The Healing of Honey

The Healing of Honey
Honey has been used in treatino certain kinds of stomach and intestinal infections.BY DR. HASSAN SHAMSl BASHA

Several ahadeeth in the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, refer to the healing power of honey and how we should use it to treat different ailments.

Abi Sa'eed related that a man came to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and told him that his brother's stomach was infected. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, told him to give him honey. The man came back and said he had given his brother honey, and his brother got no better. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, told him to do the same. This happened three times and on the fourth time, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, told him, "Allah has said the truth, and your brother's stomach has not." The man gave his brother honey and he got better. In this hadeeth, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, is referring to verse 69 of Surah an-Nahl, "...From within their (the bees) abdomens comes a fluid of different colors; wherein is a healing for mankind ... "

Imam an-Nawawi and other scholars have explained that the verse may be interpreted to mean that honey may heal certain illnesses for certain people, certainly not all illnesses.

Treatment of Stomach and Intestinal Infections for Children:
A prominent British medical magazine reported on a study that was conducted in 1985 on the use of honey for the treatment of stomach and intestinal infections in children aged six to eleven. One hundred sixty nine children took part in the study. They were divided into two groups. The first group was treated using traditional rehydration methods (glucose, sodium and potassium in solution, plenty of fluids). The second group was given exactly the same treatment except that glucose was exchanged with 50 ml of honey.

The following results were obtained:
1. Honey reduces the duration of diarrhea in patients infected with salmonella, shigala and E. coli.

2. This is due to the antibiotic property of honey, which had been established in previous studies.

3. The group of subjects treated with honey had less of a need for medication to fight the infection. Glucose can be safely substituted for honey in solutions to treat diarrhea, as long as the proportions are used according to directions.

5. Since honey is high in sugar content, it can be used to promote the absorption of water and sodium from the intestines, in the same way rice fluid and sucrose are used.

6. In this study, 50 mI of honey were used to make a one-liter solution (with the same amount of sodium and potassium). To get the same strength in a one-liter solution made with glucose, one would have to use 111 ml of glucose.
7. Fructose present in honey encourages the body to absorb water without sodium from the intestine.
This helps the blood maintain a reduced amount of sodium, a desirable effect since increased sodium in the blood may cause other problems.

8. The researchers asserted that although honey has a high-sugar content, it does not lead to osmotic diarrhea when used in correct proportions for rehydration.

9. The study indicated that honey could reduce the duration of diarrhea caused by the previously mentioned organisms. However, when there were other organisms causing the illness, the use of honey had no effect.

10. The use of honey is safe and has no allergic or side effects. It is readily available in most areas. When used correctly, it is effective for the treatment of certain stomach and intestinal ailments.

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, was right in his prescription for the ailing man. When the fourth treatment of honey was given to the man, he got better. Such is the knowledge of the Almighty that has been revealed to His Prophet, sallallahu aleyhe wa sallam.

Source: 'Al-Jumuah' Magazine Shawwal 1421, Jan 2001