Diluted honey in water should never be used as an ear drop. Indeed, the ear canal may be blocked, and this would only make the problem worse. This is why it is essential to see a doctor first, in order to establish a diagnosis.
We often hear the elders praising certain remedies, such as putting olive oil in the ear, but this is not part of herbal medicine—it dates back to a time when medicine as we know it today did not yet exist.
Indeed, modern medicine allows us to distinguish between inflammation, an infection, a virus, or a bacterium, just as we find anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, or antioxidant plants.
Plants are not to be used haphazardly, and even the Prophet ﷺ himself, when a companion was ill, would ask for a doctor to be seen.
Although the Prophet ﷺ received certain precious information through revelation, such as the virtues of black seed (Nigella sativa), costus, or hijama, medicine nonetheless remains a science that we need.
What the science says: honey
What published research says about the remedies mentioned above, for context — these studies address material causes; healing belongs to Allah.
Honey
"There is a healing for people in honey": research confirms several of its uses. A Cochrane review concludes that honey relieves acute cough in children better than no treatment and at least as well as certain syrups (Cochrane, 2018) (Eur J Pediatr, 2023). On the skin, honey dressings speed up healing and reduce wound infections (Nutrients, 2024), including burns (N Z Med J, 2009). Precaution: never give honey before the age of one (risk of infant botulism); choose raw, unheated honey from a reliable source.
