What is the Shari'ah-prescribed ruqyah, and can jinn enter a human body, and what is the treatment for it?
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The questioner : He says: "Your Eminence, we would like clarification on the permissibility of Shari'ah-prescribed ruqyah for the sick patient, as some of those who claim to be scholars consider it not prescribed to recite for anyone other than the patient himself or his closest relatives. Also, regarding the issue of jinn possessing a human being, there are those who say this is incorrect, and one of them is sitting with us now. May Allah reward you with good."
The Shaykh : Shari'ah-prescribed ruqyah is divided into two categories. The first category is from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and there is no dispute regarding this. From the Qur'an, you heard a little while ago that Surat al-Fatihah is a ruqyah. Likewise, if one recites for a person afflicted with a disease, one should recite what is appropriate for that disease. For example, if one recites for a person afflicted with sorcery, one should recite the verses regarding sorcery, such as the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Yunus 10:81] And as in the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Taha 20:69] and the like of that. As for the Sunnah, it likewise contains many hadiths, including supplications for the sick.
The second category: What is not mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah, but is a supplication. For example, a person says while reading over the sick patient: "O Allah, grant this patient health. O Allah, remove his illness. O Allah, hasten his recovery," and words similar to these that do not contradict what is in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, but which have not come in their exact wording in the Book and the Sunnah.
As for words whose meaning is not understood, or writings that are cryptic squares, circles, triangles, or stars, all of these are forbidden. It is not permissible to perform ruqyah with them under any circumstances.
As for denying that jinn can possess a human being, this is an error, because the Noble Qur'an contains what indicates this, meaning the possession of the human by the jinni, i.e., it enters him until it becomes like a garment for him. Likewise, this is in the Sunnah, and many reports (athar) were found from the Salaf on this topic. It is not possible to deny such a thing. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:275] And it was narrated in the *Musnad* of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him):
And as for reality, many scholars have witnessed this and testify to it. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in *Zad al-Ma'ad*: "It was brought to our Shaykh" Who is his Shaykh?
The student: Ibn Taymiyyah.
The Shaykh : Ibn Taymiyyah. "A man who was stricken with epilepsy was brought to him, and he began to recite over him, he recited over him, but the jinni did not want to come out. So the Shaykh al-Islam said to it words meaning: 'Come out, this is oppression and it is not permissible for you.' The jinni, which was a woman, said: 'I love him.' The Shaykh al-Islam said: 'But he does not love you.' She said: 'I want to perform Hajj with him.' He said: 'And he does not want to perform Hajj with you.' She refused to come out, so he began to strike the stricken man whom the affliction had seized until she came out. When he began to strike him, she said: 'I will come out out of respect for the Shaykh.' He said: 'No, do not come out out of respect for me. Come out in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, because this is oppression.' So she came out, she came out of him. When the man regained consciousness, he said: 'What brought me to the presence of the Shaykh?'" The presence of the Shaykh? The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. What brought me to him? Because he was not aware of it at first. What brought me to him? Likewise, it was narrated from Imam Ahmad and others from the people of knowledge what supports and confirms this. But the thing that disturbs the mind is that many people today have fear and panic. Whenever a person is afflicted with something, they say: 'This is a jinni, this is sorcery, this is the evil eye.' And this is wrong. This is panic. When a person fears, emotions take over him, so his imagination becomes, what? Reality. Therefore, a person must use the prescribed adhkar every morning and evening if he wants Allah the Mighty and Majestic to protect him, because whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at night, a guardian from Allah remains with him, and no Shaytan approaches him until he becomes morning. Yes.
The student: They have made it a profession, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, some reciters have made this a profession, and I have heard that they opened clinics. Yes, and they assigned a price to each card, writing on it: 'First class, second class,' and the like of that. That is not permissible. Yes.
The Shaykh : Shari'ah-prescribed ruqyah is divided into two categories. The first category is from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and there is no dispute regarding this. From the Qur'an, you heard a little while ago that Surat al-Fatihah is a ruqyah. Likewise, if one recites for a person afflicted with a disease, one should recite what is appropriate for that disease. For example, if one recites for a person afflicted with sorcery, one should recite the verses regarding sorcery, such as the saying of Allah the Exalted:
What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters.
ما جئتم به السحر إن الله سيبطله إن الله لا يصلح عمل المفسدينWhat they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
إنما صنعوا كيد ساحر ولا يفلح الساحر حيث أتىThe second category: What is not mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah, but is a supplication. For example, a person says while reading over the sick patient: "O Allah, grant this patient health. O Allah, remove his illness. O Allah, hasten his recovery," and words similar to these that do not contradict what is in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, but which have not come in their exact wording in the Book and the Sunnah.
As for words whose meaning is not understood, or writings that are cryptic squares, circles, triangles, or stars, all of these are forbidden. It is not permissible to perform ruqyah with them under any circumstances.
As for denying that jinn can possess a human being, this is an error, because the Noble Qur'an contains what indicates this, meaning the possession of the human by the jinni, i.e., it enters him until it becomes like a garment for him. Likewise, this is in the Sunnah, and many reports (athar) were found from the Salaf on this topic. It is not possible to deny such a thing. Allah the Exalted said:
Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity
الذين يأكلون الربا لا يقومون إلا كما يقوم الذي يتخبطه الشيطان من المسThat the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a woman whose son was stricken with epilepsy, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited over him and said to him: "Come out, enemy of Allah, for I am the Messenger of Allah." So he came out and the boy was cured.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مر بامرأة لها ابن يصرع فقرأ عليه النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام وقال له : اخرج عدو الله فإني رسول الله، فخرج وبرأ الصبيAnd as for reality, many scholars have witnessed this and testify to it. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in *Zad al-Ma'ad*: "It was brought to our Shaykh" Who is his Shaykh?
The student: Ibn Taymiyyah.
The Shaykh : Ibn Taymiyyah. "A man who was stricken with epilepsy was brought to him, and he began to recite over him, he recited over him, but the jinni did not want to come out. So the Shaykh al-Islam said to it words meaning: 'Come out, this is oppression and it is not permissible for you.' The jinni, which was a woman, said: 'I love him.' The Shaykh al-Islam said: 'But he does not love you.' She said: 'I want to perform Hajj with him.' He said: 'And he does not want to perform Hajj with you.' She refused to come out, so he began to strike the stricken man whom the affliction had seized until she came out. When he began to strike him, she said: 'I will come out out of respect for the Shaykh.' He said: 'No, do not come out out of respect for me. Come out in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, because this is oppression.' So she came out, she came out of him. When the man regained consciousness, he said: 'What brought me to the presence of the Shaykh?'" The presence of the Shaykh? The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. What brought me to him? Because he was not aware of it at first. What brought me to him? Likewise, it was narrated from Imam Ahmad and others from the people of knowledge what supports and confirms this. But the thing that disturbs the mind is that many people today have fear and panic. Whenever a person is afflicted with something, they say: 'This is a jinni, this is sorcery, this is the evil eye.' And this is wrong. This is panic. When a person fears, emotions take over him, so his imagination becomes, what? Reality. Therefore, a person must use the prescribed adhkar every morning and evening if he wants Allah the Mighty and Majestic to protect him, because whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at night, a guardian from Allah remains with him, and no Shaytan approaches him until he becomes morning. Yes.
The student: They have made it a profession, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, some reciters have made this a profession, and I have heard that they opened clinics. Yes, and they assigned a price to each card, writing on it: 'First class, second class,' and the like of that. That is not permissible. Yes.