Have you read any scientific research about truffle, regarding which there is a Hadeeth (narration) indicating that it cures eye problems?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds.  I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Sa‘eed ibn Zayd narrated on the authority of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that he said the truffle cures eye diseases. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Truffle is an underground plant that grows without being cultivated by man in spring. The Arabs used to call it Banat Ar-Ra'd, or the “Daughter of Thunder”.

Explaining the meaning of the Hadeeth, Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned three opinions:

• First: Truffle water is not used alone to cure eye diseases, but is mixed with other eye medicines. This was reported by Abu ‘Ubayd .

• Second: After exposing truffle to fire, its water is used as a medicine once it has been distilled, because fire purges it from waste and humidity.

• Third: The water referred to here is rainwater, which is the first to fall on the earth, according to Ibn Al-Jawzi and this is the weakest opinion. It was also said that its water is a medicine when it is used on its own to alleviate eye pain. For other purposes, it is to be mixed with other compositions.

Others maintain that experience has proven that using its water alone is harmful to the eyes. However An-Nawawi said that the right opinion is that its water is an absolute medicine. According to him, the truffle should be squeezed and its water dropped into the eyes. He also said that he and other men saw completely blind persons who applied truffle water to their eyes recover their eyesight.

Qataadah was told that Abu Hurayrah squeezed a truffle, put its water in a flask, and then applied it to a girl's eyes and they recovered. At-Tirmithi narrated it through an authentic chain of narrators back to Qataadah as explained by Ibn Hajar . Ibn Hajar also said that applying the practices of the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) with a firm belief in their effect is beneficial by the will of Allaah The Almighty, and vice versa.

We have not learnt about any scientific research that has provided a modern treatment using this plant. However, it is enough for us to know that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, whose sayings were all based on revelation, prescribed the plant as a medicine.

Allaah Knows best.