What is ruqyah, and how do I do it according to the Sunnah?

The evidence

1. 1

   Hadith Sahih Muslim 2200

   Sahih Muslim

   There is no harm in ruqyah that contains no shirk.

   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

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ، قَالَ كُنَّا نَرْقِي فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اعْرِضُوا عَلَىَّ رُقَاكُمْ لاَ بَأْسَ بِالرُّقَى مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ شِرْكٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

2. 2

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5736

   Sahih Bukhari

   Al-Fatiha recited as ruqyah over a stung chief; the Prophet ﷺ approved.

   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

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَوْا عَلَى حَىٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ فَلَمْ يَقْرُوهُمْ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ لُدِغَ سَيِّدُ أُولَئِكَ فَقَالُوا هَلْ مَعَكُمْ مِنْ دَوَاءٍ أَوْ رَاقٍ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَقْرُونَا، وَلاَ نَفْعَلُ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لَنَا جُعْلاً‏.‏ فَجَعَلُوا لَهُمْ قَطِيعًا مِنَ الشَّاءِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ، وَيَجْمَعُ بُزَاقَهُ، وَيَتْفِلُ، فَبَرَأَ، فَأَتَوْا بِالشَّاءِ، فَقَالُوا لاَ نَأْخُذُهُ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلُوهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ ‏ "‏ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ، خُذُوهَا، وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

3. 3

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5016

   Sahih Bukhari

   The Prophet ﷺ recited the mu'awwidhat and blew over himself when ill.

   Narrated `Aisha:Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became sick, he would recite Mu'awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An- Nas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I used to recite (these two Suras) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا اشْتَكَى يَقْرَأُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بِالْمُعَوِّذَاتِ وَيَنْفُثُ، فَلَمَّا اشْتَدَّ وَجَعُهُ كُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَمْسَحُ بِيَدِهِ رَجَاءَ بَرَكَتِهَا‏.‏

4. 4

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5743

   Sahih Bukhari

   The Prophet's healing dua with his right hand on the place of pain.

   Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to treat some of his wives by passing his right hand over the place of ailment and used to say, "O Allah, the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble and heal the patient, for You are the Healer. No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that will leave behind no ailment

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُعَوِّذُ بَعْضَ أَهْلِهِ، يَمْسَحُ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَيَقُولُ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ حَدَّثْتُ بِهِ مَنْصُورًا فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ نَحْوَهُ‏.‏

5. 5

   Hadith Sahih Muslim 2202

   Sahih Muslim

   Hand on the pain, Bismillah three times and a dua of refuge seven times.

   Uthman b. Abu al-'As Al-Thaqafi reported that he made a complaint of pain to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that he felt in his body at the time he had become Muslim. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say Bismillah (in the name of Allah) three times and seven times A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru (I seek refuge with Allah and with His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear)

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعُ بْنُ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ مُطْعِمٍ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ الثَّقَفِيِّ، أَنَّهُ شَكَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَجَعًا يَجِدُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ ضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي تَأَلَّمَ مِنْ جَسَدِكَ وَقُلْ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ ثَلاَثًا ‏.‏ وَقُلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

6. 6

   Quran Al-Israa · 17:82

   The Quran contains healing and mercy for the believers.

   وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءࣱ وَرَحۡمَةࣱ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارࣰ ا ۝٨٢

   And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss

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7. 7

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5705

   Sahih Bukhari

   The seventy thousand who enter Paradise without reckoning do not seek ruqyah and trust their Lord.

   Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Nations were displayed before me; one or two prophets would pass by along with a few followers. A prophet would pass by accompanied by nobody. Then a big crowd of people passed in front of me and I asked, Who are they Are they my followers?" It was said, 'No. It is Moses and his followers It was said to me, 'Look at the horizon.'' Behold! There was a multitude of people filling the horizon. Then it was said to me, 'Look there and there about the stretching sky! Behold! There was a multitude filling the horizon,' It was said to me, 'This is your nation out of whom seventy thousand shall enter Paradise without reckoning.' "Then the Prophet (ﷺ) entered his house without telling his companions who they (the 70,000) were. So the people started talking about the issue and said, "It is we who have believed in Allah and followed His Apostle; therefore those people are either ourselves or our children who are born m the Islamic era, for we were born in the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance.'' When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard of that, he came out and said. "Those people are those who do not treat themselves with Ruqya, nor do they believe in bad or good omen (from birds etc.) nor do they get themselves branded (Cauterized). but they put their trust (only) in their Lord " On that 'Ukasha bin Muhsin said. "Am I one of them, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes." Then another person got up and said, "Am I one of them?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Ukasha has anticipated you

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُصَيْنٌ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ لاَ رُقْيَةَ إِلاَّ مِنْ عَيْنٍ أَوْ حُمَةٍ‏.‏ فَذَكَرْتُهُ لِسَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ فَقَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ عُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ الأُمَمُ، فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ وَالنَّبِيَّانِ يَمُرُّونَ مَعَهُمُ الرَّهْطُ، وَالنَّبِيُّ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى رُفِعَ لِي سَوَادٌ عَظِيمٌ، قُلْتُ مَا هَذَا أُمَّتِي هَذِهِ قِيلَ هَذَا مُوسَى وَقَوْمُهُ‏.‏ قِيلَ انْظُرْ إِلَى الأُفُقِ‏.‏ فَإِذَا سَوَادٌ يَمْلأُ الأُفُقَ، ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِي انْظُرْ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا فِي آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا سَوَادٌ قَدْ مَلأَ الأُفُقَ قِيلَ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكَ وَيَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ وَلَمْ يُبَيِّنْ لَهُمْ فَأَفَاضَ الْقَوْمُ وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ الَّذِينَ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ، وَاتَّبَعْنَا رَسُولَهُ، فَنَحْنُ هُمْ أَوْ أَوْلاَدُنَا الَّذِينَ وُلِدُوا فِي الإِسْلاَمِ فَإِنَّا وُلِدْنَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ‏.‏ فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَخَرَجَ فَقَالَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَسْتَرْقُونَ، وَلاَ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَلاَ يَكْتَوُونَ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُكَّاشَةُ بْنُ مِحْصَنٍ أَمِنْهُمْ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَامَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ أَمِنْهُمْ أَنَا قَالَ ‏"‏ سَبَقَكَ عُكَّاشَةُ ‏"‏‏.‏

8. 8

   Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5678

   Sahih Bukhari

   Allah has not created a disease without creating its treatment.

   Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment

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   العربية

   حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ دَاءً إِلاَّ أَنْزَلَ لَهُ شِفَاءً ‏"‏‏.‏