(The Prophet (ﷺ) said), "Healing is in three things: A gulp of honey, cupping, and branding with fire (cauterizing)." But I forbid my followers to use (cauterization) branding with fire."
Hadith Commentary: The Three Forms of Healing
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (5680) establishes three primary medical treatments recognized in Prophetic tradition. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ first enumerates honey, cupping (hijama), and cauterization as containing healing properties, then prohibits the latter for his Ummah due to its severity.
Scholarly Analysis of the Three Treatments
Honey represents natural medicine that combines nutritional benefit with therapeutic properties. Scholars note its effectiveness for digestive ailments, wound healing, and strengthening immunity.
Cupping (hijama) serves as a preventive and curative treatment by drawing out impurities and stagnant blood. Classical physicians considered it beneficial for blood-related disorders and improving circulation.
Cauterization, while acknowledged as medically effective in extreme cases, was prohibited for general use due to its painful nature and potential for tissue damage, reflecting Islam's principle of avoiding harm when possible.
Juridical Rulings and Contemporary Application
Scholars classify honey as recommended (mustahabb), cupping as permissible with varying rulings on specific days, and cauterization as prohibited (haram) except in life-threatening situations where no alternative exists.
Modern medical research has confirmed honey's antibacterial properties and cupping's benefits for pain management, validating the timeless wisdom of Prophetic medicine while maintaining the prohibition against unnecessary cauterization.