”

An Invocation During Cupping

Muhammad b. al-Qasim b. Munjib narrated from Khalaf b. Hammad from ‘Abd Allah b. Muskan from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’ fi, who said: Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} said to one of his companions: ‘When you wish to perform cupping and the blood comes out into your cupping-glass, recite before you finish and while the blood is still flowing:

Then he said: ‘Did you know that when you say this, you have combined together [the following]: Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says in His Book: Had I knowledge of the Unseen I would have acquired much good, and evil would not have touched me (7:188), that is, poverty.
Then He, Sublime be His Majesty, said: For she desired him, and he would have taken her, but that he saw the proof of his Lord. So was it that We might turn away from him evil and abomination (12:24). Evil here means adultery.
He, the Mighty and Sublime, said in the story of Musa ^{(عليه السلام)}: Thrust thy hand in thy bosom and it will come forth white without evil (27:12) — that is, without illness. Combine together all this in your cupping and the blood will flow with this aforementioned invocation.’

Chooosing Days for Cupping

Muhammad b. Yahya al- Bursi narrated from Muhammad b Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar al-Ju’fi, who said: Talha b. Zayd asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about cupping on Saturday and Wednesday. He mentioned the hadith narrated by the Sunnis from the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family. He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] rejected it and said: ‘The authentic report on the authority of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, is: “When the blood is inflamed in one of you then perform the cupping; it will not be fatal.”’ Then he said: ‘I do not know any of my Ahl al-Bayt who had any objection to it.’
It is also related from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)}: “Cupping on the first Tuesday of the Greek month of Azar [March] promotes health for a year, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”
It is also related from the Imams, peace be upon them: “Cupping on Tuesday up to the 17th of the lunar month promotes health for a year.”
Al-Sijistani narrated from Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Travel any day you wish and give alms (al-sadaqa).”

The Benefits of Cupping

Muhammad b. al-Husayn narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Isma’il from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} from al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said; “The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be on him, never complained of any pain without taking recourse to cupping.” Abu Tiba said: ‘I cupped the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, and he gave me a dinar. I drank his blood. The Messenger of Allah asked: “Did you drink it?” I replied: “Yes.” He said: “And what made you do that?” I replied: “I am blessed by it.” He said: “You have taken protection from pains and illnesses, poverty and want. By Allah, Hell will never touch you.”’

Al-Zubayr b. Bakkar narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, from Muhammad b. Ishaq from Ammar from al-Fadl al-Rassan, who said: “Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Among the medical treatments of the Prophets are cupping, lime and inhaling medications.”

The Various Times for Cupping

Ahmad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Zurayq said Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} passed by some people performing cupping. He said: “Where was the harm if you had delayed it until Sunday evening, for he would have been cured of the illness.”
The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: “Perform the cupping when there is a disturbance of the blood in you. Sometimes it becomes inflamed in a person and kills him.”
From al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} “The best remedies you treat yourselves with are clysters, inhaling medications, cupping, and steam baths.”

Cupping In Various Parts Of The Body

Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from Abu Muhammad b. Khalld from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Zarara b. A’yan who said: I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} say: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “Cupping in the head is a healing for every illness except the poison.”’
Al-Hadr b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Abu Muhammad al-Bardha’i from Safwan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, would be cupped in three places: one of them in the head, which he called the al-mutaqaddima; one between the shoulders, called al-nafi’a; and one between the hips, called al-mu’ayyana.”

Looking at the Flow Of Blood

‘Abd Allah b. Musa al-Tabari narrated from Ishaq b. Abu al-Hasan from his mother Umm Muhammad, who said: My master ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Whoever looks at the first cupping-glass of his blood will be safe from al-wahiya until his next cupping.” I asked my master: “What is al-wahiya?” He replied: “Pain of the neck (al-‘unq).”
Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Khuzami narrated from al-Husayn b. Yusuf b. ‘Urnar from his brother from ‘Umar b. Shimr from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Whoever is cupped and looks at the first of his blood will be protected from inflammation until his next cupping.”
Abu Zakariyya Yahya b. Adam narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Sabiri from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Shu’ayb al-‘Aqrqufi from Abu Ishaq al-Azdi from Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i from one who said to him that Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} used to bathe himself after the cupping and steam bath. Shu’ayb said: I mentioned this to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “When the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, would be cupped, blood would be stirred up and inflamed, so he would bathe in cold water to abate the heat of the blood. When Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} entered the steam bath, the heat of the blood would rise in him and he would pour cold water on himself to cool it down.”

Cupping At The Base Of The Neck

Al-Harith, the son of al-Harith al-A’war al-Hamdani, narrated from Sa’id b. Muhammad from Abu Basir, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace he upon him, said: “The Prophet, blessings on him, would be cupped in the lateral parts of the neck (al-akhda’an) so Jibra’il ^{(عليه السلام)} brought him [the message] from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, regarding cupping at the base of the neck (al-kahil).”
Dawud b. Sulayman al-Basri al-Jawhari narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abu Nasr from his father from Abu Basir, who said: “I asked al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} about cupping on Wednesday. He disagreed with the people who regard it as an evil omen [and said that] it was a cure from every disease and protection from every calamity.”
Ibrahim b. Sinan narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Darimi from Zarara b. A’yan from Abu ‘Abd Allah Ja’far al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he was cupped and said: “O maid, bring three darnel grasses (sakkarat). After cupping, it will bring out pure blood and will put an end to the heat.”
From Abu al-Hasan al-Askari ^{(عليه السلام)} “After cupping, eat a sweet pomegranate (al-rumman), for it calms the blood and purifies it in the chest (jawf).”

Ishaq b. Yusuf narrated from Muhammad b. al-‘Ays that he said to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)}: “May I be your sacrifice, someone among us is ill and the medical practitioners instruct him to abstain from certain foods.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “We Ahl al-Bayt do not abstain except from dates (al-tamr) and we cure ourselves with apples and cold water.” He [Muhammad] said: “Why do you abstain from dates?” He said: “Because the Prophet, blessings on him, made ‘Ali peace be upon him abstain from eating them when he was ill.”
And he said: “The patient is not harmed by the food from which he abstains.”
Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hasan b. Mahbub from ‘Ali b. Ri’ab from al-Halabi who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} say: “Abstaining from food is not beneficial after seven days.”
Al-Hasan b. Raja’ narrated from Ya’qub b. Yazid from one of his associates from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Abstaining from food is for eleven mornings, then there is no abstaining [from it].”

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Asqalani narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Ali b. Abu Salb, the son of my brother Shihab, [that he said:] I complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} of pains and indigestion [al-tukham]. He said to me: “Eat the morning meal and the evening meal, and do not eat anything in between, for in it is corruption of the body. Did you not hear Allah, the Exalted, say: There they shall have their provision at dawn and evening (19:62)?”

Muhammad b. Bukayr al-Musaffi narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Dawud b. Farqad from one who mentioned it from Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} [that] he said: “I fully guarantee that one who eats food and says Allah, the Exalted’s, Name, will not be harmed by it.” A man from among the people stood up and said: “O Amir al-Mu’minin, I ate food yesterday and pronounced Allah’s name over it, but it harmed me.” He replied: “You ate various kinds [of food] and pronounced Allah’s Name over some and did not do so over others.” The man laughed and said: “You have spoken truly, Amir al-Mu’minin.” He said: ‘That [harm] is only from [the food] over which you did not pronounce Allah’s Name, foolish man.”

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: “Drink lovage, for it is good for pain of the waist.”

Al-Bursi [narrated] from Muhammad b. Yahya from Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Ja’far from Jabir from Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} who said that Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘Whosoever wishes that food not harm him should not eat until he is hungry. When he eats, let him say:

Let him chew his food well and stop eating while he still has an appetite for it and desires it.’

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Zurayq from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} who said that Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Whoever wishes for the eternal life and not for permanence [in this world], let him wear light clothes, eat early, and have less frequent sexual intercourse with women.”

Salih b. Muhammad al-‘Anbari narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from ‘Awn b ‘Abd Allah that Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘Pass your hand over the warts (al-thu’alil) and say:

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Hatim at-Tamimi from ‘Umar b. Abu Khalid from Ishaq b.’Ammar, who complained to Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} of a pain and said to him that a physician had suggested for him a drink and said that it was beneficial for this illness. Al-Sadiq said: ‘And what did the physician suggest for you?’ He said; ‘Take raisins (al-zabib) and pour water over them. Then pour honey over it and cook it until two-thirds of it evaporates and one-third is left.’ He [al-Sadiq] said: ‘Is it sweet?’ He replied: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Drink the sweet when you experience it [the pain] and when you are afflicted with it.’ He did not tell [Ishaq] any more than this.

Al-Muzaffar b. ‘Abd Allah al-Yamani narrated from Muhammad b. Yazid al-Ashhali from Salim b Abu Khaythama from al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘He whose good health overcomes his illness and then drinks medications has helped [his health to work] against itself.’
Ayyub b. Hariz narrated from Abu Hariz b. Abu al-Ward from Zur’a from Muhammad al-Hadrami and from Sama’a b. Mihran, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} said to me concerning a man who had an illness and was instructed to drink urine (al-bawl). ‘He should not drink it.’ I said: ‘He is compelled to drink it.’ He [al-Sadiq] replied: ‘If he is compelled to drink it and finds no medicine for his illness, then let him drink his urine. As for the urine of others, no.’

Hatim b. Isma’il narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from al-Husayn b. ‘Abd Allah al-Arjani from Malik b. Musamma’ al-Musamma’i from Qa’id b. Talha, who said: 1 asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about wine used in medications. He said: “It is not proper for anyone to seek a cure in what is forbidden.”
Ibrahim b. Muhammad narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Isma’il b, Muhammad from Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, forbad that one should be treated with impure (khabitha) medications.”
From ‘Abd al-Hamid b. ‘Umar b. al-Hurr who said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} when he arrived from Iraq. He said: “Go to [my son] Isma’il b Ja’far, for he is ill. See what ails him.” He said: I left al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} and went to him [Isma’il] and asked him about the pain which he suffered. He told me of it and I described for him a medication which contained wine. He told me: “O Isma’il b. Hurr [sic], wine is forbidden and we Ahl al-Bayt do not seek a cure in the forbidden.”

‘Abd Allah b. Ja’far narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Bayya’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Muskan from al-Halabi, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about a medication prepared with wine (al-khamr). It could not be prepared without it and was only a necessity. He said: “No, by Allah, it is not permissible for a Muslim to look at it, so how can he be treated with it? It is merely the same as the fat (shahm) of a pig (al-khinzir) used in such-and-such a medication which is not complete without it. Allah does not heal anyone with a medication of wine and the fat of a pig.”

Ahmad b. al-Fadl al-Damighani narrated from Muhammad from Isma’il b. ‘Abd Allah from Zur’a from Sama’a b. Mihran, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about a person drinking the urine of camels, cattle, and sheep, suggested to him for pain, and if it were permissible to drink it. He replied: “Yes, there is no objection to it.”
Ibrahim b. Riyah narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from al-‘Ala’ b. Abu. Ya’qub, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} about a person drinking the milk (alban) of she-asses (al-utun) as a medication. He replied: “There is no objection to it.”

Marzuq b. Muhammad al-Ta’i narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} about a man being treated by Christians and Jews and taking medications frum them. He [al-Baqir] replied: “There is no objection to that. Healing is only in the Hand of Allah, the Exalted.”
Ibrahim b. Muslim narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Najran from Yunus b. Ya’qub, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon hirn, about a man taking medications which sometimes kill and sometimes cure, those who are cured being more numerous. He replied: “Allah has sent down the illness and the cure. He has not created an illness without making a cure for it. So take it, and take the Name of Allah, the Exalted.”

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ajlah narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Bayya’ from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj, who said: A man asked Abu al-Hasan ^{(عليه السلام)} about theriac (al-tiryaq). He replied: “There is no objection to it.” He said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, it contains the flesh of vipers (al-afa’i).” He [Abu al-Hasan] replied: “It has no power over us.”

Ibrahim b. Muhammad narrated from Zur’a from Sama’a, who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} about a patient who craved apples but was forbidden to eat them. He replied: “Give apples to those among you who have fever, for there is nothing more beneficial.”

Al-Mas’udi narrated from al-Hasan b. Khalid, who said: A woman wrote to Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} complaining of a continuous flow of blood (dawam al-dam). He wrote to her: “Take, Allah willing, one handful of coriander (kuzbara) and one of sumac (summaq), and soak them for a night outdoors. Then boil them in a clay pot and drink a saucer of it. It will stop the blood flow except during the time of menstruation.”

Muhammad b. Musa al-Sudayfi narrated from Ibn Mahbub and Harun b. Abu al-Jahm from Isma’il b. Muslim al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} that the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: ‘Nuh ^{(عليه السلام)} complained to his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, of weakness (al-du’f) of his body, Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him: “Cook meat (al-lahm) with milk and eat it, for I have created strength and blessing in both.”’

Ibrahim b. Hizam al-Hariz narrated from Muhammad b. Abu Nasr from Taghlaba from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Majid al-Qusayr from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘Whosoever is afflicted with weakness in his heart or his body, let him eat mutton (lahm al-da’n) with milk. It will expel from his limbs every illness and danger, and will strengthen his body and harden his gums.

Let him say:

Repeat it ten times before sleep, glorify Allah with the tasbih of Fatima, peace be upon her. And recite the verse of the Throne (2:255) and the Surah al-Ikhlas (112).’

Sa’id b. Mansur narrated from Zakariyya b, Yahya al-Muzni from Ibrahim b. Abu Yahya from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} that Ibrahim said: I complained to him of a common cold (al-zukam). He said: “[It is] one of the workings of Allah and one of the armies of Allah. Allah has sent it to an illness in your body to remove it. When it has been removed, you must take one daniq weight of fennel flower, and half a daniq weight of sneeze wort (kundus). Grind it and inhale it all. It will get rid of the cold. If it possible that you not treat it with something else, then do that, for it [the cold] has many benefits.”

Harun b. Shu’ayb narrated from Dawud b. ‘Abd Allah from Ibrahim b. Abu Yahya from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Abu Zaynab from al-Ju’fi from Jabir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali ^{(عليه السلام)} [that Jabir] said: A man complained to him [Abu Ja’far] of al-kham, cold in the belly, and wind of colic. He [Abu Ja’far] said: ‘As for the colic, write for it the first Surah of the Qur’an (al-Fatiha (1)), the two Surahs of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)), and the Surah al-Ikhlas (112). Write below that:

Write this on a shoulder-blade (al-katif), tablet, or cup, with musk (misk) and saffron. Then wash it out with rainwater and drink it before breakfast (‘ala al-riq) or before bed.’

Al-Hasan b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Muhammad b. Muslim b. Yazid al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Ali b. Abu Taib ^{(عليه السلام)} “Whosoever eats ‘ajwa [a variety of dates from Medina] seven times before sleeping will kill the worms (al-dud) in his belly.”

From him, that he said: “Give him wine vinegar to drink, for it kills the creatures in the belly (dawwab al-butn).”

From Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)}: “Eat ‘ajwa, for the dried date of the ‘ajwa will cause them to die – and eat it on an empty stomach.”

Bishr b. ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Ansari narrated from al-Washsha’ from Muhammad b. Fudayl from Abu Hamza b. al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir, peace he upon him, that a man complained to him of looseness of the bowels (al-zahir). He [al-Baqir] said to him: “Take some Armenian clay (al-tin al-Armani). Turn it over on a low fire, then eat some of it. It will cease.”

From him ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said concerning looseness of the bowels: “Take one part of white clay (khazaf abyad) one part of fleawort (bizr qutuniya) seeds, one part of gum Arabic (samgh ‘arabi), and one part of Armenian clay. Boil over a low fire and eat of it.”

Hariz b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b. Abu Nusayr from Muhammad b. Ishaq from ‘Ammar al-Nawfali from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who attributed it to Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Recitation of the Qur’an, al-siwak [twig of a particular tree used for cleansing of teeth], and storax (al-luban) are purifiers of phlegm.”

From al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: “Whoever enters a steam bath on an empty stomach purifies the phlegm. Whoever enters it after eating, purifies the bile. If you wish to put on weight, enter the bath when you are full: and if you wish to lose weight, enter it on an empty stomach.”

Salim b. Ibrahim narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: ‘A man complained to Musa b. Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} of dampness (al-rutuba). He instructed him to eat barni dates on an empty stomach and not to drink water. He did that and the dampness left him and he became excessively dry (al-yubs). So he complained of that to Musa b. Ja’far, who instructed him to eat barni dates on an empty stomach and to drink water after it. He did that and his balance was restored.’

Muhammad b. al-Sirraj narrated from Faddala b. Isma’il from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq from his father from ‘Ali b. Abu Talib ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: “Three things take away the phlegm, reciting the Qur’an, storax, and honey.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: “Much carding (al-tumushshut) takes away the phlegm, and combing the head (tasrih al-ra’s) cuts the phlegm and takes it away at its root.”

Hamdan b. A’yan al-Razi narrated from Safwan b.Yahya from Jamil b. Darraj from Zarara, who said: I related to Abu Ja’far, peare be upon him, the statement of Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} “I am the divider of the fire (qasim al-nar) for me and for you.” He said: “Yes, Amir al-Mu’minin said that before the people.”
From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Woe be to you, O Zarara, what makes people heedless of the excellence of lump sugar (al-sukkar al-tabarzad) when it is beneficial for seventy illnesses and it devours phlegm completely and uproots it?”

Salih b. Ibrahim al-Misri narrated from Faddala b. Abu Bakr from Abu Ya’fur, from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “When dry sawiq [meal of parched barley] is taken on an empty stomach, it allays the heat and calms the bile; when it is crushed and then drunk, it does not do that.”
From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “How great is the blessing of sawiq. lf a person drinks it when he is full, it is wholesome for him and digests the food. If he drinks it when he is hungry, it fills him. The most excellent provision on a journey and at home is sawiq.”

Ja’far b. Mansur al-Wida’i narrated from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Muhammad b. Fadl from Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Whoever is made to vomit before he vomits, it is better for him than seventy kinds of medications. In this way vomit expels every disease and illness.”

Ibrahim b. Khalid narrated from Abu Ishaq b. Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Rabbihi from ‘Abd al-Wahid b. Maymun from Abu Khalid al-Wasiti from Zayd b. ‘Ali [Zayn al-‘Abidin, the fourth Imam (d.122/740)] who attributed it to his forefathers, peace be upon them, that [one of them] said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: “The wild rue (al-harmal) does not grow a tree, or a leaf, or a fruit, but that it has an angel in charge of it until it reaches the one who comes to it, or until it becomes debris. In its root and branches is a secret, and in its seed is healing from seventy-two illnesses. So treat yourselves with it and with frankincense.”’

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he was asked about wild rue and storax. He said: “As for wild rue, neither its root in the earth nor its branch in the sky is shaken without there being an angel in charge of it until it becomes debris and becomes what it becomes. For Satan avoids seventy houses before the house in which it is, and it is a healing for seventy illnesses, the least of which is leprosy. So do not be heedless of it.”

Al-Qasim b. Ahmad b. Ja’far narrated from al-Qasim b. Muhammad from Abu Ja’far from Muhammad b. Ya’la Abu ‘Amr from Dharih, who said: I said to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)}. “I suffer from rumbling (al-qaraqir) and pain in my belly.” He replied: “What prevents you from [taking] black cumin? It is a cure for every illness except the poison.”

From Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said concerning this black cumin that in it is a cure for every illness except the poison. It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the poison?” He replied: “Death.”’

From Zarara b. A’yan, who said: I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} when asked about the statement of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, about black cumin, say: ‘Yes, the Messenger of Allah said that and made an exception in it, for he said: “except the poison”. But shall I show you what is more effective than it, and about which the Prophet (ﷺ) has not made an exception?’ I said: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Prayer repels destiny (al-qada’) and that has been decided conclusively, and alms extinguish anger,’ and he brought his fingers together.

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-‘Alawi narrated from Faddala from Muhammad b. Abu Basir from his father, who said: Amr al-Afraq complained to al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} of dripping urine (taqtir al-bawl). He [al-Baqir] said: “Take wild rue and wash it six times in cold water and once in hot water. Then dry it in the shade and mix it with pure and clear oil. Eat it on an empty stomach and it will stop the dripping, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Hamid b. ‘Abd Allah al-Madani narrated from Ishaq b. Muhammad, companion of Abu al-Hasan, from ‘Ali b. Sindi from Sa’d b. Sa’d from Musa b. Ja’far, peace he upon him, who said to one of his companions who was complaining of gripes (al-alwa’): ‘Take water and read over it this invocation three times, and do not pour oil over it.

Then recite:

Then drink it and pass your hand over your belly and you will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

Salih b. Ibrahim al-Misri narrated from Ibn Faddala from Muhammad b. al-Jahm from al-Munkhal from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi that a man came to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, help me!” He [al-Baqir] said: “What is it?” He replied: “My wife in on the threshold of death from the severity of labour pains (al-talq).” He said: “Go and read over her:

Then raise your voice with this verse:

She will recover immediately, with Allah the Exalted’s help.”

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Yunus b. Zabyan from Abu Zaynab, who said: While I was with Ja’far b. Muhammad ^{(عليه السلام)} there came to him Sinan b. Sulama looking pale-faced. He [Ja’far b Muhammad] asked him: ‘What is the matter with you?’ He described to him the severe throbbing (al-darban) that he suffered from in his joints (al-mafasil). He [Ja’far b. Muhammad] said to him: ‘Woe be to you, say:

By Allah, he had not risen from his seat when his suffering abated.

Ja’far b. Jabir al-Ta’i narrated from Musa b. Imran b. Yazid al-Sayqal from ‘Umar b. Yazid, who said Jabir b. Hassan al-Sufi wrote to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)}: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, I have been detained by a wind penetrating (rih shabika) me from my head to my feet, so pray to Allah for me.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} prayed for him and wrote to him: ‘Inhale ambergris (al-‘anbar) and mercury (al-zaybaq) on an empty stomach and you will be cured of it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’ He did that and recovered as quickly as a camel loosed from its cord.

Ahmad b. Ibrahim b. Riyah narrated from al-Sabbah b. Muharib, who said: I was with Abu Ja’far b. Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)}. He mentioned that Shabib b. Jabir was struck by the evil wind (al-rih al-khabitha), which had pulled down his face and eyes [to one side]. He [Abu Ja’far] said: “Take five mithqal of cloves (al-qaranful) and put it in a dry bottle. Close the lid tightly and coat it with clay and place it in the sun for one day in the summer or two days in the winter. Then take out the cloves and grind it until fine. Mix it with rainwater until it becomes a thick liquid. Let him lie on his back and coat the ground clove on the side of the face that is pulled down. Let him remain lying down until the clove mixture dries. When it dries, Allah will remove it from him and restore him to his best condition, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

He [al-Sabbah] said: Our companions hastened to him and gave him the good news of that. He treated himself as the Imam ^{(عليه السلام)} had instructed, and was restored to the best condition, with the help of Allah, the Exalted.

‘Abd Allah and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from Muhammad al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan that he said; A man complained to Abu
‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} of vitiligo (al-wadah) and leprosy (al-bahaq). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “Enter the steam hath and mix henna (al-hinna’) with lime and coat your body with it. You will not be cured by anything else after that.” The man said; “By Allah, I did that only once and Allah cured me, and it did not recur after that.”

Salim b. Ibrahim narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} when a man from Khurasan who had performed the Hajj entered. He greeted him and questioned him on some point of religion. Al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} began to explain it to him. Then the man said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, since I left my house I have been suffering from a pain in the head.” He [al-Sadiq] said to him: “Go at once, enter the steam bath and do not do anything until you pour over your head seven handfuls of hot water. Say Allah’s Name each time, and you will not suffer [from it] after that, Allah, the Exalted, wiling.”

He said: “Take the quantity of one ratl of Cassia fistula (khiyar shanbar) and clean it. Pound it and steep it in a ratl of water for a day and a night. Then strain it and throw away the residue.
Mix with the clear liquid one ratl of honey, two ratl of the juice (afshuraj) of quince (al-safarjal) and forty mithqal of the oil of roses (duhn al-ward). Cook on a low fire until it thickens. Then take the pan off the fire and leave it until cool. When it cools, add three mithqal each of Cassia tona (al-qilqil), long pepper (dar filfil), cinnamon (qirfa al-qaranfal), cardamom (qaqula), ginger (zanjabil), Chinese cinnamon (dar sini) and nutmeg (juzbawwa), all ground and sieved. Mix these well and put the mixture in a green earthenware jar. Drink two mithqal of it on an empty stomach at one time. It will warm the abdomen, digest the food and expel the wind from all the joints, if Allah, the Exalted, wills.”

Al-Khidr b Muhammad narrated from al-Kharrazi that he said: I called on one of them [the Imams ^{(عليه السلام)}]. I greeted him and asked him to pray for my brother, who was suffering from stones (al-hasah) and could not sleep. He said to me: “Return and take some black myrobalan (al-ihlilaj al-aswad), beleric myrobalan (al-balilaj), and emblic myrobalan (al-amlaj). Take equal parts of blue bdellium (al-kur), pepper (al-filfil), long pepper, Chinese cinnamon, ginger, secacul (shaqaqul), sweet flag (wajj), anise (anisun), and galangal (khulanjan). Grind and sieve them and mix with the clarified butter from a cow (samn baqr). Then mix all of that with twice its weight of honey which has had its froth (al-rughwa) removed. Drink of it the equivalent of a hazelnut or a gallnut (afsa’).”

Hammad b. Mihran al-Balkhi said: We frequently visited Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} in Khurasan. One day a youth among us complained of jaundice (al-yaraqan). He [Al-Ridha’] said: “Take cucumber (khiyar) and peel it. Cook the peel in water and drink one ratl of it every day for three days, on an empty stomach.” The youth informed us later that he treated a friend of his twice with the remedy and he recovered, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.

Hatim b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sai’gh from Hammad b. Zayd al-Shahham from Abu Usama, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘Do the following for every pain and burning in the head.
Draw a square and write in it:
Burn this drawing in the fire, then say:

Write the adhan and the iqama on a piece of paper and tie it to the person. The burning and the pain will subside immediately, Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, willing.’

Take rue (al-sadhab) and cook it with olive oil (al-zayt). Put a few drops into the ear and it [the pain] will subside, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.
‘Abd Allah b. al-Ajlah narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Mutatabbib that he said: One of the followers complained to one of them [the Imams ^{(عليه السلام)}] of a pain in the ear and of blood and pus (al-qaih) coming out of his ear. He [the Imam] said to him: “Take matured cheese (jibn ‘atiq) as mature as possible, and grind it finely. Then mix it with the milk of a woman and warm it on a low fire. Put a few drops of it into the ear from which the blond flows. It will be healed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Mukhtar from Isma’il b. Jabir, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} of excessive thirst (al-‘atash) and of dryness of the mouth and saliva (al-riq). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] instructed him to take two mithqal each of scammony (soghmuniya), cardamom, Indian nard (sunbula), secacul, the branches and seed of balm (al-balasan), Cassia spuria (narmishk) cinnamon (silikha) with its bark removed, Byzantine mastic, pyrethrum, and Chinese cinnamon. Grind and sieve them all except the scammony which is ground separately and not sieved. Then mix them together. Take eighty-five mithqal of Sajzi fanidh [sweet made of sugar candy and starch], and melt it in two pans on a low fire. Pour it over the rest of the ingredients, then mix it all with honey which has had its froth removed. Put it in a bottle or green earthenware jar. Whenever required, take two mithqal of it with whatever drink you wish, before breakfast or before bed.

‘Abd Allah b. Musa al-Tabari narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar, who said: One of our brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} of his wife who was afflicted with the evil eye (al-nazar wa al-‘ayn), ailments of the belly and navel, pain in the head, and migraine. The man said: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, she is still sleepless, and cries out all night. I am in distress from her crying and shrieking, so favour us and her with an invocation.’ Al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} said: ‘When you have performed the obligatory prayer, stretch out your hands together to the heavens and say humbly and submissively:

Then pass your right hand over your head (al-hama) and say:

Muhammad b. Isma’il narrated from Muhammad b. Khalid from Ya’qub al-Zayyat from Mu’awiya from ‘Ammar al-Duhni, who said: I complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} of that [headache] and he said: ‘When you complete your obligatory prayer, place your right index finger on your eyes and say seven times while passing your finger over your right eyebrow (al-hajib):

Then pass it seven times over your left eyebrow and say:

Then place your right palm (al-raha) on your head and say:

Then rise for the supererogatory prayer.’

Mohammad b. Isma’il narrated from Muhammad b. Khalid Abu ‘Abd Allah from Sa’dan b. Muslim from Sa’d al-Mawla, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} dictated to us the invocation called ‘the comprehensive’. [It is]:

‘Abd Allah and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Ahmad b. Ribah al-Mutabbib, who cited these medications and said that they were shown to the Imam ^{(عليه السلام)} and he approved of them. He [Ahmad] said: ‘They will be beneficial, if Allah, the Exalted, wills, for black and for yellow bile, for phlegm, pain in the belly, vomiting. fever, pleurisy (al-birsam), chapping of hands and feet, suppression of urine (al-usr), looseness of the bowels, pain in the belly and in the liver, and heat in the head. It is necessary to abstain from dried dates, fish, vinegar (khall) and legumes (al-baql), and the person who drinks it should eat zirabaja [a dish of sugar, almonds, and vinegar] with sesame oil. He should drink it for three days, two mithqal a day. I would give him one mithqal to drink but the Imam ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “Two mithqal”, and said that the Prophets had apportioned it for our Prophet, blessings be on him and his family.’
‘Take one ratl of cleansed Cassia fistula and steep it in a ratl of water for a day and a night. Then strain it, taking the clear liquid and throwing away the residue. Add to the clear liquid one ratl of honey, one ratl of the juice of quince, and forty mithqal of the oil of roses. Cook it on a low fire until it thickens. Then remove it from the fire and leave to cool. When cooled, add three mithqal each of pepper, long pepper, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger, Chinese cinnamon, and nutmeg, all ground and sieved. Mix it well and put in a green earthenware jar or in a bottle. Drink two mithqal of it on an empty stomach and it will be beneficial, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing. It is beneficial for what has been mentioned, and for jaundice and severe, continuous fever from which there is a fear of the person getting pleurisy, and for a high temperature.’

He said: “Take cucumber and peel it. Cook its peel in water with the roots of endive (al-hindiba’). Then strain it and pour lump sugar over it. Drink one ratl of it every day before breakfast for three days. It is good, tried, and beneficial, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

He said: “Take four mithqal of pepper, and a similar quantity of ginger, long pepper, rice (birinj), mace (basbasa), and Chinese cinnamon, each of them the same quantity, that is, four mithqal. Take forty-five mithqal of good, pure, fresh butter (al-zibd), and forty-six mithqal of white sugar. Grind them all and sieve them in a cloth or fine sieve. Add twice its total weight of honey which has had its foam removed. Whoever drinks it for the waist, let him take the weight of three mithqal; whoever drinks it as a laxative (al-mashw), let him take the weight of seven mithqal or eight with tepid water. It will remove every illness, Allah, the Exalted, willing, and with this medication there is no need for any other. It compensates and is a substitute for all medication. When it is taken as a laxative and the bowels have stopped moving, then let it be taken with honey, for it is good and tried.”

He said: “Take the nail parings (qulama zufur) of one who has sciatica and tie them on to the place of the vessel, for it is beneficial, Allah, the Exalted, willing. If it overcomes the person and his throbbing increases in severity, take two pillows and tie them on to the thigh which is affected by sciatica from the hip (al-wark) to the foot (al-qadam) as tightly as possible until he almost faints. Do that while he is standing, then press on the arch of the foot (batin hadr al-qadam) which is painful and squeeze it hard. It will bring out black blood. Then apply salt (milh) and olive oil and it will be cured, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

Take seventy-two mithqal of dry ginger, forty of long pepper, and four each of heelweed (shina), cinnamon leaves (sadhaj), pepper, black myrobalan, preserved cardamom (qaqula murabban), walnut, bishop’s weed, sweet-pomegranate (al-rumman al-hulw) seeds, fennel flower and Kirmani cumin (kammun). Grind and sieve them all. Then take six hundred mithqal of good fanidh and put it into a clay vessel and pour some water over it. Light a low fire under it so the fanidh melts. Then put it in a clean container and add to it the ground ingredients. Mix them well, then put it away in a bottle or green jar. Drink of it the equivalent of a walnut and it will not disagree [with you], Allah, the Exalted, willing.

Take equal parts ol black myrobalan, beleric myrobalan, emblic myrobalan, blue bdellium, pepper, long pepper, Chinese cinnamon, ginger, seeacul, wash, asarawan, and galanga. Grind and sieve them and add the clarified butter from a cow. Mix all that with twice its weight of honey which has had its froth removed, or with good quality fanidh. Drink the equivalent of a hazelnut or gallnut.

He said: “This is a marvellous [remedy]. It warms the kidneys (al-kulyatan) increases intercourse (al-jima’) for the person who takes it, and removes al-barun [sic] from all the joints. It is beneficial for pains of the waist and the belly, for wind (al-riyah) in the belly and in the joints, for one who experiences difficulty in passing urine, for one not able to control his urine, for heart palpitations (darban al-fu’ad), difficulty in breathing, flatulence (al-nifkha), indigestion, and worms in the belly. It clears the heart, arouses an appetite for food, allays pain in the breast, yellowness of the eyes (sufra al-‘ayn) and yellowness of the colour, jaundice, and excessive thirst. It is for one who complains of his eyes, for pain in the head, deficiency in the brain (al-dimagh) degenerative fever, and for every illness, old and new. It is good, has been tried, and will never disagree. Drink two mithqal of it — it was one mithqal among us, but the Imam ^{(عليه السلام)} changed it.
“Take six mithqal each of black myrobalan, yellow myrobalan and scammony; four mithqal each of pepper, long pepper, dry ginger, bishop’s weed, red-poppy seeds (khishkhash ahmar), and Indian salt (milh hindi), two mithqal each of Cassia spuria, cardamom, Indian nard, secacul, balm branches, balm seeds, cinnamon (silikha) with its bark removed, Byzantine mastic, pyrethrum, and Chinese cinnamon. Grind all these ingredients and mix after having sieved them all, except the scammony, which is ground separately and not sieved. Mix them all together and take eighty-five mithqal of good quality Sajzi fanidh, and melt it in two pans on a low fire Add the other ingredients to it and mix all that with honey which has had its froth removed. Put it away in a bottle or green earthenware jar. Whenever required, take two mithqal of it before breakfast, and before sleeping, with whatever drink you wish. It is marvellous for all that we have described, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Take ten mithqal each of dry storax and the roots of sweet asa (al-anjudan) and two mithqal of dodder (al-afitimun). Grind each of them separately and sieve them in a piece of silk or a fine cloth, all except the dodder, which does not need to be sieved but only ground finely. Mix them all with honey which has had its froth removed, and drink two mithqal of it with tepid water when you go to bed.
Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, of the family of al-Mu’alla b. Khunays, narrated from Ya’qub b. Abu Ya’qub al-Zayyat from Muhammad b. Ibrahim from al-Husayn b. Mukhtar from al-Mu’alla b. Abu ‘Abd Allah from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [al-Mu’alla] said: We were with him on a journey, and Isma’il b. al-Sadiq was with him. He complained to him [al-Sadiq] of pain in his belly and his back. He [al-Sadiq] dismounted and made him lie down and said:

Al-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from al-‘Abbas b. Muhammad from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz al-Sijistani, who said: We were with Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} when a man came to him and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, my brother has been suffering from the agony of death (al-naz’) for three days and it has increased in severity, so pray to Allah.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “O Allah, ease for him the agonies of death.” Then he told the man: “Move his mattress to the place in which he prayed, and his suffering will be eased for him, if there is a delay in his appointed time of death. If his time has come, then it will be made easy for him. Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Zahiri al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar and Fadl Allah from Muhammad b. Abu Zaynab, who said: Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “When you are present before a dying person, instruct him on this matter, that is [recitation of] the declaration of unity (kalima al-tawhid) of Allah. It strikes terror into their hearts. If he has adhered to the truth, he will be saved.”
Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Massisi narrated from al-Qaddah from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: When ‘Ali b. Abu Talib was with any member of his family at their death, he would say to him: ‘Say:

When the patient had said that, he [‘Ali] would say: “Go, there is no fear for you.”

Ahmad b. Yusuf narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from Abu al-Ash’ath al-Khuza’i from Jabir from Abu Ja’far from his grandfather ^{(عليه السلام)} that the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, was with a man who was in the agony of death and said: ‘Say:

Muhammad b. al-Ash’ath, one of the offspring of al-Ash’ath b. Qays al-Kindi, narrated from ‘Ali b. al-Hakam from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr from Zarara b A’yan, who said: A son of Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} was ill during the lifetime of Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)}. Ja’far was sitting in a corner of the room and the boy was in the agony of death. Whenever anyone came close to him [the boy], he said: “Do not touch him, for his weakness will increase. A patient is at his weakest when he is in this condition, so whoever touches him makes him weaker.” When the boy died, he gave instructions about bim and the boy’s eyes were closed. Then he said to us: “Sadness and distress and grief are only as long as Allah’s command has not been revealed. When Allah’s command is revealed, then there is nothing but submission and acceptance.”
Then he called for oil and anointed himself and applied al-kuhl around his eyes. He called for food, and he and those with him ate together. Then he said: “This is the sweet patience (12:18) in which we were promised excellence. Allah, the Exalted, has said: Upon those rest blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those— they are the truly guided (2:157). Then he gave orders concerning him (the boy] and he was bathed. He [al-Sadiq] dressed in his finest clothes and went out to pray over him.”

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said; ‘There is not one who is about to die but that Satan assigns to him one of his demons to call him to disbelief and make him doubt his charge and his religion until his soul departs. He [the demon] will not have any power over whoever is an enlightened believer, declaring the unity of Allah. He will make whoever is weak in his religion doubt his condition and his religion. So, when you are present with those about to die instruct them to recite the declaration of sincerity, and it is:

He said: Al-Mu’alla narrated from Ahmad b. ‘Isa from Ibrahim b Muhammad from Ahmad b. Yusof from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘When a believer who is a stranger is about to die, he turns to the right and the left and, seeing no one, raises his head to the heavens. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says, “My servant and my friend, to whom do you turn? Do you seek a friend or a relative closer to you than Me? By My Power and My Majesty, if I loosen your bond, I will surely cause you to worship Me, and if I hold you to Me, I will surely bring you to my Magnanimity and into the proximity of your friends and loved ones.”’

Ahmad b. Ishaq narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Najran from Abu Muhammad al-Thumali from Ishaq al-Jariri, who said: ‘Al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “O Jariri, I see you have become pale. Do you have haemorrhoids?” I replied: “Yes, O son of the Messenger of Allah, and I ask Allah, the Mighty and Sublime not to deny me the reward.” He said: “Shall I suggest a medication for you?” I replied: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I have treated it with more than a thousand remedies, but have not benefited from any and my hemorrhoids are bleeding.” He said; “Woe be to you, Jariri. I am the physician of physicians, the leader of the scholars and the sages, the treasure-house of the religious scholars, and the chief of the progeny of the Prophets on the earth.” I said: “It is so, my lord and master.”
He said: “Your haemorrhoids are female (inath), they pour out blood.” I said: “You are right, O son of the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “You must take beeswax (sham’), the oil of jasmine (duhn zanbaq), storax (lubna ‘asal), sumac, sar and flax. Put them together on a ladle over the fire. When they are mixed together, take a quantity equal to a chick-pea and smear it on your buttocks (al-maq’ad). You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing”.’
Al-Jariri said: ‘By Allah, there is no god but Him, I did that only once and I was cured of what was in me I did not experience any bleeding or pain after that.’

Al-Jariri said: ‘I waylaid him [al-Baqir] the next time and he said to me: “O Abu Ishaq, you have been cured, praise be to Allah.” I replied: “May I be your sacrifice [blank in the original].” Then he said: “As for Shu’ayb b. Ishaq, his hemorrhoids are not as they were with you. They are masculine (dhukran).” Then he said: “Tell him to take abradhar and divide it into three parts. Let him dig a hole, then pierce a baked brick, and make a hole in it. Then put that abradhar on the fire, place the brick over it, and sit on it. Let the hole on the brick be opposite the buttocks. When the fumes rise from it, its heat will reach him. Let him prolong [his sitting] as long as possible, perhaps five to seven nathalil [sic]. If it is successful let him remove it and throw it away. If not, let him put the second third of abradhar on it and it will remove it completely.
Then let him apply the ointment (al-marham) of beeswax, oil of jasmine, storax, sar, and flax.” He said; This is for the masculine hemorrhoids, so let him prepare it as I have prescribed and coat the buttocks with it with only a single coating”. I returned and prescribed that to him [Shu’ayb]. He did it and was cured, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.
‘When I performed the Hajj next time, he [al-Baqir] said to me: “O Abu Ishaq, tell rne the news of Shu’ayb.” I said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Him Who chose you over mankind and made you a proof (hujja) on earth, he only applied one coating of it.”’

Ibn Jariri narrated from Muhammad b. Isma’il from al-Walid b. Aban from al-Nu’man b. Ya’la from Jabir al-Ju’fi, who said: I complained to Abu Ja’far ^{(عليه السلام)} of excessive dirt (wasakh kathir) making my garment filthy. He said: “Grind myrtle and extract its water. Whisk it vigorously with the best wine vinegar available until it becomes foamy. Then wash your head and beard with it as vigorously as possible; after that, oil it with fresh sesame oil. It will remove it [the dirt], Allah, the Exalted, willing”.

Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from his father from Muhammad b. Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’ fi from Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn ^{(عليه السلام)} from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “Truffles (al-kama’) are from manna (al-mann) and manna is from Paradise. Its water is a healing for the eyes. The ‘ajwa dates are from Paradise arid in them is a healing from poison (al-samm).”

Jabir b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Ibn al-Mufaddal from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Yazid from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: A Bedouin called Fulayt came to the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, and he had watery eyes (ratb al-‘ayn). The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said to him: “I see your eyes are watery, O Fulayt.” He replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, as you see they are weak.” He [the Prophet] said: “You must use antimony (al-ithmid) for it is manure (al-sirjin) for the eyes.”
Mansur b. Muhammad narrated from his father from Abu Salih al-Ahwal from ‘Ali b. Musa Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Whoever is afflicted with weakness in his sight should apply seven strokes of antimony before sleeping.”

From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he [the narrator] said: A man complained about his eyes. He [al-Sadiq] said: “What about the three ingredients?” The man said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, what are the three ingredients, may my father and mother be your sacrifice?” He replied: “Aloe (al-sabir), myrrh (al-murr), and camphor (al-kafur).”
Muhammad b. al-Muthanna narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from ‘Amr b. Abu al-Miqdam from Jabir from al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: ‘When the Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, or one of his family, or one of his companions suffered from inflammation of the eyes, he prayed this prayer: “O Allah, grant me my hearing and my sight and make them my heirs, and help me against the one who oppresses me, and give me my revenge of him.”’
From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: “[Applying] kohl (al-kuhl) at night makes the mouth fragrant.”
From Jabir b. Khaddash from ‘Abd Allah b. Maymun al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abd Allah from his father ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “The Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, had a container of kohl, and he would apply three strokes of kohl from it on each eye every night before sleeping.”

Ahmad b. al-Jarud al-‘Abdi narrated from the son of al-Hakam b. al-Mundhir from ‘Uthman b. ‘Isa from Maysar al-Halabi from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Fish liquifies the fat of the eye.”
From him ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘Al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} said: “This fish damages the covering of the eye (ghiswa al-‘ayn). Fresh flesh produces flesh.”
Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. Musa from al-Mutallib b. Ziyad al-Radi’i from al-Halabi from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Al-haff [sic] is beneficial for the sight.”

Ahmad b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Muhammad b. Abu al-Hasan from Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Whoever clips his nails every Thursday will never have inflammation of the eyes. Whoever clips them on Friday removes from under each nail an illness.” He said: “Kohl increases the light of the eyes and causes eyelashes (al-ashfar) to grow.’
From him, that he would clip his nails every Thursday beginning with the right little finger (al-khinsir), then beginning with the left. He said: “Whoever does that has taken protection from inflammation of the eyes.”

Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Za’farani narrated from ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-Aziz from ‘Isa b. Sulayman, who said: I went to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} one day and saw him with his eyes somewhat inflamed and I was grieved for him. I visited him the next day and he no longer had any inflammation. I asked him about that and he said: ‘I treated it with something. It is an invocation I have, in which I took refuge.’ He [‘Isa] said: He informed me of it and this is the copy of it:

Ahmad b. Bashir narrated from Ja’far b. Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Jammal attributing the hadith to Amir al-Mu’minin ^{(عليه السلام)} that he said: ‘Salman and Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with them, complained of an ailment of the eyes. The Prophet, blessings of Allah on him and his family, came to visit them. When he saw them, he said to each one: “Do not sleep on your left side as long as your eyes are suffering, and avoid dates until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, cures you.”’

Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Ibrahim narrated from Ahmad b. Bashara that he said: When I went to perform the Hajj, I went to Medina. I entered the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, and there was Abu Ibrahim sitting by the side of the minbar. I approached him and kissed his head and hands and greeted him. He returned my greeting and said: “How is your illness?” I replied: “I am still suffering from it.” I had consumption. He said: “Take this medication in Medina before you leave for Mecca and you will be restored to health, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”
I brought out an ink-well and paper and he dictated to us: “Take equal parts of Indian nard, cardamom, saffron, pyrethrum, henbane (al-banj), white hellebore (kharbaq abyad), and two parts of abarfiyun. Grind and sieve them in a piece of silk, and mix with honey which has had its froth removed. Give the person afflicted with consumption the equivalent of a chick-pea with warm water to take before sleeping. You will not drink that for three nights without being cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.” I did that and Allah removed it from me and I was cured by the will of Allah, the Exalted.

Ahmad b. Salih narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Salam, who said: I visited Al-Ridha’ ^{(عليه السلام)} with a group of people from Khurasan. We greeted him and he responded. He asked each of us our request and fulfilled it. Then he looked at me and said: “And you, make your request.” I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, I complain to you of a severe coughing.” He asked: “Is it recent (hadith) or chronic (‘atiq)?” I replied: “Both.” He said: “Take one part of white pepper (al-filfil al-abyad), two parts of abarfiyun, and one part each of white hellebore, Indian nard, cardamom, saffron, and henbane. Sieve with a piece of silk and mix with an equal weight of honey which has had its froth removed. Take one grain (habba) with fennel water before sleeping, for chronic and recent coughs. Let the water be tepid and not cold. It will remove it [the cough] completely.”

Ahmad b. Talib al-Hamdani narrated from ‘Urnar b. Ishaq from Muhammad b. Salih b. ‘Abd Allah b. Ziyad from al-Dahhak from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: “There is nothing better for the body than al-raziqi.” I asked: “And what is al-raziqi?” He replied: “Jasmine (al-zanbaq).”
Al-Hasan b. al-Fadl narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “Jasmine (al-raziqi) is the most excellent thing with which you oil your body.”

From al-Musayyib b. Wadih, who served al-‘Askari ^{(عليه السلام)} from his father from his grandfather from Ja’far b. Muhammad from his father from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abu Talib ^{(عليه السلام)} who said: “If people knew what was in yellow myrobalan (al-halilaj al-asfar), they would buy it by its weight in gold.” He said to one of his companions: “Take one grain of yellow myrobalan and seven grains of pepper. Grind and sieve them and use as kuhl around the eyes.”

Abu ‘Atab and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from ‘Umar b. Thuwayh from his father from al-Sadiq ^{(عليه السلام)} that a man complained to him [al-Sadiq] of whiteness in the eyes (bayad al-‘ayn), pain in his teeth, and wind in his joints. He instructed him to take the weight of two dirhams each of white pepper and long pepper and the weight of one dirham of good, pure salammoniac (nushadir). Grind and sieve them, and apply three strokes around the edges of each eye. Keep it on for an hour. It will put an end to the whiteness, purify the white of the eye, and ease the pain, Allah, the Exalted, willing. Then wash the eyes with cold water and apply antimony.
Ahmad h. Habib narrated from al -Nadr b. Suwayd from Jamil b. Salih from Dharih, who said: A man complained to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir ^{(عليه السلام)} of whiteness in the eyes. He [al-Baqir] said: “Take one part each of impure oxide of zinc, (tutiya hindi), scoria of gold (iqlimiya al-dhahab), good quality antimony, yellow myrobalan, and andarani salt [salt evaporated from sea water]. Grind each one separately with rainwater. Then grind them together and apply around the eyes. It will put an end to the whiteness, clear the white of the eye, and purify it of every illness, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”
Al-Hasan b. Aruma narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. al-Mughira from Buzigh al-Mu’adhdhin, who said: I said to Abu ‘Abd Allah ^{(عليه السلام)} “I wish to remove my cataract.” He said: “Ask Allah and do it.” I said: “They claim that the person should sleep on his back in such-and-such a way, and should not pray sitting down.” He said: “Do that.”