Is ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation) prescribed for the sick, and what is its method?

The questioner:
We ask the Honorable Dr. Salih al-Fawzan to tell us the method of the lawful ruqyah in Islam, and is there evidence for it? What is the story of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) ruqyah? And what is the supplication that the sick person recites when ill?

The Shaykh:
Ruqyah in Islam is prescribed, and it is reciting over the sick person from the Book of Allah the Exalted and from the prescribed supplications, especially al-Fatihah, the opening of the Qur'an, for it is the greatest ruqyah. (peace and blessings be upon him). Ruqyah is established in the Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is reciting over the sick person; one recites from the Qur'an and blows over the sick person at the site of the pain, and likewise supplicates for him with the lawful supplications for healing and well-being, and blows over him as the evidence indicates. This is the lawful ruqyah, and it is among the most beneficial medicines, and the greatest of them, if the intention of the one performing the ruqyah and the one receiving it is sincere, if their intentions are sincere and he believes that there is healing in the Qur'an for the illness, then it heals by the permission of Allah. Yes.

The questioner:
Yes, he also asks: What is the method of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) ruqyah for a sick person, from the supplications or among the prescribed supplications?

The Shaykh:
As we mentioned, one recites from the Qur'an, and the best and greatest of the ruqyahs is reciting al-Fatihah. One recites al-Fatihah and blows over him. It came in a hadith that passed by a tribe of the Arab tribes, and their elder had been bitten by a snake. This tribe refused to host the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so their elder was bitten, and they came to the Companions asking for ruqyah for their elder. They said: We invited you to stay with us, but you did not accept, so we will not perform ruqyah except for a fee, meaning for money.
So they agreed with them on a flock of sheep. One of the Companions stood up and recited Surat al-Fatihah over the one who was bitten, then the one who was bitten stood up as if he had been released from a rope. Then they took the flock and presented it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he approved them for it, and said: "The most rightful thing for which you take a fee is the Book of Allah." He approved them for it (peace and blessings be upon him). So ruqyah from the Qur'an or from the lawful supplications benefits, by the permission of Allah, from the bite of a scorpion or a snake, and from all illnesses.