Letter to Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanwy

To Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwy
Assalamu Alaykum.

I hereby wish to present a little gift. In the Hadith, there is mention of a certain thing called talbeena, which Mullah Ali Qari says is made up of milk, honey and flour and I have added a little saffron for flavour and taste. Once, some time ago, I prepared it and it turned out to be very delicious and I got the feeling that perhaps Hazrat will also like it. Only Allah knows how it has turned out this time, but I have again mixed the same ingredients.

In Bukhari it is reported from Hazrat Aisha Radhiallahu Anha who says: "I have heard Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam say: "Verily talbeena cures the heart of the sick one and takes away his sorrows."" According to Bukhari, she ordered that talbeena be taken and that it is a beneficial medicine. Hafiz Ibn Hajar says in 'Fath', it is reported by Ahmed and Ibn Majah that Aisha Radhiallahu Anha reported: "Make use of talbeena, the beneficial medicine." And Nisai adds: "I swear by Him in whose hands is the life of Muhammad [sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam] that talbeena cleans the stomach in the same way as any of you uses water to wash dust from his face."

According to the Hadith it appears that it is prepared in a thin form, but I thought Hazrat will prefer it in a thick form so as to eat it like firny. For this reason, I have made it a thick mixture. I have also written its contents down for Hakeem Khaleel Ahmed Saheb and asked him about it, so as to ascertain that it will not be harmful to Hazrat's diet.

Zakariyya Kandhalwy.