Ibn al-Qayyim devoted a chapter to salt in his book Prophetic Medicine.
Salt is a crystalline substance necessary for the proper balance of fluids and electrolytes in our body.
Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The master of your condiments is salt, and the master of a thing is the one who improves it."
The Prophet ﷺ also said: "You are almost like salt in a dish, and a dish is only improved by salt."
Al-Bayhaqi mentions in his Ijaz, from Abdullah Ibn Omar, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah sent down four blessings from the sky onto the earth: iron, fire, water, and salt." It is more likely that these are the words of the Companions.
Salt improves the body as well as everything it mixes with. It makes gold more yellow and silver whiter, it cleanses and breaks down, it dissipates thick moisture and dries it out.
Epsom salt
There is an English salt with certain properties called Epsom salt. It is a magnesium sulfate; this powerful mineral is made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen.
It is used as a bath salt for muscle pain; it also cleanses the skin, dissipates thick moisture, breaks down, and cleanses.
Today, Epsom salt is a "detox"; it is a powerful laxative, and it can be consumed mixed with water in case of occasional constipation.
It can also be used for skin problems, such as eczema, to draw out toxins, for wrinkles, or to remove dead skin.
Care must be taken not to use just any table salt, because nowadays the salt found on the market is often processed and not natural. Natural salt, on the other hand, is beneficial: it strengthens the body, prevents putrefaction, and is useful against scabies. Used as an eye wash, it will be effective in cases of conjunctivitis.
Finally, Epsom salt cleans the teeth and strengthens and firms the gums when used as a mouth rinse.
What the hadiths on salt are worth
The professor cites three texts and himself sorts out what to make of them. "The master of your condiments is salt" is reported by Ibn Majah, with a weak chain according to hadith specialists. "Allah sent down four blessings: iron, fire, water, and salt" is, as the professor notes, "more likely the words of the companions." What remains is the comparison "like salt in the dish," which is an image, not a prescription. So we do not build a religious rule on salt; instead, we rely on what Ibn al-Qayyim says about it in Prophetic Medicine, as medicine of his time: salt improves food, cleanses, dries out excess moisture, preserves, and is used externally against scabies, as an eye wash, and on the gums.
Salt on the outside of the body: what works
| Use | How | What research has found |
|---|---|---|
| Nasal rinse | Boiled, cooled water, 9 g of salt per liter (isotonic); in the nose with a lota or a squeeze bottle, head tilted | Cochrane review: probably effective at reducing certain symptoms of the common cold and acute sinusitis (Cochrane, 2015); saltier water (hypertonic) does a bit better in chronic sinusitis (Braz J Otorhinolaryngol, 2020) |
| Gargle, gums | Half a teaspoon in a glass of warm water, 30 seconds, two or three times a day | A universal remedy for sore throat and after a tooth extraction: salt cleanses and reduces inflammation; this is what Ibn al-Qayyim describes for the gums |
| Epsom salt bath | Two cups of magnesium sulfate in a warm bath, 15 to 20 minutes | Muscle relaxation and softer skin; magnesium absorption through the skin is not demonstrated, but the effect of a warm bath on pain and sleep is real |
| Skin, eczema | Warm bath with sea salt or Epsom salt, then moisturizer | Salt baths (Dead Sea) are used for psoriasis and eczema; they also dry the skin, hence the moisturizing afterward |
| Eye (eye wash) | Store-bought sterile saline solution | Ibn al-Qayyim's "salt eye wash" is today's saline solution: homemade salt water is not used in the eye |
Salt on the plate: the rule runs the other way
Ibn al-Qayyim wrote for people who lacked salt; we have too much of it. Average intake in France is 8 to 10 g a day, double the recommended 5 g, and 80% of it comes from processed foods (bread, cheese, deli meats, prepared meals), not the salt shaker.
- The Cochrane review of 34 trials shows that a modest, sustained reduction in salt lowers blood pressure in both people with hypertension and people with normal blood pressure (BMJ, 2013).
- A meta-analysis of 133 trials establishes a dose-response relationship: each gram less of salt lowers blood pressure, and the effect is stronger in older and hypertensive people (BMJ, 2020).
Salt is "necessary for the proper balance of fluids," says the professor, and that is true: the body needs one to two grams of it a day. Beyond five, it strains the heart and kidneys. The prophetic rule of the third also applies here: salt is a condiment, not a food.
Natural salt, table salt, iodized salt: what actually makes a difference
The professor warns against table salt that is "processed, not natural." The nuance is worth making. Refined salt is pure sodium chloride with an anti-caking agent; gray sea salt, pink salt, and Himalayan salt contain 1 to 2% minerals (magnesium, calcium, iron), in amounts too small to matter nutritionally. For the body, all of these are sodium, and all of them raise blood pressure in excess. The only useful difference is iodine: iodized salt has pushed back thyroid disease and developmental delays everywhere it has been adopted (Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am, 2002), and "natural" salts do not contain it. One may prefer an unrefined sea salt for taste, but should then keep an eye on iodine (fish, eggs, dairy, seaweed); for a pregnant woman, iodized salt is the safest choice.
Epsom salt: a laxative, not a condiment
Epsom salt is salt in name only: it is magnesium sulfate. In the bath, it relaxes. Taken by mouth, it is a powerful osmotic laxative, as the professor says for occasional constipation: one to two teaspoons in a large glass of water, once, and no more than two or three days in a row. It is not a "detox" to repeat: in excess, it dehydrates and raises blood magnesium, which is dangerous for the kidneys and heart. Never for children, pregnant women, people with kidney failure, or in the case of unexplained abdominal pain.
Contraindications and precautions
Hypertension, heart failure, kidney failure, fluid retention: salt should be cut to under 5 g a day, and potassium-based "diet salts" should only be taken on medical advice. Nasal rinsing should be done with boiled or sterile water, never with unboiled tap water. No homemade salt water in the eye. Oral Epsom salt should remain the exception. And a very salty bath dries the skin: moisturize afterward, especially in the case of eczema.
Frequently asked questions
What does Islam say about salt?
The hadiths that praise it are weak or are the words of companions; the professor points this out. Ibn al-Qayyim treats it as a necessary condiment and an external remedy. Salt is neither Sunnah nor forbidden: it is a food, to be used in moderation.
Is a salt bath an Islamic practice?
No, it is a hygiene and relaxation practice, unrelated to ruqyah. A salt bath has no power against the evil eye or sorcery; what protects is the Qur'an and supplications, see the surahs for ruqyah.
Is pink salt or gray salt better than table salt?
For taste, perhaps; for health, it is the same sodium in the same amount, and they lack iodine. If you prefer them, make sure to get iodine elsewhere.
Can you drink Epsom salt to detoxify?
No. It is a powerful laxative, useful once for occasional constipation, dangerous as a repeated course. The body's "detox" is done by the liver and kidneys, with water and fasting.
How much salt per day?
Less than 5 g, that is, one level teaspoon, everything included. Most people eat twice that, mainly through bread, cheese, and prepared meals.
