فَصْلٌ فِي هَدْيِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي عِلَاجِ الْبَثْرَةِ

Guidance of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم  in Treating Boils/Pimples

ذَكَرَ ابْنُ السُّنِّيِّ فِي كِتَابِهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَدْ خَرَجَ فِي أُصْبُعِي بَثْرَةٌ، فَقَالَ: «عِنْدَكِ ذَرِيرَةٌ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ. قال: ضَعِيهَا عَلَيْهَا وَقُولِي: اللَّهُمَّ مُصَغِّرَ الْكَبِيرِ، وَمُكَبِّرَ الصَّغِيرِ، صَغِّرْ مَا بِي

Ibn al-Sunni mentioned in his book that one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم  narrated: The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم came to me when I had a boil / pimple on my finger. He asked, "Do you have any Dharirah?" I replied, "Yes." He then said, "Apply it on the boil and say, 'O Allah, who reduces what is large and enlarges what is small, reduce what I have.'"

- أنَّه دخَلَ عليها فقال: هل عندَكِ ذَريرةٌ؟ قالتْ: نعَمْ، فدَعا بها، فوضعَها على بَثْرةٍ بينَ أصابِعِ رِجلِه. وفي روايةٍ لبعضِ رُواتِه بينَ إِصْبَعَينِ مِن أصابِعِ رِجلَيْه، ثمَّ قال: اللَّهُمَّ مُطْفِئَ الكبيرِ ومُكبِّرَ الصغيرِ. وفي روايةٍ: مُطْفِئَ الصغيرِ، ومُصغِّرَ الكبيرِ، أطْفِئْها عنِّي، فطَفِئَتْ. (الراوي : بعض أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم | المحدث : ابن حجر العسقلاني | المصدر : الفتوحات الربانية الصفحة أو الرقم : 4/48 | خلاصة حكم المحدث : صحيح)

In another narration, it is reported as : Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم  came to one of his wives and said, “Do you have Dharirah?” She replied, “Yes.” He then asked for it & applied it to a boil between the toes of his foot. In one version, it is narrated that it was between two of his toes. Then he said, “O Allah, You who extinguish what is large and magnify what is small, extinguish it for me.” In another narration, he said, “O Allah, You who extinguish what is small and reduce what is large, extinguish it for me,” and it subsided.

Dharirah~ ذَرِيرَةٌ is a medicinal substance made from the stalk of an Indian plant. It is hot and dry in nature and is beneficial for treating inflammations of the stomach and liver, as well as for dropsy (edema). It strengthens the heart with its pleasant aroma. In Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is reported that Aishah Radi Allaho Anha said: "I perfumed the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad  صلى الله عليه وسلم  with Dharirah~ ذَرِيرَةٌ by my own hand during the farewell pilgrimage, both in the state of Ehram and out of it."

A boil (Bathrah~بَثْرَةِ) is a small pustule that forms from hot matter that the body expels, taking up a spot on the body to exit. It requires something that will ripen and discharge it, and Dharirah is one of the substances that can facilitate this. It helps in maturation and discharge with its pleasant fragrance. Additionally, it cools the fiery element within the boil’s matter (soothes the hotness of the pimple). As mentioned in al-Qanoon (the Canon of Medicine), there is nothing better than Dharirah~ ذَرِيرَةٌ mixed with rose oil and vinegar for treating burns.

Dharirah is also called "Sweet Flag", in URDU, it is known as Charaitah.