International Patents for Quranic eye drops

For the first time, an Egyptian scientist manufactures drops for treating cataracts inspired by Yoosuf's shirt.

This is an interview with Prof. Dr. ‘Abdul Basit Muhammad sayyid a researcher in the National Research Center in Egypt who acquired two international patents after manufacturing eye drops to treat cataracts, inspired by the text of Soorah Yoosuf.

Q. Every idea has a beginning. What was it and how did this research begin?

A. It began with the Holy Quran. One day at Fajr I was reading the Book of Allah, in the story of Yoosuf (Joseph) peace be upon him. That amazing story made me pause and I began to think of the verses which tells the story of the conspiracy of Yoosuf’s brothers against him, and how his father ended up after he lost him, how he lost his eye sight and was affected by cataracts, and then how the Mercy of Allah reached him in the shirt of healing which the bringer of glad tidings threw on his face and he regained his sight.

 I began to wonder what could have been in Yoosuf’s shirt so that this healing could take place and his eyesight could be restored. Although I believe that the story tells of a miracle which Allah, Most High, caused to happen at the hands of one of His Prophets, namely Yoosuf, peace be upon him, I realized that in addition to the spiritual aspect that may be understood from the story, there was also a material aspect which we may understand through research and which would confirm the truthfulness of the Quran which tells us this story as it happened. So I began to research until Allah guided me to this matter.

Q. Can you explain scientifically the meaning of the whiteness that effects the eye or what is called cataracts?

A. The whiteness that affects the eye or cataracts is a kind of opacity which happens in the lens of the eye and prevents light from entering either partially or completely, according to the degree of opacity. When this opacity reaches the ultimate limit, the vision is weakened to such an extent that the patient cannot see the movement of a hand close to the eye and he cannot distinguish anything that he sees.

To explain contracts in scientific terms, the lens of the eye is formed of a capsule which contains protein, and this protein consists of what is called Alpha crystalline, Beta crystalline, Gamma crystalline and albumin. It is changes in the denatured protein that causes opacity, which begins and then increases gradually. This protein in the capsule of the lens is arranged in harmonious manner in a small shape, in other words, each type of it is arranged in small shape composed of two arms folded around one another in harmonious, manner so that it can perform its function of letting light through that falls on the eye. Changes in the nature of this protein indicate a change in the degree of harmony and precise order. This change leads to random distribution. To make it clearer for the reader we can liken it to the white albumin, which is transparent and allows light to pass through or makes it turns in to random distribution and becomes opaque and it is not possible to see things through it. This is the opacity.  

Q.How are cataracts treated according to current medical methods?

A.Up until the current time, treatment has focused on surgery, whether it is the traditional method of removing the opaque lens or siphoning off the protein of the lens and implanting a lens in part of the capsule. In either case, of course the strength of vision does not return to the way it was.  

Q.How did you reach a solution to this chronic problem from the holy Quran?

 A. As previously stated and as I indicated, the lens of the eye is formed of a capsule containing protein that is distributed and arranged in small form, and changes in the nature of this protein or changes in the way it is arranged, lead to random distribution, which causes opacity. Hence I began to think of finding a substance that would isolate the protein that is not in harmony by means of a physical process. Not a chemical one, so that it would go back to its proper, harmonious, folded status. Because no previous research was to be found on this matter in the scientific periodicals, I was faced with difficulty on how to begin or how to find a starting point. We found the first glimmer of hope in Surah Yoosuf, where it speaks of Yaqub (Jacob, Yoosuf’s father) in the passage where Allah says:

And he turned away from them and said: "Alas, my grief for Yusuf (Joseph)!" And he lost his sight because of the sorrow that he was suppressing.” (Soorah Yoosuf, 12:84)

What Yoosuf did, on the basis of revelation from his Lord, was to ask his brothers to take to their father a shirt of healing:

"Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, he will become clear-sighted, and bring to me all your family." And when the caravan departed, their father said: "I do indeed feel the smell of Yoosuf, if only you think me not a dotard (a person who has weakness of mind because of old age)."  They said: "By Allah! Certainly, you are in your old error." Then, when the bearer of the glad tidings arrived, he cast it (the shirt) over his face, and he became clear-sighted. He said: "Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which you know not. (Soorah Yoosuf 12:93-96)

Q: What could there have been of healing in the shirt of Yoosuf (peace be upon him)?

A. After thinking about it, we could not come up with anything other than sweat. So our research was about the components of human sweat. We took lenses that had been extracted from eyes by traditional surgical methods, and we soaked them in sweat, and we found that gradual transparency began to occur in these opaque lenses.

The next question was: Were all the components of sweat effective in this case, or was it just one of these components? By separating them, it was possible to reach one of the basic components, which is the compound urea, which can be chemically prepared. By carrying out experiments on laboratory animals in which opacity or whiteness of the lens of the eye had been introduced by means of rays or  by means of what is called opacity caused by galactose, it was found that this chemically prepared galactose caused whiteness of the lens. It was also proved that they had this disease by means of an examination using slit lamp and ultra sound waves, and by shining red lights on the lens of the eye.

After that, the matter required carrying out tests on a physiological sample done on the computer, which takes half an hour and costs 0.25 million dollars. Opacity was introduced to the lens of the eye and the amount of light passing through it was calculated by computer before putting drops in the eye. It was found to be no more than 2 percent, and after putting the drops in the eye it was found that the amount of light passing through increased from 2 percent to 60 percent in a quarter of an hour, then to 90 percent after 20 minutes, then to 95 percent after 30 minute, and to 99 percent after an hour.

Q. Are there any side effects to using sweat?

A. Not at all. This was a matter of great concern especially since sweat is regarded as an expelled waste product and especially the effective substance in sweat which as we have stated above is a derivative of urine. Hence it was essential to carry out official experiments on laboratory animals and give them these compounds in a concentrated form that was 10 times stronger, either by mouth or by injections in the pericardium. No side effects or toxic effects were found at all; it did not affect the functions of the liver, kidneys, brain or blood.

Q.This has to do with experiments on animals, namely rabbits, and on physiological samples. What about experiments on humans?

A. The results of experiments carried out on 250 volunteers recorded the disappearance of this whiteness and restoration of eyesight to more than 90 percent, as for the cases which did not respond it was found in clinical examinations that the protein of the lens had become transparent, but there were other reasons, such as disease of the retina, which meant the eyesight was not restored to its natural levels. And as for its effect on the heart, no such side effect was seen, and there were no effects on the function of the liver, kidneys , brain or blood.

Q. Are there diseases other than cataracts which can be treated by these drops?

A. Yes, there is also whiteness of the cornea. Weak eyesight may results from thrombosis or changes in the nature of the corneal protein. It was also proved by means of experiments that putting these drops twice a day for two weeks takes away this whiteness in the pupil or iris of the eye, application of these drops restored the eye to good health after two weeks.

Q: Do you think that this research represents an incentive to do more research and applied studies based on the texts of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah?

A. Definitely. The miracles of the Holy Quran never cease. I believe that focusing on studying the texts of the Quran and Sunnah with awareness will open new horizons in all fields, to serve mankind in all places.” 

Source: Islamic Medicine by Yusuf al-Hajj Ahmad, P. 395

(The article found in the website is an abbreviated version of the original)