QUESTION:
“Whoever licks honey for three mornings in the beginning of every month, then no serious disease will afflict him.”
What is the correct procedure of consuming the honey; should it be licked from the bottle or placed on the palm and licked?
Ml Hurmuzullah Bangladeshi told me in 1998 in Darkar Markaz to take a forefinger full of honey first thing every morning with a pinch of kalunji seeds; 2/3 olives at lunch; rub the whole body with olive oil at night. He was the greatest Hakeem in the world and went for his 65th Hajj that year, at the age of 95 years old. So is there a basis for this in Tibb-e-Nabawi?
ANSWER:
The Hadith states, “Whoever licks honey for three mornings in the beginning of every month, then no serious disease will afflict him.”[Re:- Mishkaat]
Mulla Ali Qari Rahimahullah mentions in Mirqaat (the commentary of Mishkaat) that the word لَعِقَ means لَحَسَ, which means licking from the container with the finger, or licking from the actual container itself. This meaning is recorded in ‘Qaamoos-ul-Waheed’ on page 1457. Hence, it is best that one removes the honey from the container using the finger and thereafter licks it. However, there is no prohibition from placing the honey in the palms and licking it, but the first explanation is mentioned in Mirqaat.
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ لَعِقَ الْعَسَلَ ثَلَاثَ غَدَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ لَمْ يُصِبْهُ عَظِيمٌ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ لَعِقَ : بِكَسْرِ الْعَيْنِ أَيْ لَحَسَ الْعَسَلَ ثَلَاثَ غَدَوَاتٍ : بِفَتَحَاتٍ أَيْ أَوَائِلُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ : وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِابْنِ مَاجَهْ: كُلُّ شَهْرٍ بِالنَّصْبِ عَلَى الظَّرْفِيَّةِ لَمْ يُصِبْهُ عَظِيمٌ مِنَ الْبَلَا (المرقاة المفاتيح 7/2889)
Furthermore, Kulunji seeds, olives and olive oil have been mentioned in the Mubarak Ahadith. These are means of attaining Shifa from illnesses. We haven’t found any specific direction as to how they should be used in the Hadith Sharif. The method prescribed by the Hakim could be based on the Hakeem’s experience.
عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا وَمَعَنَا غَالِبُ بْنُ أَبْجَرَ فَمَرِضَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ وَهْوَ مَرِيضٌ، فَعَادَهُ ابْنُ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ فَقَالَ لَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِهَذِهِ الْحُبَيْبَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ، فَخُذُوا مِنْهَا خَمْسًا أَوْ سَبْعًا فَاسْحَقُوهَا، ثُمَّ اقْطُرُوهَا فِي أَنْفِهِ بِقَطَرَاتِ زَيْتٍ فِي هَذَا الْجَانِبِ وَفِي هَذَا الْجَانِبِ، فَإِنَّ عَائِشَةَ حَدَّثَتْنِي أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْحَبَّةَ السَّوْدَاءَ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلاَّ مِنَ السَّامِ ”. قُلْتُ وَمَا السَّامُ قَالَ الْمَوْتُ(صحيح البخاري #5687)
Khalid bin Sa’d Radiallahu Anhu mentions that we went out and Ghalib bin Abjar Rahimahullah was with us. He fell ill on the way. We reached Madinah Munawwarah whilst he was still sick. Ibn Abi Atiq Rahimahullah came to visit him and said to us, “Treat him with black seeds. Take five or seven seeds, crush them, then after mixing it with olive oil pour it into both his nostrils. Aishah Radiallahu Anha narrated to me that she heard Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying, ‘This black seed is a cure for all diseases except As-saam.’ Aisha Radhiallahu Anha asked, ‘What is As-Saam?’ He replied, ‘Death.
عَنْ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ اِئْتَدِمُوا بِالزَّيْتِ وَادَّهِنُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ ” (سنن ابن ماجة #3319)
Umar Radiallahu Anhu reports that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘Enrich your bread with olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for verily it is from a blessed tree.’
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date:- 04 Jumadal Ula 1445 / 17 November 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
