RUQYAH - HIJAMA - PROPHETIC MEDICINE

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RUQYAH IS 

Quranic healing therapy

A Unique treatment based on divine quranic verses.

 Allah said “ And we reveal of the quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the unjust.(surah Al-esraa- 82)

 Ruqyah is authentic treatment relayed to us by our beloved prophet(SAW)

Ruqyah is a vast subject and covers many topics of afflictions such as Magic (Siher) ,jinn or satan possession and influence ( Mas jinny / shitany) , Evil Eye ( Ayn) and body illness . We have presented a basic outline in regards to what is Ruqyah and how it is related to us via the Sunnahof our beloved Prophet (SAW).

 

To translate Ruqyah as 'incantation' may bring to mind connotations of magic and sorcery which are forbidden in Islam. To use the term "By spiritual means" may not convey the meaning in full.

The meaning most relevant to us when asking what is Ruqyah, is that Ruqyah is when a person recites part of the Quran such as Al-Fatihah,ayat ul korsi,al-mu”awidhatayn(surat al-falaq and an-nas )or any ayats from the qur-an because all the qur-an is shifaa and rahmah(cureand mercy ) or makes supplication using words transmitted from the authentic Hadith of the Prophet (saw) [Ref. Fath-ul-Majid]

In brief, Ruqyah is a Quranic therapy for issues pertaining to the body, heart, mind and soul.

It was narrated that A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was ill, he would recite al-Mu'awidhatayn (surahs of Al-Falaq and An-Nas) over himself and spit dryly. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its blessing. [Bukhari]

With regard to the du'aa' that is prescribed for the Muslim to say if he wants to recite Ruqyah for himself or for someone else, there are many such du'aa's, most common are Al-Fatihah and Al-Mu'awidhatayn.

A group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey and traveled until they came near one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they were refused. Then the leader of that tribe was stung, and his people tried everything to cure him but nothing helped. Then some of them said, "Why don't you go to those people who are staying (nearby)? Maybe one of them has something." So they went to them and said, "O people, our leader has been stung and we have tried everything and nothing helped him. Do you have anything?" One of them said, "Yes, by Allah. I will perform Ruqyah for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not give us anything, so we will not perform Ruqyah for you unless you give us something in return." So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then he started to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-'Alameen (surat al-fatihah). Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and started walking, and he was completely cured. After that they took the flock of sheep, and some of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Let us share it out." The one who had performed Ruqyah said, "Do not do anything until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and tell him what happened, and we will wait and see what he tells us to do." So they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, "How did you know that it is a Ruqyah?" Then he said, "You did the right thing. Share them out, and give me a share." And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

The du'aa's that have been narrated in the Sunnah include the following: It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he would say, 'Your father [ meaning Ibrahim peace be upon him] used to seek refuge with Allah for Isma'il and Ishaq with these words: A'udhu bi kalimat Allah al-tammah min kulli shaytanin wa hammah wa min kulli 'aynin lammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).'" (Al-Bukhari).

Seeking Treatment

To exorcize the Jinn is obligatory according to the principles of repelling oppression, aiding the oppressed, enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil, just as it is with humans. A question was posed to Ibn Taymiyah (ra) regarding the subject, he expressed: "In (exorcism) there is also alleviation of grief and suffering of the oppressed." Allah's Messenger (saw) is reported by Abu Hurayrah in Sahih Muslim (vol: 4, no: 6250) to have said: "Whoever relieves a believer of one of the tragedies of life, Allah will relieve him of one of the calamities of the Day of Resurrection." Jaabir (ra) also reported in Sahih Muslim (vol: 3, no: 5456) that when Allah's Messenger (saw) was asked about incantation, he replied: "Whoever among you is able to help his brother, he should do so."

Hadith regarding not seeking Ruqyah

Many people seem to be under the impression that it is better not to seek a cure which is incorrect. With regard to the hadith narrated by Muslim, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described the seventy thousand of this Ummah who will enter Paradise without being brought to account or punished, and in which it says: "They are those who did not recite Ruqyah or ask for Ruqyah to be done, and they did not believe in bad omens and they put their trust in their Lord " - the phrase "they did not recite Ruqyah " is the words of the narrator, not of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Hence Al-Bukhari narrated this hadith and did not mention this phrase. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "These people are praised because they did not ask anyone to recite Ruqyah for them, and Ruqyah is a type of du'aa', so they did not ask others to pray for them. The phrase "and they did not recite Ruqyah " which is mentioned in the hadith is a mistake (on the part of the narrator), for their Ruqyah for themselves and for others is a good deed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Ruqyah for himself and for others but he did not ask anyone to recite Ruqyah for him. His reciting Ruqyah for himself and others was like his making du'aa' for himself and others; this is something that is enjoined, for all the prophets asked of Allah and prayed to Him, as Allah tells us in the stories of Adam, Ibraheem, Musa. " (Majmu' al-Fatawa, 1/182)

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This phrase is inserted in the hadith, but it is a mistake on the part of some of the narrators." (Hadi al-Arwah, 1/89)

conditions of Ruqyah

There are some important conditions that must be satisfied in a ruqyah to make it permissible. They were summarized by Ibn Hajar (AR): 

"There is a consensus among the 'ulama that Ruqyah are permissible when they satisfy three conditions: 

1 - To be with Allah's words or His names and attributes
2 - To be in Arabic or of an intelligible meaning
3 - And to believe that they do not have effect by themselves but by Allah (swt)." Fath ul Bari 10/240

In what follows, we discuss each of these conditions: 

1. Must Be with Allah's Words, Names, or Attributes 
As we will see below, all forms of Ruqyah reported in the Sunnah satisfy this condition. They either consist of specific portions of the Quran, such as al-Fatiha or Ayat ul-Kursiy, or contain a praise of Allah (swt) and an invocation of His help and protection.

2. Must Be with Clearly Understood Words 
This is an important condition that must be satisfied in order to eliminate any magic factors from the ruqyah.

3. Believing That the True Benefit Is from Allah (swt) 
Similar to our earlier discussion of medicines, one must always believe that the true and ultimate protector is Allah (swt) alone, and that Ruqyah and medications are means that He created and He controls as He wills. Thus trust must be put in Him and not in the means that He created. Allah (swt) commands His Messenger (saw): So seek refuge with Allah (only); verily, it is He who is all-Hearer, all-Seer. (Al Ghafir 40:56).

Ruqyah from the Sunnah

Various forms of supplications for prevention or healing, some of which may be classified as Ruqyah, have been presented in this site. In what follows, we include some more, or refer to earlier ones, as the discussion warrants.

Ruqyah with Allah's Name

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (RA) reported that Jibril came to the Prophet (saw) and said:, "O Muhammad, are you sick?" He replied, 'Yes.' He said: "Bismillahi arqik, min kulli shayin yuthik, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ayni hasid - With Allah's Name I shelter you (give you ruqyah), from all that ails you, from the evil of every soul, or that of the envious eyes. May Allah cure you; with Allah's Name I shelter you." Muslim.

Ruqyah with Allah's Book

'Aishah (RA) reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) came into her house and saw with her a woman who was treating her with ruqyah. He told her: 'Treat her (only) with Allah's Book.' Recorded by Ibn Hibban; verified to be authentic by al-Albani in as-Sahihah no. 1931. In what follows, we present Ruqyah with specific Surahs or ayat as is recorded in the Sunnah.

1. Ruqyah with al-Fatiha

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri and Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that a number of the Prophet's (saw) companions were on a journey. They stopped one night by the dwellings of a bedouin tribe who refused to host them and give them food. The chief of that tribe was then stung (by a snake or scorpion). His people tried everything possible to treat him, but to no avail. One of them suggested to seek help from the travellers. When they came to them, one of them said, "By Allah, I can perform ruqyah; but you have refused to host us. So I would not perform the ruqyah until you pledge to give us an offering." They agreed to give them a flock of thirty sheep, and the companion started blowing (with light spit) on the stung man's sting and reading al-Fatiha. He was immediately cured, like one who was tied and then set free. He stood and walked as if nothing happened to him, and they gave them their pledged offering.

Some of the companions said, "Let us divide this flock among us." Others said, "No, you may not take any pay for reading Allah's Book! Let us not divide the goats until we reach the Prophet (saw), tell him what happened, and see what he commands us."

When they reached al-Madinah, they came to the Prophet (saw) and told him what happened. He said (approvingly):'How did you know that it (al-Fatiha) is a ruqyah? You have done well! And indeed, the best thing to be paid for is Allah's Book*. So, divide it among you; and allot a share for me.' Al Bukhari, Muslim.

2. Ruqyah with al-Muawwidhat

As explained earlier, al-Muawwidhat are the last three Surahs of the Quran. The last two of them carry a clear meaning of ruqyah, and are presented below. Surat ul-Ikhlas (112) does not carry such meaning in an explicit manner, but contains concise and strong words of praise for Allah (swt), making it an important introduction to the succeeding two Surahs: (Say, "I seek refuge with the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what he created, and from the evil of darkness when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.")surat al-falaq 113 (Say, "I seek refuge with the Lord of the people, the King of the people, the God of the people, from the evil of a retreating whisperer, who whispers (evil) in the breasts of the people, (whether he is) from among jinns or the people.")surat an-nas 114

'Aishah (RA) reported: "When Allah's Messenger (saw) went to bed, he would bring the palms of both hands together, and blow into them while reading "Qul huwa Allahu ahad" 112, "Qul a'udhu bi rabb il-falaq" 113, "Qul a'udhu bi rabbi n-Nas" 114. He would then rub with them whatever he could reach of his body, starting with his head, face, and the front part of his body. He would do this three times. When he got very ill, he asked me to do that for him." Al Bukhari and Muslim.

'Aishah (RA) also reported: "In the final sickness in which he passed away, the Prophet (saw) used to blow over himself with al-Mu'awwidhat. When he became very ill, I blew with them for him, rubbing over him with his own hand because of the blessing in it." Al Bukhari and Muslim

We can use these Surahs for scorpion stings like it as been reported in a hadith.

3. Ruqyah with Ayat ul-Kursi

Ubayy Bin Ka'b narrated that he had a harvest of dates. He noticed that it shrunk every day, and decided to watch it at night. He did and noticed a beast that looked like a boy who attained puberty. He gave him salam, and it responded to him with salam.

He asked it, "Are you human or jinn" It replied, "Jinn." He told it, "Show me your hand." It showed him its hand, and he saw that it looked like a dog's, with fur like that of a dog covering it. He exclaimed, "Is this how jinn are like!?" It then told him, "All jinns know that there is no one among them stronger than me." He asked it, "What brought you here?" It replied, "We have been informed that you like to give charity, so we came to get some of your food." He asked it, "What would protect us from you?" It replied, "This ayah from Surat ul-Baqarah: (Allahu la ilaha illa huwa Al-Hayy ul-Qayyum,) (2/255) - whoever says it in the evening will be protected from us until the morning, and whoever says it in the morning will be protected from us until the evening."

In the morning, Ubayy came to Allah's Messenger (saw) and told him of that incident. He told him, 'The evil one has said the truth!' Recorded by An-Nasai.

Charging for Ruqyah

From the hadith relating that a companion of the Prophet performed Ruqyah and was paid for it many people justify being paid for Ruqyah, whilst this is acceptable because of the time and the effort from the raqi. We advise its best to agree to a charge before hand .

Epilepsy and Ruqyah?

Ibn 'Abbas once said to one sahaby (companions of the prophet) SAW , "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" the sahaby said , "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (saw) and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet (saw) said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient' and added 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." - Bukhari Book 7, Volume 70.

The above a hadith is referring to medical epilepsy, we cannot imagine the Prophet (saw) leaving a woman possessed by Shaytaan and telling her to have patience. If the Prophet (saw) had prayed for her it would have been classed as a miracle like praying for a blind person to see etc, instead he advised her to be patient with her condition. This is in no way related to epilepsy that is caused by the shayateen possessing a person, which is obligatory to treat, according to the principles of repelling oppression and aiding the oppressed.

I have done Ruqyah but I am not cured

Not everyone will be cured first time. However we believe if Ruqyah is done competently then inshallah with the permission of Allah you should be cured. As you know treating an illness consists of 2 parts, diagnosis and treatment. It may be in some cases that either of these components is lacking. It may be that the initial diagnosis may not have been entirely correct, therefore leading a person to actions that did not deliver a cure. Or it may simply be the treatment needs to be adjusted. It is also worth noting in certain cases the patient mabybe doing things contrary to the treatment.

Strong magic / Sihr, stubborn Jinn

I have been to a few Raaqis and they have tried to help me but to no avail and they have said it is due to strong magic or stubborn Jinn ?

We believe the fact that you have not been cured is not due to the strength of the Jinn or Magic but rather the weakness of the Raaqi, either in terms of his knowledge or technique in treating you.or Allah didnt give primossion yet as it is test from Allah (ebtilaa) and it is cleaning your sins. As Allah said” that Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change themselves” There is nothing more powerful than the verses of Allah but we must know how to use and apply them in removing the Jinn or Magic. Not every Raaqi will be able to extract or deal with every type of Jinn or Magic and we would advise the Raaqi who fail to cure a person to stop using these terms, as they make a person feel weaker in their illness and denote strength for the disbelieving shayateen Jinn. And we know Allah says: "verily the plot of shaytaan is weak" but rather it would be more appropriate for the Raaqi to acknowledge their own limitations and refer you to someone who may have more knowledge and experience than them.

Does Hijama help in cases of Sihr Magic?

Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentions that the Messenger (saw) was afflicted with magic and was cupped on the head to treat it. He also mentions that Hijama is from the best of cures for magic if performed correctly (Zaad al Ma'aad)

 

Treating black magic with more magic

Many people affected by Jinn either through a lack of knowledge or sheer desperation at times search for cures to Jinn, Jadoo, Jadu, Sihr, Voodoo, Black Magic or whatever they wish to call it, by going to magicians who basically do more magic! And in most cases make the situation worse by adding further magic to suppress the initial magic. But this is rarely effective and we would advise two wrongs do not make a right.


Evidence against Taweez,herzi (any types of amulets):

- Imran ibn Hasin reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm. The Prophet (saws) exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to you!' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering). The Prophet (saws) prohibited him from wearing it because he regarded it as an amulet. The Prophet (saws) said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have achieved salvation'."(Narrated by Ahmad) 


- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Incantations, amulets and love spells are shirk.” 
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3883; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 331.