وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Prophet's Guidance on food and drink contaminated by Flies

The Guidance of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم regarding fixing food in which a fly falls, and his instruction to counteract the harm of poisons with their opposites

فصل فِي هَدْيِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي إِصْلَاحِ الطَّعَامِ الَّذِي يَقَعُ فِيهِ الذُّبَابُ، وَإِرْشَادِهِ إِلَى دَفْعِ مَضَرَّاتِ السُّمُومِ بِأَضْدَادِهَا

فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:  إِذَا وَقَعَ الذُّبَابُ فِي إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ، فَامْقُلُوهُ، فَإِنَّ فِي أَحَدِ جَنَاحَيْهِ دَاءً، وَفِي الْآخَرِ شِفَاءً (أخرجه البخاري وأبو داود في الطب), وَفِي سُنَنِ ابْنِ مَاجَهْ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: أَحَدُ جَنَاحَيِ الذُّبَابِ سُمٌّ، وَالْآخَرُ شِفَاءٌ، فَإِذَا وَقَعَ فِي الطَّعَامِ، فَامْقُلُوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ يُقَدِّمُ السُّمَّ، وَيُؤَخِّرُ الشِّفَاءَ (أخرجه ابن ماجه)

هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيهِ أَمْرَانِ: أَمْرٌ فِقْهِيٌّ، وَأَمْرٌ طِبِّيٌّ، فَأَمَّا الْفِقْهِيُّ، فَهُوَ دَلِيلٌ ظَاهِرُ الدَّلَالَةِ جِدًّا عَلَى أَنَّ الذُّبَابَ إِذَا مَاتَ فِي مَاءٍ أَوْ مَائِعٍ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ، وَهَذَا قَوْلُ جُمْهُورِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَلَا يُعْرَفُ فِي السَّلَفِ مُخَالِفٌ فِي ذَلِكَ. وَوَجْهُ الِاسْتِدْلَالِ بِهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ بِمَقْلِهِ، وَهُوَ غَمْسُهُ فِي الطَّعَامِ، وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّهُ يَمُوتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلَا سِيَّمَا إِذَا كَانَ الطَّعَامُ حَارًّا. فَلَوْ كَانَ يُنَجِّسُهُ لَكَانَ أَمْرًا بِإِفْسَادِ الطَّعَامِ، وَهُوَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّمَا أَمَرَ بِإِصْلَاحِهِ، ثُمَّ عُدِّيَ هَذَا الْحُكْمُ إِلَى كُلِّ مَا لَا نَفْسَ لَهُ سَائِلَةٌ، كَالنَّحْلَةِ وَالزُّنْبُورِ، وَالْعَنْكَبُوتِ وَأَشْبَاهِ ذَلِكَ، إِذِ الْحُكْمُ يَعُمُّ بِعُمُومِ عِلَّتِهِ، وَيَنْتَفِي لِانْتِفَاءِ سببه، فلما كَانَ سَبَبُ التَّنْجِيسِ هُوَ الدَّمُ الْمُحْتَقِنُ فِي الْحَيَوَانِ بِمَوْتِهِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مَفْقُودًا فِيمَا لَا دَمَ لَهُ سَائِلٌ انْتَفَى الْحُكْمُ بِالتَّنْجِيسِ لِانْتِفَاءِ عِلَّتِهِ

Ibn Al Qayyam wrote : In both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Huraira Radi Allaho Anh that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "If a fly falls into one of your containers, immerse it (fully), for in one of its wings is disease, and in the other is a cure." In Sunan Ibn Majah, it is narrated from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Radi Allaho Anh that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "One wing of the fly carries poison, and the other carries the cure. If it falls into the food, immerse it (because) it brings forward the poison and delays the cure."

This Hadith contains two aspects: a jurisprudential (Fiqh) aspect and a medical aspect.

Jurisprudential Aspect: This Hadith provides clear evidence that if a fly dies in water or a liquid, it does not make the liquid impure. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars, and there is no known disagreement among the early scholars regarding this. The reasoning is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed us to immerse the fly in the food, and it is understood that the fly would die as a result, especially if the food is hot. If the fly were to render the food impure, this command would amount to spoiling the food, but the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was actually guiding us to rectify the food. This ruling is then extended to everything that does not have flowing blood, such as bees, wasps, spiders, and similar creatures. The ruling is generalized based on the cause (the absence of flowing blood), and negated when the cause is absent.

This concept of cleanliness was derived by the scholars of Islamic jurisprudence, particularly Ibrahim Al-Nakha'i, who explained that something without flowing blood is not subject to the same rules of impurity as other creatures.

Medical Aspect: The Hadith contains medical wisdom that was later confirmed by scholars and practitioners. It is explained that the fly has a toxic substance (represented by one wing) but also carries an antidote (represented by the other wing). When the fly falls into food, the harmful side is neutralized by the beneficial side if the fly is fully submerged. This principle, rooted in the balance between opposing substances, was something that even advanced physicians at the time may not have comprehended without divine guidance.

As for the medical meaning, Abu Ubaid explained that the term imqiluhu (امْقُلُوهُ) means ‘immerse it’ so that the healing flows out from it, just as the harmfulness is released.

It should be noted that, according to physicians, flies possess a toxic substance, indicated by the swelling and itching caused by their bites. This toxicity serves as a form of defense, much like a weapon. When a fly lands on something that could harm it, it defends itself with its 'weapon.' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed that this toxicity be countered with the antidote that Allah placed in the other wing of the fly. Therefore, the entire fly should be immersed in water or food so that the beneficial substance can counteract the harmful substance, removing its danger. This is a form of medicine that even the most advanced and knowledgeable doctors cannot discern on their own; rather, it is a form of wisdom stemming from prophethood. A skilled, wise, and knowledgeable physician would submit to this treatment and acknowledge that the one who brought it (the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) was the most complete of all beings and supported by divine revelation beyond human capability.

Moreover, several physicians have noted that rubbing the sting of a wasp or scorpion with a fly can bring clear relief and alleviate the pain. This is due to the healing substance within the fly. Likewise, rubbing a sty (an eye inflammation called شعرة in Arabic) with the flies can heal it (fly’s head is removed and its body is used to gently rub a swelling on the eyelid)"

In summary, the text highlights both a theological and medical understanding of dealing with flies, showing the interconnectedness of faith and health practices within the prophetic tradition.