A recent study has attracted the attention of public opinion and many Muslim believers, as its results have sparked discussions about a practice known in Islamic tradition, which dates back more than 1,400 years.
According to international media reports, including the BBC, researchers from the University of Auckland have analyzed the effect of administering a small amount of glucose gel to premature babies. According to the study, applying sugar gel to the inside of the baby’s cheek may help reduce the risk of some neurological complications in premature babies, being considered a useful method in neonatal care in certain circumstances.
The publication of this study has led many users on social media to recall the Islamic practice known as tahnik, a tradition that was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with newborn babies.
According to authentic hadiths, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that people used to bring newborn babies to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He would pray for Allah to bless them and rub their palates with dates.
This practice has been transmitted in authentic collections of hadith and continues to be practiced today by many Muslims in various parts of the world as part of the Sunnah.
Following the publication of the study, many believers have seen it as a reminder of the wisdom of Islamic traditions, noting that the practice of tahnik has existed for more than 14 centuries.
However, experts emphasize that the modern study analyzed the use of glucose gel in a specific medical context for premature babies, while traditional tahnik is performed with dates and has a religious and spiritual role in Islam. For this reason, the study results should not be interpreted as a direct confirmation of any aspect of religious practice, as these are different procedures and contexts.
Despite this, the similarity between the practice described in the study and Islamic tradition has sparked numerous discussions on social networks and in international media, where many believers have expressed their belief that science continues to reveal the benefits of practices that were mentioned in Islam many centuries ago.
The practice remains a well-known tradition of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and continues to be practiced by Muslims around the world as part of the Sunnah, while scientific research on neonatal care continues to develop to find the most effective methods for protecting the health of infants.