Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, is a liminal, contradictory place: directly glamorous and decrepit; feudalist and cosmopolitan; fashionable and conventional.

And so it’s completely cheap and bewildering that the Al Kinaan store of curiosities ought to exist subsequent to an electronics retailer and throughout from a grocery store ― directly in discord and concord with its environment; usually Beiruti.

The small, archaic boutique is positioned in Beirut’s energetic Basta neighbourhood. A hyena within the store window sneers at clients and passersby as they not far away, getting ready them for entry; dozens of stuffed animals are displayed within the glass storefront and contained in the store.

Half apothecary, half occult novelty retailer, Al Kinaan’s theme is troublesome to pin down. And very similar to Beirut, it’s contradictory: a spot the place noble custom meets novel superstition.

Retailer-owner Issam al Barjawi says his enterprise helps to maintain alive the fading traditions of the attar: apothecaries who specialize in distilling plant and animal organs to create perfumes, salves, and medicines to deal with bodily and non secular illnesses.

“I haven’t discovered anybody else who does the identical factor that I do,” Mr Barjawi stated. “The work that I do and the precise selection I inventory isn’t discovered anyplace else in Lebanon.”

Al Kinaan incorporates tons of of treatments for varied illnesses ― some remedies are scientifically sound, whereas others are rooted in superstition.

Mr Barjawi takes a small bag labelled “hyena gallbladder, $6” off the show rack.

“The bile in a hyena’s gall bladder must be combined with cedar honey,” he stated. “Then utilized as a kohl across the eyes.

“It improves eyesight, repels glaucoma, and it lengthens eyelashes.”

Traditionally, attars are the Islamic predecessors of modern-day pharmacologists. The peak of Islamic civilisation introduced medical advances between the seventh and thirteenth centuries ― introducing distillation strategies and using alcohol as an antiseptic, for instance.

Regardless of the appearance of up to date medication, apothecaries nonetheless exist all through the Arab world in some kind or one other ― carrying a wealthy custom of people practices.

Most attars right this moment run fragrance stalls, promoting hand-mixed scents from distilled oils and touting the advantages of aromatherapy.

Others ― often tucked away in previous souqs and alleyways ― have remained more true to their apothecary roots, utilizing herbs and oils to create cosmetics, perfumes and prescribed drugs to deal with a spectrum of illnesses from dry pores and skin and dandruff, to rheumatism, irritation, respiration points, and hypertension.

Mr Barjawi specialises in making pure treatments, in addition to offering gems or animal talismen derived from Islamic custom or folklore.

“The whole lot within the retailer is Islamically permitted,” he says, drawing from the traditional specialists. Lots of his research are from a e-book known as The Nice Animal Life, a Twelfth-century assortment of animal-related jurisprudence and non secular accounts by the Mufti Kamal Al-Din Al-Damiri.

Mysticism is considerable in Islam. Ayatul Kursi, for instance, is a Quranic verse that wards off the satan and evil spirits; some scented oils derived from vegetation and animal glands are believed to repel djinn and the gaze of the evil eye.

Typically Mr Barjawi’s store is frequented by folks desperately searching for options to their issues.

The place is crammed with concoctions and animal elements stated to assist with impotence, infertility, and fruitful marriages.

“Yesterday I made a combination of honey and floor seahorse for a buyer, for fertility. He’s been married 4 years however no children,” he stated. After medical doctors discovered nothing mistaken with him or his spouse, “He resorted to attempting this. It strengthens the seed.”

Seahorse can also be used for locating love, luck, and attaining social status. It sells for $8.

Mr Barjawi explains the consequences of every product with nice persistence and enthusiasm.

Hedgehog spines, $3, are an vital merchandise, he says.

Hanging it above the mattress of a pregnant girl will beat back Umm al Sobyan ― the notorious djinn feared all through the Arab world and stated to power girls to miscarry.

A paste of floor ostrich eggshell combined with honey and herbs generates hair development and prevents hair loss.

Lion pelt, when sat upon, repels haemorrhoids ― but it surely additionally offers braveness.

Carrying tiger pores and skin aids one’s social standing. Kangaroo pores and skin is used for good luck, but additionally to keep up wholesome kidneys. The pores and skin of a wolf repels enemies. Burning porcupine thorns will forestall djinn from getting into one’s residence. A tiger’s fang has no medical or non secular profit, however makes for a pleasant amulet.

And, after all, “probably the most extremely demanded merchandise are aphrodisiacs. For sexual vitality”.

If he doesn’t know the reply to an ailment, Mr Barjawi refers clients to extra skilled attars or practitioners of Arab medication.

The merchandise in Mr Barjawi’s retailer usually veer into the curious and the unique, and one could possibly be forgiven for considering his enterprise advantages from unlawful poaching commerce.

However, he insists, all his animal merchandise are ethically sourced in line with Islamic legislation.

“Folks assume we kill the animals in order that we will profit from them, however that’s not true,” he says. “If an animal is already useless, we harvest its elements.”

The one permissible harvesting from slaughtered animals is when an animal has been killed in line with zabiha ― or ritually slaughtered with the intention to eat.

After all, much less adventurous choices are additionally bought in Al Kinaan. Honey sourced from all around the japanese world; jars of pollen for immunity. Black seed oil for irritation, hypertension, and complications; an assortment of important oils. Rows of treasured stones: Hematite stone bracelets for rheumatism and elevated blood-flow; turquoise for luck.

Mr Barjawi’s reverence for animals and wildlife shines by as he talks. He owns quite a lot of animal-related companies, he stated, together with, earlier than Lebanon fell into extreme financial disaster, a zoo.

He admits his different companies are extra profitable than the apothecary, which is a labour of affection and a solution to flow into the data of the attars to the broader group and maintain it alive.

A few of his clients place inventory in superstitions, he says. Others are extra sceptical.

To the sceptics, Mr Barjawi says: “I encourage them to attempt it, and discover out for themselves.”

Up to date: October 20, 2022, 9:28 AM