Is homeopathy halal?
Does anyone know if the final product still contains alcohol? I know that tinctures are alcohol based (besides the glyercine-based ones) but what about the others? Is it permissible to take creams, pilules etc?How it is performed
Homeopathic remedies are derived from many substances, including plants (which account for about 60% of all homepathic remedies), minerals and animal products. They are normally taken in the form of pillules (tablets), but are also available as a powder, granules, tinctures (solutions), creams or ointments.
Remedies vary in strength according to the needs of the patient, and sometimes according to the substance itself if it is particularly poisonous or toxic. The more dilute a remedy, the stronger it is. Some of the strongest ones are so dilute that theoretically not one molecule of the original substance should remain. This principle has caused some controversy, but supporters of homeopathy believe that the remedy retains a ‘memory’ of the original substance. Recently, researchers in the fields of physics and molecular biology have begun to investigate if this is the case.
Preparation of a remedy normally involves crushing the original substance (e.g. plant material) and dissolving it in an exact solution of alcohol and/or distilled water. This mixture is then left to stand for anything up to several weeks, during which time it may be shaken from time to time. This solution is known as the ‘mother tincture’.
The mother tincture is precisely diluted again, and shaken (‘succussed’). Remedies are diluted either 1 part to 10 (an ‘x’ potency) or 1 part to 100 (a ‘c’ potency). For example, one of the most common potencies, 6x, is produced by diluting one part of the mother tincture to ten parts of the dilution substance (e.g. alcohol and water) six times.
Patients may be asked to take the remedy in a variety of ways, from a single dose to daily treatment over several weeks. The frequency of dose can depend on the strength of the remedy and severity of the person’s condition. Most homeopaths prescribe one remedy at a time, but some (particularly in Germany and France) practice complex homeopathy, which is the use of more than one remedy in combination.
Homeopathic remedies are not only available from homeopaths, although ideally a qualified practitioner should be consulted for a specific, individual diagnosis. There is a wide selection of homeopathic remedies available from pharmacies, health food stores and supermarkets, and these can be used to treat acute symptoms (such as those produced by teething, hay fever, or colds and ‘flu) rather than long-term conditions.
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