It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said that the truffle is a form of manna and that its juice is a healing for the eye.
The desert truffle, which Ibn al-Qayyim speaks of, differs from the truffle found in the Périgord region, for example. The desert truffle is whiter, grows in the sand, and is harvested like a potato.
Rich in potassium, it is effective against muscle contractions and blood pressure. It also contains vitamin A, good for the functioning of the eyes and the immune system, vitamin D, and vitamin K, and is effective for blood clotting and bone problems. It is found in spring, it is moist and blood-rich, and it can be eaten raw, but cooked it also has very great virtues. Indeed, it contains minerals and vitamins B2, B3, and B5.
In their time the salaf used it for jihad, since it gives strength. The Arabs call it the "plant of thunder" because it appears when thunder multiplies and the ground splits open so it can emerge. The best truffle is the one that grows in sandy, moist soil; the reddish one is deadly and causes suffocation. According to the theory of the humors, it is cold and moist to the third degree. Its digestion is slow, and eating it too often will cause colic. Moreover, its cost is very high.
The white truffle is less harmful than the dry one, and whoever wishes to eat it should soak it in moist mud, then boil it in salted water with thyme, also mix it with garlic and onions, and eat it with oil. It is cooked the same way as meat; it has a watery nature that shows its lightness. Its juice can be extracted with a syringe by making an opening right after cooking, and placed in an eye-dropper container to be used for eye problems. Indeed, in cases such as styes or eye pressure, three drops of this juice are applied to the right side of the eye and three drops to the left side. The truffle is also effective against dimness of vision and hot conjunctivitis.
The hadith about the truffle and what the scholars made of it
The professor reports above the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: "The truffle is part of the manna, and its water is a healing for the eye" (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). "Manna" refers to what Allah sent down upon the Children of Israel in the desert: food that comes without seed or labor. The desert truffle resembles it, growing on its own, beneath the sand, after the storm rains.
Ibn al-Qayyim, in Prophetic Medicine, explains that truffle water lends itself to several uses depending on the ailment: the water alone, applied in the eye, for heat and inflammation; the water mixed with antimony eyeliner (ithmid) to strengthen eyesight; the liquid drawn from cooked truffle for other conditions. He also reports the practice of Abu Hurayrah, who pressed some truffles, collected their water in a small container, and applied it in the eye of a servant girl suffering from an ailment, who was healed. It is this use, truffle water in drops, that the professor describes with the syringe and the eyedrop container.
Which truffle? The desert truffle, not the one from Périgord
| Desert truffle (kamaa) | European black truffle | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Terfezia, Tirmania | Tuber melanosporum |
| Appearance | White to light brown, pale flesh, harvested like a potato | Black, marbled flesh, found under oak trees |
| Where | Sands of Arabia, North Africa, the Sahel, after spring rains | Calcareous soils of France, Italy, Spain |
| Taste, use | Mild, cooked like a vegetable; this is the one the hadith refers to | Powerful aroma, luxury condiment; no eye-related tradition |
| Price | Affordable in season in the Gulf countries and the Maghreb | Several hundred dollars per kilo |
In other words, the truffle bought from a French caterer is not the one from the hadith. The desert truffle can be found fresh in spring at markets in the Maghreb and Arabia, and sometimes frozen or dried in Middle Eastern grocery stores in France.
Preparing and using truffle water, step by step
- Choose fresh, healthy truffles, white or light in color. The professor reminds us that a reddish or damaged truffle is toxic: set it aside.
- Wash them thoroughly: the truffle grows in sand, and some always remains. Brush and rinse several times.
- Obtain the water in two ways: by pressing the raw truffle (the practice reported from Abu Hurayrah), or by cooking it in water and then collecting the juice right after cooking, as the professor describes.
- Filter through a clean cloth or a coffee filter, then pour into a clean, scalded dropper bottle.
- Apply according to the professor's advice: three drops on each side of the eye, for a stye, hot conjunctivitis, or blurred vision.
- Do not store it: truffle water is a living medium and spoils quickly. Prepare small amounts, keep them cold, and use them within the day.
What research has found in the desert truffle
- The aqueous extract of Terfezia claveryi inhibits, in laboratory testing, the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium feared in eye infections; a protein fraction of the extract proved active (Saudi Med J, 2005).
- An antibiotic peptide isolated from the same extract acts against Staphylococcus aureus, responsible for styes (Phytother Res, 2004), and Algerian desert truffles show the same antibacterial activity (Int J Med Mushrooms, 2011).
- A 2026 review gathers the research on desert truffles in eye infections: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and calls for the clinical trials still lacking (Comb Chem High Throughput Screen, 2026).
- Terfezia boudieri and T. claveryi reduce inflammation in stimulated immune cells (Sci Rep, 2023).
These results come from test tubes and cell cultures, not trials on patients. They explain why truffle water may have soothed infected or inflamed eyes; they do not replace treatment. Healing belongs to Allah, and the truffle is a means He created.
Contraindications and precautions
A liquid prepared in the kitchen is never sterile. Truffle water should therefore never be placed in an eye that is injured, has been operated on, or is wearing contact lenses, nor in an infant's eye. Conjunctivitis lasting more than three days, pain, sensitivity to light, or a decline in vision call for an ophthalmologist: some infections damage the cornea within days. What is called "eye pressure," glaucoma, is treated with medical drops; truffle water may accompany treatment, never replace it. Finally, truffle should be eaten in moderation: the professor reminds us that it digests slowly and causes colic when overeaten.
Frequently asked questions
Can truffle water be put directly in the eye?
Yes, this is the practice reported from the companions and the one the professor describes, provided the water is freshly prepared, filtered, and poured into a clean bottle. Never on an eye that is injured, operated on, or wearing contact lenses.
Which truffle should be used?
The white desert truffle, called kamaa in Arabic (Terfezia, Tirmania). The black truffle from Périgord is not the one referred to in the hadith and has no eye-related tradition.
Is truffle water dangerous for the eyes?
The risk is not the truffle itself but contamination: poorly filtered water or water kept for several days can carry germs. Small amounts, clean preparation, use within the day. If redness worsens, stop and consult a doctor.
Does it treat eye pressure or cataracts?
The professor cites it for eye pressure and blurred vision, as a complement. Glaucoma and cataracts are conditions monitored by an ophthalmologist; truffle water replaces neither the drops nor the surgery.
Where can desert truffle be found in France?
In Middle Eastern grocery stores, frozen or dried, especially in spring; fresh at markets in the Maghreb and the Gulf from February to April. A dried truffle can be rehydrated, but the most active water is from the fresh truffle.
