Medical treatment

Using medication with animal derivatives

Q: Is it permissible to buy and use a medicated cream for acne that contains animal derived ingredients? I am not sure what animal they are derived from. This cream appears to have worked very efficiently for many people with acne however there is no guarantee that it will work for me as well, but there is a very high likelihood that it will. I will simple put it on my acne then wash it off a few minutes later. Nothing else has worked for me and finding halal creams are difficult as it is. Is this permissible?

PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment

Q: There is a treatment known as PRP (platelet rich plasma). In this treatment, blood is drawn from the patient and then inserted into a machine where it is spun for approximately 30 min until all the components of the blood separate.

It is then the plasma portion of the blood, which is rich in platelets and other proteins that promote healing and growth, that is re-injected into the affected site of the body e.g. an injured muscle, etc.

Generally, PRP is used to promote hair growth, assist with healing tendons and ligaments that are injured, assist with osteoarthritis, assist with healing brain damage, etc.

However, PRP is also used for cosmetic purposes. In this case, the PRP blood-mixture is applied to a person's face to stimulate the skin and make it look beautiful. This is referred to as a 'Vampire Facial'.

Is PRP permissible in Islam? If yes, then for which purposes is it permissible?

Flu vaccines

Q: My question is on the flu vaccination. Is it permissible for Muslims to have this vaccination, the flu jab or the nasal spray?

To my knowledge the both contain (porcine) pork gelatine which is haraam. But on the nhs it says religious group leaders such as Muslims say that the vaccine is acceptable. What is your opinion?

Prophetic medicines

Q: I would like to ask you about prophetic medicines, like there are some ahaadith which clearly shows the confirmed results of prophetic medicines as below but sometimes it doesn't work, why? Where is the problem?

Ibn ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhuma) reported that Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Healing is to be found in three things: drinking honey, the knife of the cupper, and cauterization of fire.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/136).

Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever is treated with cupping on the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty first, will be healed from all diseases.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, 3861, and al-Bayhaqi, 9/340. The isnad is hasan).

Al-Bukhaari (5688) and Muslim (2215) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallahu anhu) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say concerning the black seed: “In it there is healing for every disease, except as-saam.” Ibn Shihaab said: As-saam is death.