Sunan and Manners of Applying Kohl
Applying Surma
(kohl) is a blessed Sunnah of the Noble Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. The Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ used to apply kohl in his sacred eyes before going to bed.
Therefore, with the intention of following the Sunnah, we should also apply
kohl in our eyes when we are about to go to sleep. By doing so, we will not
only earn the reward of acting upon a Sunnah but we will also reap its medical
and health benefits in the world.
It is a Sunnah to
Apply Kohl before Going to Bed
The Prophet of
Rahmah, the Intercessor of Ummah, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ used to apply kohl at the time of going to bed.
Hence, Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ states:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتْ لَهُ مُكْحُلَةٌ
يَكْتَحِلُ بِهَا كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ ثَلاَثَةً فِي هَذِهِ وَثَلاَثَةً فِي هَذِهِ
“Ibn Abbas رَضِیَ اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ narrates that that
the Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ had a
Kohl holder with which he would apply Kohl every night, three in one eye and
three in the other.”
(Jami Al-Tirmidhi)
Dear Islamic
brothers! This blessed Hadith tells us that it is a Sunnah to use kohl at the
time of going to bed. Therefore, we should not forget to apply kohl before
going to sleep. The usefulness of applying kohl at the time of going to bed is
that, this way, the kohl remains in the eyes for a longer period and benefits
the eyes by passing through to the pores of the eyes.
Ithmid (Antimony)
Kohl is Preferred
The following
blessed Hadith is stated in Tirmidhi:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " اكْتَحِلُوا بِالإِثْمِدِ فَإِنَّهُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَيُنْبِتُ
الشَّعْرَ
“Use Ithmid
(antimony) for Kohl, for it clears the vision and grows the eyelashes.”
(Tirmidhi)
Another narration
states:
خَيْرُ أَكْحَالِكُمُ الإِثْمِدُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَيُنْبِتُ
الشَّعَرَ
“The best of your
kohl is Ithmid (antimony), for it improves the eyesight and makes the eyelashes
grow.”
(Sunan Ibn -e- Maja)
Dear Islamic
brothers! It is sufficient for the preference of Ithmid kohl that our Beloved
and Blessed Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ favored it.
He صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ not only used it himself but
also urged his slaves to use it and also stated its benefits. Therefore, only
Ithmid kohl should be used if possible. We also come to know from the
above-mentioned blessed Ahadith that Ithmid kohl improves vision as well as
growing the hair of the eyelashes. It is said that Ithmid kohl is found in
Isfahan (a city in Iran). Islamic scholars tell us that its color is black and
it grows in Eastern countries. In any case, if Ithmid kohl is available, then
it is preferred, otherwise, using any type of kohl will fulfill the Sunnah.
Method of
Applying Kohl
The above-mentioned
Ahadith also tell us that the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ used to apply kohl three times in both his blessed eyes and
that was his frequent practice. However, in some other Ahadith, it is mentioned
that he صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would apply kohl three times in
his right eye and two times in the left one. And in Shamail-e-Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, it is stated that the Holy
Prophet صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would apply kohl two times in
both eyes with the kohl holder and then would use it once to apply it in both
of his blessed eyes.
(Wasail Al-Wusool ila Shamail Al-Rasool)
Therefore, we should
also try to use kohl through these different methods i.e. sometimes, we could apply
it three times in both eyes, sometimes three times in the right eye and two
times in the left and sometimes, twice in both eyes and then once in both eyes.
By doing this, all three methods approved by the Sunnah will be fulfilled. Apply
kohl in the right eye first and then, in the left.
May the Almighty
Allah also enable us to follow the Sunnah of applying kohl!
