It is narrated in the books of Imaams Al-Bukhari and Muslim  that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "A man came to the Prophet  and said: 'My brother is complaining about his stomach, or he is complaining about diarrhea.’ The Prophet  said: 'Give him some honey.’ The man went and came back later, saying, ‘I have given him some honey, but it did not help,' or he said, ‘it made his diarrhea worse.' He repeated this twice or three times, all the while the Prophet  continued saying to him: 'Give him some honey.' In the third or fourth time, the Prophet  said: 'Allah has said the truth while your brother's stomach has lied. Go back and let him drink honey.’ This time the ill man recovered.”

Honey has tremendous medicinal value, because it washes away the harmful substances that might be collected in the intestines and the veins. In treating diarrhea, honey promotes the rehydration of the body and more quickly clears up the diarrhea and any vomiting and stomach upsets. The anti-bacterial properties of honey, both the peroxide and non-peroxide, are effective against MRSA strains of bacteria which are notoriously resistant to antibiotics and are sometimes responsible for the closing of hospital wards.

Honey also dissolves excess moisture, is beneficial as a drink and as an ointment, it is of great value for the elderly, and those suffering from phlegm and cold moods or condition (chills). Honey is nutritious, softens one's bowel movement and is a good presetting agent.

In addition, licking honey on an empty stomach will help the body get rid of mucus and phlegm. It cleanses the stomach and rids it of harmful substances or mixtures, heats the stomach mildly and opens up the pores. Honey has similar effects on the kidneys, the prostate and the liver. Furthermore, honey is the least harmful sweet substance for congesting the liver and kidneys.

Added to all these benefits and many others, honey does not have any side effects, nor harm except for those suffering from bile and who should take it with vinegar to neutralize its harm.

There is no other substance that is more beneficial than honey or that even rivals its value. This is why the people of old relied on honey, for most of the books of old do not mention sugar, as sugar was discovered in modern times.

The Prophet  used to drink some honey mixed with water on an empty stomach. There is a wonderful secret behind this practice regarding preserving the health. He  said: "Make use of the two cures: honey and the Quran." [Ibn Maajah and others]

This Hadeeth joins the material and the divine cures, the medicine of the body and the soul, the earthly medicine and the heavenly cure.

Back to the story of the man inflicted with diarrhea mentioned above, the Prophet  repeated his command to the man to give some honey to his sick brother for a good reason. The prescribed medicine should be in sufficient doses; otherwise the ailment will not be fully cured. When the prescribed medicine is in a larger than necessary dose, it will weaken the body and cause side effects.

Prophetic medicine is not similar to that offered by doctors and physicians. Prophetic medicine is indeed the effective treatment and cure provided by the revelation and the guidance of the Prophet  that is coupled with a sound and perfect mind. In comparison, the majority of remedies prescribed by other than the Prophet  are based on hypothesis, observation and experimentation.

It is a fact that many people do not benefit from Prophetic medicine, because it will help only those who acknowledge and have faith in it. Thus, they believe that it will help them and they then submit to it. If the Quran, which is a cure for whatever the heart conceals, is not acknowledged and accepted with faith, it will not provide a cure for the heart. In fact, the Quran will only add more disease to the hearts of the hypocrites. This is also applied to the medications that sick people take nowadays. Specialists stress on the role of psychological factors in response to treatment. They say that in most cases, the patient should be convinced that he will be treated through this medication he has, otherwise the treatment would be ineffective.  

Prophetic medicine is only suitable for good and pure bodies, just as the Quran is only suitable for righteous souls and feeling hearts. Therefore, when the people ignore Prophetic medicine, it is like ignoring the help and guidance of the Quran, which is the most effective medicine. Again, when the medicine (the Quran and the Prophetic medicine) do not work, it is due to the negativity in the body and soul that are not suitable for accepting the medicine, not because the medicine does not work.

"And amongst them will be passed round vessels of silver and cups of crystal—crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure thereof (according to their wishes). And they will be given to drink there of a cup (of wine) mixed with zanjabeel (ginger), a spring there called salsabeel. And round about them will serve boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls. And when you look there (in Paradise), you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a great dominion." [76:15-20]

Ginger is another soothing herb to contemplate. It is actually the stem of a plant that grows downward—below ground. Peeling the brown outer skin reveals a juicy food that has a distinctive taste and emanating fragrance. Curiously, ginger is mentioned in the Quran in the chapter 76 (titled al-Insan or Man) as camphor. While the two herbs are pungent and strong in characteristic, they have complimentary and contrary properties for the same soothing effect. While camphor is cooling, ginger is warming. Both come from a gushing spring, and will both be mixed to form a drink in Paradise that is served in an elegant cup as a reward for those that were righteous and patient. According to the Quran commentator, Ibn Katheer, salsabeel will run continuous with a flowing, rich current; its warmth is to make the drink balanced with the contrasting coolness of the camphor (Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, 2003). The servants mentioned in these verses are youthful, with an array of colors, fine clothing, and ornaments. Since there is nothing more beautiful than seeing pearls in a place that is dazzling beyond our imagination, let's take some time to ponder ginger in this life as we know it.

As the third most frequently used complimentary and alternative herbal substance (Alexander, 2006), ginger has plenty of medicinal uses.

There are genetic differences in our perceptions of the spiciness and mildness of many flavors, such as ginger (Duffy, 2007). Current studies theorize that ginger acts to calm the gastrointestinal system (Golding and Gresty, 2005); however, it is noteworthy that its relieving effects are more prevalent in women than men. Approximately 250 mg ginger in teas or tablets reduces nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (Vutyavanich and Ruangsri, 2001; Lane, 2007). Other studies in complimentary medicine for cancer patients confirm that ginger is effective for the nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy (Mansky & Wallerstedt, 2006; Taiziang and Mechanick, 2005). Ginger is also used to combat abdominal pain (Scholl & Allen, 2007). In addition, it has the ability to lower microbial enzymes, thereby fighting against and preventing colon cancer (Manju & Nalini, 2006). More recently, ginger is being studied for use in soothing the joint pains in osteoarthritis (Fajardo & Di Cesare, 2005).

Although the jury is still out, ginger may modify or stimulate the thyroid gland (Tamler & Mechanick, 2006). By a similar thread, and since ginger may influence the amount of energy we use from the foods we consume, more studies are needed about the relationship between weight loss and ginger consumption (Riccardi et al., 2005). As a cautionary note, ginger changes the way the body thins the blood and uses anesthesia; therefore, people with diabetes, heart, or blood vessel problems or people undergoing surgery should discuss their use of ginger with their health care provider to determine if it is safe or beneficial for them (Alexander, 2006; Canwell-Bruce, 2007). This herb, mentioned in the Quran as being part of what people of Paradise drink, has been widely used by man who is still discovering numerous uses for it.

Ordinary use of ginger in our diets can be beneficial to our health, but how can we get it in our diet? Most people in the West eat sweetened ginger, such as ginger with fruit or honey, or as a zing to cakes or breads. Some prenatal healthcare professionals suggest pregnant women eat ginger cookies before getting out of bed (Davis, 2007). Ginger tea is soothing to the bowel (Merchant, 2007), and an infusion can promote relaxation. Ginger can also be used to spice up coffee and black tea. Some eat pickled ginger alone others use it to garnish foods like vegetable sushi. Alternatively, ginger pieces add flavoring to rice, lentils, seafood, or meats. If you are not sure, ask someone in your local masjid or neighborhood—you can learn about your community while adding it to your cuisine.

Ginger is a soothing, warm herb that reminds us of the richness of Paradise. With that in mind, we need to be constantly making efforts to attain these rewards. In both sahih of Bukhari and sahih of Muslim, we are given simple advice on how to achieve the gardens and treasures of Paradise. The Companion, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, has reported that Allah's Messenger  said: "Two are the expressions which are light on the tongue, but heavy in scale, dear to the Compassionate One. Exalted is Allah and praise is due to Him, Exalted is Allah, the Great." (Khan, 1997; Siddique, 2000). As we use and remember ginger in this world, let's seek Allah's pleasure in the Hereafter.