The Gruel of Talbina and its Effects

'Â'ishah atas narrated that whenever a member of her family died, women assembled (in her house to offer condolences) and then they would leave, except for her relatives and the close ones. She would then give orders for a pot of Talbînah to be made, and then she would make some Tharid (a dish prepared from meat, broth and bread), and pour the Talbinah soup over it. 'Â'ishah ing would then say to them, "Eat of this as I heard the Prophet say,
'The Talbînah gives rest to the heart of the patient, and relieves some of one's sorrow and grief". "
A soup made of bran (or flour) and either milk or honey. Reported by al-Bukhari, "Book of Foods", hadith no. 5417.
'Â'ishah narrated, "When the Messenger of Allah was told that someone is sick, and is not eating, he would say, 'Take the Talbînah and sip it to him, for I swear by my soul, it removes dirt of one's abdomen as he would wash the dirt of his face with water'."

Explanation of the Hadîth

"Talbinah" is a kind of gruel, or soup, which has the consistency of milk, made of ground barley, including its bran. Barley is a seasonal annual crop, which belongs to the grass family.
By saying that it relieves the sorrow and grief of the patient, the Prophet is referring to the qualities of some of the active ingredients of barley, which aid in the formation of some nerve cells. Barely gruel is very nutritious, easy to digest, and a good diuretic. It quenches thirst. It is very beneficial in cases of cough, pharyngitis and difficulty in breathing. It is also useful in cases of gastric inflammation (Gastritis), kidney and bladder infections, lowering the body temperature and enhancing antibody production.
Recent research carried out by Dr. Mâhir Mahrân Muhammad, Eng. Sahar Mustafâ Kâmil, Eng. 'Abdul Karîm at-Tâgîrî from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture, and the Faculty of Agriculture (Cairo University) together with Ms. Zenia Hawrysh from the University of Alberta in Canada showed that barley contains chemical compounds, which lower the blood-serum cholesterol, such as Bita- Glucan,
' Reported by Imâm Ahmad in his Musnad, 6/79.
vitamin A, B, C and D and Tocotrienols (a member of the Vitamin E family). They also found that it contains ingredients, which help control blood pressure, such as compounds including: potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, natrium, iron, copper, cobalt and zinc.
Lack of antioxidants' in the body causes anxiety, nervousness and depression. Research studies have proven that active ingredients present in barley individually or combined together have a positive effect on the nerve cell conductors, which helps to relieve states of depression, and makes the person more inclined to self-satisfaction, happiness and in general feeling more at ease.
The medical expression "relieves states of depression" is almost identical to what the Prophet I said, "...and relieves some of his sorrow and grief." Cases of depression are nowadays described as being caused by chemical disturbance in the body, which is treated by the right nutrient that balances this disturbance, such as barley soup, which is very effective in these cases.
Again, it is a sign of the truth of both the Prophet and his Message. May peace of Allah be upon him. ' Antioxidants are nutrients found naturally in the body and in plants such as fruits, vegetables and oats. Common antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Tocotrienols (which are present in the barley) are potent antioxidants just like vitamin E.