Part 67

"The virtue of 'A'esha compared to the rest of the women is like the virtue of the Tharid as compared to the rest of the foods." (Tharid means bread and meat).

Az-Zuhri said, "Eating meat brings about strength in seventy different ways." In addition, Muhammad bin Wasi’ said, "Eating meat strengthens the sight." In addition, Ali was reported to have said, “Eat meat, because it makes the skin's color lighter, the stomach firmer and the behavior better. "Ibn 'Umar used to cat meat frequently when Ramadan started and when traveling." Finally, All was reported to have said, “Whoever refrains from eating meat for forty days will acquire bad behavior."

There are different types of meat that we will mention, describe briefly and elaborate on their benefit or harm.

_ Sheep Meat (Mutton)

— The Prophetic Medicine

Mutton is warm in the second degree and wet in the first degree. The best type of mutton comes from the one-year old animal, which generates good blood if digested properly. This type of meat is suitable for those who have hot or cold temperaments and for those who practice sports activity in cold areas and cold weather. It is In addition beneficial for those who suffer from black bile, and it In addition strengthens the mind and the memory. However, the mutton of old, thin animals is not good, as is the ewe's meat.

The best type of mutton is the dark meat of the male animal, for it is lighter, tastier and more beneficial. The mutton of castrated sheep is even better and more beneficial. The red meat of fat sheep is lighter and more nutritious, while the chest of the goat is less nutritious and floats in the stomach.

The best parts of mutton meat are the meat that covers the bones, the right side, which is lighter and tastier than the left side, and the front parts rather than the back parts. The best part of sheep meat to the Prophet b, was the front part, which is closer to the head, but not the head itself. The front part is lighter and tastier. Once, AIFarazdaq gave a man some money to buy meat for him, saying, "Buy the front parts and avoid the head and the intestines, because that is where disease resides.”

It is cold and dry, and the mixtures that goat meat produces are harmful. Goat meat is not digested easily and is not significant nutrition-wise. The meat of billy goats is not beneficial, because it is rather dry, heavy on the stomach and produces black bile.

Al-Jahith once said, "A skilled doctor once said to me, 'O Abu Uthman! Avoid goat meat because it causes depression, causes black bile, forgettulness, and spoils the blood. By Allah! It In addition drives children wild.”

Some doctors say that the goat meat that is not preferred is the meat of old goats, especially for old people. They In addition say that goat meat is not bad for whoever is used to eating it.

- When the doctors state that goat meat is not beneficial, they specifically mean those who have weak stomachs and those who are not used to eating it, such as

——— The Prophetic Medicine

the people who live in luxury in cities and who are used to the better types of foods. But this is not the majority.

The meat of young - but not very young - goats is milder, especially when the goat is stili nursing. This type of goat meat is digested faster, because it still possesses the strength of its mother's milk. The meat of young goats is In addition milder for most people and lighter than camel meat. In addition, young goat's meat produces moderate blood.

Cow Meat is cold and dry, heavy on the stomach and produces black, bilious blood that is only suitable for hard workers. Eating cow meat excessively for those who are not used to it causes such black bilious illnesses as vitiligo (a skin condition of unknown cause, characterized by patchy loss of pigment), mange, herpes, leprosy, elephantiasis, cancer, obsession, quartran fever and various tumors. The harm that this meat causes will be neutralized when one eats it with spices, garlic, ginger and cinnamon. The meat of male cows is colder than female cows' meat, which is less dry.

The meat of fat calves is one of the best, mildest and tastiest types of food. It is warm and wet, and if fully digested, it provides good nutrition.

The Prophetic Medicine Horse meat

In the Sahih it is narrated that Asma said, "We slaughtered a horse during the time of the Messenger of Allah af and ate if." In addition, the Prophet b:

"Allowed eating horsemeat but disallowed eating (domesticated) donkey meat.” [AI-Bokhary and Muslim].

The fact that Allah mentioned horses along with mules and donkeys [in the Qura'an] does not indicate that the ruling about their meat is identical. Sometimes Allah mentions several similar things .ogether and sometimes mentions several different things together. What Allah said is:

"For you to ride." (16:8)

This does not indicate that horsemeat is not allowed, just as it does not indicate that one is not allowed to benefit from horses except by riding. Rather, the Ayah only mentioned the best benefit and value that the horse represents, which is its being a means of transportation. Furthermore, the two Ahadeeth we mentioned unequivocally indicate that horsemeat is allowed.

Horsemeat is hot, dry, tough and dark. It is In addition harmful for soft stomachs and bodies.

~—— The Prophetic Medicine

The difference between the Shiite and the Sunnis and between the Jews and Muslims is that the Muslims eat camel meat. In addition, the Shiites and the Jews neither praise nor eat camel meat. It is well established in the religion that Muslims are allowed to eat camel meat and that the Messenger of Allah b and his Companions used to eat it while traveling and otherwise.

Young camel meat is one of the tastiest and most nutritious types of foods, and those who are used to eating it find it as light and beneficial as sheep meat. Some doctors did not like eating camel meat for residents of the cities because they are not used to it. Camel meat is hot and dry, difficult to digest and begets black bile.

- Camel meat has an especially strong effect on the body and this is why the Prophet b ordered the Muslims to perform ablution after éating it.* We should state here that it is an erroneous method to alter the meaning of the two correct Ahadeeth on this subject so that ‘ablution' only means washing the hands, thus altering the true meaning of the word. In addition, the Prophet b made a distinction between eating camel meat and sheep meat, as he gave the choice to Muslims if they want to perform ablution after eating sheep meat. Meanwhile, the Prophet m, commanded the Muslims to perform ablution after

eating camel meat. If ablution in these Ahadeeth was held to mean just washing the hands, it should In addition apply to what the Prophet b said:

"Whoever touched his sexual organ is obliged to perform ablution.”

Furthermore, those who eat camel meat might not touch the meat with their hands. So if ‘ablution' in this case means just washing the hands, it would be a senseless act and would alter the true meanings desired by the Ahadeeth. In addition, claiming that the Hadith which states,

"The last ruling that the Prophet b chose is that he abandoned performing ablution from eating what is cooked by fire," includes camel meat is not correct.

First, this Hadith carries a general meaning, while the Hadith about camel meat is specific.

Second, the two Ahadeeth are not talking about the same subject. For instance, one should perform ablution even if hz eats dried, cooked or uncooked camel meat. Using fire does not have a bearing on the ruling about camel meat. As for abandoning performing ablution after eating what is cooked by fire, it only indicates that using fire does not require ablution. Therefore, there is a difference between the two Ahadeeth, as one of them

—— the Prophetic Medicine

orders the Muslims to perform ablution after eating camel meat while the other indicates that performing ablution is not required after eating the food that was cooked by fire.

Third, the Hadith about the Prophet * abandoning performing ablution after eating the food that was cooked on fire came after the Prophet b had performed ablution from eating such meat earlier. The Hadith states that the Prophet SB was once brought meat and that he ate from it and then performed ablution and prayed. Later on, he was brought meat and he ate from it and then prayed without performing ablution. The Hadith states, the last ruling on this matter is that it is not necessary to perform ablution after eating what was cooked by fire. So there are two rulings regarding the same subject [eating what was touched by fire], one came earlier than the second ruling. Some of the narrators of the Hadith only mentioned the latter incident to make the story short. Therefore, how can anyone use this Hadith to prove that it overrules performing ablution from eating camel meat (when the earlier Hadith that was overruled talks about another subject)? Even if the Ahadeeth in general allow not performing ablution after cating what was cooked on fire, the specific Hadith still stands because it entails a specific ruling [concerning camel meat].

We stated before that eating D'abb meat is allowed. This type of meat is hot and dry and excites the sexual drive.

Gazelle meat is the best among the meats of wild game. It is hot and dry and beneficial for the healthy body, especially the fawn's meat.

Antelope meat is hot and dry in the first degree, dehydrates the body and is beneficial for the humid bodied.

The author of the 'Qanoon' said, "The best type of game meat is the antelope's, although it tends to cause black bile.”

Rabbit meat was mentioned in the Sahihain, as Anas said, "We tinted a rabbit after pursuing it for a while. Afterwards, Abu Talhah sent its hip to the Messenger of Allah b who accepted it."

Rabbit meat is mildly hot and dry, and the best 587