Habba Muhammadi Talbinah Introduction, health benefits, and usage. By: Syed Mujeer Ahmed Umari
What is Talbinah?
طَعَامٌ يُتَّخَذُ مِنْ دَقِيقٍ أَوْ نُخَالَةٍ وَرُبَّمَا جُعِلَ فِيهَا عَسَلٌ سُمِّيَتْ بِذَلِكَ لِشَبَهِهَا بِاللَّبَنِ فِي الْبَيَاضِ وَالرِّقَّةِ وَالنَّافِعُ مِنْهُ مَا كَانَ رَقِيقًا نَضِيجًا لَا غَلِيظًا نِيئًا (فتح الباري 550/9 طبع دار المعرفة، بيروت).
It is a food that is prepared from the husk of a date palm and barley flour and sometimes honey is added to it. Because it is white and soft like milk, it has been given the name of Talbinah. Beneficial is the one that is well cooked and very soft.
Talbinah is mentioned in authentic ahadith. Here are some ahadith in this regard:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ إِذَا مَاتَ الْمَيِّتُ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَاجْتَمَعَ لِذَلِكَ النِّسَاءُ ثُمَّ تَفَرَّقْنَ إِلَّا أَهْلَهَا وَخَاصَّتَهَا، أَمَرَتْ بِبُرْمَةٍ مِنْ تَلْبِينَةٍ فَطُبِخَتْ، ثُمَّ صُنِعَ ثَرِيدٌ، فَصُبَّتِ التَّلْبِينَةُ عَلَيْهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَتْ : كُلْنَ مِنْهَا ؛ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ : ” التَّلْبِينَةُ مَجَمَّةٌ لِفُؤَادِ الْمَرِيضِ، تَذْهَبُ بِبَعْضِ الْحُزْنِ (صحيح البخاري: كِتَابُ الْأَطْعِمَةِ،بَابُ التَّلْبِينَةِ)
Narrated Aisha (RA), that whenever one of her relatives died, the women assembled and then dispersed (returned to their houses) except her relatives and close friends. She would order that a pot of Talbinah be cooked. Then Tharid (a dish prepared from meat and bread) would be prepared and the Talbinah would be poured on it. ‘Aisha would say (to the women),”Eat of it, for I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “The Talbinah soothes the heart of the patient and relieves him from some of his sadness.”
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَأْمُرُبِالتَّلْبِينَةِ، وَتَقُولُ : هُوَ الْبَغِيضُ النَّافِعُ. (صحيح البخاري: كِتَابُ الطِّبِّ، بَابُ التَّلْبِينَةِ لِلْمَرِيضِ)
Ayesha (RA) used to order the preparation of “Talbinah” for the sick person and said that although the sick person dislikes it, it is very beneficial for him.
Ayesha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: “When any one of the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him) fell ill, it was ordered that barley gruel (talbinah) be prepared for him. Then he used to say that talbinah removes grief from the heart of a sick person and removes his weakness as any of you washes his face with water and removes dirt from it.” (Ibn Majah).
Benefits of Talbinah
1) Elimination of iron deficiency: In one to one and a half months, hemoglobin increases according to the body’s needs.
2) Weight Gain: Talbinah is very useful for weak people. With its daily use, it removes weakness of the body and increases weight.
3) Mental Weakness: Talbinah is best for school children. It strengthens the body as well as the mind. For those children who memorize and forget their lessons, the use of talbinah sharpens their memory. Talbinah is best for sick people who cannot get out of their bed. This diet removes the weakness and enables them to walk.
4) Talbinah is the best food for old people. People who are unable to get up due to their weakness and also find difficulty eating; for such people, Talbinah gruel is very useful.
5) Talbinah is a great thing not only for patients but also for healthy people. It is a food, tonic, medicine, healing and blessing for children, adults and the whole family alike, especially for heart disease, tension, mental illness, gastrointestinal, liver, muscle, and nerve illness. It is a unique tonic for all ailments of the men, women, and children.
6) The prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him) said: “It cures all the ailments of the patient’s heart and removes grief from the heart” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nisaai, and Ahmad).
7) When a person complains to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about lack of appetite, he would order him to eat talbinah and say: “I swear by the One in Whose hand is my soul, it removes the filth from your stomach as one of you washes his face with water.”
8) The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not like anything better for the patient than Talbinah. In addition to the benefits of “barley”, it also includes the benefits of honey. It can be consumed warm and frequently, but he preferred to eat it on an empty stomach. (Even it can be used on a full stomach, and people of all ages can use it any time, both healthy and sick).
Medical Benefits of Talbinah
It helps in the treatment of grief, depression, back pain, severe hemoglobin deficiency in children, memory impairment in school children, loss of appetite, weight loss, high cholesterol, increased blood sugar levels In diabetic patients, heart diseases, ailment of intestines, anxiety, stomach Inflammation, ulcers, cancer, immune deficiency, physical weakness, mental illness, liver disease, muscle and nerve weakness, delusion, obsessions, and anxiety disorders.
In the eleventh century, the famous physician, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), in his famous book “Canon of Medicine” highlighted the usefulness of barley for the treatment of fever and fatigue and emphasized its use with soups and broths.
Some extraordinary benefits of Habba Muhammadi Talbinah
1) Strengthens stomach and liver.
2) Relieves anemia.
3) It is an excellent remedy for anemia in pregnant women.
4) Meets iron deficiency in the body.
5) Refreshes and cleanses the skin.
6) Provides nutrition to the body and strengthens the mind.
7) Restores energy.
8) For those children who feel tired and weak as soon as they wake up in the morning and are not interested in learning, it is a wonderful prophetic tonic!
9) Parents must use this in children with iron deficiency.
10) Controls obesity.
11) The first food for infants.
12) For women who have blemishes on their face, regular use of it makes the face brighter and cleaner.
13) Successful treatment of nail diseases caused by anemia.
14) Best for diabetes-induced weakness.
15) Helps control blood pressure.
How to use:
At night, soak three ripe dates in half a glass of water. In the morning, grind these dates with water in a mixer to make it like a paste.
In the morning, heat one-quarter liter of milk on low heat. Mix thoroughly three spoons of talbinah in a separate container with water.
Put this talbinah in hot milk and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes while stirring with a spoon. Then put the date paste in it and again cook for five minutes.
Finally add two teaspoons of pure honey for taste.
Your brother,
Syed Mujeer Ahmed
Director, Habba Herbal Private Limited.