What is the ruling on reciting the Qur'an in water and oil for the purpose of treatment? And is it permissible to take money for it?
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The questioner : Some people who are well-known for recitation, known for performing ruqyah, recite a Sharia-compliant ruqyah over water and oil and then sell it to people. It may, of course, be beneficial or it may not, by the will and decree of Allah. So, is it permissible to take a price for this ruqyah that is being sold?
The Shaykh : First: We ask, is it prescribed that a person recites in water or in oil and the patient is anointed with it or drinks it, or is it not? My answer to this is: This has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The most I have heard in this regard is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would moisten his finger with his saliva and wipe it on the ground, then say: However, it has been reported from the Salaf and the Imams what implies the permissibility of the reciter reciting in water and the patient drinking it. This is from the perspective of the original issue.
As for taking compensation for it, and making it a pharmacy where a person opens a shop and puts this water or this oil in it, and I have also heard that some of them set a price for each type of recitation, such as Ayat al-Kursi for ten and al-Fatihah for twenty, and so on. This is a mistake, and glory be to Allah, I think that it does not benefit, because this reciter was not sincere in his recitation; he wanted to seek worldly gain with the work of the Hereafter, so he does not benefit. And the benefit some patients get from it, and Allah knows best, is because their souls are affected and they believe that it benefits them. Belief has a very strong effect on the body, because the body follows the soul. So if the soul is reassured by this water or this medicine, it becomes effective without a doubt. Did you understand? From this place, I offer advice to my brothers the reciters: do not make recitation a means of worldly livelihood. Let their greatest aim be to benefit their Muslim brothers. Then, if they are given something and they accept it, there is no harm in that. And if they leave it, even without a condition, that is better without a doubt. But to make it something as you described, something priced, as if it were a pharmacy where the medicine varies, that is a mistake.
But here is an issue: if someone said, "I will not recite for this patient except for so much and so much," and this is different from the issue of money, is it permissible? We say: It has come in the Sunnah that it is permissible. It has come in the Sunnah that it is permissible in the story of meaning he stood up healthy, with nothing wrong with him. May Allah send prayers and peace upon him. He said: Sunan Abi Dawud 3418Sahih (Al-Albani) Is he in need of that? I do not think so, but so that their hearts would be pleased by taking it. Then he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 5737 Yes.
The questioner : Some of the brothers are leading the travelers in prayer.
The Shaykh : No, no, be patient. May Allah reward you with good. You have only one.
The questioner : This question is not for me; these brothers are responsible for it.
The Shaykh : It does not contradict if it goes around the brothers and they finish, then you return.
The Shaykh : First: We ask, is it prescribed that a person recites in water or in oil and the patient is anointed with it or drinks it, or is it not? My answer to this is: This has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The most I have heard in this regard is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would moisten his finger with his saliva and wipe it on the ground, then say:
The dust of our land with the saliva of some of us; by it our sick person is healed, by the permission of our Lord.
تربة أرضنا بريقة بعضنا يشفى بها مريضنا بإذن ربناAs for taking compensation for it, and making it a pharmacy where a person opens a shop and puts this water or this oil in it, and I have also heard that some of them set a price for each type of recitation, such as Ayat al-Kursi for ten and al-Fatihah for twenty, and so on. This is a mistake, and glory be to Allah, I think that it does not benefit, because this reciter was not sincere in his recitation; he wanted to seek worldly gain with the work of the Hereafter, so he does not benefit. And the benefit some patients get from it, and Allah knows best, is because their souls are affected and they believe that it benefits them. Belief has a very strong effect on the body, because the body follows the soul. So if the soul is reassured by this water or this medicine, it becomes effective without a doubt. Did you understand? From this place, I offer advice to my brothers the reciters: do not make recitation a means of worldly livelihood. Let their greatest aim be to benefit their Muslim brothers. Then, if they are given something and they accept it, there is no harm in that. And if they leave it, even without a condition, that is better without a doubt. But to make it something as you described, something priced, as if it were a pharmacy where the medicine varies, that is a mistake.
But here is an issue: if someone said, "I will not recite for this patient except for so much and so much," and this is different from the issue of money, is it permissible? We say: It has come in the Sunnah that it is permissible. It has come in the Sunnah that it is permissible in the story of
The group of men whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent on an expedition. They descended upon a people who hosted them, but they refused to host them. So Allah sent a scorpion against their leader and chief, and it stung him, and it was severe. They said, "Perhaps these people who have descended upon us, perhaps among them is a reciter, perhaps among them is a reciter who can recite over him." So they came to the Companions and informed them of the news and said, "We will not recite for you unless you make a reward for us," and they designated a herd of sheep for them. They said, "There is no harm." So one of them, meaning one of the Companions, went and began to recite Surat al-Fatihah over this man, who was stung and writhing from the poison. He kept reciting Surat al-Fatihah over him, and this stung man stood up as if he had been released from a rope.
القوم الذين بعثهم النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام بسرية فنزلوا على أناس استضافوهم فأبوا أن يضيفوهم فسلط الله على زعيمهم وسيدهم عقربا لدغته وكانت شديدة فقالوا : لعل هؤلاء القوم الذين نزلوا بنا لعل فيهم قارئ لعل فيهم قارئا يقرأ عليه فجاءوا إلى الصحابة وأخبروهم الخبر وقالوا : لا نقرأ لكم إلا أن تجعلوا لنا جعلا وعينوا لهم قطيعا من الغنم قالوا : لا بأس فذهب أحدهم أي أحد الصحابة فجعل يقرأ على هذا الرجل سورة الفاتحة وهو لديغ يتلوى من السم فجعل يقرأ عليه سورة الفاتحة فقام هذا اللديغ كأنما نشط من عقالThen they took the sheep and returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sought his ruling in that matter. He said, "Take them, and give me a share with you."
ثم أخذوا الغنم وعادوا إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم واستفتوه في ذلك فقال : خذوا واضربوا لي معكم بسهمNarrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri: Some of the Companions of Prophet (ﷺ) went on a journey. They encamped with a clan of the Arabs and sought hospitality from them, but they refused to provide them with any hospitality. The chief of the clan was stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. They gave him all sorts of treatment, but nothing gave him relied. One of them said: Would that you had gone to those people who encamped with you ; some of them might have something which could give you relief to your companion. (So they went and) one of them said: Our chief has been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. We administered all sorts of medicine but nothing gave him relief. Has any of you anything, i.e. charm, which gives healing to our companion. One of those people said: I shall apply charm; we sought hospitality from you, but you refused to entertain us. I am not going to apply charm until you give me some wages. So they offered them a number of sheep. He then came to and recited Faithat-al-Kitab and spat until he was cured as if he were set free from a bond. Thereafter they made payment of the wages as agreed by them. They said: Apportion (the wages). The man who applied the charm said: Do not do until we come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and consult him. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) next morning and mentioned it to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: From where did you learn that it was a charm ? You have done right. Give me a share along with you.
اضربوا لي معكم بسهمYou are most entitled to take wages for doing a Ruqya with Allah's Book.
إن أحق ما أخذتم عليه أجرا كتاب اللهThe questioner : Some of the brothers are leading the travelers in prayer.
The Shaykh : No, no, be patient. May Allah reward you with good. You have only one.
The questioner : This question is not for me; these brothers are responsible for it.
The Shaykh : It does not contradict if it goes around the brothers and they finish, then you return.