Illness & Ruqyah

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المؤْمنينَ رَضيَ اللهُ عنها قَالَت: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَتَى الْمَرِيضَ يَدْعُو لَهُ قَالَ: «أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ، رَبَّ النَّاسِ، وَاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا».

Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited a sick person, he would supplicate for him saying: O Allah, (remove) and eliminate (the harm) and severe sickness, (Lord of the people), their Creator, and their Sustainer, (and heal) this sick person, (for You), may You be exalted, (are the Healer). I implore You by Your name, the Healer. (There is no healing) that can occur to the sick (except Your healing) and Your well-being, (a healing) that completely (leaves behind) and retains (no illness) or any other sickness.

• The Healer is Allah Almighty while the doctor and medicine are merely means that neither benefit nor harm except by Allah's permission.
• Visiting the sick is one of the rights among Muslims, and it is even more deserving when it comes to family members.
• Encouraging those who visit a sick person to supplicate for him with this blessed and transmitted supplication.
• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) practiced treatment through the Shariah-approved Ruqyah (faith-healing/incantation) with the Qur’an and good supplications. When he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became ill, he would perform Ruqyah on himself, his family members, and others who were unwell.
• Ibn Hajar said: There is confusion in supplicating for the recovery of the sick even though illness contains expiation for sins and a source of reward, as affirmed by the Hadīths. The answer is: Supplication itself is an act of worship and does not contradict the reward and expiation of sins, for these are obtained at the onset of illness and through dealing patiently with it. The supplicator is in a win-win position: either he attains his goal or is compensated with some benefit or protection from harm—all are from the grace of Allah Almighty.

صحيح البخاري (7/ 134) (5750). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1721) (2191). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 162). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 477). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (11/ 539). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 687).

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ الثَّقَفِيِّ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ شَكَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَعًا يَجِدُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي تَأَلَّمَ مِنْ جَسَدِكَ، وَقُلْ بِاسْمِ اللهِ ثَلَاثًا، وَقُلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ».

‘Uthmām ibn Abi al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) suffered from pain that was on the verge of ruining him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, went to visit him and taught him a supplication through which Allah would cure him of the illness that had affected him. He taught him to place his hand on the part where he felt the pain and say: (In the name of Allah) three times, then to repeat seven times: (I seek refuge), shelter, protection, and security (with Allah and His power from the evil that I find), i.e., the current pain, (and fear) of its occurrence in the future, referring to sorrow and apprehension, or the continuity of this illness and the spread of pain in the body.

• It is recommended for one to make Ruqyah (healing method with the Qur’an and supplication) for himself as mentioned in the Hadīth.
• Complaining - without expressing discontent or objection - does not contradict patience and reliance upon Allah.
• Supplication is part of the utilization of the available means; hence, we should adhere to its wording and specified number of times.
• This supplication is for every physical pain.
• Placing the hand on the part where one feels the pain while making Ruqyah with this supplication.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 1728) (2202). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 163). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 481). فيض القدير شرح الجامع الصغير، لعبدالرؤوف المناوي (1/ 284). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 689).

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنهما عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ».

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that whatever afflicts the Muslim of diseases, sorrows, sadness, adversities, calamities, hardships, fear, and hunger, even the prick of a thorn that hurts him, expiates his sins and erases his misdeeds.

• Manifesting Allah's grace and mercy that He shows to His believing slaves by forgiving their sins by the least degree of harm that afflicts them.
• The Muslim must seek Allah's reward in whatever afflicts him and must show patience in every minor or major affliction to have his degree elevated and his misdeeds expiated.

صحيح البخاري (7/ 114) (5641). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1992) (2572). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 489). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 242). شرح النووي على مسلم (16/ 126). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص44). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 96). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (1/ 70).