Ruqyah from the Book and the Sunnah
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 18450 )
Q: In these days, there are many claimants of medicine who are not certified doctors approved by the Ministry of Health. Given the danger that some of this group poses to Islamic creed, I hope to hear the opinion of our pure Islamic religion regarding: one who claims to treat people with the Book and the Sunnah, and who examines male and female patients, diagnoses their illnesses, prescribes treatments for them, and recites over water, honey, and other things, even though he may not know the fundamentals of religion or how to derive rulings from the Book or the Sunnah. For example: I heard a tape of one of the shaykhs saying: The treatment for anxiety is that the patient recites a part (juz') of the Qur'an and its tafsir from Ibn Kathir every day. How can the basis of this treatment be from the Book and the Sunnah?
A : Ruqyah for a patient, whether physical, psychological, or from the evil eye, sorcery, or otherwise, is permissible if it is from the Noble Qur'an or from authentic supplications, and if it is done by one who is known for sound creed, adherence to Sharia matters, and knowledge of medical matters regarding treatment
with permissible medicines. Al-Hafith Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The scholars have agreed on the permissibility of ruqyah when three conditions are met: 1- That it be with the words of Allah the Exalted or with His names and attributes. 2- That it be in the Arabic language, or in something whose meaning is known from other languages. 3- That one believes that the ruqyah does not have an effect in itself, but rather by the decree of Allah the Exalted. They differed on whether this is a condition, and the stronger view is that it is necessary to consider the mentioned conditions. In (Sahih Muslim ) from the hadith of Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:Mishkat al-Masabih 4530 . And from the hadith of Jabir : Mishkat al-Masabih 4529 . Some people relied on this generality and permitted any ruqyah whose benefit has been tested, even if its meaning is not understood. However, the hadith of Awf indicates that whatever ruqyah leads to shirk is prohibited, and that which its meaning is not understood is not safe from leading to shirk, so it is prohibited as a precaution. The other condition is also necessary." End of quote.
(Al-Fath 10 \ 195). And that which its meaning is not understood, if it does not lead to shirk, opens the door to sorcery and legitimizes the works of sorcerers, innovators, and superstitious people. As for those who claim knowledge of the unseen, or summon jinn, or their like from sorcerers or unknown people whose state is not known and whose method of treatment is not known—it is not permissible to visit them, nor to ask them, nor to be treated by them. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 2230 narrated by Muslim , and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan al-Bayhaqi 15:740 (peace and blessings be upon him), narrated by Ahmad and the people of the Sunan with a good chain. And other hadiths in this chapter, all of which indicate the prohibition of asking diviners and fortune-tellers and believing them. They are those who claim knowledge of the unseen or seek the help of jinn, or there is in their works and actions what indicates that. And regarding them and their like, the famous hadith was reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud with a good chain, from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: Mishkat al-Masabih 4553 . The scholars explained this "paper" (nashrah) as what was done in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance of undoing sorcery with similar sorcery. And attached to this is any treatment in which diviners, fortune-tellers, and people of lying and sorcery are sought.
This, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform ruqyah for his Companions. Among what was reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 3892Da'if (Al-Albani) and he is cured. And among the prescribed supplications: "In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah on you, from every disease that afflicts you, and from the evil of every soul or envious eye, may Allah cure you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah on you." And among them: Riyad as-Salihin 902 . And among them: that a person places his hand on the place of pain in his body and says: seven times. Narrated by Muslim in (his Sahih). And others. As for writing verses and dhikr and hanging them on the patient, it is not permissible according to the correct view; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited that and said: Sunan Abi Dawud 3883Sahih (Al-Albani) An exception is what the Sharia has permitted of ruqyah. "As for blowing into water, if the intention is seeking blessing from the spittle of the one blowing, it is forbidden, and it is considered one of the means of shirk; because the spittle of a person is not for blessing or healing, and no one seeks blessing from his spittle except the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
And as for blowing with spittle along with reciting the Noble Qur'an and supplications, such as reciting al-Fatihah, and al-Fatihah is ruqyah and is the greatest thing with which a patient is treated, this is permissible. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this in the ruqyah of the one bitten by a scorpion, and Allah cured him, and they informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, so he approved it and said: "You have hit the mark." It is tested and beneficial by the permission of Allah. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to blow into his hands when he slept with:[Al-Ikhlas 112:1] , and [Al-Falaq 113:1] , and [An-Nas 114:1] , and wipe with them his face and as much of his body as he could, three times. As for what came in the question that the treatment for anxiety is reciting a part of the Qur'an and its tafsir from Ibn Kathir , there is no basis for it. But the entire Qur'an is what is used for ruqyah and by which Allah benefits. As for specifying certain verses for the ruqyah of certain diseases without evidence, it is not permissible. Indeed, the Qur'an is all good and a healing for the believers, and among the greatest things with which ruqyah is performed from it is al-Fatihah, as mentioned. And it must be noted that the Qur'an was not revealed to be a medicine for people's physical diseases only, but it was revealed for a great matter and a serious affair, to be a warner to the worlds and a guide to the straight path of Allah, and a judge between them in what they differ in, and a warning against the path of disbelief and disbelievers. And with this, Allah the Exalted benefits His believing servants from their religious and physical diseases, as He said
the Exalted:[Fussilat 41:44] , and He said the Exalted: [Al-Isra 17:82] . And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: In these days, there are many claimants of medicine who are not certified doctors approved by the Ministry of Health. Given the danger that some of this group poses to Islamic creed, I hope to hear the opinion of our pure Islamic religion regarding: one who claims to treat people with the Book and the Sunnah, and who examines male and female patients, diagnoses their illnesses, prescribes treatments for them, and recites over water, honey, and other things, even though he may not know the fundamentals of religion or how to derive rulings from the Book or the Sunnah. For example: I heard a tape of one of the shaykhs saying: The treatment for anxiety is that the patient recites a part (juz') of the Qur'an and its tafsir from Ibn Kathir every day. How can the basis of this treatment be from the Book and the Sunnah?
A : Ruqyah for a patient, whether physical, psychological, or from the evil eye, sorcery, or otherwise, is permissible if it is from the Noble Qur'an or from authentic supplications, and if it is done by one who is known for sound creed, adherence to Sharia matters, and knowledge of medical matters regarding treatment
with permissible medicines. Al-Hafith Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The scholars have agreed on the permissibility of ruqyah when three conditions are met: 1- That it be with the words of Allah the Exalted or with His names and attributes. 2- That it be in the Arabic language, or in something whose meaning is known from other languages. 3- That one believes that the ruqyah does not have an effect in itself, but rather by the decree of Allah the Exalted. They differed on whether this is a condition, and the stronger view is that it is necessary to consider the mentioned conditions. In (Sahih Muslim ) from the hadith of Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
In the pre-Islamic period we used to apply spells, and we asked God’s messenger how he looked upon that. He replied, “Submit your invocations to me. There is no harm in invocations so long as there is no polytheism in them.”
كنا نرقي في الجاهلية فقلنا: يا رسول الله: كيف ترى في ذلك؟ فقال: اعرضوا عليَّ رقاكم، لا بأس بالرقى ما لم يكن فيه شركJabir told that God’s messenger prohibited invocations, and the family of ‘Amr b. Hazm came and said, “Messenger of God, we had an invocation proved efficacious which we applied for scorpion bite, but you have prohibited invocations.” They submitted it to him and he said, “I see no harm in it. If any of you is able to benefit his brother, let him do so.” Muslim transmitted it.
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الرقى، فجاءه آل عمرو بن حزم فقالوا: يا رسول الله: إنه كانت عندنا رقية نرقي بها من العقرب. قال: فعرضوا عليه فقال: ما أرى بأسًا، من استطاع أن ينفع أخاه فلينفعه(Al-Fath 10 \ 195). And that which its meaning is not understood, if it does not lead to shirk, opens the door to sorcery and legitimizes the works of sorcerers, innovators, and superstitious people. As for those who claim knowledge of the unseen, or summon jinn, or their like from sorcerers or unknown people whose state is not known and whose method of treatment is not known—it is not permissible to visit them, nor to ask them, nor to be treated by them. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
He who visits a diviner ('Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted.
من أتى عرافًا فسأله عن شيء لم تقبل منه صلاة أربعين ليلةWhoever goes to a diviner or a fortune-teller and believes what he says, he has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.
من أتى عرافًا أو كاهنًا فصدقه بما يقول، فقد كفر بما أُنزل على محمدwhen the Prophet was asked about a charm for one who is possessed ( nushra )* he replied, “It pertains to the work of the devil.”
سئل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن النشرة، فقال: هي من عمل الشيطانThis, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform ruqyah for his Companions. Among what was reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him):
Narrated AbudDarda': I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If any of you is suffering from anything or his brother is suffering, he should say: Our Lord is Allah Who is in the heaven, holy is Thy name, Thy command reigns supreme in the heaven and the earth, as Thy mercy in the heaven, make Thy mercy in the earth; forgive us our sins, and our errors; Thou art the Lord of good men; send down mercy from Thy mercy, and remedy, and remedy from Thy remedy on this pain so that it is healed up.
ربنا الله الذي في السماء، تقدس اسمك، أمرك في السماء والأرض، كما رحمتك في السماء، فاجعل رحمتك في الأرض...، أنزل رحمة من رحمتك وشفاءً من شفائك على هذا الوجع"Allahumma Rabban-nasi, adhhibil-ba'sa, washfi, Antash-Shafi, la shifa'a illa shifa'uka, shifaan la yughadiru saqaman [O Allah! the Rubb of mankind! Remove this disease and cure (him or her)! You are the Great Curer. There is no cure but through You, which leaves behind no disease]
اللهم رب الناس أذهب البأس، واشف أنت الشافي لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك، شفاء لا يغادر سقمًاIn the name of Allah, three times, I seek refuge in the majesty and power of Allah from the evil of what I find and what I fear.
بسم الله ثلاث مرات، أعوذ بعزة الله وقدوته من شر ما أجد وأحاذرspells, charms and love-potions are polytheism
إن الرقى والتمائم والتولة شركAnd as for blowing with spittle along with reciting the Noble Qur'an and supplications, such as reciting al-Fatihah, and al-Fatihah is ruqyah and is the greatest thing with which a patient is treated, this is permissible. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this in the ruqyah of the one bitten by a scorpion, and Allah cured him, and they informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, so he approved it and said: "You have hit the mark." It is tested and beneficial by the permission of Allah. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to blow into his hands when he slept with:
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌSay, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِSay, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِthe Exalted:
Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure."
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌAnd We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
وَنُنَـزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلا خَسَارًا
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.