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Question

Is it permissible to perform Ruqyah by reciting Quran over water or oil and so forth?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

In principle, Ruqyah (healing with the Quran) is lawful because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered us to perform it and he even performed it himself. It was narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to perform Ruqyah for any of his family members who were suffering from an ailment; he would recite the chapters of An-Nas and Al-Falaq, then blow some moist breath onto them. [Muslim in As-Saheeh]

It was also narrated on the authority of ‘Awf ibn Maalik  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that "Ruqyah is lawful as long as it does not involve Shirk (polytheism)". [Muslim in As-Saheeh]

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that Jibreel (Gabriel)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention performed Ruqyah for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: “Bismillaahi arqeek min kulli shay’in yu’theek min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘ayni haasidin Allaahu yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek” (I make Ruqyah for you in the name of Allaah from anything that would harm you and against the evil of any soul or evil eye, may Allaah cure you. I make Ruqyah for you by the name of Allaah.) [Muslim]

These Hadeeths (narrations) prove that it is permissible to make Ruqyah by just blowing or blowing with a moist breath or by just rubbing over the body. Thus, the aim is that Ruqyah would reach the patient and this could be done through one of the three above-mentioned ways. Based on the idea that the aim is that Ruqyah should reach the patient, the righteous predecessors  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them expanded this to include any means that would make Ruqyah reach the patient, as long as the Ruqyah is originally lawful and not accompanied by anything that is considered Shirk or leads to Shirk. Therefore, they used to read Ruqyah over water and the like so that the patient would receive the benefit of that.

Imaam Ahmad  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him used to recite some verses over water then give it to the patient to drink. He used to do that for himself, then drink this water or perform Ghusl (ritual bath) with it.

Contemporary Shaykhs such as Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem Aal Ash-Shaykh, ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-‘Uthaymeen, Saalih Al-Fawzaan and ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez Aal Ash-Shaykh, say that this is lawful.

Shaykh Ibn Jibreen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said that this is lawful as it was proved that the righteous predecessors used to recite Quran over water then drink it or perform Ghusl with it in order to relieve pain. This is because the words of Allaah The Almighty are a cure. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.} [Quran 41:44]

The Quran may also be recited on oil that is used to be rubbed with or bathed in or food to be eaten. All these are lawful means for using the words of Allaah The Almighty and His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Allaah Knows best.

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