What is talbeenah? How can it be used as a remedy?

Talbeenah is mentioned in
a number of saheeh ahaadeeth, such as the following: 

(a) 

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that if a member of her family
died, the women would gather together, then they would depart, except her
own relatives and close friends. She would order that a pot of talbeenah be
cooked, then some thareed would be made and the talbeenah would be poured
over it. Then she would say: Eat some of it, for I heard the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Talbeenah
soothes the heart of the sick person, and it takes away some of the grief.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5101; Muslim, 2216. 

(b) 

It was narrated from her (may Allaah be pleased with her)
that she would order that talbeenah be made for the sick and the one who was
mourning a death, and she used to say: I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Talbeenah soothes the
heart of the sick and takes away some of the grief.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5365; Muslim, 2216 

It is clear from these two hadeeths that talbeenah is used to
treat the sick and to reduce the grief of one who is grieving, soothing his
heart and giving him energy. 

Talbeenah is a broth that is made from two spoonfuls of
barley flour with bran, then a cup of water is added to that and it is
cooked over a low fire for five minutes. 

Some people add a spoonful of honey to it. 

It is called talbeenah because it is like milk (laban) in its
whiteness and consistency. 

Ibn al-Qayyim said: 

If you want to know the virtue of talbeenah, then think of
the virtue of barley water, for it is barley water for them. It is a soup
that is made from barley flour with bran. The difference between it and
barley water is that the latter is made from whole grains, whereas talbeenah
is made from flour, which is more beneficial as the properties of the barley
are released through grinding. We have mentioned above that habits have an
effect on whether medicines and foods are of benefit. It was the habit of
the people to drink barley water made from flour rather than whole grains,
which is more nourishing and effective… end quote. 

Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/120 

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said, describing talbeenah: 

It is a kind of food that
is made from flour or bran, to which honey may be added. It is so called
because it resembles milk in its whiteness and consistency. Its benefit is
that it is soft and well-cooked, not hard and raw. End quote. 

Fath al-Baari, 9/550 

There is no doubt that barley has many benefits, some of
which have been discovered in modern studies, such as: lowering cholesterol,
treating the heart, treating depression, treating high blood sugar and high
blood pressure, softening the stools and soothing the colon. Studies have
also demonstrated the importance of barley in reducing the incidence of
colon cancer. 

Dr. Sahba’ Bunduq said – after noting the benefits mentioned
above and discussing them in detail: 

In this sense, talbeenah is a protection against diseases of
the heart and circulatory system, as it protects the arteries from
arteriosclerosis – especially the major arteries of the heart. It also
protects against angina, reduction of blood supply and cardiac infarction. 

As for those who have actually been affected by these
vascular and cardiac problems, talbeenah, with its health benefits, can play
an important role in preventing their symptoms from getting worse. This
shows the miraculous nature of the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Talbeenah soothes the heart of the sick.”
End quote. 

And Allaah knows best.