Are There Any Prophetic Medicines for Vitiligo?

Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaykum

My daughter is sick. Is there any prophetic remedy for vitiligo?

Answer: Wa’alaykum assalam. Thank you for writing into us. I’m sorry to hear about your daughter’s condition. May Allah grant her cure, ease, and patience.

Treatment of vitiligo largely depends on the stage of the condition and the causative factor.

There are references to treating vitiligo in the ‘Medicine of the Prophet’, which I will list below. However, as always with these questions, I would like to point out two important points:

1. A great proportion of what we call ‘Medicine of the Prophet’ is not actually from the Prophet ﷺ, but rather from various physicians throughout the ages, most notably Hippocrates and Ibn Sina, or often based on very weak or sometimes unfounded hadith. This doesn’t mean that they do not have any benefit, but they are not necessarily from the Prophet ﷺ.

2. That the remedies or treatment mentioned in the books on Prophetic Medicine are often vague so will not apply to every case of the same condition.

Vitiligo in the ‘Medicine of the Prophet’

The following treatments are suggested for vitiligo:

– Cupping: Cupping on a Monday or Tuesday but not a Wednesday, ‘for every case of leprosy and vitiligo comes down on a Wednesday’.

– Citron: The burnt peel is used as an embrocation (a liquid medication rubbed on the body).

– Black Seed / Poppy Seeds*: Crushed with vinegar, the seeds are used as an embrocation on the area.

(*There is some disagreement as to whether the word Shuniz refers to Nigella sativa (black seed) or Papaver Somniferum (poppy)).

– Cress: Crushed in hot water or drunk, or mixed with vinegar and applied on the area.

– Avoid: Combining Fish and Milk.

Again, while there is no harm in trying any of the above, please be aware that they are general suggestions and may not work in many cases.

Alternatives

An alternative option is to seek homeopathic treatment. There are many successful cases of vitiligo being treated through homeopathy, however, this depends on many factors and the stage of the vitiligo. If your daughter is young, then there is a good chance homeopathy can help insha’Allah.

Supplications

I recommend the supplications found in the following ahadith:

The Mother of the Believers, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, ‘When any of us fell sick, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would wipe him with his right hand then say,

اللهم رب الناس، أذهب البأس، واشف، أنت الشافي لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك، شفاءً لا يغادر سقماً

Allahumma, Rabbin, adhhib al ba’s, washfi, anta al Shafi’i laa shifaa’a’ illa shifa’uka shifaa’an laa yughadir saqaman

O Lord of mankind, remove the harm, and heal him, for You are the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing which does not leave any disease behind).’ [al Bukhari, Muslim]

‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) also said, ‘If one of his family fell sick, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would blow over him and recite al Mu’awwidhaat (the three Quls). [al Bukhari, Muslim]

May Allah grant you and your daughter well-being from every ailment, and reward you for your trust in Him through your adversities.

Warmest salams,
[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. In 2007, he traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years studying the Islamic sciences on a one-to-one basis under the foremost scholars of the Ribaat, Tarim, with a main specialization and focus on Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies in a range of Islamic sciences, as well as teaching. Jamir is a qualified homeopath.