Imam Reza (A.

Imam Reza (A.S) has said: “If one of you falls ill, let him permit the visitors to pray for him, for the prayers of each one of them will be answered.” He (a.s) also said: “the people who visit the patient should be lovers and followers of the fourteen sinless personalities.” Prayers of parents and relatives are answered soon and God has given permission for intercession (Surah 2: Ayah 255).

Ayatullah al U’zma Sayyid Burujerdi had approved publishing Tibb ul-A’immah compiled by the sons of Bistam, who was a companion of the sixth and the seventh Imams. Tibb ul-A’immah has been translated into English from Arabic at Oxford University and is now available for readers. Here Tibbe Reza may be mentioned in brief: Imam Reza was asked by Mamoon to write for him a manuscript on Tibb-e-Sunnati (Traditional Medicine).

Imam Reza (AS) has written a detailed treatise on medicine that became famous as Risalah-e-Dhahabiyah (The Golden Treatise on Medicine) and has mentioned that the health of a person is based on balancing the four humors (Ikhlaat) in the body viz: 1. Phlegm (Balgham); 2. Yellow bile (Safra); 3. Blood (Damm) and 4.

Black bile (Sauda) The liver plays an essential role in producing and maintaining the required proportion of these humors in every individual and a person becomes sick when the proportion of these humors is upset. Proper food and traditional medicine may be used for treating these humors. Imam Reza (A.S) has mentioned a prescription to cleanse phlegm and make the breath fragrant and strengthen the teeth as well. He has mentioned a remedy for jaundice as well and for strengthening the eyesight.

A person complained to Imam Reza (A.S) about a severe cold in his head, which almost makes him faint. The Imam wrote to him to inhale ambergris (a perfume like a musk) and raziqi jasmine after eating food. The person was cured by this aromatherapy. Imam Reza (A.S) had also prescribed a drink for Ma’moon which is very strengthening but without intoxication and ebreity of the prohibited wines, which poison a person’s wisdom and make him commit sins and crimes in disobedience to God.

This drink is made from Mawiz (brown raisins). Details of making the drink are available in books. Once Imam Reza (AS) said: “If that person was massaged he wouldn’t have died.” This proves that death is of two kinds, evitable and inevitable. When a person can avoid death by different means such as medicine, massage, sadaqah, alms, prayers, etc, he should not neglect treatment.