Sweet flag (Zarirah)

Sweet flag (Zarirah)

Names

1. In Hadees it is called as Zarirah (ذريرة ).

2. In Arabic it is called as Tharirah.

3. In Sanskrit it is called as Vacha.

4. In Urdu & Hindi it is called as Charaitah.

5. In English it is called as Sweet flag, Bitter pepper root, Calamus.

6. In Latin it is called as Calamus aromaticus.

Rasoolullah ﷺ 's guidance about Zarirah (ذريرة ): -

Introduction of Zarirah (Sweet flag): -

It is long lived plant of Acorceae family, red coloured, pleasant smell. It has rhizomes & branches of reeds shape, when the stem is broken, white coloured seeds are obtained, which are called as Zarirah.

Zarirah applied on beards & Ihraam: -

1. Hazrat A’isha رضي الله عنها narrates that she applied sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) on Nabi ﷺ 's beards & Ihraam, with her own hands, during the Haj-jatul-wida (fare well Haj) when Nabi ﷺ wear Ihraam.

[Bukhari: 5930; Book. 77; English vol. 7; Hadees. 814]

Zarirah to be applied on Blisters: -

2. Nabi ﷺ advised his wife to apply sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) because she had a blister on her finger & Nabi ﷺ said "Also do Dua to Allah Ta’ala" saying: "Who makes big things smaller & makes small things bigger", "Make small that what I have" (means the blister).

[Mustadrak Al Hakim: 7463]

3. One of the wife of Nabi ﷺ says that, Nabi ﷺ asked "Do you have any sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah), she replied Yes, & (the respected) Nabi ﷺ applied it on a blister between his toes & did Dua "Oh! Allah, who extinguishes that is big & makes big that which is smaller", "Extinguish it for me" & the blister got extinguished.

[Majma Al-Zawa'id: 8350]

Other references: -

1. Ibn Al-Qayyim (ra) says that sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) is an Indian medicine, which is made from the reeds of sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah). It is beneficial for swelling in stomach, liver, hydrocephalus, it strengthens the heart & it has pleasant fragrance.

2. Ibn Sina (ra) says that there is nothing better for burns than sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) mixed with rose water & vinegar. The reeds of it are gentle, slightly astringent & pungent & remove swelling.

Contents: -

Essential oils, eginol, asarane, acetic acid, cetilic, vitamin B, colline, gallnuts etc

Part uses are: -

Roots, seeds, branches.

Scientific benefits: - 1. It strengthens the stomach & digestion.

2. Regulates menstrual cycle. 3. Expels gases.

4. Helpful in malaria.

5. Reliefs pain.

6. Reduces kidney inflammation & heals urinary tract infection.

7. Reduces swelling of stomach, liver & etc.

8. It is anti spasmodic, anti carminative, analgesic, nerve tonic & anti septic. 9. Helpful in rheumatism, eczema, fever, epilepsy, stomach ache, lice problem, jaundice, anti helmentic (anti worms). 10. It is aromatic, diaphoretic, emetic, sedative, stimulant, tonic vulnerary & etc.

 

Science & Hadees regarding Zarirah: -

According to researches on sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) it can be used externally, the tea is used for sores, burns, scrofula, wounds & ulcers. & also can be used as antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, decongestant, diaphoretic, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomach ache, tonic vulnerary. It is particularly known for the beneficial effects on the stomach, especially heartburn with sour eructations. A few small pieces of it can be chewed & the juice swallowed, gives prompt relief. The roots may be chewed several times a day for chronic conditions, until the stomach gets healthy. It also stimulates the appetite & helps to relieve acute & chronic colicky pain, gastritis, fevers, colds, sinus headaches, sinusitis, coughs, hyperacidity, deafness, arthritis, hysteria, neuralgia, epilepsy, shock.

Conclusion of Hadees: -

Chewing the root is said to stop pyrosis, the discharge of an acid (burning & bitter) liquid from the stomach into the throat. For smokers, however, chewing the dried root tends to cause mild nausea, a property that makes sweet flag useful for breaking the smoking habit. A decoction of the rootstock makes a good bath additive for insomnia, malaria, cholera, typhus, flu, bronchitis, ague, diarrhea, dysentery, asthma, a general tonic & tense nerves; it has also been used in baths for children with scrofula or rickets.

Use sweet flag (ذريرة ) (Zarirah) for blisters & also do Dua, can be used as a perfume.