Is there any report in the Sunnah in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of maintaining good health and looking after one’s skin and hair? What about thinking about his example? What did he do for the purpose of healthy living with ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)? Or any other example, such as Khadeejah (may Allah be pleased with her) or Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her)? How did they live a healthy life?

Praise
be to Allah.

Allah, may He be exalted, sent His Messenger Muhammad
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as a bringer of glad tidings and
as a warner, to bring people forth from darkness to light by His leave, and
to guide them to the straight path. He did not send him as a doctor to treat
physical illness and sickness. He instructed him to build mosques, and He
did not instruct him to build hospitals, but he encouraged people to seek
divine remedies by means of the Qur’an which treats diseases of the heart
(i.e., spiritual sicknesses) so that they may believe after having
disbelieved, and they may obey Allah after having been disobedient, and they
may be guided after having been misguided. Allah did not send down the
Qur’an in order to prescribe remedies for diseases, even though it is
healing for both spiritual and physical disease, as Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):


“Say: It is
for those who believe, a guide and a healing”


[Fussilat 41:44]


“And We send
down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe”


[al-Isra’ 17:82]. 

Ash-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The scholars differed concerning what is meant by it being a
healing, and there are two views. The first view is that it is healing for
the hearts, by removing ignorance from them and taking away doubt and
clarifying signs that point to Allah, may He be glorified. The second view
is that it is healing for visible diseases, by means of ruqya, seeking
refuge with Allah, and so on. There is no reason why the word healing cannot
be interpreted in both senses.

End quote from Fath al-Qadeer (3/32 6) 

Undoubtedly this is because of the blessing (barakah) of the
Qur’an and the perfect nature of its virtues. The Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) used to treat sickness with the Qur’an, and he
used to perform ruqyah by reciting the supplications seeking refuge with
Allah (ta‘awwudhaat) as prescribed in Islam, and he used to instruct
others to do likewise when they fell sick. 

Al-Bukhaari (5016) and Muslim (2192) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) that when he was sick, the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would recite al-Mu’awwidhaat
over himself and blow over himself. When his pain got worse, I would recite
over him and wipe his hand over him, seeking its blessing.. 

Al-Bukhaari (3371) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be
pleased with him) said:
The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah
for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he said: “Your father (Ibraaheem) used to
seek refuge with (these words) for Ismaa‘eel and Ishaaq: A‘oodhu bi
kalimaat Illaahi’t-taammah min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli
‘aynin laammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from every
devil and every vermin, and from every bad eye)”. 

He often used
to offer supplication for wellbeing and instructed people to do likewise.
Wellbeing (‘aafiyah) includes wellbeing in both religious (spiritual) and
worldly terms. 

It was narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakrah that he
said to his father: O my father, I hear you supplicating every morning
(saying), O Allah, grant me soundness in my body; O Allah, grant me
soundness in my hearing; O Allah, grant me soundness in my sight, there is
no god but You, and you repeat it three times in the morning and three times
in the evening. And you say: O Allah, I seek refuge with You from kufr and
poverty; O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave;
there is no god but You, and you repeat it three times in the morning and
three times in the evening He said: Yes, O my son; I heard the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) supplicating with (these
words) and I like to follow his Sunnah.

Narrated by Ahmad (19917) and Abu Dawood (5090); classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
occasionally prescribed an appropriate remedy that was not Qur’an or ruqyah;
he encouraged use of that which was beneficial and prohibited that which was
harmful. Muslim (1204) narrated from ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said, concerning a man whose eyes became sore when he was in ihraam, that he
should apply aloes to them. 

Al-Haakim (7438) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: “If one of you has a fever, let him sprinkle cold water on
himself for three nights as a remedy for witchcraft.” Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in as-Saheehah (1310) 

Al-Bukhaari (5680) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: “Healing is in three things: drinking honey, the incision of a
cupper, and cauterizing with fire, but I forbid my ummah to use
cauterizing.” 

One of the greatest practices that is good for health and
will protect good health against diseases is avoiding overeating, and the
prohibition on being extravagant and overindulging in food. At-Tirmidhi
(2380) narrated that Miqdaam ibn Ma‘di Karib said: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “The son of Adam does
not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is enough for the son of Adam
to eat a few mouthfuls to keep him going, but if he must (fill his stomach),
then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for air.”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi. 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This is one of the most beneficial practices in both physical
and spiritual terms, because if the stomach is filled with food, there is no
room for drink, then if that food is followed by drink, there will be no
room for air, and he will become tired like one who carries a heavy load.
This is in addition to what results from that of spiritual damage, as it
will make one too lazy to do acts of worship, and it will stir up physical
desires as a result of eating one’s fill. Therefore filling the stomach with
food is harmful in both spiritual and physical terms. 

End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad (4/17) 

The point is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) used to take care of himself and of his physical health by
means of four things: 

1.    
Ruqyah, reciting
Qur’an and supplications seeking refuge with Allah as prescribed in the
reports.

2.    
Supplication (du‘aa’)
and seeking wellbeing.

3.    
Prevention, which
better than cure. 

4.    
The knowledge that
Allah granted him of treatment and remedies. 

With regard to his hair, the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) used to take care of it by washing it, combing it,
applying oil to it and dyeing it with henna, and he used to say: “Whoever
has hair; let him take care of it.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4163); classed
as saheeh by al-Albaani. 

At-Tirmidhi (1851) narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said:
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Eat
olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi. 

With regard to his eyes, it is proven that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to apply kohl three times to
his right eye and twice to his left eye. Narrated by Ibn Sa‘d in at-Tabaqaat
al-Kubra (1/376); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah
(633) 

At-Tirmidhi (1757) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: “Apply
ithmid
(antimony) to your eyes, for it makes the vision clear and makes the hair
grow.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi. 

For more details on the practice of the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning such matters, we advise you to
read the book by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim: Zaad al-Ma‘aad fi Hadiy Khayr al-‘Ibaad,
especially the fourth volume, which deals specifically with Prophetic
medicine. We also advise you to read the chapters that deal with this topic
in the book al-Aadaab ash-Shar‘iyyah wa’l-Minah al-Mar‘iyyah by Shams
ad-Deen Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali. 

However the wise person should not focus all his attention on
such matters; rather his main concern should be the Hereafter and that which
will save him before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Ibn Maajah
(257) narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him)
that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever
focuses all his concerns on one issue, namely the Hereafter, Allah will
suffice him and spare him the worries of this world. But whoever has many
concerns about different worldly issues, Allah will not care which of these
worries will cause his death.”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah
(207) 

And Allah knows best.