Prophet's medicines

Hyderabad wants the ‘Prophet’s medicine’


Hyderabad, Sept. 17: Tibbe Nabawi or ‘Prophet’s medicine’ is striking root here as an alternative system of curative and preventive medicine. The system is said to be based on the Sunnah, the life and traditions of the Prophet, and the Hadith, a collection of the Prophet’s narrations and approvals, on sickness or medical treatment.

Tibbe Nabawi is free of chemicals and based on natural herbs and food products. Giving a modern touch to this 1,500-year-old Islamic system of medicine, pharmaceutical companies are marketing facial masks, beauty creams, hair oil, massage oil and ointments in bright packs.

At least a dozen Tibbe Nabawi clinics are in operation here and in other parts of Andhra Pradesh. Eight books on the subject are available in city bookshops. The Islamic Research Academy has over 200 papers testifying to its efficacy. At least one clinic claims to have cured over 8,000 people of obesity while following the Tibbe Nabawi.

Practitioners prescribe grapes, pomegranates, citrus, honey, henna, dates (specially the ajwa variety), olive, methi (fenugreek), aloe vera, rosewater, hibiscus, miswak, black cumin (kalonji), sweet basil (myrtle), ginger, Indian incense (Ud-al-Hind), truffles, watercress, squash, melons and figs for a variety of ailments. For example, people who have survived a heart attack are prescribed the combination of honey, sana maki and ajwaa dates to speed up recovery.

Says eminent physician Dr Fakhruddin Muhammad, “The efficacy of the ‘Prophet’s medicine’ has been proved by dozens of research organisations including the (US) Food and Drugs Administration.” It is based on natural herbs,” he said adding, “It is a lifestyle management system to prevent health problems.” Tibbe Nabawi has treatments for cardiac problems, obesity, malnourishment, respiratory disorders, anaemia, renal obstructions, healing wounds. ‘Prophet’s medicine’ can be used for improvement of eyesight and mental agility and toning up skin texture.

Dr Fatemeh Mojtahedi, an MBBS doctor, has turned to Tibbe Nabawi in her Avicenna Clinic to treat obesity. She has formulated “slim capsules” based on the herbs and fruits mentioned in Islamic medical literature.

“The important thing is moderation. Treatment of obesity is quite simple: Eat simple and wholesome natural foods and herbs, and drink plenty of water. Since the ‘Prophet’s medicine’ normalises the metabolism and curbs the appetite, patients who lose excess weight continue to maintain their slim and trim figure after the treatment ends,” explains Dr Fatemeh. She is approaching the Guinness Book of Records for reducing obesity in the shortest time.

Dr Qudratullah Hussami, whose Islamic Research Academy has worked on Tibbe Nabawi, says, “It is a nothing but a collection of the Hadith that instruct Muslims on the subject of sickness or medical treatment. Most of the products were prescribed by the Prophet himself or utilised by him.” He says that over 200 university research papers have proved the efficacy of the medicine, particularly the black cumin seeds (kalonji).

Hakeem Muhammad Zaheer Ahmad prescribes black cumin (Nigella sativa) for asthma, controlling sugar in blood and urine, psoriasis, hypertension, hypotension and skin diseases. Kalonji extract removes obstructions in the body and strengthens the stomach. Dr Syed Jaleel Hussain, former director of the Central Research Institute in Unani Medicine, says the Prophet had prescribed olive oil for treatment of haemorrhoids (piles).

Users testify to the efficacy of Tibbe Nabawi. “Kalonji oil has improved my hair growth. It has controlled falling of hair due to alopecia and improved my skin texture,” says Rafique Ahmad, a resident of Charminar. For Intermediate student Zareena Almas, the beauty cream prepared from kalonji has been quite effective in controlling pimples and blackheads. “Unlike creams which are loaded with chemicals, Tibbe Nabawi creams do not cause rashes.”

Young Rubina is on a diet of figs and dates to shed extra fat. Middle-aged Abdul Kareem takes kalonji to control his blood cholesterol. Dr Ghousuddin, a pharmacologist, refers to medical reports in support of his claim that the Tibba Nabawi has been useful in paralysis, facial palsy, migraine, amnesia and palpitation. “The ‘Prophet’s medicine’ is based on the Sunnah and it is a good thing (nek kaam) for Muslims to follow it,” says Islamic scholar Moulana Hasanul Hashmi. He says Tibbe Nabawi is not only a curative and preventive system of medicine but it also gives a “rewarding experience.”