Question 541: Salaam, I have a skin condition called Vitiligo and Leukoderma. I have found this hadith on al-islam.org:

Abd Allah and al-Husayn, the sons of Bistam, narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from Muhammad al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan that he said; A man complained to Abu‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of vitiligo (al-wadah) and leprosy (al-bahaq). He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “Enter the steam hath and mix henna (al-hinna’) with lime and coat your bodywith it. You will not be cured by anything else after that.” The man said; “”By Allah, I did that only once and Allah cured me, and it did not recur after that.”

Can you please explain the first part of the hadith “”enter the steam hath””. I would be be grateful to you for the explanation and details you can provide on this which can help me cure my condition. Jazakallah”

Answer:  Abdullah bin Sinan narrated: A man complained to Imam Sadiq (As) about vitiligo and leukoderma. The Imam (as) told him: Enter the bath and mix henna with depilatory and then rub it onto the place. If you do so would not be suffering from such disease. The man said: I take an oath that I have done it once and Allah (SWT) has cured me in a way that the disease has never returned.[1]

The Arabic version of this hadith is as follows:

عن عبداللّه‏ بن سنان :شَکا رَجُلٌ إلى أبی عَبدِاللّه‏ علیه‏السلام الوَضَحَ و البَهَقَ ، فَقالَ: اُدخُلِ الحَمّامَ وَاخلُطِ الحِنّاءَ بِالنّورَةِ وأطلِ بِهِما ؛ فَإِنَّکَ لا تُعانی بَعدَ ذلِکَ شَیئاً.  قالَ الرَّجُلُ : فَوَاللّه‏ مافَعَلتُهُ إلاّ مَرَّةً واحِدَةً ، فَعافانِیَ اللّه‏ مِنهُ ، و ما عادَ بَعدَ ذلِکَ.

It should be noted that the efficacy of medical treatments and even the intercession of the Infallibles (pbuth), is intrinsically tied to the will of Allah (SWT).

[1] . Mustadrak al-Wasael, Vol. 1, Pg. 437;  Biharul Anwar, Vol. 59, Pg. 212;  Tibbul A’immah, Pg. 72.