Nigella Sativa
Natural Herbal Remedies
Black Seed Oil has been a healing remedy for thousands of years. Its wide range of healing capabilities with astounding versatility make it one of the greatest gifts from natural medicines.
Being powerful enough to be applied at a practitioners level and yet safe enough to be used as a household remedy. The normal application is 2 teaspoons of oil daily. It should not be taken during pregnancy.
Cough / Asthma : Rub the chest and back with black seed diluted in olive oil (1:5). Inhale the vapour of the oil. One may also take a teaspoon of black seed oil 3 times daily.
Diarrhea : Mix a tablespoon of black seed oil with a cup of yogurt. Drink mixture twice a day for 3 days.
Headaches / Head Colds
Remedy 1: Mix l tbsp. ground black seed, l tbsp. ground anise seed, l tbsp. powdered cloves. Take one teaspoon of this mixture before meals. Keep mixture in mouth until it can be swallowed. Do not take with water.
Remedy 2 : Take a teaspoon of black seed oil 2-3 times daily.
Muscular Pain / Rheumatism : Mildly heat a small amount of black seed mixed with olive oil and then stroke the painful area intensely with preparation.
Skin Conditions :
Recipe i : Internally - Take a teaspoon of black seed oil 2-3 times a day.
Recipe 2 : For a clear complexion, mix 1/2 teaspoon of black seed oil with a tablespoon of olive oil. Rub the face with this mixture and leave on for one hour. Wash with soap and water.
Dizziness and ear infection: Use it as a drop for the ears for "infection"; and drink it in tea and rub under your cheek and at the back of your neck for dizziness.
For women and delivery: It is the best thing for helping with the pains of labor. Boil the black seed with honey and drink
For skin diseases: Mix a unit of the black seed oil with a same unit of rose water and 2 units of brown flour. Before you use the mix rub the area with a cloth dipped in vinegar. Lightly apply the mixture to the skin and then expose to the sun every day.
Rheumatism: Warm black seed oil and massage the oil into the painful areas. Also, make a drink of boiled black seed and mix with honey, drink before going to sleep; and have a lot ofyaqeen (full-faith).
High blood pressure: Mix the black seed with hot liquids you may drink, such as coffee, tea, etc; and rub your body with the oil and have yaqeen.
Chest pains and colds: Add 1 tablespoon of the black seeds in boiling water and inhale the vapor and cover your head before you sleep.
Heart burn: Add a few drops of black seed oil to a hot cup of milk and add one teaspoon of honey. Also, eat a lot of lettuce.
Eye pain: Rub the oil around the eyes before you sleep and mix a few drops of the oil with hot drinks.
Ulcers: Mix 10 drops of black seed oil with a cup of honey. Eat a spoon of this mixture daily, every morning, before you eat or drink anything else. Follow with a glass of milk. Do this for two months.
Cancer: Rub the affected area with black seed oil. 3 times a day drink a mixture of a teaspoon of the oil with a glass of carrot juice. Do this for three months.
Laziness: Mix 10 drops of black seed oil with a glass of orange juice when waking up for 10 days. Important, do not sleep after Fajr salat (Islamic morning prayer).
For memorizing: Boil mint and mix it with honey and 7 drops of black seed oil—drink while warm any time of the day. Also, stop drinking coffee and tea.
Diabetes: Mix 1)cup of black seeds. 2) 1 cup of watercress seeds. 3) 1/2 cup of pomegranate peel. Grind the mixture into a powder. Take half a spoonful of the mixture together with a teaspoon of black seed oil before breakfast for one month.
Ear ache: Soak a fresh clove of garlic in 1oz. of black seed oil for 3 days. Drop a few drops of oil directly into the ear and massage some oil behind the ear.
Eye Soreness:
Remedy l: Externally - As eye compress for soreness caused by over-exertion. Boil l tablespoon of black seed in 8 oz. water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Pour through strainer. Soak two cotton pads in the solution. Place pads on eyes for 10 minutes.
Remedy 2: Rub temples with black seed oil before going to sleep.
Flatulence:
Remedy 1: Internally - Make a tea. Mix equal parts Ground black seed, ground fennel and peppermint. Add 3- 7 drops of Black seed oil. Sweeten with honey.
Remedy 2: Externally - Make a compression. Apply a compression soaked with apple vinegar and black seed to the stomach.
Hypertension: Strain a teaspoon of finely crushed black seeds into a hot drink and take with two lobes of garlic every morning before breakfast.
Insomnia: A teaspoon of black seed and honey or with tea before supper offers relief from insomnia and a restful sleep.
Nausea / Vomiting: Mix a teaspoon of ground black seed in boiled mint three times daily.
Toothaches:
Remedy l : Mix ground black seed with olive oil to form a paste and paint the tooth with it.
Remedy 2: Boil 8 oz apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons ground black seeds. Strain. Rinse the mouth with it for several days.
Remedy 3: Rub painful area with 1-2 drops of the oil.
Tonsillitis; Boil 10 grams of Kalaunji- Black seeds with half litre of water and filter. Gargle twice a day.
Traditional Remedies
Black Seed Oil has been traditionally used for thousands of years for a vast array of ailments.
Stomach worms: Removes the stomach worms and intestinal worms.
Colds: If boiled and applied to the head, it cures cold and rheumatic tendency.
Moles: It can be applied to remove the developed moles from the body, cleans the skin and regularizes the menses.
Headaches: Its paste cures the headache, breaks the boil.
Phlegmatic swelling: If taken with vinegar, it remove's the phlegmatic swellng.
Eye Pain: It is mixed up with the oil of Ersa and smelled to cure eye-sore or pain.
Tooth ache: Its oil rubbed into the inflammed area often cues the toothache.
Urine discharge: It regularizes the urine-discharge.
Mosquitoes: Its smoke drives away the mosquitoes and bugs.
Fevers: It cures the phlegmic and melancholic fevers. A little of it in a bit of cloth tied round a patient cures his cold and cough and fever.
Breast Milk: If taken, it increases the milk of the woman.
Abdominal Ailments: parches the moisture of the belly, cures griping colic, pain of the chest, and cough, nausea and vomiting, dropsy and the disease of the spleen.
Complexion: If taken with oil regularly, it reddens the complexion, and fairs it.Stomach worm: If taken with vinegar, it kills the stomach-worm.
Phlegmatic Fever: If taken with lemon-juice mixed with sugar or honey, it cures fourth day fever and phlegmic fever.
Bladder Stone: If taken with honey, it removes the bladder stone.
Leprosy: Its paste with vinegar cures leprosy and the colocynth deadens the intestinal worm.
Manly Potency: Its paste with olive oil applied to the penis improves the manly- potency.
Mental Disease: Qatada (radhiyallahu anhu) says that twenty one (21 grains of kalaunji should be kept in a bit of cloth, bound up and boiled, first day two drops of the boiled water should be administered into the right nostril and one into the left, second day one into the right and two into left one and one into the left. This treatment is an effective precaution against any mental disease.
Contraction of uterus: A decoction of Black Seeds can promote contraction of the uterus after birth and it benefits eruptive skin diseases.
Gout: Adding to one's diet helps GOUT, and it can balance the uric acid in blood.
Reduces Swellings: Also helps reduce swellings, and remove scales in ringworm.
Gall Stones & Kidney stones: Crushed Black Seeds sweetened with Honey can help dissolve gall stones and kidney stones and when taken over a few days, it increases urine, menses and milk.
Growth of Hair: Ointment of Black Seeds stimulates growth of the beard, and can prevent hair graying.
Common Cold: Powdered Black Seeds with oil of Coriander Seeds relieves common cold, opens obstructions and dissolves wind.
History
Black cumin seed, (nigella sativa ) is indigenous to the Mediterranean region but has been cultivated into other parts of the world such as the Arabian peninsula, northern Africa, parts of Asia and Australia and more recently cultivated in US.
Black seed oil with its vast amount of healing capability is considered to be one of the greatest healing herbs of all times.
An annual herbaceous plant, nigella sativa is planted in the spring and is harvested in the summer for its seeds which give a remarkable 30% oil when pressed. The plant has no relationship to the culinary kitchen herbs, cumin or caraway.
Nigella sativa and its black seed are known by many names. The ancient Persians knew it as Shonaiz. The Greeks term it as melanthion. The Arabs call it “habbatul barakah”, which means "the blessed seed ." It is known as Black Caraway, Schwarzkummel, Kalonji, Sinouj, Ketsah, Habba sowda, Cörek otu. Whatever the name, this is a legendary medicinal herb of ancient usage with considerable modern credence.
Nigella sativa, Black Cumin, has been used for thousands of years for a vast array of ailments with huge success. It has been used for thousands of years to strengthen the immune system, cleanse the body, purify the blood, protect against irritants and support health.
It has now 5 seperate patents in the US for the treatment of 1) Diabetes (US 6,042,834), 2) for inhibition of cancer cell growth (US 5,653,981), 3) Improvement of the Immune System (US 5,482,711), 4) Viral Infections (US 6,841,174) and 5) Psoriasis (US 6,531,164).
A principal active ingredient in black seed, crystalline Nigellone, was first isolated in 1959 and identified as providing many health benefits. Clinical trials have validated the efficacy of black seed in promoting health and wellness.An Assyrian Herbal book explains Black Seed (Blackseed) as a remedy internally for stomach problems and externally for eyes, ears mouth and many skin problems, e.g. itching, rashes, sores, and herpes.
Used by Cleopatra and Nefertetes for its health and beauty giving qualities. Black seed oil was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb (only the highest quality items were placed in the tomb where they were meant to help in the afterlife)
Used by all Naturopathic authors of Greek and Roman Antiquity
Hippocrates (5th century B.C.). In the first century it was used extensively by Pliny the elder in his "Naturalis Historia" (Natural History). His list of remedies include the treatment of snakebites and scorpion stings, calosites, old tumors, abscesses, and skin rashes. A series of remedies against colds and inflammations in the area of the head are recommended which appeared almost unchanged in the large German medicinal plant encyclopedias of the 16th to 18th centuries. A short time later it was used by the Greek physician Dioscoredes, in his 5-volume pharmacology "De Materia Medica" which has was used as a reference for healing with herbs into the Middle Age.
Mentioned in the Bible
The earliest written reference is in the book of Issiah in the Old Testament where it is referred as "ketzah" a spice for bread and cakes that can be used in many ways. 28:25,27.
The most popular saying is of the Holy Prophet (SWS)
" Hold on to the use of the black seed for indeed it has a remedy for every disease except death"
" Hold on," indicates a long-term use - Hadith ( Sayings of the Prophet (SWS) narrated by his companions.)7.591
Narrated Khalid bin Sad(ra):
We went out and Ghalib bin Abjar was accompanying us. He fell ill on the way and when we arrived at Medina he was still sick. Ibn Abi 'Atiq came to visit him and said to us, "Treat him with black cumin. Take five or seven seeds and crush them (mix the powder with oil) and drop the resulting mixture into both nostrils, for 'Aisha (ra) has narrated to me that she heard the Prophet saying, 'This black cumin is healing for all diseases except As-Sam.' 'Aisha (ra) had asked 'What is As-Sam?' The Prophet (SWS) replied, 'Death.' " - Hadith 7.592
Narrated Abu Huraira (ra):
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "There is healing in black cumin for all diseases except death."
Salim Bin Abdullah (ra) narrates with reference to his father Hazrat Abdullah Bin Omar (ra) that Prophet Muhammad (SWS) said, "Let fall these black seeds upon you, these contain cure for all diseases except death."
The same narration is found in Sanad-e-Ahmed from Hazrat Aisha (ra) and in Ibn-al-Jozi and Trimizi from Abu Huraira (ra). Hazrat Buraida narrates that Prophet Muhammad (SWS) stated - "Shooneez is cure for all ailments except death."
It is stated in the books of seerat that Nabi-e-Akram (Pbuh) himself used to take these seeds for therapeutic purpose but with the syrup of Honey.
Khalid Bin Saad states that he was travelling with Ghalib Bin Jabr, when he fell ill during the journey. Ibn Abi Ateeq (nephew of Hazrat Aisha (ra) came to meet us. On seeing the patient, he took 5 or 7 seeds of Kalonji and ground it, mixed it in olive oil and dropped in both nostrils, Hazrat Aisha (ra) told us that Prophet Muhammad (SWS) stated that there was cure in black seeds for all ailments except sam. I asked him, what was sam? He said "Death". Ghalib Bin Jabr became healthy with that treatment.
Blackseed is appreciated for it’s many qualities and bitter, warming stimulant nature. In tradition and typology of the 3 doshas black cumin reduces veta and kapha and increases pitta. Used for a wide variety of complaints and has even been developed for such unusual indications as anorexia, certain disorders of the nervous system, discharge and veneral disease. As a result of its uterus contracting effect it is also administered when labour is weak and in cases of sepesis. Black Seed oil should not be taken during pregnancy. It is also attributed as a tonicising and mood brightening effectant.
Ibn Sina (author of "The Canon of Medicine" One of the most famous books in the field of medicine) claims Black Seed is good for :
1) Inner purification and detox of body.
2) Reduction of mucous and strengthens lungs.
3) Fever, coughs, colds, toothache and headache.
4) Skin diseases and wound treatments.
5) Intestinal parasites and worms and remedy for poisonous bites and stings.
Ibn Sina (980-1037), in describing the Blackseed as that which "stimulates the body's energy and helps recovery from fatigue or disspiritedness," still holds true for Tibb (Islamic Medicine) health practitioners today. The rich nutritional value contained in Black Seed as outlined by scientific analysis of black seed, also points to it as a great source of energy.
From the Tibb health perspective, the Black Seed has an ability to maintain and restore body heat. Our Western diet, predominantly made up of cold foods, ice in our drinks, yoghurt, pizza, cheese and processed foods and refined foods all deplete the innate heat our body requires in order to optimally function. Tibb holds the view that a reduced metabolic rate (innate heat) is the cause of most illnesses. The body, in losing energy, also loses its ability to fight off toxins, resulting in a greater chance of contracting illness.
Traditionally Blackseed was used in the Orient for Gastrointestinal complaints, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, jaundice, gallstones, mental degeneration, stimulation of kidneys and increased urine flow, infections, congestion and bronchial disorders, menstrual complaints, promotion of lactation, skin parasites, vermicide, skin care, dandruff and hair loss.
Referred in German Medicinal Encyclopedias (16-18th century)
Hieronymous Boch, "New Kreutterbuch"1539 and Jacobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus,
" The New Complete Herbal Book" 1731 both give an abundant knowledge of blackseed (Nigella Sativa).
