The Characteristics of the month of April (Nisan) by Imam:
The Ima`m has mentioned the month of April (Nisa`n) and mentioned its characteristics, which are as follows:
1. Day lengthens while night shortens.
2. Temper becomes strong.
3. The blood moves.
4. The east wind blows.
The Ima`m has regarded it as recommended to have roasted foods and what is cooked in vinegar along with the meat of the birds and animals which are hunted, for such a food benefits man's body. He has also made it recommended to enter the bathroom, to massage the body with an ointment, and to drink some water before breakfast, for it has a great effect on cleaning the urinary tracts and removing cystic calcali from them.
He, peace be on him, has said: "May (Ayya`r) is thirty-one days; the winds become clear there in; it is at the end of the season of spring; one must refrain from salty foods, thick meat such as heads
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and beef, and yogurt; entering the bathroom at the beginning of day is useful therein; and sport before lunch is reprehensible therein."
As for May (Ayyar), it is at the beginning of summer, so the digestive system cannot bear heavy foods, especially when one reaches old age, for having thick meat leads to dreadful damages such as high blood pressure, and the like.
He, peace be on him, has said: "June (Huzayra`n) is thirty days; the power of phlegm terminates therein; the time of the yellow bile comes; one must refrain from tiredness and eating abundant meat; one must smell musk and ambergris; it is useful to eat cold vegetables such as endive and purslane, to eat greens such as cucumber, purgative manna, ripe fruit, to use soured things; of the meat is goat and young goat; of the birds is chickens, dull-yellow partridge (tahiyujj), francolins; yogurt and fresh fish."
As for June (Huzayra`n), it is the first of the months of summer; bodies become weak therein, for they face intense and bitter heat. The Ima`m, peace be on him, has emphasized that one must:
1. avoid tiredness.
2. avoid having abundant meat.
3. eat vegetables and fruit, for they are light, and not heavy.
He, peace be on him, has said: "July (Tammu`z) is thirty-one days; heat becomes intense therein; water goes down; one must drink cold water before breakfast, eat cold, fresh things, and digestible foods (like those mentioned in June); one must smell cold, wet flowers with agreeable scent."
As for July (Tammu`z), it is the heaviest of all the months of the year and the most harmful of them toward man. That is because of the intense heat which occurs when water goes down. The Ima`m has stressed that one must use cold things and eat light foods lest the digestive system should be affected by them. He has also focused on that one must smell cold flowers with pleasant scent, for they have a good effect on the digestive system.
He, peace be on him, has said: "August (Ab) is thirty-one years; the simoom (hot wind) becomes intense therein; cold becomes exited at night; the north wind blows; temper becomes good through patting
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and moistening; it is useful to drink yogurt; one must refrain from having sexual intercourse and laxative, decrease sport, and smell cold flowers."
Like July (Tammu`z), August (Ab) is hot; cold becomes intense out of the weakness of bodies because of the intense heat, hence the Ima`m has made it recommended to use cold thins which decrease the intensity of heat.
He, peace be on him, has said: "September (Aylu`l) is thirty days; the air becomes good therein; the power of the black bile becomes strong; having laxative is good; it is useful to eat sweets and moderate various kinds of meat such as that of young goats and mutton; one must refrain from beef, eat abundant roasted meat, enter the bathroom, use therein perfume with moderate temper, and refrain from eating melon and cucumber."
The intensity of heat decreases in September (Aylu`l), especially at the end of it, for the air is agreeable therein, so it is useful for one to have all kinds of sweets provided that he should not be afflicted by diabetes or fatness, or having candy harms him very much; likewise, it is useful for him to have all kinds of meat except beef, for it harms him. The Ima`m has warned men against eating melon and cucumber, for they are harmful in this month.
He, peace be on him, has said: "October (Tishrï~n al-Awwal) is thirty-one days; various winds blow in it; one must breathe the east wind, avoid bloodletting and taking medicine; sexual intercourse is praiseworthy therein; it is useful to have meat in spices; one must decrease drinking water; and sport is praiseworthy in it."
As for October (Tishrï~n al-Awwal), it is one of the excellent months of the year, for heat terminates in it; the east wind blows therein. The Ima`m has warned men against bloodletting, for it causes damages to the body. Similarly, he has ordered them to decrease drinking water as well as he has ordered them to practice sport, for it is useful for the vitality and activity of the body.
He, peace be on him, has said: "November ((Tishrï~n al-Tha`ni) is thirty days; seasonal rain comes down in it; one must not drink water at night, decrease entering the bathroom and having sexual
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intercourse, take a mouthful of warm water in the early morning every day, avoid eating vegetables such as celery, mint, and watercress."
As for November ((Tishrïn al-Tha`ni), it is one of the most agreeable months of the year, for men receive winter through it; seasonal rain, which is the source of good and mercy to men, falls in it; hence land becomes green and gives crops. Everyone must drink a mouthful of warm water in the early morning in order to get rid of cold. The Ima`m has warned men against eating celery and other vegetables, for they strongly harm them.
He, peace be on him, has said: "December (Ka`nu`n al-Awwal) is thirty-one days; storms become strong and cold becomes intense in it; it is useful to have all that which has been mentioned in November (Tishrï~n al-Tha`ni); one must be cautious of having cold foods and guard against cupping and bloodletting; and he must use therein foods which are actually and potentially hot."
As for December (Ka`nu`n al-Awwal), it is the first month in winter; men face severe cold therein; storms become strong in it. The Ima`m has warned people against having cold foods, for they have bad effects on their health and cause some diseases to them. Similarly, he has summoned them to have hot foods, for they have some health advantages.
He, peace be on him, has said: "January (Ka`nu`n al-Tha`ni) is thirty-one days; the power of phlegm is strong in it; one must have a mouthful of warm water before breakfast; sexual intercourse is praiseworthy therein; one must have in it hot vegetables such as celery, watercress, and leek; entering the bathroom and massaging (the body) with al-Khayri ointment is useful in it; one must be careful of sweet things, eating fresh fish, and having yogurt."
Men face the severity and intensity of cold in January (Kanun al-Thani), so the Imam has made it recommended for them to have warm water in the early morning in order to get rid of the consequences of cold. Similarly, he has summoned them to have hot vegetables in order to warm their bodies and protect them from cold. He has made it recommended to enter the bathroom, for the blood-circle becomes active through it; and he has warned them against having fresh fish, yogurt, and candy, for they harm their bodies.
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He, peace be on him, has said: "February (Shiba`t) is twenty-eight days; the winds become different in it; rain increases; grass appears; water flows in the hollow; it is useful to eat garlic, the meat of bird and animals which are hunted and fruit; one must decreases eating sweet; abundant sport and movement is praiseworthy therein."
When February (Shiba`t) enters, the severity and intensity of cold terminate, rain increases, and grass appears. The Ima`m has made it recommended to eat garlic, which is very useful to man's body, for it protects it from many diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and others. With this month the Ima`m ends his speech about the seasons of the year, what man must use and avoid in them.
He, peace be on him, has said: "Know, O Commander of the faithful, that the strength of the soul follows the tempers of bodies, and that the tempers depend on the air and change according to it in places."
Certainly the strength and soundness of reason depend on the health of body. If one is ill or afflicted by diseases, then his reason is weak just as they say: "Sound reason is in sound body." It is certain that good, fresh, and unpolluted air is one of the basic elements which play an important role in general health.
Describing the way of preparing a lawful drink, he, peace be on him, has said: "(As for) the description of a lawful drink and its usage after food, as we mentioned its benefit when we started talking about the seasons of the year and what one had to have therein to preserve his health, is that one must take ten rotls of clean raisins; he must wash them and soak them in abundant, clear water to an increase of four fingers over it and leaves it in its container; that is for three (days) in winter, a day and a night in summer; and then he must put them into a clean container; the water must be that of the heaven (i.e. rain) if he is able (to get) it; otherwise, it must be of fresh water whose fountain is in the east direction; shining water as well as it is light, which becomes hot and cold quickly; and this is a proof of clear water. He must cook the raisins until they become swollen and ripe; and then
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1. A rotl is about 340 grams.
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he must squeeze them, clarify their water, and leaves it to be cold. Then he must return it to the container again, measure it with a stick, and leave it to boil on a calm fire until two-thirds of it has steamed. Then he must take one rotl of purified bee honey and pour it into it, and it replaces the amount of the water which was in the cooking-pot; and then he must leave it to boil until the amount of honey has evaporated, and it comes down to its limit. Then he must take a thin piece of cloth and put on it a dirham of ginger, half a dirham of carnation, half a dirham of cinnamon, a dirham of saffron, half a dirham of spikenard, half a dirham of endive, and half a dirham of mastic. He must grind each one of them separately and put them on the piece of cloth and tie it well with a thread. Then he must put it into (the liquid). The piece of cloth must be macerated in the drink to the extent that the strength of the drugs wherein comes down (into the drink). He must go on stirring the drink gently on a calm fire until the amount of honey has steamed. Then he must lift the cooking-pot, leave it to be cold, and leave it for three months, that its tastes may overlap with each other; and then he can use it. He can drink of it one or two okes of pure water. So if you, O Commander of the faithful, eat the amount of food which I have described to you, then drink of this drink an amount of three glasses after your food. If you do that, you will be safe throughout your day and night from cold, chronic aches such as gout, wind, and others from among the aches of nerves, brain, stomach, and some aches of liver, spleen, intestines, and bowels. If you, after that, feel appetite for water, then you must drink of it the half of what you had drunk, for it puts right, regulates, and keeps the body of the Commander of the faithful.
"Surely the betterment and straightness of body and its corruption come through foods and drinks. So if you put them right, then your body is good; and if you corrupt them, then your body is corrupt."
The Ima`m, peace be on him, has regarded this drink as a lawful one which brings about the most important health advantages to the
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1. A dirham is 5.5 grams.
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body and protects it from many diseases. He has mentioned its ingredients and how it is prepared. This drink contains important elements necessary for strengthening man's body; among them is raisins which include a large amount of vitamins; yet another example of them is honey which is rich in vitamins as well as the other elements which must be added to this drink.
It is worth mentioning that the Ima`m, peace be on him, has mentioned that the water must be of that of the heaven (i.e. of rain) or of fresh water, lest it should be polluted, and hence it gives rise to some diseases and invalidates this drink.
Dr. Sahib Zayni has said: "This lawful drink has a large food value, for it contains useful elements which are regarded as the most important sources and producers of calories which the body always needs, especially in the cold seasons. As for the easiness of digesting it and assimilating its elements, it is well-known, for grape sugar (glucose) is the easiest of all materials in digestion, and of the materials which if one takes, is in no need of most other food stuffs, for it is simply changes into glycogen which is stored in the liver as food reserve and which the body can use at any time.
"Raisins contain a large amount of iron; they are useful for generating blood red cells and treating the disease of anemia; and they are the best of all drugs in treating many disease states such as indigestion, gastritis, gasses in stomach and intestines, some of liver diseases, dullness of intestines, and constipation. "
The following is of what the Ima`m, peace be on him, has said: "And know, O Commander of the faithful, that sleep is the power of brain, the straightness and strength of the body. If you want to sleep, then first lie on your right side, and then turn over your left side; likewise get out of your bed and sleep on your right side just as you had done at the beginning of your sleep. Habituate yourself to get up at night; enter the toilet for relieving nature and stay wherein as long as you relieve you nature; do not stay wherein for a long time; for that gives rise to elephantiasis."
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1. Tibbi al-Rida, pp. 58-59.
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Sleep is one of the elements necessary for man's life and the health of his body. Indeed Allah has created in man's body some organs which give rise to sleep; in the meantime they supply the body with vitality and activity, remove from it the tiredness and overexertion of the day. The Ima`m, peace be on him, has shown the health performance of sleep, which is as follows: One must sleep on his right side, for this gives rest to the heart and soundness to the body. Similarly, he, peace be on him, has displayed the way of entering the toilet; it is an act of wisdom that man should not stay for a long time wherein lest he should be afflicted by elephantiasis.
He, peace be on him, has said: "And know, O Commander of the faithful, that the best thing which is used to clean the teeth is the branch of Zingiber officinale, for it removes dirt, makes pleasant the flavor, strengthens the gum; and it is useful for (treating) tooth decay when it is used moderately, but when it is immoderately used, it thins out, shakes the teeth and weakens their roots.
"So he who likes to keep his teeth, then let him take a burnt horn of an ibex, tamarisk, sedge, roses, spikenard (one part), Andara`ni salt (a quarter of a part), and then let him powder them and clean his teeth with it, for it strengthens the teeth, protect their roots from accidental maladies. He who likes his teeth to be white, then let him take part of Andara`ni salt and sea foam equal to it, and then let him powder them and clean his teeth with it."
The Imam has presented the treatment of teeth and mentioned two prescriptions to put them right. The first is that one must clean his teeth with the stick of a Zingiber officinale, and this is one of the best prescriptions in putting teeth right, for this stick had been analyzed and found as one of the most wonderful drugs in purifying teeth and protecting them from diseases, and that it was the best of modern tooth-pastes.
1
The second prescription concerns tooth-paste; the Imam has mentioned its ingredients which treat tooth-decay.
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1. This was announced by BBC.
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He has said: "And know, O Commander of the faithful, that man's sates on which Allah, the Exalted, has built him and made him move about in them are four: The first state is fifteen years; his youth, his beauty, his radiance, and the power of the blood in his body are during it. Then the second state is from fifteen years to thirty-five years; the power of the yellow bile and the strength of its victory over a person are during it; he is still so until he terminates the mentioned period, which is thirty-five years; and then he enters the third stage until the period of his life span, which is sixty years, has terminated; hence he is in the power of the black bile, which is the age of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, regulated affairs, correct results, true opinions, and steadfastness in behavior. Then he enters the fourth stage which is the power of phlegm, and it is the stage in which he, if remains alive, moves to old age, trouble, withering, the decrease of strength, the collapse of his structure, condemning all things which he had come to know of his own soul, to the extent that he sleeps while standing, passes sleep awake, remembers the past things, forgets what occurs in the times, his body withers, his habitual condition changes, the water of his beauty and radiance dries, the growth of his hair and finger-nails decrease, his body continues retreating and turning away throughout the rest of his life; that is because he is in the power of phlegm; he is dull and inactive; dullness and inactivity bring about the extinction of every body over which the phlegm power dominates after all."
This part of the dissertation gives an account of the stages of man's life span. They are four stages: The first stage begins from his birthday and ends when he reaches fifteen years of age; it is the stage and beginning of youth, which is the most marvelous and best of all stages in activity.
The second stage begins from fifteen years and terminates in the fifty-three years of age; it is one of the most wonderful stages of lifetime, for therein man's strength, activity, and radiance are perfect.
The third stage begins from thirty-five and ends in sixty years; and in this stage man's knowledge is perfect; his affairs are regulated; that is through his experiences in affairs and his knowledge in events,
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for in this age his intellectual activity is perfect, but his bodily forces become weak.
The fourth stage begins from sixty years until he dies; in this stage all his organs, his cells, and his forces are weak; and he is dependent on others, especially when he becomes eighty years of age, for his complaints and moans are many. In this connection the poet says:
Surely the eighty (years) which I have reached
has made my ears in need of an interpreter!
And just as they say: "Old age is a cloud which showers diseases!" Definitely, the body in this stage is just as the Ima`m says: "His body withers and the water of his beauty dries, and it is the stage of his extinction!"
He, peace be on him, has said: "I have mentioned to the Commander of the faithful all that which he needs in the indulgence of the temper, the conditions of his body and its treatment; and I have mentioned the foods and drugs and what he must do in his times.
"So if you like cupping, then let that be between twelve and fifteen nights of the crescent, for it is better for your body. When the month decreases, do not use cupping except when you are forced to do that. That is because the blood decreases according to the decrease of the crescent, and it increases according to its increase; and cupping must be equal to the years which pass: one who is twenty years of age must apply cupping every twenty days; one who is thirty years old, must use cupping every thirty days; one who is forty years of age must use cupping every forty days, and so on.
"And know, O Commander of the faithful, that the blood of cupping is taken from the small veins spreading in the flesh; and the proof of that is what I have mentioned that it does not weaken strength as bloodletting does; and the cupping of
al-nuqura 1 is useful for the heaviness of the head; and the cupping of
al-akhda'ayn2 gives rest to the head, the face, and the eyes, and it is useful to tooth-ache; and
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1. Al-nuqra is a hole in the back four fingers above the neck vertebras.
2. Al-akhda'ayn are two veins inthe back of the neck to the right and left of it.
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perhaps bloodletting replaces all of that; and one may use cupping under the chin in order to treat
al-qalda'1 in the mouth, the corruption of the gum, and other mouth aches. Similarly, the cupping between the two shoulders is useful to the beating which results from fullness and heat, and that which placed on the two legs may decrease the fullness with a clear decrease, and it is useful to chronic aches in the kidneys, bladders, and wombs, and it makes menstruation flow abundantly, but it exhausts the body, and a severe haze may stems from it, but it is necessary for those who have blisters and abscesses.
"Gentle sucking decreases the pain of cupping when one places the cupping glasses; and then he graduates the sucking a little more; the sucking in the second (cupping) must be more than the first, and so must be the third, and so on. He must stop slashing until the place has become red through repeating the cupping glasses across it. He must softens the lancets across soft skins; and he must massage the place with some ointment before he slashes it; so must he do during bloodletting, for such an act decreases pain. He must also soften the lancet during cupping; and when he has finished it, he must soften the place with some ointment and drips onto the veins some of it lest they should disappear and harm the phlebotomized. The phelbotomist should bleed the veins in the places where flesh is little, for the little flesh on the veins decreases pain; and the most painful vein when bled is
habl al-dhira' 2and
al-qifal,
3 for they are connected with the upper arm and this skin is solid. As for
al-ba`salïq4 (basilic vein)and al-akkhal, they are less painful when bled if there is no flesh on them. It is obligatory to apply hot water to the place of bloodletting, that the blood may appear, especially in winter, for it softens the skin and decreases pain and makes easy bloodletting. During all what we have mentioned regarding bringing forth blood, it is obligatory to refrain from women twelve hours before that.
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1. Al-qalda' is an unclear in the skin of the mouth and tongue.
2. Habl al-dhira' is the vein which extends from the forearm upwards.
3. Al-qifl is vein which appears at the elbow.
4. Al-baslaq is the outward vein from the elbow to the forearm.
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"One must use cupping on a clear day on which there is neither clouds nor strong winds; and he must bring forth blood equals to its change which he sees. Do not enter the bathroom immediately, for it gives rise to illness; and pour warm water on your head and body, but do not do that soon.
"Be weary of taking a bath when you apply cupping, for chronic fever stems from it. If you wash yourself off (the blood) of cupping, take a downy piece of cloth or a soft, silk garment or the like and put it on the places of your cupping; and take an amount equal to a chick-pea of
al-tiryaq al-akbar1and drink it when winter; and if it is summer, then drink honey oxymel and mix it with the gladdening, moderate drink, and have it, or with fruit juice. If that is difficult, then drink citron (juice). If you do not find anything, then have it (citron) after you have chewed under the teeth and drink after it a mouthful of lukewarm water; and if that is in the time of winter and cold, then drink after it some honey oxymel, for if you do that, you will be safe from facial paralysis, vitiligo, and leprosy with the permission of Allah, the Exalted; and suck pomegranate, for it strengthens soul and renews the blood; and do not eat salty food after that for three hours, for that may bring about mange; and if you like, then eat (the meat) of dull-yellow partridges (
al-tahaiyïjj), that is when you have used cupping; and drink after it some of the purified drink which I have mentioned at outset; and massage (your body) with al-Khayri ointment or with some of musk and rose water; and pour on your head some of it as soon as you have finished cupping.
"As for summer, when you apply cupping, then eat
al-sakkbajj,
2 al-halam3 al-masus4, and the sour; and pour on your head violet oil
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1. Al-tiryaq al-akbar is one of the ancient drugs.
2. Al-sakkbajj si soup along with vinegar.
3. Al-halam is al-sllbajj which is purified from fat ot it is the meat of cow and calves and goats which is boiled in salty water; and then the boiled meat is taken out and mixed with the boiled vegetables along with vinegar.
4. Al-masus is a meat which is cooked and placed into vinegar ot it is the meat of birds.
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mixed with rose water and some camphor; and drink after your food some of that drinks which I have prescribed to you; and be careful of abundant movement, anger, and having an intercourse with women on the same day."
In this part of the dissertation, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has presented cupping which causes great advantages to the body, returns activity to it, and drives away from it illnesses and diseases; it is the greatest of all prescriptions and most successful of them in treating those who have high blood pressure, for the blood during it comes out of the small veins spreading in flesh, as the Ima`m says, and this does not cause weakness to the body. The Ima`m has mentioned some diseases which are treated with cupping. They are as follows:
A. Tooth and gum congestion.
B. The chronic diseases of the kidney, the bladder, and the womb.
C. The paucity of menstruation.
D. Blisters and abscesses.
The Ima`m has described the operation of cupping and fully understood it, what one should use after it, the foods and drinks from which he should refrain.
Similarly the Ima`m has presented bloodletting and mentioned the veins which should be bled such as
habl al-dhira' and al-qifal1; he has also mentioned some refreshing drinks which should be drunk after it and warned against some foods which bring about dangers.
He, peace be on him, has said: "And be cautious, O Commander of the faithful, of bringing together eggs and fish in the stomach at the same time, for if they come together in man's stomach, they give rise to gout, colic, piles, and tooth-ache.
"When yogurt and wine (which some people drink) gather, they cause gout and leprosy; eating onions
2constantly results in freckles; eating salty meat and fish after cupping and bloodletting gives rise to vitiligo and mange; eating sheep's kidneys and bowels disorders the bladder.
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1. See the previous footnote.
2. In a version eating eggs.
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"Entering the bathroom during fullness gives rise to colic; washing with cold water after eating fish brings about hemiplegia; eating citron at night results in cross-eye; and having a sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman causes leprosy to the baby.
"Having a sexual intercourse without discharging semen after it gives rise to stone; a sexual intercourse after a sexual intercourse without an interval between them causes madness to the baby; eating eggs
1 very much and constantly brings about spleen (disease) and winds in the head of the stomach; fullness of boiled eggs gives rise to asthma and dyspnea; eating raw meat brings about worms in the stomach; and eating figs decreases (the weight of) the body when one addicts himself to it.
"Drinking cool water after a warm thing and candy destroys teeth; eating abundant meat of wild animals and beef results in changing reason, perplexing understanding, making dull the mind, and plentiful forgetfulness."
In this part of the dissertation, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has warned against bringing together various kinds of foods during eating, for it gives rise to many diseases; among the foods against which he has warned is eating fish and eggs at the same time, for it leads to the following diseases:
1. Gout.
2. Colic.
3. Piles.
4. Tooth-ache.
He has also warned against having salty foods, for it brings about arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure.
Among the things against which the Ima`m has warned is drinking cold water after warm things or after eating candy, for it destroys teeth, as it has been emphasized by dentists, who has mentioned that this is one of the acts which destroy teeth.
This part of the dissertation contains health advantages of great importance; if men put them into practice, medicine will be preventive, and they will be in no need of the clinic of physicians.
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1. In a version eating onions.
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He, peace be on him, has said: "And if you like to enter the bathroom and you feel no ache in your head, then start, during entering the bathroom, with five handfuls of warm water and pour them on your head, for you will be, Allah willing, safe from headache and migraine.
"And know, O Commander of the faithful, that bathroom has a construction just as that of the body; it has four places just as the natures of the body: the first place is for taking off clothes; it is cool and dry. The second (places) is cool and wet; the third is warm and wet; and the fourth is warm and dry. Taking a bath is very useful, for it leads to moderation, removing dirt, softening nerves and veins, strengthening the big organs, melting (the bodily) excrement, and driving away bad smell.
"So if you do not want any pimple or the like to appear in your body, so start, when entering the bathroom, with massaging your own body with violet ointment; and if you want to use depilatory (paste) without any wound nor any cut nor any evil, then wash (your body) with cool water; and if one wants to enter the bathroom for using depilatory (paste), then he must avoid taking a sexual intercourse for twelve hours before that, and it is a full day, and he must mix with the depilatory (paste) some aloe, some acacia, some rock at the foot of a mountain, or he gathers that and takes little of it if it is together or separate, and he must put nothing into the depilatory (paste) until it is mixed with hot water in which chamomile, marjoram or dry violet rose has been boiled or all of that little parts together or separate in an amount whose smell the water takes; and (the amount of) arsenic must be equal to the one-sixth of the depilatory (paste); after he has used it and in order to remove its smell, he must rub his own body with something like the leafs of plum, the marc of safflower, henna, roses, and spikenard together or separate.
"And he who wants to be safe from the burn of depilatory (paste), then he must decrease turning it; and when he uses it, he must hasten to wash it and rub his body with some rose oil; if it burns his body, Allah forbids, he must take peeled lentils, crush it, mix it with rose water and vinegar, and rub with it the area which has been burnt
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by the depilatory (paste), for he recovers with the permission of Allah, the Exalted; and if he wants to avoid the (bad) effects of the depilatory (paste) on his body, he must rub his body very well with al-Thaqï~f grape vinegar and rose oil."
It is necessary for man to take a bath in order to clean his own boy from dirt which gives rise to skin diseases. The Prophet's grandson, source of knowledge and wisdom (i.e. Ima`m al-Rida`) has talked about all sides of bathing, of which are the moderation of the body, cleanness from dirt, and removing bad smell.
Surely the Ima`m, peace be on him, has talked in detail about bating, for it is one of health means and among the sources of purity and cleanness which removes outward bodily dirt and secretions. He, peace be on him, has also talked inclusively about depilatory (paste) which cleans and refreshes the body when it removes thick hair from it.
He, peace be on him, has said: "He who does not want to complain of his bladder must not withhold his urine even if he is on the back of his own mount.
"And he who does not want his stomach to hurt him must not drink water until he has finished having his food; and he who does that, his body becomes wet, his stomach becomes weak, and his veins do not make use of food, for if water is suddenly poured on the food, a pass will occur in the stomach.
"And he who does not want to find stone and the retention of urine must not withhold semen when libido comes down and must not stay for a long time with women.
"And he who wants to be safe from the ache of the lowest part and of piles must eat seven Barni dates mixed with cows' fat and rub (the area) between his buttocks with pure lily oil."
"And he who wants to increase his memory must eat seven weights of raisins before breakfast; and he who wants to decrease his forgetfulness and to be a memorizer must eat every day three pieces of ginger mixed with honey jam, and must nourish (his own body) with mustard along with his food every day; and he who wants to increase his reason must have every three pieces of
hilija along with
Ibloj
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sugar;
1 and he who does not want his finger-nail to split a part or to become yellow or black must not clip it except on Thursday; and he who does not want his ear to ache must put a piece of cotton wherein when sleeping.
"And he who wants to get rid of cold throughout the days of winter must eat every day three mouthfuls of honey."
In this part of the dissertation, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has mentioned some health recommendations of great importance, for he has given health prescriptions necessary for safety and protection from diseases; the following are some of them:
1. The soundness of the urinary system.
2. The soundness of the stomach.
3. Protection from stone.
4. Protection from piles.
He has also mentioned other health recommendations which are necessary for protecting the body from diseases.
He, peace be on him, has said: "And know, O Commander of the faithful, that there are signs through which useful and harmful honey is known: some of it makes one sneeze when he smells it; some of it makes one drunk; some of it makes one feel severe burning when he tastes it. So these kinds of honey are deadly.
"One should not delay smelling narcissus, for it prevents cold throughout the days of winter and such is the black cumin; and if one fears cold in the days of summer must eat every day a cucumber and be careful of sitting in the sun.
"And he who fears migraine and colic must not delay eating fresh fish in summer or winter; and he who wants to be good with light body and flesh must decrease his supper by night; and he who does not want to complain of his navel must anoint it when he anoints his hair; and he who does not want his lips to split apart nor do pimples appear in them must anoint them when he anoints his hair; and he who does not want his tonsils and epiglottis to inflame must not eat candy unless he gargles with vinegar after it; and he who does
____________
1. Ibloj sugar is a kind of plant.
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not want to be infected by yellows must not enter a house at once in summer and must not goes out of it at once in the early morning in winter; and he who does not want his body to be infected by winds must eat garlic once every seven days; and he who does not want his teeth to be decayed must not eat sweets except after a small piece of bread; and he who wants to enjoy his food must lean on his right side after he has finished eating, and then he must turn on his left side until he sleeps; and he who wants phlegm to leave his own body or to decrease it must eat in the early morning every day some of hot ground (spices), take a bath and have a sexual intercourse with women several times, sit in the sun, and avoid all cold foods, for these things drive away phlegm and burn it; and he who wants to extinguish the flame of the yellow bile must eat every day something cold and wet, refresh his own body, decrease movement, and look for a long time at him whom he loves; and he who wants to burn the black bile must vomit several times, bleed the veins, and use depilatory (paste) constantly; and he who wants to take away cold winds must cling to liquid enemas and ointments softening the body, treating with hot water in basin; and he who wants to remove phlegm from his own body must have a weight of the small
ittrïfil every day."
In this part of the dissertation, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has presented the health of man's organs; he has specified health prescriptions to their safety and protection from diseases; he has mentioned necessary rules for protection from cold, which is the beginning of diseases; he has given winter and summer prescriptions to get rid of cold.
The Ima`m, peace be on him, has displayed his health recommendations necessary for the soundness of the systems of man's body, and specified to them the successful prescriptions which put an end to illness.
He, peace be on him, has said: "And know, O Commander of the faithful, it is obligatory on the traveler to be careful of heat. When he travels, he must be neither full nor hungry; rather he must be on a moderate level. He must have cold foods such as fresh meat, jelly, vinegar, oil, sour grapes juice, and others.
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"And know, O Commander of the faithful, that hard walking in intense heat harms exhausted bodies when they are empty of food, but it is useful to strong bodies; as for water good to the traveler and removing harm from him is that he must not drink from every station at which he arrives except after he has mixed it with the water of the station before it or with one drink which is not different; he must mix it with different kinds of water; it is obligatory on the traveler to supply himself with some mud of his homeland on which he has lived; whenever he reaches at a station, he must throw into his own container, out of which he drinks, some of the mud with which he has supplied himself from his homeland; and he must mix the water with the mud in the container through stirring it; and he must leave it until it becomes very clear; the best kind of water in drinking for those travelers or residents is that whose spring is in the east direction, of quick and white; and the best kind of water is that whose vent is in the summer rising of the sun; and the best of them is that which is in this description from which it gushes out and whose bed is in the mud mountains (i.e. hills), for it is cool in winter and relaxes the bowels in summer, and it is useful to those who have fevers.
"As for salty water and heavy water, they constipate the bowels; and as for the water of snow and ice, it is bad to all bodies and is of great harm.
"As for the water of clouds, it is clear, fresh, light and useful to bodies if it is not stored in the ground for a long time. As for the water of the well, it is fresh and useful if its flow lasts and it is not stored in the ground for a long time. As for (the water) of level lands and marshes, it is warm and thick in summer, for it is stagnant and the sun always rises over it, and drinking it constantly may give rise to the yellow bile; and their bellies become big through it."
The Ima`m, peace be on him, has established vital programs for the safety of the traveler and protecting him from diseases; he has advised him not travel when he is full or hungry or very hot, for he is liable to dangers.
Similarly, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has presented the kinds of water which the traveler must drink and must not drink, for the latter
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harms his general health. He has accurately described water to the extent that none before or after him has described it in this manner.
He, peace be on him, has said: "In the previous part of this dissertation of mine, I have described to you, O Commander of the faithful, something sufficient for him who puts it into practice. Now, I will mention the matter of sexual intercourse: Do not have a sexual intercourse with your own wife at the beginning of night in summer or winter, for your own stomach and veins are full; and it is not praiseworthy; and it gives rise to colic, hemiplegia, facial paralysis, gout, stone, diuresis, hernia, and weakness of sight; if you want that, then let it be at the last part of the night, for it is more appropriate for your own body, more hoped for a boy-baby, and purer for the baby which Allah has decreed between them (husband and wife).
"Do not have a sexual intercourse with your wife unless you play with her very much and touch her breasts, for if do that, you will overcome her lust, her water comes together, for her water comes out of her breasts; and the lust appears on her face and eyes; and she desires you just as you desire her; and do not have a sexual intercourse with her unless she is pure; so if you want to do that, then do not do it in standing or sitting position; rather lie on your right side; and then get up soon to urinate when you have finished, for you will be safe from stone with the permission of Allah, the Most High. Then wash your own body and drink at once something of (bees) wax (
al-mummya'i) mixed with honey drink or honey without foam, for it generates water (semen) equals to that which has come out of you.
"And know, O Commander of the faithful, that it is better for you to have a sexual intercourse with them (your wives) when the moon is in Ram or Aquarius; and it is better than that when it is in Taurus which is the high rank of the moon.
1
"And he who puts into effect what I have described in this dissertation of mine and directs his own body through it is safe, with
____________
1. Al-Majlisi said: said Perhaps he (Imam al-Rida) has mentioned these matters, if they belong to him, for some interest in agreement with that al-Ma'mun and his companions were famous for adopting the viewpoints of the wise men".
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Allah's permission, from all diseases; and his own body is good with Allah's help and power, for He gives well-being to whomever He wishes and grants it to him; and praise belongs to Allah, the First and Last, the Outward and Inward."
In this part of the dissertation, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has discussed sexual life and mentioned many of its important sides of which men are ignorant. He has warned husband against having a sexual intercourse with his own wife at the beginning of night, for it gives rise to many diseases, of which are the following:
A. Colic.
B. Hemiplegia
C. Facial paralysis.
D. Gout.
E. Stone
F. Hernia
G. Weakness of sight.
Moreover he has summoned husband to have a sexual intercourse with his own wife at the last part of night. With this matter we will end our talk about
al-Risala al-Dhahabiya fi al-Tibb (the golden medical dissertation), which is regarded as one of the stored medical books.
