Lote Tree Leaves For Health, Beauty and Spiritual Purposes

The lote tree leaves are used in many ways for health, beauty and spiritual purposes. It is a natural disinfectant, antiseptic and antibiotic, it helps in weight loss, treats lice and dandruff and can be used for skin cleansing and hair care. It also has a lot of nutritional value. It is mentioned in the sunnah of the prophet (peace be upon him) in numerous ahadeeth.

The Lote Tree on the Boundary (sidrat al-muntaha) occupies a central position in Muslim conceptualisations of paradise and the prophet Muhammad’s heavenly night journey (isra) and ascension (mi‘raj). It may be that this quranic lote tree functions as a barrier beyond which neither humans nor angels can pass. In this sense it may be akin to the biblical burning bush from which Moses only experienced God through a mysterious and terrifying theophany that was somewhat apophatic in nature.

In his massive Shii Quran Tafsir entitled al-Tibyan fi tafsir al-Quran, Al-Tusi says of the Lote Tree on the boundary (sidrat al-muntaha): “There encompassed it that which covered it: light (al-nur), splendour (al-bah), beauty (al-husn) and purity (al-safa) so delightfully adorned that there was no end to their depiction” (p. 57).

Ibn Hajar in his book Faath Al-Baaree and Sheikh Bin Baaz have stated that the leaves of this tree are very effective in treating black magic, jinn possession and evil eye. Taking the leaves of this tree regularly for a few months can rid one of these conditions completely.