What is the ruling on the fee of the cupper?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, what is the ruling on giving the cupper money for cupping?
The Shaykh : Regarding what?
The questioner : Giving the cupper money for cupping?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with giving the cupper his fee, as 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: "Indeed, the fee of the cupper is not forbidden. He said, 'If it were forbidden, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have given the cupper his fee'", and he spoke the truth (may Allah be pleased with him). This means that it is bad, because the cupper should volunteer and give it freely, as this involves saving his brothers from harm and destruction. So, regarding his taking a fee for it, we say that this fee is bad, but it is not forbidden.
Is "khabeeth" (bad) applied to something that is bad but lawful?
Yes, Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:267] Did you understand?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Regarding what?
The questioner : Giving the cupper money for cupping?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with giving the cupper his fee, as 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: "Indeed, the fee of the cupper is not forbidden. He said, 'If it were forbidden, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have given the cupper his fee'", and he spoke the truth (may Allah be pleased with him).
But the earnings of the cupper are bad.
لكنّ كسب الحجّام خبيثIs "khabeeth" (bad) applied to something that is bad but lawful?
Yes, Allah the Exalted said:
And do not aim toward the defective therefrom, spending [from that] while you would not take it [yourself] except with closed eyes
ولا تيمّموا الخبيث منه تنفقون ولستم بآخذيه إلاّ أن تغمضوا فيهThe questioner : Yes.