Lesson 3 of 6 · What the sunnah affirms, and what it does not
Ruqyah, and the limit inside the licence
Ruqyah has a real basis and this course is not hedging about it. Muslim reports the licence in one sentence, and the sentence carries its own boundary inside it. There is no harm in it as long as there is no shirk in it.
Muslim also records the ruqyah made over the Prophet, peace be upon him. And Bukhari records al-Fatihah recited over a man who had been stung, which is worth noticing, because the ailment there is a physical injury. Ruqyah in the sunnah is not restricted to complaints of the soul. It is not restricted to a class of professionals either. The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked the man how he had come to know that al-Fatiha could be used that way, which is not a question you put to somebody who does this for a living.
One more, and it is included because leaving it out would look like editing. Bukhari records ajwa dates in the morning as a protection. A protection is not a treatment, and it is never a reason to stop a medicine.
Qur’an and Sunnah
The licence in one sentence, and the sentence carries its own boundary inside it. There is no harm in it as long as there is no shirk in it.
Auf b. Malik Ashja'i reported We practised incantation in the pre-Islamic days and we said:Allah's Messenger. what is your opinion about it? He said: Let me know your incantation and said: There is no harm in the incantation which does not smack of polytheism
Sahih Muslim 2200graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
Gabriel came and made ruqyah over him, peace be upon him, seeking protection from every harm and from the eye of a jealous one. Ruqyah was made over the Prophet himself, recorded in the same collection as the licence above it.
Abu Sa'id reported that Gabriel came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said:Muhammad, have you fallen ill? Thereupon he said: Yes. He (Gabriel) said: "In the name of Allah I exorcise you from everything and safeguard you from every evil that may harm you and from the eye of a jealous one. Allah would cure you and I invoke the name of Allah for you
Sahih Muslim 2186graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
Al-Fatihah recited over a man who had been stung. The ailment here is worth noticing, because it is a physical injury. Ruqyah in the sunnah is not restricted to complaints of the soul.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:Some of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) came across a tribe amongst the tribes of the Arabs, and that tribe did not entertain them. While they were in that state, the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion). They said, (to the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) ), "Have you got any medicine with you or anybody who can treat with Ruqya?" The Prophet's companions said, "You refuse to entertain us, so we will not treat (your chief) unless you pay us for it." So they agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them (the Prophet's companions) started reciting Surat-al-Fatiha and gathering his saliva and spitting it (at the snake-bite). The patient got cured and his people presented the sheep to them, but they said, "We will not take it unless we ask the Prophet (whether it is lawful)." When they asked him, he smiled and said, "How do you know that Surat-al-Fatiha is a Ruqya? Take it (flock of sheep) and assign a share for me
Sahih al-Bukhari 5736graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The same episode in the second collection, and it carries one more detail. He asked the man how he had come to know that al-Fatihah could be used that way, which is not a question you put to somebody who does this for a living.
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported that some persons amongst the Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) set out on a journey and they happened to pass by a tribe from the tribes of Arabia. They demanded hospitality from the members of that tribe, but they did not extend any hospitality to them. They said to them:Is there any incantator amongst you, at the chief of the tribe has bgen stung by a scorpion? A person amongst us said: 'Yes. So he came to him and he practised incan- tation with the help of Sura al-Fatiha and the person became all right. He was given a flock of sheep (as recompense), but he refused to accept that, saying: I shall make a mention of it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and if he approves of it. then I shall accept it. So we came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him and he (that person) said: Allah's Messenger by Allah, I did not practice incantation but with the help of Sura al-Fatiha of the Holy Book. He (the Holy Prophet) smiled and said: How did you come to know that it can be used (as incactation)? - and then said: Take out of that and allocate a share for me along with your share
Sahih Muslim 2201graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
Included because leaving it out would look like editing. Ajwa dates in the morning as a protection. A protection is not a treatment, and it is never a reason to stop a medicine.
Narrated Saud:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody takes some `Ajwa dates every morning, he will not be affected by poison or magic on that day till night." (Another narrator said seven dates)
Sahih al-Bukhari 5768graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading