Ibn al-Qayyim mentions barley and talbina in his book. Talbina varies from country to country. In the Hijaz it was prepared as a soup with honey and the consistency was somewhat "thick," while in other countries it is simply found ground into a soup.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reports that when someone in her family was ill, the Messenger ﷺ would order that a barley soup be prepared. Talbina is effective for sadness, anguish, or anxiety.
After its preparation, it was commanded that it be drunk gently, and it was said: "it strengthens the heart against sadness and cleanses the sick person's heart the way you cleanse the dirt from your faces with water."
Boiled barley soup is more nourishing than its fine flour, and if olive oil and a small teaspoon of black seed are added to it, it will be effective for coughing, harshness of the throat, and for dispelling the acidity of excess residues. Moreover, it is a diuretic, and is therefore good for people suffering from urinary and kidney problems. It also evacuates what is in the stomach, particularly in cases of constipation. Furthermore, talbina quenches thirst, which is appreciable during periods of fasting; it extinguishes heat and has a strength by which it evacuates, softens, and breaks down.
To prepare talbina, take one volume of barley to five volumes of water, place them in a pot, and cook over low heat until only two-fifths remain. Then strain this mixture, and you may sweeten it with honey or add olive oil to it.
The hadith of talbina
Aisha reported that whenever a member of her family fell ill, the Prophet ﷺ would order that a talbina be prepared, and he said: "It soothes the heart of the sick person and takes away some of his sorrow" (al-Bukhari 5417, Muslim 2216). She also reported that after a bereavement, when the women had gathered and then dispersed, she would have a pot of talbina prepared, then some tharid which she would pour over it, and she would say: "Eat from it, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say…" and she would cite this hadith (al-Bukhari 5417). The name comes from laban, milk: the porridge is white and fluid like milk.
Ibn al-Qayyim devotes several pages to it: talbina, he says, is more useful than plain barley water because it is cooked with the whole ground grain, which draws out its substance; it nourishes without weighing one down, moistens and cools, which suits the sick, the convalescent, and the one whom grief has left parched.
Ibn al-Qayyim's recipe, step by step
- The barley: hulled barley or whole barley flour, not refined pearl barley (the fiber is in the husk). One part by volume, for example 100 g.
- The water: five parts by volume, or 500 ml for 100 g.
- The cooking: over low heat, stirring from time to time, until only two-fifths of the volume remains, about 200 ml: 20 to 30 minutes for the flour, 45 minutes to an hour for the cracked grain.
- The straining: through a fine sieve if you want the fluid drink of tradition; you can also keep it whole, more nourishing, as in the Hijaz, with the consistency of porridge.
- The seasoning: a spoonful of honey, or milk, as the professor reports; or a tablespoon of olive oil and a small teaspoon of black seed for coughs and sore throats, according to Ibn al-Qayyim.
- Serve warm, and have it drunk slowly, as was recommended.
Its uses, from the healthy person's morning to the sickbed
| For whom | How | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Whole talbina with milk, honey, a few dates | Slow-release sugar, fullness until noon; see the child's breakfast |
| The sick, the convalescent | Strained, fluid, warm, in small amounts | Nourishes without tiring the stomach; the use described in the hadith |
| Sadness, bereavement, anxiety | One cup in the evening, with honey | "Takes away some of his sorrow"; warm and sweet, it soothes and helps sleep |
| Fasting | At suhur to get through the day, or at iftar after the dates | Quenches thirst and satisfies for a long time, as the professor notes |
| Cough, sore throat | With olive oil and black seed | Ibn al-Qayyim's prescription; soothes |
| Constipation, kidneys | Whole, with plenty of water throughout the day | Fiber and diuretic effect noted by the professor |
What research has measured on barley
Talbina itself has not been the subject of published trials; barley has, and abundantly so, because of its beta-glucans, soluble fibers that form a gel in the intestine.
- A meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials shows that barley and its beta-glucans lower total cholesterol and LDL by about 0.3 mmol/L (Eur J Clin Nutr, 2010); a more recent meta-analysis confirms the reduction in LDL, non-HDL, and apolipoprotein B with 6.5 to 7 g of beta-glucans per day (Eur J Clin Nutr, 2016).
- In healthy adults, a serving of whole barley rich in beta-glucans taken before a meal reduces the blood sugar spike that follows, and the effect increases with beta-glucan content (Nutrients, 2025).
- Beta-glucans also feed the gut flora and modulate immunity, according to a 2023 review (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023).
To get the dose used in the trials, you need 60 to 80 g of whole barley per day, which is a good whole talbina. And "it soothes the heart" is not an empty phrase: a warm, sweet food, rich in fiber and tryptophan, taken in the evening, promotes calm and sleep, as anyone can verify.
Contraindications and precautions
Barley contains gluten: no talbina for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance (it can be prepared with buckwheat or millet, but it is no longer talbina). No honey before one year of age. A diabetic on treatment who makes it a daily meal should monitor their blood sugar, since barley lowers it. It is gentle on the stomach, but for a sick person who is vomiting or cannot keep anything down, hydration comes before food, and the doctor decides. It supports convalescence; it does not replace any treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recipe for talbina?
Ibn al-Qayyim's, as followed by the professor: one part whole barley to five parts water, over low heat until reduced to two-fifths, strained or not, sweetened with honey or milk. Count on 100 g of barley for two good cups.
Talbina with barley flour or barley grains?
Both exist: whole barley flour cooks in 20 minutes and gives the fluid porridge; the cracked grain takes nearly an hour and gives a more nourishing porridge, the one from the Hijaz. What matters is that the barley be whole, with its husk.
Does talbina help you lose weight?
It satisfies for a long time for few calories and slows the sugar of the meal: as a replacement for a sugary breakfast, it helps. It is not a diet, it is a good staple food.
Can talbina be given to a baby?
Starting with the introduction of solid foods, yes, as a fine porridge, without honey before one year of age and while monitoring gluten tolerance. It was one of the first cereals given to the children of Medina.
Does it really help with sadness?
The hadith says so, and experience confirms it: warm, sweet, easy to digest, taken in the evening, it soothes and helps sleep. It accompanies grief; a depression that sets in is also treated in other ways, see our remedies for depression.
