Monday, May 5, 2014

Pomegranate (Islamic Medicine) انار

The key to a better life. Pomegranate is one of the fruits of Paradise which Allah, the Exalted, singled out for mention because of what ... thumbnail 1 summary
The key to a better life.

Pomegranate is one of the fruits of Paradise which Allah, the Exalted, singled out for mention because of what it has to offer to His believing slaves. He says:
“In them (both) will be fruits, and date palms and pomegranates.” (Soorah Ar-Rahman, 55:68).
Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi, may Allah have Mercy upon him, said, “Date-palms and pomegranates are mentioned separately, even though they are included in the word fruits, to highlight their importance, as we said concerning the verse in which Allah says:
“Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibreel and Mika’eel, then verily, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.” (Soorah Al-Baqarah, 2:98).
Ibn Katheer, may Allah have Mercy upon him, said, “Date-palms and pomegranates;” this is an example of mentioning something specific after something general, as was stated by Al-Bukhari and others. Date-palms and pomegranates are singled out for mention because of their superiority over other fruits.
The pomegranate is a fruit of great antiquity; it was known to many ancient peoples, who discovered many of its properties and benefits, such as the Pharaohs who used it to treat the sick.
It originally comes from Southwest Asia or northwest India, and it spread from there to Iran, and thence to the Mediterranean and Egypt, and then to Europe in later eras.
In our Islamic heritage we have a precise description of the benefits of pomegranates. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “Sweet pomegranate is good for the stomach and strengthens it, because it acts as a gentle astringent. It is beneficial for the throat, chest and lungs, and is good for coughs. Its juice acts as a laxative and offers slow nourishment to the body and stimulates sexual desire. It is not good for those who have fever. The sour pomegranate acts as a gentle astringent that is beneficial for infected stomachs; it also acts as diuretic, calms the bile, stops diarrhea, prevents vomiting and strengthens the faculties.”
Bitter pomegranate is in the middle between the other two types. It is more like the sour one in its gentleness. Al-Razi said, “Sweet pomegranate may give a little wind. Sour pomegranate takes away sexual desire. Sweet pomegranate makes one thirsty. Sour pomegranate calms the bile and stops vomiting. All kinds of pomegranate are beneficial in cases of palpitations. The pomegranate is a fruit-bearing tree from the Myrtles family. Its fruits are distinguished by their pearl-like red seeds. Its flower is deep red and beautiful and is known as Gulnar.”
Pomegranates are of three types: sweet, sour and slightly bitter. Its properties vary according to the type. The sweet pomegranate contains sugars (8-10 percent), water (81 percent), protein (0.6 percent) and fat (0.3 percent). It also contains fiber at a ratio of 2 percent, and astringent substances like tannin, a bitter substance, citric acid (1 percent), and small amounts of minerals, especially iron, phosphates, sulphur, calcium, potassium and manganese. It also contains a good amount of vitamin C.
The sour pomegranate contains less sugar and a higher level of citric acid, as much as 2 percent. There is more citric acid in pomegranates than in lemons. In the seeds, the amount of protein goes up to 9% and fat to 8 percent.
The outer skin of the pomegranate contains tannic acid, which is an astringent substance. Hence the dried skin is used as a good antidote for diarrhea and dysentery, and it is used to heal bleeding in the digestive system. The boiled skins are used for this purpose, and are efficacious for expelling worms, especially the armed tapeworm, because it contains pelletierine. The properties of the skins are also useful for fixing colors, so they are used in dyeing leather and in dyeing the hands with henna.
The boiled skin of the roots is prepared using 50g per liter of water, which is boiled for 15 minutes and 1 cup is drunk every morning. It can lead to toxic symptoms such as general weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. To avoid that, the skin of the roots is mixed with an astringent such as tannin, so as to slow down absorption of the substance. The skin of the root also contains a high amount of astringents, so it is useful for treating diarrhea as well. An infusion of the flowers has the same benefits as the infusion of the roots, and is regarded as effective for treating gum infections.
The juice of the sour pomegranate possesses excellent digestive properties because it contains a high level of organic acids, and it is especially effective in digestion of fats. This also helps to protect against gout and prevent formation of kidney stones. Hence it is used by adding it to heavy food, so it aids in digestion thereof and helps the stomach to get rid of it. The pomegranate is regarded as a refreshing substance that strengthens the heart and lungs, as it is good for those suffering from nervous exhaustion. It also has digestive properties.
If this juice is dropped into the nose on its own or mixed with honey, it fights tumors in the mucus lining because it is an astringent that constricts the blood vessels. It also helps to clean the air ways and open them in people suffering from colds and flu. And it helps with indigestion by the leave of Allah, the Exalted.
A kind of molasses is made from the juice, which is known as Dibs rumman. It is the best kind of preserved acid that is added to food and is used medicinally to treat diseases of the mouth and gums.
(Al-Tibb An-Nabawi; Muwaffaq Ad-Deen Al-Baghdadi, Al-Tibb An-Nabawi Was-Sunnah; Ayman ‘Izzat Al-Tabba’, Al-Murshid Ila Tababat Al-A’shab; Muhammad Al-‘Awdat and George Lahham, An-Nabatat Al-Tibbiyah wa Isti‘malatuha; Sabri Al-Qabbani, Al-Ghidha’ la Ad-Dawa’; Muhammad Badr Ad-Deen Zaytooni, Al-Tibb Al-Sha’bi Wal-Tadawi Bil-A’shab; Ibn Al-Jawzi, Zad Al-Maseer fi ‘Ilm Al-Tafseer)

(from Islamic Medicine: The Key to a Better Life by Yusuf Al-Hajj Ahmad, Published by Darussalam)


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