يَامَن أظْهَرَ الجَمِيلَ وسَتَرَ القَبيحَ، يامَن لا يُؤاخِذُ بالجَريرَةِ ولا يَهْتِكُ السِّتْرَ، يا عظِيْمَ العَفْوِ، يا حَسَنَ التََّجَاوُزِ، يا وَاسِعَ المَغْفِرَةِ، يا بَاسِطَ اليَدَيْن بالرَّحْمَةِ، يا صَاحِبَ كُلِّ نَجْوَى، يا مُنتَهَى كُلِّ شَكْوَى، يا كَريمَ الصَّفْحِ، يا عَظيمَ المَنِّ، يا مُبْدئ النِّعَمِ قَبْلَ اسْتِحْقَاقِهَا، يا ربَّنَا ويا سَيِّدَنَا ويَا مَوْلانَا ويا غايَةَ رَغبَتِنَا، أسْاَلْكَ يا الله أن لا تُشَوِّيَ خَلْقِي بالنَّارِ

Yaqteen (Gourd)

يَقْطِينٌ: وهو الدُّبَّاء والقرع، وإن كان اليقطينُ أعمَّ، فإنه فى اللُّغة: كل شجر لا تقومُ على ساق، كالبِّطيخ والقِثاء والخيار. قال الله تعالى: {وَأَنْبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ} [الصافات:146]

فإن قيل: ما لا يقومُ على ساق يُسمى نَجْماً لا شجراً، والشجر: ما له ساق قاله أهل اللُّغة فكيف قال: شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ؟.فالجواب: أنَّ الشجر إذا أُطلِقَ، كان ما له ساق يقوم عليه، وإذا قُيِّدَ بشىءٍ تقيَّد به، فالفرقُ بين المطلقَ والمقيَّد فى الأسماء باب مهمٌ عظيم النفع فى الفهم، ومراتب اللُّغة. واليقطين المذكور فى القرآن: هو نبات الدُّبَّاء، وثمره يُسمى الدُّبَّاء والقرْعَ، وشجرة اليقطين.وقد ثبت فى "الصحيحين": من حديث أنس بن مالك، أنَّ خياطاً دعا رسولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لطعام صنَعه، قال أنسٌ رضى الله عنه: فذهبتُ مع رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقرَّب إليه خُبزاً من شعير، ومرَقاً فيه دُبَّاءٌ وقَدِيدٌ، قال أنس: فرأيتُ رسولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتتبَّعُ الدُّبَّاء من حَوالى الصَّحْفَةِ، فلم أزل أُحِبُّ الدُّبَّاءَ من ذلك اليوم.وقال أبو طالُوتَ: دخلتُ على أنس بن مالك رضى الله عنه، وهو يأكل القَرْع، ويقول: يا لكِ من شجرةٍ ما أحبَّك إلىَّ لحُبِّ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إيَّاكِ. وفى "الغَيْلانيَّات": من حديث هشام بن عروة، عن أبيه، عن عائشةَ رضى الله عنها قالت: قال لى رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يا عائشةُ؛ إذا طبَخْتُم قِدْراً، فأكثِروا فيها من الدُّبَّاء، فإنَّهَا تَشُدُّ قَلْبَ الحَزِين

Ibn al-Qayyim wrote : Gourd (Yaqteen): Mentioned in the Qur'an in the verse: وَأَنْبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ "And We caused a tree of gourd to grow over him" [As-Saffat: 146], referring to the plant that provided shade for Prophet Yunus عليه السلام (Jonah) after he was cast onto the shore. The term Yaqteen in Arabic can broadly refer to any plant that does not grow on a stem, such as melon, cucumber, and pumpkin.

If someone claims that the word “tree” refers exclusively to plants with a stem or trunk, and anything without one is called Najam (a plant that spreads across the ground rather than standing upright), they may question why Allah says: “And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him” (Quran 37:146).

To address this, we clarify that the term "tree" generally describes plants with stems, but it can also specifically refer to particular plants, like Yaqteen (the gourd). Recognizing when words in the text carry a general meaning and when they imply something specific is key to mastering the Arabic language. In this context, Yaqteen refers to the gourd or pumpkin, which is also called Dubba’a or Qar’a ~ قرع.

Gourd was liked by Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, as described in Sahih al-Bukhari. Anas ibn Malik reported that a tailor invited Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to a meal, and he saw the Prophet picking out pieces of gourd from a dish. Anas Radi Allaho Anh said, From that day on, I loved gourd." Anas also fondly remarked, "O you tree, how beloved you are to me because the Prophet loved you!"

In another Hadith found in Al-Ghaylaniyat, Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم told Aishah Radi Allaho Anha, "O Aishah, if you cook a pot of food, add plenty of gourd, for it strengthens the heart of the sorrowful."

Properties and Benefits: Gourd is cool and moist, making it a mild and easily digestible food that nourishes the body without causing heaviness. It quickly descends through the digestive tract, and if digested properly, it produces a favorable fluid. When consumed with mustard, it creates a peppery mixture; with salt, a salty mixture; and with astringents, it takes on an astringent quality. Gourd is hydrating and helps relieve heat in the body. Its juice can quench thirst, soothe heated headaches when drunk or applied to the scalp, and it is a gentle laxative. Additionally, if baked with dough and used with mild herbs, it can reduce fever and relieve thirst. Drinking its water with honey can help expel phlegm and bile. When applied as a poultice, it can alleviate heat-related swelling in the head. It is effective for eye inflammations, gout, and ear infections when mixed with rose oil and applied as a treatment. Gourd also works well for individuals with hot-tempered constitutions and those with fever, providing fast and effective cooling. However, when mixed with poor-quality substances in the stomach, it can spoil and create unfavorable results in the body, which can be offset by adding vinegar or bitter herbs.

Overall, gourd is a light and quickly absorbed food, known for its health benefits and efficiency in providing relief from heat and fever. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم regularly consumed it due to its beneficial properties.

Ibn al-Bytaar wrote : Gourd has a cool and moist nature, beneficial for treating inflammation. When its extract is mixed with rose oil, it can effectively relieve ear pain caused by hot swelling. Additionally, using Gourd as a poultice helps to soothe and cool inflamed areas. Consuming Gourd is gentle on the stomach, helping to relieve thirst. However, eating raw Gourd can be harmful to the stomach, causing heaviness, nausea, and vomiting; the only remedy for this is to induce vomiting. Once cooked, Gourd is mildly nourishing, easy to digest, and provides a gentle, moist diet. Its smooth texture allows it to pass quickly through the stomach.

When Gourd is combined with other foods, it adapts to their flavors and characteristics. For example, when eaten with mustard, it takes on a slightly spicy blend, and with salty foods, it turns salty. Gourd’s cooling properties make it suitable for people with hot dispositions, helping to soothe heat, thirst, and fever. However, those with chest discomfort or a cough may find it best cooked with barley or peeled mung beans and sweet almond oil.

Raw Gourd can ease hot, phlegmatic swellings when used as a poultice. It is also beneficial when applied to children’s foreheads to relieve head inflammation. Its juice, mixed with rose oil, can alleviate ear pain, and using the juice of its peels helps relieve toothaches. Cooked Gourd juice, when taken with honey and a small amount of natron, acts as a mild laxative.

Al-Razi describes Gourd as beneficial for balancing heat and cooling the body, making it ideal for people with hot-tempered natures, fevers, or intense thirst. Cooked with vinegar, it becomes lighter and easier to digest, though it may not suit those with respiratory ailments. It can be prepared with lentil gruel, peeled mung beans, and sweet almond oil for those experiencing fever and cough. Those with colder or phlegmatic temperament should consume it cooked with oil, pepper, and accompanying spices to moderate its cool nature.

According to Ibn Masawayh, Gourd is highly beneficial for individuals with warm temperaments, especially when boiled and consumed with vinegar or other sour ingredients like pomegranate juice. For colder individuals, it’s recommended to cook Gourd with appropriate warming spices such as mustard, fennel, celery, and mint. Gourd seeds are beneficial for hot, dry coughs and can be used to soothe the throat and quench thirst.

Gourd is thus valued for its cooling and soothing properties, particularly for people with warmer constitutions, and can be modified in preparation for those with cooler natures to enjoy its benefits without adverse effects.

Ishaq ibn Imran noted that Gourd juice can relieve headaches when drunk or used to wash the head. It is also effective for inducing sleep, especially for those with dryness in the brain or those suffering from conditions such as encephalitis when a few drops are applied in the nose. Gourd softens the bowels when taken internally, proving beneficial for patients experiencing high body heat.

Al-Sharif observed that small, tender Gourds, when baked with dough, can alleviate yellowing of the eyes caused by jaundice. Applying Gourd water to the eyes can also help with red, inflamed eyes. Dried Gourd peel, when burned and powdered, helps stop bleeding, and when mixed with vinegar and applied, it treats vitiligo and stubborn ulcers. Gourd seeds, when crushed and used as oil, can relieve ear and intestinal pain associated with excessive heat.

In practice, Gourd has been used as a poultice for hot eye infections, particularly when combined with barley flour. It also relieves headaches caused by heat, whether due to fevers or other reasons. Additionally, dried Gourd skin works well on dry sores and burns, especially when combined with ghee, and helps disinfect minor wounds in children.

Gourd seeds are soothing for a hot cough, hydrate the chest, reduce thirst, and alleviate burning sensations in the bladder. Gourd oil is among the best remedies for promoting sleep in feverish or consumptive patients. Broths made with Gourd and young poultry are nourishing and help revive individuals suffering from intense bile imbalances and fevers.

Dawood Antaaki wrote: Gourd (also known as Dubaa') is an elongated and round vegetable with thick skin. It is cold and moist in nature, particularly in its second phase of action. It helps reduce heat and can be used to balance disturbances caused by imbalanced humors, especially when combined with tamarind. Eating it with vinegar is known to alleviate fevers. The pulp of the gourd is also useful for treating headaches when applied topically. If the gourd is combined with barley and baked in dough until cooked, then mashed and strained, and mixed with sugar or tamarind, it effectively reduces brain heat, eye conditions (like conjunctivitis), and fevers, showing noticeable improvement. The gourd softens and moistens the body, opens blockages, promotes urination, and helps clear excess bodily humors. The bitter variety of gourd is effective in treating jaundice and hard blockages in the body. Eating the gourd with sugar or preparing it as a preserve or in cooked form and drinking its juice can be beneficial in treating mental conditions such as depression, madness, and headaches caused by internal heat. It also aids in clearing out toxins from the kidneys and intestines by promoting smooth movement and urination.

The gourd can cause digestive issues such as colic and excess moisture in the body and may weaken the stomach. This can be counteracted by combining it with cumin or fenugreek. The ash of the gourd helps heal wounds and sores. If gourd pulp is combined with iron impurities and left to dissolve, it becomes a good natural dye. Its pulp can also help alleviate the burning sensation during urination, weakness in the kidneys, and bladder ulcers, while also acting as a blood coagulant and promoting weight gain.

Ibn-e-Sina wrote : Boiled Gourd provides light nourishment and is easy to digest, though if it is not digested quickly, it does not produce harmful humors. However, it may spoil in the stomach if mixed with undesirable substances or if it lingers, like other fruits. The humor it generates is mild unless influenced by another element mixed with it. When combined with quince, it is beneficial for individuals with bile imbalance, as are sour grape and pomegranate juice, though these can worsen colon issues.

One unique characteristic of Gourd is its ability to produce nutrition similar to the food it is mixed with. For example, when eaten with mustard, it produces a spicy humor; with salt, a salty humor; and with an astringent, it generates an astringent effect. Overall, it is unfavorable for individuals with black bile and phlegm but excellent for those with a bilious temperament. Pickled Gourd does not have medicinal cooling or heating effects, although it may sometimes be used for flavor.

For the Head: Gourd juice relieves hot ear pain, especially when combined with rose oil, and is beneficial for brain inflammations and meningitis. It also helps with sore throats.

For Respiratory Health: Gourd powder (Saweeq) is beneficial for coughs and chest pain caused by heat.

For Digestion: Gourd broth alleviates excessive heat in the stomach and coats it. Drinking liquid steeped in a hollowed Gourd is also effective for this. Using Gourd juice for nasal application is highly effective for relieving toothaches and alleviating thirst, though it can increase stomach moisture. Raw Gourd can be very harsh on the stomach, particularly for children and young adults, and there is no remedy for its harmful effects on digestion.

For Fevers: Gourd is effective for acute fevers.