Healing Through Prophetic Medicine in Islam
لــحــم / Lahm / Meat
Allah Said:
قال الله تعالى: وَأَمْدَدْنَاهُم بِفَاكِهَةٍ وَلَحْمٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ [الطور: 22]
وقال: وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ [الواقعة: 21]
"And We shall provide them with fruit and meat such as they desire.” (52:22)
"And with the flesh of fowls that they desire.” (56:21)
In the Sahih, it is narrated that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said:
وفى "الصحيح" عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم:"فضلُ عائشةَ على النِّساءِ كفضلِ الثَّريدِ على سائِرِ الطَّعَامِ". و"الثريد": الخبز واللَّحم. وقال الزُّهْرى: أكل اللَّحْم يَزيدُ سبعين قوَّة، وقال محمد بن واسع: اللَّحْم يزيد فى البصر، ويُروى عن على بن أبى طالب رضى الله عنه: "كُلُوا اللَّحْمَ، فإنه يُصَفِّى اللَّوْنَ، ويُخْمِصُ البَطْنَ، ويُحَسِّنُ الخُلُقَ"، وقال نافع: كان ابن عمر إذا كان رمضانُ لم يَفُتْه اللَّحْم، وإذا سافر لم يفته اللَّحْمَ. ويُذكر عن علىٍّ: مَن تركه أربعين ليلة ساء خُلُقه
"The virtue of Aishah compared to rest of the women is like the virtue of Thareed as compared to the rest of the foods". (Thareed means a soup made with bread and meat).
Az-Zuhri said, "Eating meat brings about strength in seventy different ways". In addition, Muhammad bin Wasi’ said, "Eating meat strengthens the sight". Ali Radi Allaho Anh was reported to have said, "Eat meat, because it makes the skin's color lighter, the stomach firmer and the behavior better". Ibn Umar Radi Allaho Anh used to eat meat frequently when Ramadan started and when traveling". Finally, Ali Radi Allaho Anh was reported to have said, "Whoever refrains from eating meat for forty days will acquire bad behavior".
There are different types of meat, & we shall describe them briefly and elaborate on their benefit or harm.
Sheep Meat (Mutton)
Mutton is warm in the second degree and wet in the first degree. The best type of mutton comes from the one-year old animal, which creates good blood for the human's body (if digested properly). This type of meat is suitable for those who have hot or cold temperaments and for those who practice sports activity in cold areas and cold weather. It is beneficial for those who suffer from black bile, and it strengthens the mind and memory. However, the mutton of old, thin animals is not good, as is the ewe's meat.
The best type of mutton is the dark meat of the male animal, for it is lighter, tastier and more beneficial. The mutton of castrated sheep is even better and more beneficial. The red meat of fat sheep is lighter and more nutritious, while the chest of the goat is less nutritious and floats in the stomach.
The best parts of mutton meat are the meat that covers the bones, the right side, which is lighter and tastier than the left side, and the front parts rather than the back parts. The best part of sheep's meat liked by Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam was the front part, which is closer to the head, but not the head itself. The front part is lighter and tastier. Once, Al-Farazdaq gave a man some money to buy meat for him, saying, "Buy the front parts and avoid the head and the intestines, because that is where disease resides".
The meat on the neck is tasty and easy to digest. The meat that covers the arm is the lightest meat, the tastiest, the healthiest and the easiest to digest. In the Sahihain, it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) used to like eating the meat of sheep's arm. Furthermore, meat on the back of the sheep is nutritious and produces sanitary blood.
Goat Meat
It is cold and dry, and the mixtures that goat meat produces are harmful. Goat meat is not digested easily and is not significant nutrition-wise. The meat of billy goats is not beneficial, because it is rather dry, heavy on the stomach and produces black bile.
Al-Jahiz once said, "A skilled doctor once said to me, O Abu Uthman! Avoid goat meat because it causes depression, causes black bile, forgetfulness, and spoils the blood. By Allah, it drives children wild.”
Some doctors say that goat's meat that is not preferred is the meat of old goats, especially for old people. They say that goat meat is not bad for whoever is used to eating it.
When the doctors state that goat meat is not beneficial, they specifically mean those who have weak stomachs and those who are not used to eating it, such as the people who live in luxury in cities and who are used to softer types of foods. But this is not the majority.
The meat of young, but not very young goats is milder, especially when the goat is still nursing. This type of goat meat is digested faster, because it still possesses the strength of its mother’s milk. The meat of young goats is milder for most people and lighter than camel's meat. In addition, young goat's meat produces moderate blood.
Cow Meat
Cow Meat is cold and dry, heavy on the stomach and produces black, bilious blood that is only suitable for hard workers. Eating cow meat excessively (for those who are not used to it) can cause Vitiligo (a skin condition of unknown cause, characterized by patchy loss of pigment), mange, herpes, leprosy, elephantiasis, cancer, obsession, Quartran fever and various tumors. The harm that this meat causes will be neutralized when one eats it with spices, garlic, ginger and cinnamon. Meat of a male cow is colder than female cow's meat, which is less dry.
Meat of fat calves is one of the best, mildest and tastiest types of food. It is warm and wet, and if fully digested, it provides good nutrition.
Camel Meat
The difference between the Shiite and the Sunnis and between the Jews and Muslims is that the Muslims eat camel's meat. In addition, the Shiites and Jews neither praise nor eat camel meat. It is well established in the religion that Muslims are allowed to eat camel meat and that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and his Companions used to eat it while traveling and otherwise.
Young camel meat is one of the tastiest and most nutritious types of foods, and those who are used to eating it find it as light and beneficial as sheep meat. Some doctors did not like eating camel meat for residents of the cities because they are not used to it. Camel meat is hot and dry, difficult to digest and begets black bile.
Rabbit Meat
Rabbit meat was mentioned in the Sahihain, as Anas Radi Allaho Anh said,
ثبت فى "الصحيحين": عن أنس بن مالك، قال:"أنْفَجْنَا أرنبا فَسَعَوْا فى طلبها، فأخذوها، فبعث أبو طلحة بِوَرِكِهَا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَبِلَهُ"
"We hunted a rabbit after pursuing it for a while. Afterwards, Abu Talhah Radi Allaho Anh sent its hip to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) who accepted it".
Rabbit meat is mildly hot and dry, and the best.
Dried (Jerked) Meat
It the Sunan, it is narrated that Thawban Radi Allaho Anh said,
فى "السنن": من حديث ثوبان رضى الله عنه قال: ذبحتُ لرسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم شاةً ونحن مسافرون، فقال: "أصْلِحْ لَحْمَها" فلم أزل أُطِعمُه منه إلى المدينة
"I slaughtered a sheep for the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) while we were traveling, and he said to me : "Dry its meat". I kept feeding the beloved Prophet from its meat until we reached Al-Madinah".
Dried meat is better than old meat and strengthens the body, although it causes skin rashes sometimes, a side effect that could be neutralized with cold, humid spices. Jerked meat is favorable for hot conditions. Old meat is hot and dry, favorable for hot conditions and the best type of this meat is that which is fat and wet. Finally, old meat constipates unless cooked in milk and grease.
Fowl meat
Allah Said: "And with the flesh of fowls that they desire". (56:2 1)
Some types of fowl meats are allowed and some are prohibited. The prohibited types include the birds that have claws, such as the falcon, hawk and peregrine, and those that eat carrion, such as the eagle, vulture, stork, and magpie, spotted and black crows. In addition, this list includes the birds that we are not allowed to kill, such as the hoopoe and the shrike, and some of the birds that we are allowed to kill, such as kite and crow.
There are many types of fowl that are allowed, such as the chicken meat. In the Sahihain, it is narrated by Abu Musa that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam ate chicken meat.
Chicken Meat
Chicken meat is hot and dry in the first degree and it is easy on the stomach and digests quickly. Chicken meat strengthens the mind and increases the production of semen. It also makes the voice softer, the mind stronger and produces healthy blood. It was said that eating chicken meat on a regular basis causes gout, but this is not confirmed by fact.
Cock’s meat, on the other hand, is hotter and less wet. The meat of old cocks helps against constipation, asthma and thick flatulence when cooked with safflower, canella and Dill seeds (Shibit). The castrated cock meat is nutritious and easy to digest. Pullet meat is easy to digest and mild on the stomach and produces mild blood.
Bird and Lark Meat
Nasa'i narrated in his Sunnan that Abdullah bin Umar Radi Allaho Anh reported that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said:
روى النسائِى فى "سننه": من حديث عبد الله بن عمرو رضى الله عنه، أنَّ النبىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "ما من إنسانٍ يَقْتُل عُصفوراً فما فوقَهُ بغير حَقِّهِ إلاَّ سألَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وجَلَّ عنها". قيل: يا رسول الله؛ وما حقُّه ؟ قال: "تَذْبحُه فتأكُلُهُ، ولا تَقْطَعُ رأسهُ وتَرْمى به".
"No person kills a bird and a larger animal without justification, but will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection. He was asked, O Messenger of Allah! When is it justified? He said, ‘You slaughter it and eat it, but do not cut its head and discard its body (i.e. for sport only).
In addition, Nasaa'i narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said:
وفى "سننه" أيضاً: عن عمرو بن الشَّريد، عن أبيه قال: سمعتُ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "مَنْ قَتَلَ عُصْفُوراً عَبَثاً، عَجَّ إلى الله يقولُ: يا ربِّ؛ إنَّ فُلاناً قَتَلَنِى عَبَثاً، ولم يَقْتُلْنى لِمَنْفَعَةٍ".
"Whoever kills a bird for fun, the bird will complain to Allah, O my Lord, Such and such person killed me for fun, not for a useful purpose".
Bird meat is hot and dry, constipates and stimulates semen production. Bird meat soup constipates and helps the joints. If one eats bird's brain with ginger and onion, it excites the sexual desire.
Pigeon Meat
Pigeon meat is hot and wet, although the meat of wild pigeons is less wet. The meat of pigeon chicks is more humid, especially the chicks of domesticated pigeons. Young pigeons are less meaty but a better food. The meat of male pigeons is a good cure for numbness, narcosis, Apoplexy, Epilepsy, convulsive shaking or trembles. Pigeon meat is favorable for the sexual drive and the kidneys and produces more blood.
Locust Meat
In the Sahihain, it is narrated that Abdullah bin Abi Awfa Radi Allaho Anh said,
الجراد: فى "الصحيحين": عن عبد الله بن أبى أوْفَى قال: "غزونا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سبعَ غَزَواتٍ، نأكُلُ الجَرَادَ".
"We went to seven battles with the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) during which we used to eat locust".
Musnad also narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said;
وفى "المسند" عنه: "أُحِلَّتْ لنا مَيْتَتَانِ ودَمَانِ: الحُوتُ والجرادُ، والكَبِدُ والطِّحالُ". يُروى مرفوعاً وموقوفاً على ابن عمر رضى الله عنه.
"We were allowed two types of dead animals and two bloods: fish and locust; liver and spleen".
This Hadith is also narrated from Ibn Umar Radi Allaho Anh.
Locust meat is hot and dry and not very nutritious. In addition, eating locust meat regularly makes the body thin & emaciated. The smoke of burnt locust helps in cases of Dysuria (impaired ability to pass urine), especially for women, and is favorable for hemorrhoids. Eating fat wingless locust (roasted) is a good cure for scorpion stings. But locust meat is not favorable for those suffering from epilepsy and produces septic mixtures in the stomach.
There is a difference on allowing (eating) locust when it is dead, where the majority of the scholars except Imam Malik allow it. Yet, there is no difference that it is allowed if the locust died because of a reason, such as being burnt or pressed. It is not good for regular basis because it creates illnesses of various types.
Eating meat on regular basis causes bloody sanguineous of allergies. Hippocrates once said, "Do not make your stomachs as a graveyard for animals".
to be continued .....
