Mishkat al-Masabih

Section 3

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying: “The stomach is the tank of the body and the veins go down to it. When the stomach is healthy the veins come back in a healthy condition, but when it is in a bad condition they return diseased.”

Section 3

‘Ali said: When God’s messenger was praying one night he placed his hand on the ground and was stung by a scorpion, so he struck it with his sandal and killed it. Then when he departed he said: “God curse the scorpion! It does not leave alone one who is praying or anyone else, or a prophet or anyone else.” He then called for salt and water, and putting it in a vessel he began to pour it over his finger where it had stung him and wipe it, seeking refuge in God by reciting the Mu’awwidhatan. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Shu’ab al-iman.

Section 3

‘Uthman b. ‘Abdallah b. Mauhib said: My people sent me to Umm Salama with a bowl of water. Whenever anyone was smitten by the evil eye or anything else he sent her a basin, and she took out some hairs of God’s messenger which she kept in a little silver bell.* She moved it about for him in the water and he drank some of it. I looked into the little bell and saw some red hairs. Bukhari transmitted it. * Mirqat, iv, 515, says that although the word means a bell, it may here be used of a small box in the shape of a bell. This is the kind of bell that would be used on a tambourine.

Section 3

Abu Huraira told that when some of the companions of God's messenger remarked to him that truffles are the smallpox of the earth he replied: “Truffles are a kind of manna, and their juice is a remedy for the evil eye. The 'ajwa dates come from paradise, and they are a remedy for poison.” Abu Huraira said that he took three, five, or seven truffles, pressed them, put their juice in a bottle and applied it as an eye-lotion to a slavegirl of his who was blear-eyed, and she recovered. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan tradition.

Section 3

He reported God’s messenger as saying: “If anyone licks honey three mornings every month, he will not be afflicted with any serious trouble.”

Section 3

'Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying: “Make use of the two remedies: honey and the Qur’an.” Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-lman, transmitted the two traditions, Baihaqi saying the correct view is that the second goes no farther back than Ibn Mas'ud.

Section 3

Abu Kabsha al-Anmari told that God’s messenger had himself cupped on the top of his head because of the poisoned sheep.* Ma'mar said: I had myself cupped like that in the middle of my head for a reason other than poison and suffered some loss of memory till I was recommended to use Fatihat al-Kitab in the prayer. Razin transmitted it. * An attempt was made to poison the Prophet (ﷺ) after the conquest of Khaibar in 7 A.H., but when he had taken a mouthful of the poisoned meat he spat it out realizing that it was poisoned.

Section 3

Nafi' said Ibn ‘Umar told him he was suffering from blood pressure and asked him to bring him a cupper, telling him to be sure to bring a young man and see that he brought neither an old man nor a boy. And Ibn ‘Umar said he had heard God’s messenger say: “Cupping before food is best; it increases the intelligence, increases the memory and increases the memory of one who has a good memory. He who has himself cupped should choose Thursday, doing it in the name of God most high; but avoid cupping on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Get yourselves cupped on Monday and Tuesday, but avoid cupping on Wednesday for it is the day when Job was smitten with affliction. Tubercular leprosy and leprosy make their appearance only on Wednesday or Tuesday night.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Section 3

Ma'qil b. Yasar reported God’s messenger as saying: “Cupping on Tuesday the 17th of the month is a cure for a year’s illness.” Harb b. Isma'il al-Kirmani, Ahmad’s companion, transmitted it, but his isnad is worthless. Thus it is stated in al-Muntaqa. Razin transmitted something to the same effect on the authority of Abu Huraira.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, “There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, “A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no evil omen, no hama*, and no serpent in a hungry belly*; but flee from one who has tubercular leprosy as you would from a lion." Bukhari transmitted it. * The word means an owl, or a night-bird which frequents graves. The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that when vengeance had not been taken for one who had been killed a bird called hama came forth from the dead and screeched demanding vengeance. ** The word is safar. The pre-Islaraic Arabs used the word as meaning a serpent which bites a man from within when he is hungry and causes the sense of stinging a man feels when hungry. It was also used of a serpent within the belly which was believed to cause a disease more contagious than mange or scab.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no hama, and no serpent in a hungry belly." A nomadic Arab asked, “Messenger of God, how is it that when camels are in the sand as if they were gazelles* and a mangy camel comes among them it gives them mange?" God’s messenger replied, “Who infected the first one?" Bukhari transmitted it. * The comparison is used to indicate the clearness of their skin.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

He reported God’s messenger as saying: “There is no infection, no hama, no star promising rain, and no serpent in a hungry belly." Muslim transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

Jabir told that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: “There is no infection, no serpent in a hungry belly, and no ghoul.”* Muslim transmitted it. * I have used the English word derived from the Arabic ghul. It was used of a creature which was a type of jinni or devil which was believed to appear to people in various forms and lead them astray in the desert and cause their destruction.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

‘Amr b. ash-Sharid told on his father’s authority that there was a man with tubercular leprosy in the deputation of Thaqif and the Prophet (ﷺ) sent to him a message: "We have taken your oath of allegiance, so go home." Muslim transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Ibn ‘Abbas told that God’s messenger took good omens but not evil ones, and that he liked a pleasing name. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Qatan b. Qabisa told on his father’s authority that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Augury from the flight of birds, the practice of pessomancy,* and taking evil omens pertain to divination."** Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Tarq. It is used of the practice of divinantion in which women threw stones. It is also used of geomancy by drawing lines. ** Min al-jibt. Jibt means devil and also divination. An alternative translation would be that these practices come from the devil.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying: "Taking evil omens is polytheism (saying it three times). None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi told that he heard Muhammad b. Isma'il* say that Sulaiman b. Harb used to say about this tradition that in his opinion "None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him" are Ibn Mas'ud’s words. * i.e. Bukhari.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Jabir told that God’s messenger took a man who was suffering from tubercular leprosy by the hand, and putting it along with his own in the dish said: "Eat with confidence in God and trust in Him." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Sa'd b. Malik reported God’s messenger as saying: "There is no hama, no infection and no evil omen; but if anything is affected by an evil omen it is a house, a horse, and a woman." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Anas told that when the Prophet (ﷺ) went out to attend to some business he was delighted to hear someone say, “O rightly guided one! O successful one!” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Buraida told that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not take omens from anything; but when he sent out an agent he asked about his name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked his name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. When he entered a village he asked about its name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked its name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Anas told that a man said, “Messenger of God, we were in an abode in which our numbers and our goods were many and changed to an abode in which our numbers and our goods have become few.” He replied, “Leave it, for it is reprehensible.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 2

Yahya b. ‘Abdallah b. Bahir said he was informed by one who had heard Farwa b. Musaik tell that he said, “Messenger of God, we have land called Abyan* which is the land where we have our fields and grow our crops, but it is very unhealthy.” He replied, “Leave it, for destruction comes from being near disease.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * To the east of Aden some early riders held it was either a place on the rocks of Adea, or a name of Aden itself.

Good and Evil Omens - Section 3

‘Urwa b. ‘Amir told that when taking omens was mentioned in the presence of God’s messenger he replied that the best type was the good omen, adding that a Muslim is not turned back from anything because of an omen. He told them that when any of them saw anything he disliked he should say, “O God, You alone bringest good things, You alone avertest evil things, and there is no might or power but in God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in mursal form.