Nabeez

'Ajwa dates and golden raisins from Madeenatul Munawwarrah soaked in cold water.

'Nabeez' [Nabidh] was one of the drinks consumed by the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). In his time, it was typically made with dates or raisins and water.

It is an alkalizing tonic, having the tendency to remove acidity from the stomach and digestive system and it also helps to remove other metabolic wastes from the body. It improves digestion as it's high in soluble fibre and it strengthens the memory. It assists the spleen function, liver, throat, chest and prostate, and so is particularly good for men. Nabeez will also benefit patients of Arthritis and elevated levels of Uric Acid (gout).

Making Nabeez is just as simple as soaking the dates (or raisins/sultanas) overnight and drinking the water in which they were soaked in the morning insha'Allah, but when it is embraced and honoured as one of the great Sunnahs of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), it pulls down Shifa, blessings and mercy from the treasures of Allah Azzawajjal.

The idea behind soaking dates or raisins in water is so that they sweeten the water and become softened. Softened dates/raisins release their vitamins and minerals more easily and are easier to digest.

'Ajwa' are the best variety to use if making Nabeez with stoneless dates and 'Manaqqa' is the best variety of raisins for making it with raisins, but black raisins can also be used, those colours were not Created without reason, so it is always preferable to keep changing our diets with new colours and and trying new varieties.

After Isha prayer, soak around 100 grams of dates or raisins in 1 litre of drinkable / healthy water and keep the utensil covered with a plate. Ensure the water is kept cool.

Next morning after Fajr, you can drink the water and eat the soaked fruit as was the traditional method, or just use your blender (water + soaked fruit) to obtain a beautiful  cloudy Nabeez. This is the method I have used for the smoothie recipe below.

And if you soak the fruit in morning, drink it in the evening. Nabeez should be consumed within 12 hours of soaking time, but if it is kept air tight inside the refrigerator, it will not spoil for 2-3 days insha'Allah. Serve cold Nabeez to your guests instead of tea, coffee, juices and sodas, and explain to  them the beauty of the Sunnah of our beloved Mesenger (pbuh) and the superb health benefits.

Nabeez must never be left for more than 2-3 days, otherwise it may start to ferment, which is the start of the alcohol brewing process. This is haram and forbidden to consume.

Never mix raisins and dates together; their Nabeez should be made separately.

Source - http://www.tibbenabawi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194:nabeez-drink-made-with-soaked-raisins&Itemid=227

Nabeez and Pomegranate smoothie.

Morning breakfast :)

Ingredients (serves 2)

50g dates, or raisins, soaked in 100ml fresh clean water. This time I used sultanas

250ml pomegranate juice.

50g frozen blueberries.

50g frozen strawberries.

50g frozen pomegranate kernels.

Blend all ingredients in a blender until the mixture becomes smooth and enjoy in the morning for breakfast or serve to your family and friends in hot weather.

Sultanas soaking at Ishaa for making the smoothie in the morning

References to Hadith - 

Regarding making it at night and drinking it in the morning -
'Abdullah (radhi Allahu anhu) said that "I heard Sufyan being asked about Nabidh. He said: 'Make Nabidh at night and drink it in the morning.'" 

Classed as Sahih from Sunan an Nas'ai Vol. 6, Book 51, Hadith 5745

Regarding it being disliked to mix dried dates with raisins to make Nabeez - 
Abu Qatada (radhi Allahu Anhu) on the authority of his father reported the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as having said, "Do not prepare Nabidh by mixing nearly ripe dates and fresh dates together, and do not prepare Nabidh by mixing grapes and dates together, but prepare Nabidh for each (one of them) seperately." 

Sahih Muslim Book 23 Hadith 4904

Regarding the impermissibility of storing Nabeez for more than 3 days so as it does not become intoxicating - Ibn Abbas (radhi Allahu anhu) reported that Nabidh was prepared from raisins for Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in the waterskin and he would drink it on that day and on the next day and the day following and when it was the evening of the third day, and he would drink it and give it to (his Companions) and if something was left over, he threw that away. 

Sahih Muslim Book 23 Hadith 4974

Advice for Expectant Mothers

A query was asked on my Facebook page regarding the recommended Tibb an Nabawi advice for pregnant ladies and how to reduce the swelling which they experience as the baby grows in the womb.

Swelling is very common amongst the pregnant women, around 50% to 80% will experience it during their term of pregnancy.

First of all, ladies who are expecting should try and maintain a strict Tibb-e-Nabawi diet; they should enjoy the delicious foods of Talbinah (barley porridge), Nabeez (drink made with soaked raisins), Barley bread, pure home-made vinegar and curries/stews which have been cooked in the blessed olive oil. All these things are the codes of perfection on this planet earth. You can check the recipes section of www.tibbenabawi.org and there you will find all the blessed foods which are recommended.

Pregnant ladies should try as much as possible to stop eating wheat and rice (take barley instead), stop soda drinks, sweetened juices, tea / coffee, vegetable oils, pickles, salted foods, eggs and dairy products (particularly aged cheese), and all whatever is available as canned / packed foods from the market.

Vegetable are the best for adding to curries/stews, except do not use potatoes, lady finger (Bhindi), egg-plant (Baingan), cabbage and cauliflower.

Regular table salt (sodium chloride) should be removed completely from the diet and replaced with natural salts (Himalayan crystal salt or natural/organic rock salts). It is important not to take too much salt in any case as it increases the amount of water/swelling in the body.

Expectant ladies should avoid consuming Black Seed (Kalonji) and it’s Oil because it is strong and may not be suitable for them. Olive oil is better.

If they are experiencing uncomfortable swelling, they are advised to lie down on a bed to rest at often periods during the daytime, keeping cushions/pillows under their legs. It will keep their legs elevated (legs are in slightly higher position than the heart organ), this will relieve the swelling insha’Allah.

They are advised to drink water (6 cups in one day), not too much (too much water is hazardous) and not too little, and also they should take gentle walks (exercise) during each day as this will keep their body fluids moving and they will not collect in the legs. They should also see the doctor at regular periods to check that the pregnancy is going well and swelling is not being caused by any other health problem.

Hijama wet cupping treatment should be avoided at all costs during pregnancy as it may induce premature labour or miscarriage.

May Allah give all my sisters who are expecting a child a safe and healthy pregnancy and new baby insha’Allah.

Barley & Blueberry Muffins Recipe.

Here is a great recipe for Blueberry Muffins made with healthy Barley flour, as opposed to normal wheat flour (Maida). Recipe and photos have been provided by our sister Farheen. 

Barley is a low GI grain with a higher fibre content and lower gluten content than wheat, making it much more beneficial for digestion by those patients who are trying to cut down on their consumption of sugar. If you are only able to find Barley grains in the market, you can try to gently roast then before crushing them into flour. Roasting can be done in a frying pan over a low heat using a drop of olive oil. Keep stirring the grains so that they brown evenly and do not burn.

Sister Farheen's recipe makes use of olive oil in place of the usual butter/ghee/shortening which is used in baking;

Ingredients (makes approx 6 muffins);

150g barley flour

50g brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt 

1 egg, (beaten)

50g olive oil 

100ml milk 

75g fresh blueberries, you can use chopped raisins or dates.

 

Heat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Mix the egg, blessed oil and milk quickly into the dry ingredients with the blueberries (don't over mix, it should be a bit lumpy). Divide between the cases and bake for 25 minutes until risen, turns golden and cooked through.

 

Fresh from the oven

The Difference Between Evil Eye and Envy – Shaikh ibn ul-Uthaymeen

Written by Abu Muadh Taqweem Aslam on December 16, 2012. Posted in Belief - 'Aqeedah', Monotheism - Tawheed

A very beneficial advice from Shaikh ibn ul-Uthaymeen for all those afflicted by evil eye or envy of others, and to all those who are afflicted by whispers causing them distress in this regard.

Q: “What is the difference between the evil eye and envy and how do we protect ourselves from them?”

A: “There is no practical difference , but the origin of the evil eye is from envy, that is because the one who causes the evil eye – and we seek refuge in Allah – has in his heart envy for the servants of Allah and he does not love any good for anyone. If therefore he sees something from a person that pleases him and he is envious then this emotion eminates from him and afflicts the individual he envies, and that is why Allah said, “و من شر حاسد إذا حسد – And from the evil of the envier when he envies”.

As for protection from the evil of the envier and the evil eye:

1 – Trust and dependence in Allah, and that a person does not turn to these affairs and give them importance and concern, rather he shuns away from them.

2 – Using the beneficial supplications mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah for they are the best of protection for a person, just like what has been authenticated from the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم regarding Ayat ul-Kursee and that the one who recites it at night then there will not cease to be a protector upon him and shaytaan will not approach him until he awakens in the morning.

Regarding this I say this point – The imaginations and misconceptions [whisperings] have increased in people in recent times, so they consider [if anything occurs] it must be evil eye, magic or jinn, to the extent if some of them catch a cold they will say “it is evil eye, magic or jinn”[!]. Turn and shun away from all this [such thoughts] and instead trust and depend in Allah. Do not entertain such whispers so they may depart from you, for indeed whenever a person allows a thought to enter his mind he becomes preoccupied by it, and if only he were to ignore it so it would depart from him and he would not be afflicted by harm. This is like if a person is afflicted by an injury, if he was to ignore it and preoccupy himself with other affairs he would forget the injury and not be focused on the pain,  however if he focuses on it he feels the pain.”

[Summarized from Shaikh ibn ul-Uthaymeen's official website via Sahab]

Grapes: A favor from the Bestower

 

 

Grapes (Arb: 'Inab) 

Allah, the Bestower  mentions grapes eight times in the Qur'aan, as one of the innumerable favors He bestowed upon His creation. Grapes are fruits found both on the earth and in paradise according to The Noble Book and Prophetic traditions. 

First, it is mentioned in Surah Al Anaam: 99  

" And out of the date¬palm and its spathe come forth clusters of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof. Verily! In these things there are signs for people who believe." (99) 

Second, we can find it mentioned in Surah An-Nahl:11 

 "With it He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date-palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit. Verily! In this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought."(11)

Third, we can find grapes mentioned in Surah An-Nahl:67 

 "And from the fruits of date-palms and grapes, you derive strong drink and a goodly provision. Verily, therein is indeed a sign for people who have wisdom." (67)

Here in Surah YaSeen:34, 35 "And We have made therein gardens of date-palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein. (34) So that they may eat of the fruit thereof,— and their hands made it not. Will they not, then, give thanks?"(35)

 Again, it is mentioned in Surah 'Abasaa: 28 "And grapes and clover plants (i.e. green fodder for the cattle), (28) And olives and date-palms, (29) And gardens, dense with many trees, (30) And fruits and herbage. (31) (To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle."

I have recounted five of the eight here. The other places grapes can be found in the Noble Qur'aan are Surah Al-Israa: 91; Surah Al-Kahf:32 and  Surah Al-Mu'minoon:19.  

 From these evidences we can see that grapes have been provided for us to eat. They can be eaten fresh, dried, ripe or even cooked. Grapes can be classified as a fruit, food, a condiment, a drink and a medicine. Botanically, grapes are classified as berries. Domesticated grapes grow in clusters and they range in color from pale green to black ( see the picture above). Green grapes are the sweetest when the color has a yellowish cast, and they are more nutritious than the black variety, even if they are equally sweet.  

In  Medicine of the Prophet, Ibn Al-Qayyim  states that it is better  and more nutritious to eat grapes two or three days old, (when the skin becomes soft),than those harvested on the same day. When eaten the same day of harvesting they produce flatulence and gas in the stomach and intestines. Otherwise, the nutritional benefits of table grapes are similar to those of figs and raisins. . 

Grapes are categorized as one of the 'Three Royal Fruits: namely grapes, figs and dates'.  

Health benefits of eating grapes:  

• inhibit the growth of cancer cells

• heart protective antioxidants found in grape seeds such as  proanthocyanidin and resveratrol,contain anti-inflammatory proponents

• scientists have discovered that the flavonoid, carotenoid lycopene found in red grapes may help fight breast cancer and prostate cancer

• assist in weight gaining

• increase body tone

• seedless grapes have a gentle purgative effect

 

Recipe Spotlight:    Greens with Grapes (courtesy of http://www.freshcaliforniagrapes.com)
		Ingredients 1 cup California seedless red grapes, cut in half 3 cups greens, such as radicchio, escarole, frisee, watercress or dandelion greens, or a mix of these, well washed 1 tablespoon red onion, chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt black pepper to taste Directions Place the grapes, greens and onion in a large bowl. Dress with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently and serve.