Combing

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الثَّوْبُ النَّقِيُّ يَكْبِتُ الْعَدُوَّ وَ الدُّهْنُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْبُؤْسِ وَ الْمَشْطُ لِلرَّأْسِ يَذْهَبُ بِالْوَبَاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الْوَبَاءُ قَالَ الْحُمَّى وَ الْمَشْطُ لِلِّحْيَةِ يَشُدُّ الْأَضْرَاسَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Clean and fresh clothes saddens the enemy, using oil dispels despair and combing the head removes al-Waba’.’ I then asked, ‘What is al-Waba’?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is fever. Combing the beard strengthens molar teeth.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ الْمَشْطُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْوَبَاءِ وَ كَانَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مُشْطٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ يَتَمَشَّطُ بِهِ إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ.

‘Combing dispels al-Waba’. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), had a comb in (for) the Masjid which he used after completing Salat (prayer).”’

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع وَ فِي يَدِهِ مُشْطُ عَاجٍ يَتَمَشَّطُ بِهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا بِالْعِرَاقِ مَنْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَحِلُّ التَّمَشُّطُ بِالْعَاجِ قَالَ وَ لِمَ فَقَدْ كَانَ‌ لِأَبِي ع مِنْهَا مُشْطٌ أَوْ مُشْطَانِ ثُمَّ قَالَ تَمَشَّطُوا بِالْعَاجِ فَإِنَّ الْعَاجَ يَذْهَبُ بِالْوَبَاءِ[1].

“I once visited abu Ibrahim (a.s.), and he had an ivory comb in his hand which he used. I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, in Iraq there are people with us who think that using ivory comb is not permissible.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘For what reason it can be as you said it is, my father ha

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَتَمَشَّطُ بِمُشْطِ عَاجٍ وَ اشْتَرَيْتُهُ لَهُ.

“I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), using ivory comb and I bought it for him.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الْعَاجِ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ إِنَّ لِي مِنْهُ لَمُشْطاً.

‘It is not unlawful and I have one ivory comb.’”

كَثْرَةُ تَسْرِيحِ الرَّأْسِ‌[2] تَذْهَبُ بِالْوَبَاءِ وَ تَجْلِبُ الرِّزْقَ وَ تَزِيدُ فِي الْجِمَاعِ.

“The Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Combing of the head very often removes al-Waba’ (fever), attracts sustenance and increases one’s ability to go to bed with one’s wife.’”

مِنْ ذَلِكَ التَّمَشُّطُ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ.

“About the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘You must beautify yourselves near every Masjid’ abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘Of such matters one is combing at the time of every Salat (prayer).”’

إِذَا سَرَّحْتَ رَأْسَكَ وَ لِحْيَتَكَ فَأَمِرَّ الْمُشْطَ عَلَى صَدْرِكَ فَإِنَّهُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْهَمِّ وَ الْوَبَاءِ.

“Abu al-Hassan, has said, ‘When you comb your head and beard, then wipe the comb against your chest; it removes worries and al-Waba’ (fever).’”

كَثْرَةُ التَّمَشُّطِ تُقَلِّلُ الْبَلْغَمَ.

“Using the comb very often reduces phlegm.’”

مَنْ سَرَّحَ لِحْيَتَهُ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً وَ عَدَّهَا مَرَّةً مَرَّةً لَمْ يَقْرَبْهُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one uses his comb seventy times and counts it one by one, Satan will not come close to him for forty days.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ عِظَامِ الْفِيلِ مَدَاهِنِهَا[3] وَ أَمْشَاطِهَا قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about elephant bones, its oil (perfume) containers and combs. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”