Monday, May 05, 2014
The Key to a better Life.
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “The Jews and Christians do not dye their hair, so be different from them.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
It was narrated that Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, came out to some old men of the Ansar whose beards were white, and he said: “O Ansar, make it red or yellow, and be different from the People of the Book.” (Narrated by Ahmad with a hasan isnad)
And it was narrated that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, Abu Quhafah was brought on the day of the conquest, and his head was like a Thughamah flower. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “Change this with something, but avoid black.” (Narrated by Muslim; Thughamah is a plant with white flowers and fruit which he likened to the whiteness of his hair.)
It was narrated that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Abu Bakr dyed his hair with henna and Katam, and ‘Umar dyed his hair with pure henna.” (Narrated by Muslim; Katam is a plant from Yemen which gives a reddish black color.)
It was narrated from Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “The best of that with which you change white hair is henna and Katam.” (Narrated by the authors of Sunan; it is a hasan Hadith.)
It was narrated from Salma Umm Rafi‘, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him: “Would tell anyone who complained to him of a pain in his head to be treated with cupping, and whenever anyone complained to him of a pain in his feet, he would tell him to dye it with henna. (Narrated by Abu Dawood; also narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Tareekh. It is a hasan Hadith.)
It was also narrated that she said: “The Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, was never affected by a skin ulcer or pricked by a thorn, but he would put henna on it.” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnad; also narrated by Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah. Al-Haithami said: Its men are Thiqat.)
It was narrated that ‘Uthman Ibn Wahb said: “I entered upon Umm Salamah and she brought out to us a hair of the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, that was dyed with henna.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Our view is that it is Mustahabb to dye white hair with yellow or red for men, and it is haram to dye it with black according to the more correct opinion, or it was said that it is Makrooh, but the favored view is that it is haram. But some scholars granted a concession allowing it in the case of Jihad only.”
The Henna plant (Lawsonas inermis)
------------------------------------------
It is a shrub from the Lythraceae family which lives for approximately 3 years, and may live as long as 10 years. It is a multi-branched evergreen which grows to a height of nearly 3m. Its leaves are simple and oval, with a length of 3 to 4 cm, opposite with a reddish or yellowish white color. There are two types with different colored flowers. Alba has white flowers and Minasta has purple flowers.
As we have stated, it has two types, red and black, but what is usual is a mixture of both. The main homeland of henna is Southwest Asia. It needs a hot environment; hence it grows extensively in equatorial regions of Africa. It is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region, and the most important countries which produce henna are Egypt, Sudan, India and China.
Historical overview
---------------------
Henna has been known since ancient times. The Pharaohs used it for various purposes. They made a paste from its ground leaves for the hands, to dye their hair and as a remedy for wounds. Many Pharaonic mummies have been found dyed with henna. They also made a perfume with its flowers. It is held in extremely high esteem by many Muslim peoples who use it as a cosmetic because of its distinctive properties.
Hands, feet and hair may be dyed with a paste of henna. They also spread it in graves beneath their dead. It is used in dyes for leather and wool, as the dye is colorfast. Its use in Europe and America is limited to dyeing the hair because it does not cause any harm and because it strengthens the skin of the scalp. This is very important because many chemical hair dyes lead to infections, allergies and toxic symptoms. There is also a trend at present toward using it in coloring substances because the coloring element is easily extracted from it, it has a beautiful color and it has a certain resistance to wearing out.
Chemical composition
-------------------------
The leaves and flowers of henna plant are both used. The leaves contain various glycosides, the most important of which is Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone). This is the substance that is responsible for the medicinal biological effect and for the dye and the black color, as it contains a resinous substance and tannins that are known as hennotannic acid. The flowers contain a volatile oil with a strong and pleasant scent. The most important of its components are alpha-ionone and beta-ionone.
Medicinal uses of henna
----------------------------
Henna is held in high esteem by Muslim doctors. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have Mercy upon him, stated that henna is a beneficial solution for burns. If it is chewed it is beneficial for mouth ulcers and thrush that may occur in the mouth and it also heals canker sores. A compress made of henna is beneficial in cases of infected swellings. If a paste is applied to the nails, it is good for them. It makes the hair grow and strengthens it. It is also efficacious in cases of blisters and ulcers on the legs and elsewhere on the body.
Al-Muwaffaq Al-Baghdadi says, “The color of henna is like fire and is well liked and attractive. It has a pleasant smell. Most of the early generation (Salaf) dyed their hair with it.” Al-Baghdadi confirms that henna is beneficial in cases of mouth ulcers, canker sores and swelling and inflammation, soothing the pain thereof.
Its boiled water is good for burns and it dye is efficacious in treating broken nails. If the dye is applied to one who has smallpox at the beginning of the sickness, it will not go near his eyes.
Ibn Sina says henna is an astringent. It is used in folk medicine as an astringent, to heal wounds and burns, as eyewash, as a liniment to treat leprosy and gout. Dawood said in his Tadhkirah, “Henna is beneficial as a diuretic, in destroying stones and aborting fetuses.” He also said that dyeing the skin with it changes the color of the urine, which indicates that it is absorbable through the skin.
In modern medicine, Dr. Al-Naseemi confirmed the benefits of henna in treating abrasions resulting from walking in the streets and fungal infections between the toes. He explained this by noting that yeast infections lead to ease of scratching off the upper surface of the skin, but henna acts as an astringent (causing tissues to contract); this dries and hardens the skin and prevents it from harboring infection, which prevents yeasts and funguses from taking over, and leads to rapid healing of abrasions and surface ulcers.
Henna powder is prepared by grinding the leaves and thin branches after drying them and then a paste is made from that. Dr. Samas Qasi confirms the benefits of applying henna paste to treat a number of skin diseases, especially fungal infections and those which occur in the folds of the skin and between the toes. It also helps to heal wounds. Dr. Samas explains these qualities as being due to the presence of astringent hennotannins in henna and confirms that this paste may be applied to the scalp for lengthy periods, so that the purifying and astringent substances in it may work on purifying the scalp of germs, parasites and excess oily secretions. It is also beneficial in treating dandruff, and works to reduce secretions of sweat in those who sweat too much.
When using henna to dye the hair, it must be used in an acidic environment because lawsone does not have its coloring effect in an alkaline environment. Hence, it is advisable to mix the henna dye with vinegar or lemon.
It is regrettable that research on the benefits of henna is still lacking and we wish that researchers would give it its due and study it properly so that we may realize the Prophetic miracle in describing it as a remedy and a beauty.
Finding out about cheating done regarding henna
---------------------------------------------------------
Some people cheat with regard to henna by adding fine sand to increase its weight when grinding it. This can be easily discovered, because the sand is heavier. Hence, the volume of pure henna is less and it weighs less than the same volume of adulterated henna. Blowing it lightly will cause the henna to fly and the sand will be left. If a small amount of it is put in water, the sand will sink and the henna will float.
Some also cheat by covering the yellow leaves of henna with something that is greenish in color.
(Al-Tibb An-Nabawi; Dr. Mahmoud Nazim Al-Naseemi, Al-Tibb An-Nabawi Wal-‘Ilm Al-Hadith; Shukri Ibrahim Sa‘d, Nabatat Al-‘Aqaqeer Wal-Tawabil; Samas Qasi, from an article entitled Al-Henna’ – ‘Ilaj wa Tajmeel, Majallat Ad-Dawa’ Al-‘Arabi, June 1993; Muhammad Badr Ad-Deen Zaytooni, Al-Tibb Al-Sha’bi Wal-Tadawi Bil-A’shab, Damascus)
(from Islamic Medicine: The Key to a Better Life by Yusuf Al-Hajj Ahmad, Published by Darussalam)
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “The Jews and Christians do not dye their hair, so be different from them.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
It was narrated that Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, came out to some old men of the Ansar whose beards were white, and he said: “O Ansar, make it red or yellow, and be different from the People of the Book.” (Narrated by Ahmad with a hasan isnad)
And it was narrated that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, Abu Quhafah was brought on the day of the conquest, and his head was like a Thughamah flower. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “Change this with something, but avoid black.” (Narrated by Muslim; Thughamah is a plant with white flowers and fruit which he likened to the whiteness of his hair.)
It was narrated that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Abu Bakr dyed his hair with henna and Katam, and ‘Umar dyed his hair with pure henna.” (Narrated by Muslim; Katam is a plant from Yemen which gives a reddish black color.)
It was narrated from Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “The best of that with which you change white hair is henna and Katam.” (Narrated by the authors of Sunan; it is a hasan Hadith.)
It was narrated from Salma Umm Rafi‘, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him: “Would tell anyone who complained to him of a pain in his head to be treated with cupping, and whenever anyone complained to him of a pain in his feet, he would tell him to dye it with henna. (Narrated by Abu Dawood; also narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Tareekh. It is a hasan Hadith.)
It was also narrated that she said: “The Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, was never affected by a skin ulcer or pricked by a thorn, but he would put henna on it.” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnad; also narrated by Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah. Al-Haithami said: Its men are Thiqat.)
It was narrated that ‘Uthman Ibn Wahb said: “I entered upon Umm Salamah and she brought out to us a hair of the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, that was dyed with henna.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Our view is that it is Mustahabb to dye white hair with yellow or red for men, and it is haram to dye it with black according to the more correct opinion, or it was said that it is Makrooh, but the favored view is that it is haram. But some scholars granted a concession allowing it in the case of Jihad only.”
The Henna plant (Lawsonas inermis)
------------------------------------------
It is a shrub from the Lythraceae family which lives for approximately 3 years, and may live as long as 10 years. It is a multi-branched evergreen which grows to a height of nearly 3m. Its leaves are simple and oval, with a length of 3 to 4 cm, opposite with a reddish or yellowish white color. There are two types with different colored flowers. Alba has white flowers and Minasta has purple flowers.
As we have stated, it has two types, red and black, but what is usual is a mixture of both. The main homeland of henna is Southwest Asia. It needs a hot environment; hence it grows extensively in equatorial regions of Africa. It is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region, and the most important countries which produce henna are Egypt, Sudan, India and China.
Historical overview
---------------------
Henna has been known since ancient times. The Pharaohs used it for various purposes. They made a paste from its ground leaves for the hands, to dye their hair and as a remedy for wounds. Many Pharaonic mummies have been found dyed with henna. They also made a perfume with its flowers. It is held in extremely high esteem by many Muslim peoples who use it as a cosmetic because of its distinctive properties.
Hands, feet and hair may be dyed with a paste of henna. They also spread it in graves beneath their dead. It is used in dyes for leather and wool, as the dye is colorfast. Its use in Europe and America is limited to dyeing the hair because it does not cause any harm and because it strengthens the skin of the scalp. This is very important because many chemical hair dyes lead to infections, allergies and toxic symptoms. There is also a trend at present toward using it in coloring substances because the coloring element is easily extracted from it, it has a beautiful color and it has a certain resistance to wearing out.
Chemical composition
-------------------------
The leaves and flowers of henna plant are both used. The leaves contain various glycosides, the most important of which is Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone). This is the substance that is responsible for the medicinal biological effect and for the dye and the black color, as it contains a resinous substance and tannins that are known as hennotannic acid. The flowers contain a volatile oil with a strong and pleasant scent. The most important of its components are alpha-ionone and beta-ionone.
Medicinal uses of henna
----------------------------
Henna is held in high esteem by Muslim doctors. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have Mercy upon him, stated that henna is a beneficial solution for burns. If it is chewed it is beneficial for mouth ulcers and thrush that may occur in the mouth and it also heals canker sores. A compress made of henna is beneficial in cases of infected swellings. If a paste is applied to the nails, it is good for them. It makes the hair grow and strengthens it. It is also efficacious in cases of blisters and ulcers on the legs and elsewhere on the body.
Al-Muwaffaq Al-Baghdadi says, “The color of henna is like fire and is well liked and attractive. It has a pleasant smell. Most of the early generation (Salaf) dyed their hair with it.” Al-Baghdadi confirms that henna is beneficial in cases of mouth ulcers, canker sores and swelling and inflammation, soothing the pain thereof.
Its boiled water is good for burns and it dye is efficacious in treating broken nails. If the dye is applied to one who has smallpox at the beginning of the sickness, it will not go near his eyes.
Ibn Sina says henna is an astringent. It is used in folk medicine as an astringent, to heal wounds and burns, as eyewash, as a liniment to treat leprosy and gout. Dawood said in his Tadhkirah, “Henna is beneficial as a diuretic, in destroying stones and aborting fetuses.” He also said that dyeing the skin with it changes the color of the urine, which indicates that it is absorbable through the skin.
In modern medicine, Dr. Al-Naseemi confirmed the benefits of henna in treating abrasions resulting from walking in the streets and fungal infections between the toes. He explained this by noting that yeast infections lead to ease of scratching off the upper surface of the skin, but henna acts as an astringent (causing tissues to contract); this dries and hardens the skin and prevents it from harboring infection, which prevents yeasts and funguses from taking over, and leads to rapid healing of abrasions and surface ulcers.
Henna powder is prepared by grinding the leaves and thin branches after drying them and then a paste is made from that. Dr. Samas Qasi confirms the benefits of applying henna paste to treat a number of skin diseases, especially fungal infections and those which occur in the folds of the skin and between the toes. It also helps to heal wounds. Dr. Samas explains these qualities as being due to the presence of astringent hennotannins in henna and confirms that this paste may be applied to the scalp for lengthy periods, so that the purifying and astringent substances in it may work on purifying the scalp of germs, parasites and excess oily secretions. It is also beneficial in treating dandruff, and works to reduce secretions of sweat in those who sweat too much.
When using henna to dye the hair, it must be used in an acidic environment because lawsone does not have its coloring effect in an alkaline environment. Hence, it is advisable to mix the henna dye with vinegar or lemon.
It is regrettable that research on the benefits of henna is still lacking and we wish that researchers would give it its due and study it properly so that we may realize the Prophetic miracle in describing it as a remedy and a beauty.
Finding out about cheating done regarding henna
---------------------------------------------------------
Some people cheat with regard to henna by adding fine sand to increase its weight when grinding it. This can be easily discovered, because the sand is heavier. Hence, the volume of pure henna is less and it weighs less than the same volume of adulterated henna. Blowing it lightly will cause the henna to fly and the sand will be left. If a small amount of it is put in water, the sand will sink and the henna will float.
Some also cheat by covering the yellow leaves of henna with something that is greenish in color.
(Al-Tibb An-Nabawi; Dr. Mahmoud Nazim Al-Naseemi, Al-Tibb An-Nabawi Wal-‘Ilm Al-Hadith; Shukri Ibrahim Sa‘d, Nabatat Al-‘Aqaqeer Wal-Tawabil; Samas Qasi, from an article entitled Al-Henna’ – ‘Ilaj wa Tajmeel, Majallat Ad-Dawa’ Al-‘Arabi, June 1993; Muhammad Badr Ad-Deen Zaytooni, Al-Tibb Al-Sha’bi Wal-Tadawi Bil-A’shab, Damascus)
(from Islamic Medicine: The Key to a Better Life by Yusuf Al-Hajj Ahmad, Published by Darussalam)
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