Yahya b. ‘Abdallah b. Bahir said he was informed by one who had heard Farwa b. Musaik tell that he said, “Messenger of God, we have land called Abyan* which is the land where we have our fields and grow our crops, but it is very unhealthy.” He replied, “Leave it, for destruction comes from being near disease.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * To the east of Aden some early riders held it was either a place on the rocks of Adea, or a name of Aden itself.

‘Urwa b. ‘Amir told that when taking omens was mentioned in the presence of God’s messenger he replied that the best type was the good omen, adding that a Muslim is not turned back from anything because of an omen. He told them that when any of them saw anything he disliked he should say, “O God, Thou alone bringest good things, Thou alone avertest evil things, and there is no might or power but in God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in mursal form.

Mu'awiya b. al-Hakam told that he said, “Messenger of God, there were things we used to do in the pre-Islamic period. We used to visit kahins.” He replied, “Do not visit kdhins” He said, “We used to take omens.” He replied, “That is an idea a man has, but it must not turn you aside from your purposes.” He said, “Among us there were men who practised divination by drawing lines on the ground.” He replied, “There was a prophet who drew lines, so if anyone does it in the same way as he did, that is allowable.” Muslim transmitted it.

She told that she heard God’s messenger say: “The angels descend in al-’anan, i e. the clouds, and mention a matter which has been decreed in heaven, then the devils listening by stealth and hearing it communicate it to the kahins who tell along with it a hundred lies of their own making.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has not sent down any blessing from heaven without a section of the people disbelieving in it. God sends down the rain but they say it comes by means of such and such a star.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God's messenger as saying: “If anyone acquires any knowledge of astrology he acquires a branch of magic of which he gets more as long as he continues to do so.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying: “If anyone resorts to a kahin and believes him m what he says, or has intercourse with his wife when she is menstruating, or has intercourse with his wife through her anus, he has nothing to do with what has been sent down to Muhammad.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas said: A man of the Ansar who was a companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) told me that while they were sitting one night along with God’s messenger, a star was thrown and shone brightly. He asked them what they used to say in the pre-Islamic period when something of that nature was thrown, and they replied, “God and His messenger know best. We used to say that a great man had been born that night, or that a great man had died." Then God’s messenger said, “It is not thrown because of anyone’s death or life; but when our Lord whose name is blessed decrees a matter the bearers of the Throne extol Him, then the inhabitants of heaven who are next to them extol Him till the extolling reaches the inhabitants of this lowest heaven. Then those who are near the bearers of the Throne ask them what their Lord has said and they tell them what He said. Then the inhabitants of the heavens ask one another till it reaches this lowest heaven. The jinn then snatch a hearing and pass it on to their friends and have thrown at them. Now what they bring as it came is true, but they mix things with it and make additions." Muslim transmitted it.

Qatada said God most high created these stars for three purposes; He made them an adornment for the sky, missiles for the devils, and signs by which people find their way. If anyone explains them differently he makes a mistake, squanders what is allotted to him, and occupies himself with something he does not know. Bukhari transmitted it without a full isnad. Razln’s version has, “occupies himself with what does not concern him, what he has no knowledge of, and what prophets and angels are incapable of knowing.” On the authority of ar-Rabi’* there is something to the same effect with the addition, “I swear by God that God has not set in a star anyone’s life, provision, or death. They are only speaking lies against God and attributing causes to the stars.” * Ar-Rabi’ b. Ziyad, Qatada's authority.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying: “If anyone acquires a section of the science of the stars for a purpose other than what God has mentioned he has acquired a branch of magic. The astrologer is a kahin, the kahin is a magician, and the magician is an infidel.” Razin transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying: “If God were to withhold rain from his servants for five years and then send it, a section of mankind would be infidels saying they had been supplied with water through the agency of the rainy star al-Mijdah*.” Nasa’i transmitted it. * The word comet from a root meaning to stir up, and the plural is used as a general name for stars which are said to stir up rain, the singular used here may refer to the Hyades, but other explanations are also given. As rainy seasons were connected with particular times at which certain stars rose, the rain was attributed to them.

Aba Huraira told of hearing God’s messenger say: “Nigella seed is a remedy for every disease but sam.” Ibn Shihab said sant is death and the nigella seed is shuniz.* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Taj al-’arus says this is a Persian word which came to be used by Arabs. It indicates a seed of a species of nigella.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him his brother's bowels were loose, so God’s messenger told him to give him honey to drink . He did so and then came and said, “I gave it him to drink but it has only made his bowels more loose.” This he said three times, and when he came a fourth time and was told to give him honey to drink he said, “I have done so, but it has only increased the looseness.” God's messenger replied, “God has spoken the truth and your brother’s bowels have lied.” He then gave him it to drink and he recovered. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "The best medical treatments you apply are cupping and sea costus.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying: “Do not afflict your children by squeezing for a swelling in the uvula, but apply costus.” (Bukhari and Muslim .)

Umm Qais reported God's messenger as saying: “Why do you compress the uvula in this way? Use this Indian aloes wood, for it contains seven types of remedy, among them being a remedy for pleurisy. It is applied through the nose for a swelling of the uvula and poured into the side of the mouth for pleurisy.” (Bukhari and Muslim )

‘A’isha and Raf’i b. Khadij reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: “Fever is due to the vehemence of the heat of hell, so cool it with water.” (Bukhari and Muslim.).

'Aisha said : The Prophet (ﷺ) gave command that we should use an invocation against the evil eye. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Umm Salama told that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw in her house a girl with saf’a, i.e. yellowness,* in her face and said: “Use an invocation for her, for she has been affected by the evil eye.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Saf’a is explained as a stroke from the devil, or the influence of the evil eye. It may be read suf’a which means blackness, or blackness tinged with red. Sufra normally means yellowness, but it can also mean blackness, and that may be the interpretation it should have here, in which case one should read suf'a.

Abud Darda’ reported God's messenger as saying, “God has sent down both the disease and the cure, and He has appointed a cure for every disease, so treat yourselves medically, but use nothing unlawful.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.