The Ruling on the Copper Bracelet Worn on the Hand, Which Its Owners Claim Cures Rheumatism
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The Shaykh : A copper bracelet is now being sold in the markets, and they say it is beneficial for rheumatism... The point is that it has become popular among people, and they claim that if a person wears it on his arm and he has rheumatism, it will benefit him, that it will benefit this rheumatism. We do not know if this is true or not. The original ruling is that it is not true, because we have neither a Shari'ah proof nor a sensory proof indicating that. Because currently, it does not affect the body; it does not contain, for example, a fatty substance such that we could say the body absorbs this substance and benefits from it. So the original ruling is that it is prohibited. The original ruling is prohibition until it is proven to us by a clear, valid proof that it has a direct connection to this rheumatism such that one benefits from it.
The student: If a doctor mentioned it.
The Shaykh : If a doctor mentioned it... we do not suffice with his statement, because it might be like... in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they used to use these copper bracelets, saying this is for the weak one, and this weak one is the same as the pain in the arm...
The student: Their belief in it.
The Shaykh : We do not know. It might be a belief that has no sensory effect. As long as it is merely a belief, it is not permissible until it is proven to us by a sensory means that it is beneficial.
The questioner : ... Where did we take it from?
The Shaykh : Ah?
The questioner : Where is it taken from? From the words of Ibrahim, or from the companions of Abdullah...?
The Shaykh : No, because he is the one who prohibited this. As for the other Salaf, they permitted it. Because if we took the apparent meaning of his statement, it would mean transferring the consensus of the Tabi'un or the Companions that it is disliked.
The student: If a doctor mentioned it.
The Shaykh : If a doctor mentioned it... we do not suffice with his statement, because it might be like... in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they used to use these copper bracelets, saying this is for the weak one, and this weak one is the same as the pain in the arm...
The student: Their belief in it.
The Shaykh : We do not know. It might be a belief that has no sensory effect. As long as it is merely a belief, it is not permissible until it is proven to us by a sensory means that it is beneficial.
The questioner : ... Where did we take it from?
The Shaykh : Ah?
The questioner : Where is it taken from? From the words of Ibrahim, or from the companions of Abdullah...?
The Shaykh : No, because he is the one who prohibited this. As for the other Salaf, they permitted it. Because if we took the apparent meaning of his statement, it would mean transferring the consensus of the Tabi'un or the Companions that it is disliked.