The Ruling on Ruqyah, Seeking Medical Treatment, and the Strength of Reliance upon Allah

The questioner : The hadith about entering Paradise, and regarding Islam, how do we reconcile this with the fact that a person, even a woman who has harmed herself, and that her husband reads over her,

The Shaykh : No, reading over her is fine.

The questioner : But.

The Shaykh : If they seek ruqyah, meaning they ask others to perform ruqyah on them, not that they read over others. He did not say "do not perform ruqyah," he said "do not seek ruqyah."

The questioner : If a person, for example, needs ruqyah, we would say to him, for example, do not call for it.

The Shaykh : This is a matter that truly returns to the patient's own state. He may have such a strength of reliance upon Allah that he does not need to seek ruqyah. As it was said to Abu Bakr, who saw me, "Shall we not call a doctor for you?" He said, "The doctor saw me and said, 'I will do what I want,'" and he prevented them from bringing a doctor for him. This is the speech of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); we do not say "how" about it.

The questioner : Yes, but I am going out.

The Shaykh : Islamic principles permit this matter; they do not make it the primary or highest station. It is permissible, and there is a difference between what is permissible and what is more complete. Some people have such a strength of reliance upon Allah that they are content without treatment. Indeed, we see some of the great scholars fall ill with diseases that, if they afflicted others, the first thing they would do is call an ambulance or go to the hospital. But these people fall ill, they are patient, and they ask Him for health. One says, "Perhaps there is good in this for me. Whenever I get up and sit down, I say, 'O Allah, grant me health,'" and he is healed by the permission of Allah. These are stations, truly very delicate stations, and the hearts have an effect on the bodies. For example, I entered upon a patient and said, "Peace be upon you, O Abu So-and-so. What Allah willed, your face looks good today." If he is sick, his illness lightens and he becomes hopeful. Another person entered upon someone else and said, "By Allah, a blessed boil today. You are not feeling the sting of the scorpion? What is wrong with you? What is happening?" His illness increases, his illness increases. So the souls, Glorified is Allah, have an effect on the bodies. Therefore, the one who has a strength of reliance and trust in Allah the Exalted and Majestic that I do not have, and that So-and-so and So-and-so do not have, undoubtedly he is affected; he wants to be affected. Perhaps some of the successful ones say, "This is a blessing from Allah upon me. Let me know that I am in need of Allah the Exalted and Majestic, and that I ask Allah standing and sitting: O Allah, grant me health, O Allah, heal me. You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing," and the like of that. He finds in his heart a sweetness that he does not find when he goes, for example, to So-and-so or So-and-so to have him read over him, or to treat him, or to cauterize him. These are stations that we and those like us do not attain. Yes, indeed.

The questioner : If you had two, let us say, if you mean...

The Shaykh : If you know, he says, "For every term, there is a record."

The questioner : We do not say it is forbidden upon you.

The Shaykh : No, my brother, no. No one said that medication is obligatory, except in something that is certain to be a cure. Some scholars say it is obligatory because it is like eating carrion for one in dire necessity. For example, a person has a bite in his finger and knows with certainty that if he cuts off his finger, he will be safe from it, or for example...

The questioner : Yes, yes, we go to you and we tell him his name is Roland.

The Shaykh : What?

The questioner : A person is wounded and bleeding, yes, yes. They say, "Do not squeeze it, no, no, no."

The Shaykh : No, my brother, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would bandage wounds. This is not actually medication; it is rescue from destruction, like rescuing a drowning person. Because medication is something that, when a person uses it, may benefit or may not benefit. But something known to be beneficial for a wound, meaning a cut that has opened, we need to stitch it. This is necessary, and this is not in the category of medication; it is in the category of removing destruction, exactly like rescuing a drowning person. For this reason, some scholars say that seeking medical treatment, if it is known with certainty to be beneficial, falls under our statement that it is obligatory for one in dire necessity to eat carrion. This is not of the same kind as seeking medical treatment, because seeking medical treatment, in reality, is its benefit certain?
No, no, yes, it is not certain. The important thing is that its benefit is not certain. But a wound or a cut vessel, and we know that if we stitch it, the blood will stop. Is this certain to be beneficial or not? Yes, yes. So there is a difference between the two.