Author: Dr. Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Quran: A Miracle Beyond Time- A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (part 81)
Edible Plants in the Balance of the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and Medical Science
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Turnip: A Blood Restorer and Body Strengthener
Turnip is among those foods that resemble medicine more than mere nourishment. This plant is rich in mineral salts and is considered one of the best restorers of blood, since blood is in constant need of renewal.
Turnip contains a considerable amount of calcium for strengthening bones and teeth, and magnesium for the prevention of many diseases, including certain tumors. The presence of potassium in it prevents the accumulation of fat in the body and helps in purifying the blood. It also contains small amounts of arsenic, which play a role in the formation of red and white blood cells.
This plant is rich in phosphoric acid, which is beneficial for nerve cells and intellectual activities. The leaves of turnip are also rich in iron and copper and play an important role in strengthening the blood and regulating the function of the thyroid gland.
From a therapeutic perspective, turnip juice is effective in breaking kidney stones; its decoction cleanses the respiratory passages and the throat, and it is useful in preventing boils and skin infections. Thus, turnip is a clear example of harmony between nutrition and treatment.
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Radish: A Simple Plant with Great Therapeutic Value
Radish is a plant that is sometimes considered insignificant, whereas scientifically it contains important nutritional and medicinal compounds. This plant contains nitrogenous substances, starch, mineral salts, and vitamins A and C, and is effective in strengthening bones, increasing urination, improving digestion, and breaking kidney and bile stones.
In some countries, radish is used as an auxiliary treatment for illnesses such as severe cough. About 85 percent of its composition is water, and the remainder consists of nutrients and beneficial acids that play a role in disease prevention and tissue repair.
Radish is a root plant from the cabbage family (cruciferous), usually found in white, red, or pink colors, with a pungent taste. It is used both raw (in salads and alongside meals) and in certain cooked foods.
This reality calls the human being to reflection upon the divine verse: وَأَنبَتۡنَا فِیهَا مِن كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ مَّوۡزُونࣲ﴾ [1]) Translation: “And We caused to grow therein everything in due proportion and measured balance.”
Cabbage: Nature’s Winter Medicine
Cabbage is among the vegetables that contain the highest amount of vitamin C, even more than lemon. What is remarkable is that this plant grows in winter—the very season in which colds and related illnesses are most widespread.
In addition to vitamin C, cabbage contains vitamins B and K, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur. It reduces fatigue, combats colds, strengthens skin and hair, and contributes to bone growth.
From a therapeutic perspective, cabbage is used in combating intestinal parasites, inflammation of the respiratory tract, kidney and heart diseases, diabetes, stomach ulcers, and even drug poisoning. The presence of insulin-like substances in it gives this plant a special medicinal value.
In summary, these plants demonstrate that healthy nutrition is the foundation of preventive and curative medicine. The Creator who created the human being also created his food precisely and in proportion to his physical needs. This remarkable harmony is a manifestation of divine wisdom.
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦ﴾ [2]) Translation: “So let man look at his food “(That is, how We have made it available for him, and with what precision, mastery, and delicate design We have fashioned the structure of food and its life-sustaining elements.)”
And the wise person, with a scientific and faith-based outlook, derives both remedy and lesson from food; for Allah has placed countless signs in the earth and within the human being for people of reflection.[3]
To be continued…
References:
- [Al-Ḥijr: 19]
- [ʿAbasa: 24]
- [Summarized from: Mawsūʿat al-Iʿjāz al-ʿIlmī fī al-Qurʾān wa al-Sunnah, vol. 2, pp. 145–151]
