Treatment of Patients in the State of al-’Ihram, Such as Wounds and So On

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one in the state of Ihram becomes ill one must treat the illness with edible items while he is in the state of Ihram.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, passed by Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah. Lice spread from his head and he was in the state of Ihram. He (the Messenger of Allah) asked, ‘Do your bugs annoy you?’ He replied, ‘Yes, they annoy me.’ This verse of al-Quran was then revealed. ‘Those of you who become ill or find annoyance in their head expiate it by fasting or charity or an act of worship.’ (2:195) The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, commanded him to shave his head and made the fasting to be three days, charity to six destitute people two mud (a certain measurement) for each one and one sheep as an act of worship.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Wherever in al-Quran it is ‘or’ it is a reference to one’s having the choice to do what he likes, and wherever in al-Quran it says, ‘if one does not find then so and so’, then the first preference is one’s having the choice.’”

“Once, a blind man asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was there, saying, ‘I use kohl when I assume the state of Ihram.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, do not use kohl.’ He said, ‘I am blind. If I use kohl it benefits me but if I do not use, it harms me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If that is the case then you can use kohl.’ He then said, ‘With kohl I use a certain other thing.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘I take two pieces of cloth, fold them and place them on my eyes, then secure them in place by a strip behind my head. If I did this it benefits me; if I did not do, it harms me. He (the Imam) said, ‘If that is the case then you can do it.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man in whose hands and feet cracks appear while he is in the state of Ihram; if he can use medicine. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so with oil and ghee.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one in the state of Ihram becomes ill, one must treat the illness with what is lawful for him to eat in the state of Ihram.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram; if he can squeeze a pimple or bandage a wound. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If something appears on your skin like a pimple or so, you can bandage it and use ghee or oil as medicine.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram and has a head wound; if he can treat it with medicine or use bandage. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so and so also with a sore on the body.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram with a wound and treats it with a medicine which has saffron. He (the Imam) said, ‘If saffron is overwhelming, it is not permissible; but if the medicine is overwhelming, it is not harmful.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram, his ears are affected by winds and is afraid of illness; if he can place cotton in his ears. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if he is afraid of illness, otherwise, it is not permissible.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful if one in the state of Ihram ties a strip around his head because of a headache.’”