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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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The Lawfulness of Treating the Sick with the Qur'an, Cauterization with Fire, and Drinking Honey

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He says: We have some people who treat the sick with verses from the Qur'an, cauterization with fire, and drinking honey. When we discussed this with them, one of them said: "The cure is in three things: a verse from the Qur'an, a dose of honey, or cauterization with fire." Has this been mentioned in our Shari'ah? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: Yes. The entire Qur'an is a healing. Allah, Exalted and Majestic, says:
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healingوَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ
[Surah al-Isra: 82] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite ruqyah for people with the Qur'an, and likewise the Companionsand those most beloved to him, used to recite ruqyah for people with the Qur'an. Al-Fatihah is the greatest surah and the greatest ruqyah; the opening of the Book, al-Hamd, and likewise Ayat al-Kursi, and likewise
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
[Al-Ikhlas 112:1]
and likewise the two protective surahs:
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreakقُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ
[Al-Falaq 113:1]
and
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ
[An-Nas 114:1]
, and likewise whatever verses are available, they are all a healing. So the one who performs ruqyah for people with the Qur'an has done well by doing so, and generally it is successful if he is sincere, good, and a believer; Allah benefits people through his recitation and answers his supplication. As for cauterization with fire and drinking honey, there is an authentic hadith regarding them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The cure is in three things: a drink of honey, or a stroke of a cupping vessel, or cauterization with fire, and I do not like to be cauterizedالشفاء في ثلاث: شربة عسل، أو شرطة محجم، أو كية نار، وما أحب أن أكتوي
al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih, may Allah have mercy on him, and in another narration:
but I forbid my people to cauterizeوأنا أنهى أمتي عن الكي
Mishkat al-Masabih 4516
So drinking honey contains much good, and Allah has made it clear in His great Book that honey contains a healing for people. He said in Surat al-Nahl:
There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for peopleيَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لِلنَّاسِ
[Surat al-Nahl:69] And cauterization with fire is a proven method that benefits, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, but it should be the last resort in treatment, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
but I do not like to be (cauterized) branded.ما أحب أن أكتوي
Sahih al-Bukhari 5704
،
But I forbid my followers to use (cauterization) branding with fire.وأنهى أمتي عن الكي
Sahih al-Bukhari 5680
So cauterization should be the last resort in treatment. If a person is unable to find another remedy, he should be cauterized. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cauterized some of his Companions when there was a need for cauterization, and some of the Companions underwent cauterization, such as Khubayb ibn al-Art. So cauterization is permissible when there is a need for it, and if a person can do without it by using other means, that is better. Likewise, cupping is also good; it is a treatment for an excess of blood... blood. If it is possible to find someone who knows cupping from those who are knowledgeable in it, then it is also a good medicine. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. There are some diseases, Your Eminence, that do not agree with honey. What is your guidance in this matter, if you would be so kind?
The Shaykh: Every disease is treated with what suits it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in an authentic hadith:
Allah does not send down any disease, but He also sends down the cure.ما أنزل الله داء إلا أنزل له شفاء
Sunan Ibn Majah 3439Sahih (Darussalam)
And in the other wording:
Some of us stored that our minds and some forgot it.علمه من علمه، وجهله من جهله
Sahih al-Bukhari 6604
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
For every disease there is a medicine, and if the medicine for the disease is found, it is cured by the permission of Allahلكل داء دواء، فإذا أصيب دواء الداء برئ بإذن الله
As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 54:79
Doctors know these matters, so they choose for every disease what suits it. If the disease does not agree with honey, or cupping, or cauterization, then another medicine is sought for it from what suits it, with the knowledge of the people of medicine and the people of experience. And the Qur'an is a healing for everyone. Allah benefits people with it for everyone. It is recited over his brother, and he asks Allah for healing for him in all his diseases. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So honey is restricted by conditions that you mentioned?
The Shaykh: Yes, the disease that suits it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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