88.

٨٨. عَنْ عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

«عَلَيْكُمْ بِالشِّفَاءَيْنِ: اَلْعَسَلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ».

88. Abdullah b. Mas’ud (r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“I recommend you the following two means of cure: Honey and the Qur’an.” (Ibn Majah, Tibb, 7)

Explanations:

Allah the Almighty has given the cure for every affliction that He has created.^[1] In order to find them, one has to search for the cures of the illnesses.

When people asked to the Messenger of Allah:

“O Messenger of Allah! Should we make use of medical treatment?” He responded:

“Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age.” (Abu Dawud, Tibb, 1/3855; Ibn Majah, Tibb, 1)

However, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) required a treatment to be done by using permissible materials and said:

“Allah has sent down both the disease and the cure, and He has appointed a cure for every disease, so treat yourselves medically, but use nothing unlawful.” (Abu Dawud, Tibb, 11/3874)

He said to people who said that they are being treated with wine:

“It is not a cure but a trouble” and forbid it. (Tirmidhi, Tibb, 8/2046)

Allah the Almighty, the owner and controller of everything, has related every event to a cause. That is because Allah made this universe alam al-asbab or the universe of causes. Therefore, He left the treatment of the illnesses to certain medicines. As a matter of fact, studying illnesses is the topic of the science of medicine. However, the necessity and the benefit of praying to Allah should never be denied as well. Since everything is in Allah’s control, as in everything else, praying to Him for the cure of an illness is extremely important. Many supplications that the Messenger of Allah recited for the sick have been reported. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) not only recited some verses and chapters from the Qur’an in addition to other kinds of supplications but he also approved people who did the same.

Since our first hadith informs us that the Qur’an is the best cure, believers should never abandon supplicating for getting well and reciting the Qur’an along with taking the medications. As a matter of fact, the food and vitamins cannot go beyond being a creature of Allah as a mean for the treatment of illnesses. In reality, Allah is the one who provides the cure. Therefore, while one tries all the means of treatment on the one hand, on the other hand he should sincerely pray to Allah for a cure and recite Qur’an.^[2]

The Noble Qur’an is a source of guidance and cure. It is the most important cure for the hearts, bodies, and spirits. It combines the worldly science of medicine and the divine medicine, the medicine for the body and the medicine for the soul, and the cure that belongs to this world and the cure of the spiritual world. However, the treatment of the Qur’an is more applicable to spiritual illnesses. With this in mind, the features of the Qur’an treating many carnal illnesses for which the science of medicine cannot find any cure, despite all kinds of research, are being observed by the qualified people all along. (Razi, XXI, 29; Elmalılı, V, 3195, [Al-Isra 17/82 explanation])

It is not right to think that the Qur’an revealed by Allah, the Lord of all the Universes, would not offer treatment for the illnesses, while it is accepted that even some human words can positively affect the course of illnesses. When looked objectively, it can be seen that when recited with full faith in its benefits and blessings, the Qur’an can heal many illnesses.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) never abandoned the recitation of the Qur’an for illnesses and troubles. Aisha (r.anha) said:

“Whenever Allah’s Apostle went to bed, he would recite Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq and Surat al-Nas and then blow on his palms and pass them over his face and those parts of his body that his hands could reach. And when he fell ill, he used to order me to do like that for him.” (Bukhari, Tibb, 39)

Aisha (r.anha) also said:

“During the Prophet’s terminal illness, he used to recite the Mu’auwidhat (Surat al-Nas and Surat al-Falaq) and then blow his breath over his body. When his illness was aggravated, I used to recite those two Chapters and blow my breath over him and make him rub his face with his own hand for its blessings.” (Bukhari, Tibb, 32)

A man saw a scar on the knee of the Companion Salama b. Aqwa and asked:

“What is this?”

Salama (r.a.) told him his story:

“This scar was afflicted on the Day of Khaibar. Upon that, the people around me screamed saying:

“Salama got hit!” Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came near me and blew on me three times. Finally, one hour later I was completely cured.” (Abu Dawud, Tibb, 19/3894)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to recite supplications for the treatment of evil eye. As a matter of fact, when the Prophet (pbuh) saw in the house of Ummu Salama a girl whose face turned yellow, he said:

“She is under the effect of an evil eye; so treat her with a Ruqya (protective and healing supplications.)” (Bukhari, Tibb, 35)

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported.

We were at a military expedition that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had sent us. We landed at a place where a maid came to us and said:

“A poisonous snake has bitten the chief of our tribe. The soldiers that can treat him are not with us right now. Is there any incantator (someone who recites Ruqya which means reciting protective and healing supplications) amongst you?”

A person amongst us which we had no idea that he had been a good incantator stood up and went with her. But he practiced incantation and the chief was all right. They gave our friend thirty sheep, and he served us their milk. We said to him:

“Are you a good incantatory?” Thereupon he said:

“No, I only did it by reciting the chapter al-Fatiha.”

We said to him [to make sure it is his right]:

“Do not benefit from these sheep until we ask Allah’s Messenger about this!”

When we came to Medina and told Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) of what happened, he said:

“How did you come to know that this (al-Fatiha) could be used as an incantation? So distribute them (amongst those who had been present there with him) and allocate a share of mine also!”^[3] (Muslim, Salam, 66, 65; Bukhari, Fadail al-Qur’an, 9; Ijara, 16; Tibb, 33, 39)

In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“There is a cure in al-Fatiha for every illness.” (Darimi, Fadail al-Qur’an, 12)

Ilaqah b. Sahar came to the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) and embraced Islam. He then returned and on his way stopped by some people who had a lunatic fettered in chains. His people said:

“We are told that your companion (i.e. the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)) has brought some good from Allah. Do you have anything with which you can cure him?

Ilaqah (r.a.) continued his words as:

I then recited al-Fatiha and he was cured. They gave me one hundred sheep. I then came to the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) and informed him of it and asked whether it is permissible for me to take the sheep. He asked:

“Did you say anything other than this (Qur’an)?”

I said:

“No, I have not.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“Take it, for by my life, some accept if for a worthless chain, but you have done so for a genuine one!” (Abu Dawud, Tibb, 19/3896; Buyu, 37/3420; Ahmad, V, 211)

The reason why the Messenger of Allah asked his companion whether or not he has recited something else was to see if some traditions of pre-Islamic Ignorance era are mixed with it. When he saw that this was not the case, he told the man that the reward was permissible (halal).

Jabir (r.a.) narrated as follows:

A scorpion stung one of us while we were sitting with Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and a person said:

“O Allah’s Messenger, should I use incantation (for curing the effect of the sting)?

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“He who is competent amongst you to benefit his brother should do so!” (Muslim, Salam, 61, 62, 63; Ahmad, III, 302, 304)

Treating with praying and supplications (Ruqya) was a known method of curing in the pre-Islamic Ignorance era as well. However, among the recited words, there were expressions of polytheism. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had first forbidden to perform Ruqya, but later said: “Bring your Ruqya to me!” and he gave permission to recite their Ruqya after cleaning up the parts that are not permissible.

The scholars agreed that a Ruqya would be permissible under the following three conditions:

1. It should be done by reciting the words of Allah, His names or attributes;
2. It should be done in Arabic or some other language that is clearly understood;
3. One must believe that the Ruqya is not the cure by itself but it cures only if Allah the Almighty wishes so. (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, X, 206)

In other words, Ruqya is permissible only when it is composed of verses of the Qur’an and sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) in which the names and attributes of Allah are mentioned, and when it is recited in an understandable language. A Ruqya performed by saying unclear words, meaningless sounds, and unknown names is forbidden (haram). Also performing Ruqya by using iron and salt or by knotting a rope is forbidden. A Ruqya performed by praying, seeking refuge, or asking help from something other than Allah is committing polytheism.

The hadith that reports “those who do not perform Ruqya or do not let Ruqya be done to himself will enter into Paradise without questioning”^[4] refers to the forbidden (haram) kind of Ruqya that is done in pre-Islamic era which contains polytheism.

The most practiced method in treating with Qur’an is reciting the verses that are about healing. Qushayri narrates that his son got sick. His condition got so bad that they lost hopes from his life. Imam Qushayri saw the Messenger of Allah in his dream. He explained the condition of his son to him. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) reminded him the verses of the Qur’an about healing and advised him to recite them. When Qushayri followed the Prophet’s advice, soon his son got well. (See Alusi, XV, 145, [Commentary on al-Isra 17/82])

The verses of Qur’an about healing are as follows:

وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِن۪ينَ

“…help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers.” (Al-Tawbah; 9:14)

وَشِفَاۤءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ

“… a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts…”  (Yunus; 10:57)

يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ اَلْوَانُهُ ف۪يهِ شِفَاۤءٌ لِلنَّاسِ

 “…there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men.”  (Al-Nahl; 16:69)

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْاٰنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاۤءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِن۪ينَ

“We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe.” (Al-Isra; 17:82)

وَاِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْف۪ينِ

 “And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me.” (Al-Shu’ara; 26:80)

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذينَ اٰمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاۤءٌ

“… Say: “It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe…” (Al-Fussilat; 41:44)

In seeking cure with the recitation of the Qur’an, it is very important for the heart to be sincere. In order for this method to work, one must act faithfully and sincerely and only for the sake of Allah and must always be acting upon the Qur’an. If the acts of the person do not conflict with his words and with the verses and supplications that he recites, the treatment occurs quicker.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyye explains how Qur’an cures for both physical and spiritual illnesses as follows:

Qur’an is a complete cure for the illnesses of the heart and body which are either related to this world or to the Hereafter. However, not everybody is capable of receiving treatment with it. If a sick person receives a good treatment with the Qur’an, and he puts it in front of his illness with a strong faith, complete trust and righteousness, and by paying attention to its requirements, then the illness cannot resist it. How can illnesses resist to the word of Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth?  If the words of Allah descended onto mountains, they would be disarrayed and if it descended onto the earth, the earth would be destroyed. ^[5] There is no spiritual and physical illness that its remedy and its prevention cannot be found in the Qur’an!  However, only those who are blessed with a special understanding of the Qur’an can benefit from them. ^[6]

In the second hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) advised the use of honey next to Qur’an as a treatment.

Allah informs us that there are many cures in honey produced by bees in various colors. (Al-Nahl; 16:69)

For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who liked sweet things and honey^[7] said in a hadith:

Healing is in three things:

1. 1.                 A gulp of honey,
2. 2.                 Bloodletting, ^[8]
3. 3.                 Branding with fire (cauterizing). But I forbid my followers to use (cauterization) branding with fire unless it is necessary. (Bukhari, Tibb, 3)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) advised his Companions to drink honey syrup when they got ill. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and told him that his brother’s bowels were loose. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:

“Give him honey.” So he gave him that and then came and said:

“I gave him honey but it has only made his bowels more loose.”

He said these three times; and then he came the fourth time, and he (the Holy Prophet) said:

“Give him honey.” The man said:

“I did give him, but it has only made his bowels more loose,” whereupon Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said:

“Allah has spoken the truth and your brother’s bowels are in the wrong.” So he made him drink (honey syrup) and he was recovered. (Bukhari, Tibb, 4; Muslim, Salam, 91)

With his last words, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) expressed that the Qur’anic verse^[9] stating there are cures in honey for humans is true and every Muslim should believe in this.^[10]