Ashes (Raakh)

1. In Hadees it is called as Lail.

2. In English it is called as Ashes.

3. In Urdu & Hindi it is called Raakh.

4. In Arabic it is called as Sakan (سكن) Ramaad.

Ash are the end remaining when any material is burnt, it is in powder form, mainly grayish silverish coloured, mostly alkaline, can be of animal origin, plants origin, chemical origin, metal origin etc, but to stop bleeding plant origin ashes are used.

Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم’s guidance about Ashes

Arabic words written in below references are the words mentioned in respected Hadees. You can confirm the references of Hadees at sunna.com & Al-Maktab Al-Shamilah (المكتبة الشاملة) also.Ash used to stop Bleeding of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم  

1. Narrated Sahal Bin Saad رضي الله عنه that Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم got wounded on the day of Uhud, “His molar was broken and His helmet was crushed on his head. Fatimah was washing the blood from Him and ‘Ali was pouring water on Him from a shield. When Fatimah realized that the water was only making the bleeding worse, she took a piece of a mat and burnt it, and when it had turned to ashes, she applied it to the wound to stop the bleeding. : Reference Ibn Ma-jah: 3593; Book no. 31; In English volume no. 4 Book 31, Hadees no 3464.

2. Abu Hazim said:”While I was listening, Sahl Bin Saad رضي الله عنه was asked: ‘What were the wounds of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم treated with?’ He said: ‘None is alive who is more knowledgeable of it than I. ‘Ali would come with water in his shield, and Fatimah would use it to wash his blood off, and a mat was burnt for him and his wounds were filled with it (its ashes).”  : Reference Tirmizi: 2229; Book No. 28; In English volume no.4 Book 2, Hadees no 2085. (Please note fresh ashes were directly applied to Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم’s wound).

3. Narrated Sahl Bin Saud As-Sa`idi رضي الله عنه that When the helmet broke on the head of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and His face became covered with blood and His incisor tooth broke (i.e. during the battle of Uhud), Ali used to bring water in his shield while Fatima was washing the blood off His face. When Fatima saw that the bleeding increased because of the water, she took a mat (of palm leaves), burnt it, and stuck it (the burnt ashes) on the wound of Allah’s Apostle, whereupon the bleeding stopped. : Reference Bukhari: 5722; Book no. 76; In English volume no. 7; Book no. 71; Hadees no. 618.

4. Narrated Abu Hazim that he heard Sahl bin Sa`d رضي الله عنه being asked about the wounds of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم saying, “By Allah, I know who washed the wounds of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and who poured water (for washing them), and with what he was treated.” Sahl added, “Fatima, the daughter of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to wash the wounds, and Ali Bin Abi Talib used to pour water from a shield. When Fatima saw that the water aggravated the bleeding, she took a piece of a mat, burnt it, and inserted its ashes into the wound so that the blood was congealed (and bleeding stopped). His canine tooth got broken on that day, and face was wounded, and His helmet was broken on His head.”  : Reference Bukhari: 4075; Book no. 64; In English volume no. 5; Book no. 59; Hadees no. 402.

Sodium, potassium, calcium, salts, organic & nonorganic substance, carbon, oxides, phosphate, etc (mainly its content depend of the thing burnt & Ashes formed).

Scientific benefits

1. All types of ashes have a drying & clearing effects.
2. The ashes of astringent plants or wood stops bleeding.
3. Ashes absorb large amount of plasma, thus helps in initial clotting of blood platelets & bleeding stops.
4. Forms a protective covering on wounds thus protects the wound from germs.
5. The surface protein of wound settles.
6. It kills the germs.

Plant ash is the powdery residue that remains after plants are burned; chemically the ash is alkaline (pH > 10) and composed primarily of calcium carbonate and, secondarily, most often, of potassium chloride (interestingly, alkaline derives from the Arabic word meaning plant ashes) & these help in blood clotting because it absorbs large amount of plasma, thus helps in initial clotting of blood platelets & bleeding stops & forms a protective covering on wounds thus protects the wound from germs.

Conclusion of Hadees

Palm ash was used to stop bleeding of Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.