| WHAT IS RUQYAH? | | | | ruqyah”which is mentioned in the hadith is a mistake |
| Islam is a comprehensive deen which deals with all the | | | | (on the part of thenarrator), for their ruqyah for |
| affairsrelating to the life of Muslims. Included in this vast | | | | themselves and for others is a gooddeed. The |
| sea oflegislation and recommendation we find the | | | | Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited |
| ahkaam relating to health. | | | | ruqyah forhimself and for others but he did not ask |
| Good health is a blessing form Allah Almighty, as | | | | anyone to recite ruqyah forhim. His reciting ruqyah for |
| mentioned in thehadeeth of the prophet (saw) where | | | | himself and others was like his makingdu`aa’ for |
| Ibn Abaas reported, the messenger of Allah (saw) | | | | himself and others; this is something that is enjoined, |
| said, There are twoblessings in which many people | | | | forall the Prophets asked of Allah and prayed to Him, |
| incur loss, good health and free time. | | | | as Allah tells usin the stories of Adam, Ibraheem, Musa |
| Saheeh Al Bukhari | | | | and others.” (Majmu` al-Fatawa, |
| We may however find at times our health is | | | | 1/182) |
| decreasing, and rather thandepend upon contemporary | | | | In this regard, Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent |
| medicine alone, or at another extreme shunmedication | | | | Saudi Muslimlecturer and author, states: |
| all together thinking our ill health to be the decree of | | | | With regard to the hadith narrated by Muslim, |
| Allah. | | | | according to which the |
| As In all matters, we should turn to the authentic | | | | Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described |
| sources and seekassistance. | | | | the seventythousand of this Ummah who will enter |
| Ysamah bin Shuraik said; I was with the prophet when | | | | Paradise without being broughtto account or punished, |
| the Bedouins cameto him and said, “O Messenger | | | | and in which it says: “They are those who didnot |
| of Allah, should we seek medicine?” | | | | recite ruqyah or ask for ruqyah to be done, and they |
| He (saw) said, “Yes slaves of Allah, seek medicine | | | | did notbelieve in bad omens and they put their trust in |
| for Allah has notcreated a disease except that He has | | | | their Lord” – thephrase “they did not recite |
| also created its cure, except forone illness.” They | | | | ruqyah” is the words of the narrator, notof the |
| asked what is that? He (saw) said, “Old age.” | | | | Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Hence |
| Imam Ahmad | | | | Al-Bukharinarrated this hadith and did not mention this |
| Abu khuzamah is reported to have said; | | | | phrase. |
| I said “O Messenger of Allah about the ruqya that | | | | Did the prophet (saw) perform ruqyah upon himself |
| we use, the medicinewe take and the prevention we | | | | and upon others? |
| seek, does all this change Allah’sappointed | | | | It was narrated that `Aa’ishah (may Allaah be |
| destiny?” He (saw) said, they are a part of | | | | pleased with her) said: |
| Allah’sappointed destiny. Musnad Imam Ahmad/ | | | | When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings |
| Sunan At Tirmidhi/ Ibn Majah | | | | of Allah be uponhim) was ill, he would recite |
| Every illness has a cure, and when the proper cure is | | | | al-Mi’wadhatayn over himself and spitdryly. When |
| applied to thedisease it ends Allah willing. | | | | his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped |
| Saheeh muslim | | | | himwith his own hand, seeking its brake (blessing).” |
| We wish to inshAllah mention in this humble effort, the | | | | Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4728; Muslim, 2192 |
| use of ruqyah | | | | It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas (RA) said: “The |
| (as has been recommended and practiced by the nabi | | | | Prophet (SAW) used toseek refuge for al-Hasan and |
| (saw) and as waspracticed by the sahabah (ra)) as | | | | al-Husayn, and he would say, `Your father |
| an Islamic alternative, usingspiritual means to cure | | | | [ meaning Ibrahim peace be upon him] used to seek |
| physical ailments. | | | | refuge with Allahfor Isma`il and Ishaq with these words: |
| We will try to explain: | | | | A`udhu bi kalimat Allahal-tammah min kulli shaytanin wa |
| 1) What is ruqyah? | | | | hammah wa min kulli `aynin lammah (Iseek refuge in |
| 2) Is its use permissible? | | | | the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and |
| 3) Misunderstandings in relation to ruqyah | | | | everypoisonous reptile, and from every evil eye). |
| 4) The practice of the prophet (saw) and the | | | | (Al-Bukhari) |
| companion in regards toruqyah. | | | | Muslim narrated from `Uthman ibn Abil-`As that he |
| As Muslims our dependency must be upon Allah alone, | | | | complained to the |
| and as good andharm are unable to reach us without | | | | Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) |
| His (swt) will, we shouldunderstand that seeking a halal | | | | about pain thathe had felt in his body from the time he |
| cure for our ill health is a strongrecommendation and | | | | had become Muslim. The |
| after doing so putting ones trust upon Allah (swt). | | | | Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) |
| And if Allah touches you with harm, there is none who | | | | said to him, “Putyour hand on the part of your body |
| can remove itbut He; and if He intends any good for | | | | where you feel pain and say |
| you, there is none who canrepel His favour which He | | | | `Bismillah (in the name of Allah) three times, then say |
| causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves | | | | seven times, |
| He wills. And He is the oft Forgiving, The Most Merciful. | | | | A`udhu bi `izzat-illah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajid wa |
| SurahYunus 10:107 | | | | uhadhir (Iseek refuge in the glory and power of Allah |
| What is ruqyah? | | | | from the evil of what Ifeel and worry about).” |
| To translate Ruqyah as ‘incantation’ may bring | | | | At-Tirmidhi added: He said, “I did that, and Allah |
| to mind connotations ofmagic and sorcery which are | | | | removed what I hadbeen suffering, and I continued to |
| forbidden in Islam. To use the term “Byspiritual | | | | enjoin my family and others to dothat.” |
| means” may not convey the meaning in full. [See | | | | Sahl bin Sa’d (ra) said that on the day of Khaibar, |
| Ismail L. | | | | Allah’s messenger |
| Faruq's Translation]. | | | | (saw) asserted; “tomorrow I shall indeed give the |
| Ruqyah is when a person recites part of the | | | | flag to a person wholoves Allah and His messenger |
| Qur’an such as Al-Fatihahor makes supplication | | | | and and is loved by Allah and Hismessenger. Allah will |
| using words transmitted from the authentic | | | | grant victory under his leadership.” The peoplespent |
| Hadith of the Prophet (saw) Ref. Fath-ul-Majid] | | | | the night absorbed in discussing as to whom might the |
| Ruqyah is the use of quranic ayats, or supplications | | | | flag begiven. In the morning the they came eagerly to |
| narrated from the | | | | Allah’s messenger (saw)each of them hoping to be |
| Prophet (saw) in order to cure ones self or another | | | | given the flag. Allah’s messenger (saw)asked, |
| from evil eye | | | | “where is Ali bin Abi Talib?” They replied, “he |
| (nadhar) or ill health. | | | | is sufferingfrom an eye ailment.” He was sent for |
| Is permissible to perform ruqyah? | | | | and brought. Allah’s messengerthen applied saliva |
| Hussain bin Abdur- Rahmaan narrated; | | | | to his eyes and prayed for him, where upon he |
| Once when I was with Sa’id bin Jubair, he asked , | | | | wascured as if he had no previous pains. Allah’s |
| “who among you didsee the shooting star last | | | | messenger (saw) then |
| night?” | | | | A group of the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) |
| I answered, “I had seen it.” and then explained | | | | set out on a journeyand travelled until they came near |
| however that I was notperforming prayer at the time | | | | one of the Arab tribes. They askedthem for hospitality |
| because I had been stung, by a poisonousscorpion. He | | | | but they were refused. Then the leader of thattribe |
| said, “what did you then do?” I replied, “I used | | | | was stung, and his people tried everything to cure him |
| ruqyahto cure it.” He asked, “what compelled | | | | butnothing helped. Then some of them said, “Why |
| you to do that?”, I said, “ahadeeth I heard from | | | | don’t you go to thosepeople who are staying |
| Ash – Shabi. He asked, “which hadeeth did | | | | (nearby)? Maybe one of them has something.” |
| Sha’binarrate?” | | | | Sothey went to them and said, “O people, our |
| I replied, “he reported from Buraidah bin Al Husaib, | | | | leader has been stung andwe have tried everything |
| who said thatruqyah is not allowed except for the | | | | and nothing helped him. Do you haveanything?” One |
| treatment of evil eye andpoisonous sting.” He | | | | of them said, “Yes, by Allah. I will perform ruqyah |
| (sa’d bin Jubair) said, “he has done well | | | | forhim, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and |
| bystopping on what he has heard, #however | | | | you did not give usanything, so we will not perform |
| Iibn Abass narrated to us that the Prophet (saw) said, | | | | ruqyah for you unless you give ussomething in |
| All the nations were made to pass before me and I | | | | return.” So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then |
| saw a prophet with asmall group with him, and a | | | | hestarted to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillahi |
| prophet with two or three people and aprophet with | | | | Rabb il-`Alameen. |
| none. Then there appeared a large group of people | | | | Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and |
| which Itook to be my nation, but I was told that those | | | | started walking, andhe was completely cured. After |
| were of Musa and hispeople. Later a larger group | | | | that they took the flock of sheep, andsome of the |
| appeared and I was told that those weremy people. | | | | companions of the Prophet (SAW) said, “Let us |
| Among them were seventy thousand who would | | | | share itout.” The one who had performed ruqyah |
| enter paradisewithout reckoning or punishment…they | | | | said, “Do not do anything untilwe come to the |
| are those who do not treatthemselves with ruqyah, | | | | Prophet (SAW) and tell him what happened, and we |
| nor do they believe in bad or good omens, nordo they | | | | willwait and see what he tells us to do.” So they |
| get themselves branded (cauterized), but they put their | | | | came to the Messenger of |
| trustin their Lord. | | | | Allah (SAW) and told him what had happened. He said, |
| On that Ukashah bin Mihsan got up and said; “O | | | | “How did you knowthat it is a ruqyah?” Then he |
| Prophet, make dua that | | | | said, “You did the right thing. Sharethem out, and |
| I may be one of them.” | | | | give me a share.” And the Messenger of Allah |
| The prophet (saw) answered, “you are indeed one | | | | (SAW) smiled. |
| of them.” | | | | (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) |
| When another person sought to repeat the request | | | | When may ruqyah be prohibited? |
| the prophet (saw)told him that Ukashah had beaten | | | | Auf Ibn Malik reports; |
| him to it. | | | | We practiced Ruqyah in the preislamic days and we |
| SAHEEH MUSLIM | | | | said, “O Allah’smessenger! What is your opinion |
| Is ruqyah only permissible to be performed due to evil | | | | about it?” he (saw) said, ” let meknow your |
| eye and stings? | | | | ruqyah and said, there is no harm in the ruqyah which |
| “It was narrated that `A’ishah (may Allah be | | | | doesnot contain shirk. |
| pleased with her) said: | | | | Saheeh muslim |
| “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and | | | | Al khattabi said; Allah’s messenger practiced ruqya |
| blessings be upon him) wasill, he would recite | | | | for the sake ofothers and some practiced it for his |
| al-Mu`awidhatayn (surahs of Al-Falaq and An-Nas)over | | | | sake. Sometimes he commanded thepeople to |
| himself and spit dryly. When his pain grew intense, I | | | | practice it and thus declared it to be legal. If the |
| recitedover him and wiped him with his own hand, | | | | ruqyawas with some verses of the Glorious |
| seeking its blessing” | | | | Qur’an or with the beautifulnames of Allah, it is thus |
| (Al-Bukhari). | | | | permissible or even recommended. However ifit |
| Who are the 70,000 who will enter jannah with no | | | | contains non Arabic words indicating disbelief or |
| accountability? | | | | polytheism [kufror shirk]it is thus illegal and forbidden. |
| Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy | | | | Fath ul majeed chap 8 |
| on him) said: | | | | O Allah accept our good deeds for your sake and |
| “These people are praised because they did not | | | | your sake alone andforgive us for our errors and |
| ask anyone to reciteruqyah for them, and ruqyah is a | | | | mistakes…ameen |
| type of du`aa’, so they did not askothers to pray | | | | Point to ask: What are those person’s qualifications, |
| for them. The phrase “and they did not recite | | | | are they Hafizof Quran or Muhadith, etc.? |