What is the ruling on some people treating a headache by placing colored threads on it, which then makes the pain go away?
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The questioner : Yes. Regarding this, you find that some people, for example, if your head hurts you a lot, to the point that it causes you many problems, they place white and black threads and such on your head, and in this manner, you are healed, if Allah wills. Yes, that is correct. And is this not... I have seen this with my own eyes, my brother.
The Shaykh : No, no, yes.
The questioner : There are many people, and there are also things that come out of the skin, and there are some threads, the Shaykh floats them over it, and so on, and he gives you and shaves the leg, are you healed, if Allah wills?
The Shaykh : Mm.
The questioner : Either it is a Satanic method, or it is not a second method. No, it is Satanic.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, this does not benefit.
The questioner : Shaykh, how is the observation? How does it happen?
The Shaykh : It is observed that a person comes to a grave and calls upon this grave to remove one of the illnesses, and he is healed, and he is satisfied, and this is a test. Allah the Exalted makes it a test for the person. He facilitates the means of sin for him so that He may test him. So the divine decree and destiny occur with this thing, not because of this thing. So these threads you mentioned, either the patient feels that if these threads are placed on him, he is healed, and the psychological feeling has an effect on the physical feeling, to the extent that if a person is occupied, if he has, for example, visible physical work, he forgets the pain in it and the suffering, he forgets the pains. Look at the people who carry cars or unload their cargo; sometimes their finger gets cut and bleeds, and they do not feel it and do not suffer from it. So this psychological feeling has an effect. So perhaps this man who says to him, "I am looking for you on your head that hurts you, I will place a black thread and a white thread and a red thread and a yellow thread, coloring the head, and you will be cured," if he places it, he feels that he is cured.
The Shaykh : No, no, yes.
The questioner : There are many people, and there are also things that come out of the skin, and there are some threads, the Shaykh floats them over it, and so on, and he gives you and shaves the leg, are you healed, if Allah wills?
The Shaykh : Mm.
The questioner : Either it is a Satanic method, or it is not a second method. No, it is Satanic.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, this does not benefit.
The questioner : Shaykh, how is the observation? How does it happen?
The Shaykh : It is observed that a person comes to a grave and calls upon this grave to remove one of the illnesses, and he is healed, and he is satisfied, and this is a test. Allah the Exalted makes it a test for the person. He facilitates the means of sin for him so that He may test him. So the divine decree and destiny occur with this thing, not because of this thing. So these threads you mentioned, either the patient feels that if these threads are placed on him, he is healed, and the psychological feeling has an effect on the physical feeling, to the extent that if a person is occupied, if he has, for example, visible physical work, he forgets the pain in it and the suffering, he forgets the pains. Look at the people who carry cars or unload their cargo; sometimes their finger gets cut and bleeds, and they do not feel it and do not suffer from it. So this psychological feeling has an effect. So perhaps this man who says to him, "I am looking for you on your head that hurts you, I will place a black thread and a white thread and a red thread and a yellow thread, coloring the head, and you will be cured," if he places it, he feels that he is cured.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 2499 - 4600 ما حكم علاج بعض الناس لوجع الرأس من أنه يضع عليه خيوطاً ملونة فيذهب الوجع؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.