The Ruling on Cauterization and Does It Contradict the Oneness of Allah?
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Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Qasim mentioned in the marginal notes of the book *Tawhid* that whoever abandons cautery and seeking healing through recitation (ruqyah) with the intention of relying upon Allah has truly realized the oneness of Allah, whereas whoever abandons it out of toughness or patience has no share in the oneness of Allah, let alone in its realization. So what did the Shaykh intend by that, O Shaykh?
May Allah reward you. You must know that abandoning sins is better in all circumstances. However, whether a person is aware of the virtue that results from it is not possible unless he intends it for Allah the Mighty and Majestic. For this reason, it came in the Qudsi Hadith that whoever intends to do a bad deed but does not do it, a complete good deed is recorded for him,He said in the hadith: (because he only abandoned it for My sake) meaning: for My sake. So abandoning sins is better in all circumstances, but one is not rewarded for it unless he abandons it for the sake of Allah.And on this occasion, I say: Those who abandon sins are divided into categories. The first category is that they do not come to their mind at all, like a man who never thinks about drinking intoxicants or committing unlawful sexual intercourse, for example. This is neither for him nor against him.
The second category: Whoever abandons them due to inability to commit them, despite taking the means, but he is unable, like a man who tried to commit unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman but was unable to reach her. This is recorded for him as the sin of the doer, and the evidence for that is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): (When two Muslims meet with their swords, both the killer and the killed are in the Fire,They said: O Messenger of Allah! This is the killer, but what about the killed?He said: because he was eager to kill his companion) so he placed him in the Fire even though he was the one killed, but he was eager, yet he was unable.
The third category: That he abandons it because he intended it but did not take the means. He intended to do the bad deed but abandoned it not for the sake of Allah and not due to his inability to do it. This person is also neither rewarded nor punished.
The questioner: Is cautery with fire forbidden?The Shaykh: No, it is not forbidden. Cautery with fire is not forbidden; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) himself cauterized Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) in his armpit, and he informed that if healing is in something, it is in three things, and he mentioned cautery among them, but the one who seeks to be cauterized is the one who exits from the saying: (and they do not seek healing by cautery).
And with this, this meeting ends. And Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And until a future meeting, if Allah wills.
May Allah reward you. You must know that abandoning sins is better in all circumstances. However, whether a person is aware of the virtue that results from it is not possible unless he intends it for Allah the Mighty and Majestic. For this reason, it came in the Qudsi Hadith that whoever intends to do a bad deed but does not do it, a complete good deed is recorded for him,He said in the hadith: (because he only abandoned it for My sake) meaning: for My sake. So abandoning sins is better in all circumstances, but one is not rewarded for it unless he abandons it for the sake of Allah.And on this occasion, I say: Those who abandon sins are divided into categories. The first category is that they do not come to their mind at all, like a man who never thinks about drinking intoxicants or committing unlawful sexual intercourse, for example. This is neither for him nor against him.
The second category: Whoever abandons them due to inability to commit them, despite taking the means, but he is unable, like a man who tried to commit unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman but was unable to reach her. This is recorded for him as the sin of the doer, and the evidence for that is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): (When two Muslims meet with their swords, both the killer and the killed are in the Fire,They said: O Messenger of Allah! This is the killer, but what about the killed?He said: because he was eager to kill his companion) so he placed him in the Fire even though he was the one killed, but he was eager, yet he was unable.
The third category: That he abandons it because he intended it but did not take the means. He intended to do the bad deed but abandoned it not for the sake of Allah and not due to his inability to do it. This person is also neither rewarded nor punished.
The questioner: Is cautery with fire forbidden?The Shaykh: No, it is not forbidden. Cautery with fire is not forbidden; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) himself cauterized Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) in his armpit, and he informed that if healing is in something, it is in three things, and he mentioned cautery among them, but the one who seeks to be cauterized is the one who exits from the saying: (and they do not seek healing by cautery).
And with this, this meeting ends. And Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. And until a future meeting, if Allah wills.