Open AccessHoney-borne infant botulism in tahnik practice: an explanation of the risk and its solutions
Author(s) -
M.A.W. Harun,
Abubakar Abdullah,
Asadi Mohamad,
Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.218
H-Index - 7
ISSN - 2550-2166
DOI - 10.26656/fr.2017.5(3).751
Subject(s) - islam , botulism , proposition , code of practice , medical practice , medicine , traditional medicine , geography , family medicine , biology , engineering , philosophy , genetics , archaeology , epistemology , engineering ethics
Tahnik is a primarily Islamic practice wherein a newborn’s palate is daubed with dates orhoney. However, feeding honey to an infant has been associated with numerous infantbotulism cases. This situation has raised the question of how a religious practice couldlead to such a severe health risk? The objectives of the study were to investigate: a reliablemethod of performing tahnik; the original proposition of using honey in tahnik; and theefficacy of using ingredients other than dates in tahnik. Semi-structured interviews andarmchair research methods were utilised to gain data from three Islamic scholars. Otherresources were also consulted, including the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) Food Composition Database and various Islamic Literary Manuscripts. Thefindings indicated that the use of honey in tahnik did not originate within Islamicjurisprudence. Therefore, it should not be associated with the Prophet's Sunnah. Whendates are not available for tahnik practice, then raisins, figs, pomegranates, grapes, orother sweet fruits can be used as a replacement rather than honey.