Sana and sanut should always be taken in water, preferably as an herbal tea, using one tablespoon of sanut and one teaspoon of sana.
For moderate constipation, drink one glass, and up to two glasses for severe constipation, in the evening before sleep.
For stomach or digestive issues, it can be taken half an hour after meals.
To lose weight, follow a 21-day course, taking it after each meal.
Be careful never to exceed 21 days with laxatives.
For water retention, take it half an hour before meals, one glass, or up to three glasses for significant water retention.
The hadith of sana and sanut
Asma bint Umays narrated that the Prophet ﷺ asked her what she used as a purgative. "Shubrum (spurge)," she said. "That is hot, burning," he replied. She then purged herself with senna, and he said: "If there were something that could cure death, it would be senna" (at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah; the chain of narration is deemed acceptable by several scholars). Another hadith adds: "Use senna and sanut, for they contain a remedy for every disease except as-sam," meaning death (Ibn Majah, al-Hakim; a debated chain). Ibn al-Qayyim reports the various opinions on sanut: for some it is honey, for others dill or cumin, for others still fennel, the meaning the professor holds, or a seed "similar to cumin." The most likely meaning, he says, is honey kept in a butter skin, with which senna was mixed to make it bearable. Whatever the identity of sanut, the lesson is the same: senna should be taken sweetened and accompanied, never alone, never raw. This is exactly what the professor does by pairing it with fennel.
Two plants, two roles
| Senna (sana) | Fennel (sanut, according to the professor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant | Leaves and pods of Senna alexandrina, from Egypt and Arabia | Seeds of Foeniculum vulgare |
| Action | Stimulant laxative: its sennosides make the colon contract 6 to 12 hours after intake | Antispasmodic and carminative: soothes cramps and expels gas |
| For what | Occasional constipation, preparing for a medical exam | Bloating, slow digestion, colic; it softens the senna |
| Duration | A few days; never continuously | No limit at herbal tea dose |
| What the studies say | Randomized placebo-controlled trial: 1 g of senna per day for 4 weeks improves chronic constipation, slightly better than magnesium oxide (Am J Gastroenterol, 2021); the review of over-the-counter treatments ranks it among the effective laxatives (Am J Gastroenterol, 2021) | Randomized placebo-controlled trial: fennel oil emulsion reduces infant colic (Altern Ther Health Med, 2003); it is the best-documented digestive antispasmodic among herbal teas |
The professor's dosages, and how to prepare
- The herbal tea: one tablespoon of fennel seeds and one teaspoon of senna leaves (no more, senna is powerful), in 250 ml of boiling water, 10 minutes covered, then strain. The fennel is lightly crushed beforehand. A spoonful of honey can be added, which ties back to the "honey" meaning of sanut.
- Constipation: one glass in the evening at bedtime, two glasses if it is severe, as the professor indicates; the effect comes the next morning. One to three days, then stop and address the cause (water, fiber, walking).
- Slow digestion, bloating: one glass half an hour after the meal, but then fennel alone, without senna, which has no place in daily use.
- Water retention: fennel alone is mildly diuretic, half an hour before meals; senna has no effect on tissue water, only on that of the colon.
- The 21 days: the absolute limit the professor sets for any laxative. Modern recommendations are even shorter for senna: one to two weeks, unless a doctor advises otherwise.
Senna does not make you lose weight
The search "fennel seed for weight loss" is common, and clarity is needed. Fennel curbs appetite a little and reduces bloating: it can accompany a diet, without any effect of its own on weight. Senna, for its part, causes loss of water and mineral salts through stool, never fat; the weight that "drops" comes back as soon as you drink. Using laxatives to lose weight is a well-documented form of abuse, common in eating disorders, with consequences including dehydration, potassium loss, heart rhythm disturbances, and a bowel that no longer functions without stimulation (Drugs, 2010). The "21-day course after each meal" the professor describes for weight loss should therefore be understood with fennel alone; with senna, it would be precisely the abuse to avoid. To lose weight, see losing weight with Prophetic Medicine.
Contraindications and precautions
No senna in cases of unexplained abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting (possible obstruction), inflammatory bowel disease, during pregnancy (it also stimulates the uterus) or breastfeeding without medical advice, nor in children under 12. No senna over the long term: it creates colon dependence, discolors the mucosa (melanosis), and causes potassium loss, which is dangerous when taking diuretics or digitalis. Constipation lasting more than three weeks, alternating with diarrhea, or with blood, should be seen by a doctor. Fennel as an herbal tea is safe; its essential oil should not be taken orally, neither by pregnant women nor by children.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sanut mentioned in the hadith?
Scholars disagree: honey, dill, cumin, or fennel. Ibn al-Qayyim leans toward honey kept in butter, with which senna was sweetened. The professor holds to fennel, which plays the same role: making senna bearable and calming spasms.
How should senna be taken for constipation?
One teaspoon of leaves with one tablespoon of fennel as an herbal tea, one to two glasses in the evening, for one to three days. The effect comes in the morning. Then stop and address the cause: water, fiber, walking.
Does senna cause weight loss?
No: it causes loss of water and salts, not fat, and using it for weight is a dangerous form of abuse. Fennel alone can accompany a diet by reducing bloating, without causing weight loss on its own.
Can this herbal tea be given to a child?
Fennel yes, even for infants as a mild herbal tea against colic (this is the most studied use). Senna, no before age 12 without medical advice.
How long can senna be taken?
A few days for occasional constipation, one to two weeks at most. The professor sets 21 days as the absolute limit for any laxative; beyond that, the bowel no longer functions on its own.
