Historical Use of Ruqyah in the Time of the Prophet ﷺ

Historical Use of Ruqyah in the Time of the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lived in a environment where jinn, evil eye, and magic were acknowledged realities. His practice of ruqyah provides the authentic Islamic model for spiritual healing today.

📜 Prophet’s Practice: The Authentic Model

Unlike later scholars who wrote fiqh rulings based on texts, the Prophet ﷺ lived in direct contact with the realities of spiritual affliction. His practice, approved by revelation, is the primary source for all Islamic ruqyah.

🌙 The Mu’awwidhat — Prophet’s Personal Ruqyah

Hadith: “When the Prophet became ill, he used to recite the Mu’awwidhat (Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Naas) and blow over himself.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Significance:

• This was the Prophet’s personal ruqyah practice when sick
• He used it on himself, his family, and his companions
• It establishes that self-ruqyah is confirmed (muthabbath)
• The two surahs seek refuge with Allah from evil of creation

🤲 Ruqyah with Ayat-ul-Kursi

Hadith: “Whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursi immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be no barrier between him and his entering Paradise except death.” (Tirmidhi — hasan)

Additional evidence:

• Ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursi in the morning, it will protect him until the evening; and whoever recites it in the evening, it will protect him until the morning.” (Tirmidhi)
• This became a staple of Muslim daily protection ritual

🍃 Ruqyah with Surah Al-Fatiha

Evidence: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin (Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds) is the Seven Oft-Repeated and the Grand Quran which I have been given” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). Surah Al-Fatiha was the surah the Prophet ﷺ recited most in prayer, and it was used for healing.

Companions’ practice: When a tribal chief was stung by a scorpion, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri recited Al-Fatiha over him as ruqyah and he recovered; the Prophet approved and asked: “How did you know it is a ruqyah?” (Sahih Bukhari).

👥 Companions Using Ruqyah & Taweez

• Ibn Abbas: Reported the Prophet ﷺ taught him the Mu’awwidhat for protection
• Uthman ibn Abi al-As: When he complained of bodily pain, the Prophet told him: “Place your hand where you feel pain and say Bismillah three times, then seven times: A’udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhir (I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear)” (Sahih Muslim)
• Auf ibn Malik: When asked about the ruqyah used before Islam, the Prophet said: “Present your ruqyah to me — there is no harm in ruqyah as long as it does not involve shirk” (Sahih Muslim)

Key point: The companions differed on some fiqh details, but they universally accepted ruqyah based on Qur’an and authentic Sunnah — never as “magic.”

⚖️ What the Prophet ﷺ Permitted vs Prohibited

⚖️ Scholarly Consensus Through the Ages

• Companions: Accepted ruqyah; some used taweez with Qur’an
• Tabi’in (Followers): Ibn Abbas, Ata ibn Abi Rabah permitted Qur’anic taweez
• Imam Abu Hanifah: Permitted taweez with Qur’an, discouraged non-Qur’anic
• Imam Malik: Permitted ruqyah; cautious with taweez
• Imam Shafi’i: Permitted ruqyah; some permitted Qur’anic taweez
• Imam Ahmad: Permitted ruqyah; “no harm in ruqyah and taweez as long as no shirk”
• Ibn Taymiyyah: Permitted Qur’anic ruqyah; condemned non-Qur’anic taweez/shirk
• Imam Nawawi: Permitted ruqyah with conditions (Qur’an, authentic hadith, no shirk)

📜 Key Hadith Collection

1. “Recite Surah Al-Baqarah in your houses, for the Shaytan does not enter a house in which it is recited.” — Sahih Muslim
2. “There is nothing wrong with incantations as long as they do not involve shirk.” — Sahih Muslim
3. “When the Prophet became ill, he used to recite the Mu’awwidhat and blow over himself.” — Sahih Bukhari
4. “Whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursi in the morning, it will protect him until the evening.” — Tirmidhi (hasan)
5. “A’oodhu bikalimaatillahit-taammati min sharri ma khalaq” — Sahih Muslim (refuge in perfect words of Allah)

🔎

Note: Ruqyah is spiritual care and complements medicine — do not stop medical treatment, and seek qualified professional care for persistent or severe symptoms.

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