The Universal Effectiveness of the Qur’ān
The Qur’ān is a cure for every type of illness—whether diseases of the body, soul, or heart. The Qur’ān is a cure for all. The du’ā’ that ‘AbduLlāh ibn Mas’ūd read over the man who had fallen—if a person of īmān, a Muslim, recites this portion of the Qur’ān (Sūrat al-Mu’minūn 23:115-118) while being conscious of what he is reciting and certain that ALlāh will answer his du’ā’, if it is recited against a mountain, it will be pulverized. This shows that no matter the disease, the Qur’ān will cure it.
ALlāh has not sent down any cure so comprehensive and all-inclusive, so effective and potent, so outstanding and excellent, so impactful and influential regarding the removal of illnesses as the Qur’ān. There is no illness that the Qur’ān doesn’t remove.
The Detailed Account of the Scorpion Sting Incident
The companions on a journey asked to be allowed to lodge overnight, but the people refused to accept them. The head of the community was stung by a scorpion. They tried different means to cure him—everything they knew could heal him—but nothing was beneficial to him. One of them said: “What if we approach that group of Muslims who wanted to stay? Perhaps one of them will have a cure.”
They approached the companions and said: “Our leader was stung by a scorpion, and we have struggled with everything we can find. Nothing is effective. Does anyone of you have something we can employ?” One of the companions—they say it was Abu Sa’īd al-Khudrī—said: “Wallāhi, I can recite something on him and he will be cured, but we asked for your help and you rejected our reception. So I will not give a recitation that will be a means of cure until you prepare compensation for us. I’ll read something and you’ll be cured by ALlāh’s power.”
They entered into an agreement over a number of goats (or sheep). He was blowing on the man the way we blow spittle, reciting al-Fātihah. It was as if the man was released from a tie. He wasn’t feeling any pain—the man stood up and walked.
One of the first benefits: We all must learn to recite Sūrat al-Fātihah properly. Not knowing it is a disease, and its cure is learning it. Learn how to recite the sūrah properly.
After that, some of the companions began to say: “Let’s share these goats now.” But the one who read the du’ā’ said: “We won’t share them until we get back to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). We will explain to him what has happened and see what he commands us to do.” Let us understand this fact about the companions—they always asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). For us, it is usually after we have shared such things that we ask for rulings.
The Prophet’s Approval and Guidance
They returned to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) from their journey. The Prophet said to the companion: “What made you think Sūrat al-Fātihah would be a means of cure?” He said: “It was the thing that came to my mind.” The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “You are correct—Sūrat al-Fātihah is ruqyah. You are also right to have given them a condition. You are also right to have come back to me to ask what to do with what you collected. Distribute the sheep, and when you distribute them, give me a share.” The ‘ulamā’ said the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did that so they could be very sure. The Prophet went on smiling.
The lesson: Sūrat al-Fātihah is a cure, and this also relates to diseases of the body. When stung by a scorpion, as you go to the hospital, recite ruqyah—don’t just be shouting. Recite Sūrat al-Fātihah. The Qur’ān is a means of cure.
The Prophet’s Personal Practice of Ruqyah
Whenever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) fell sick, he would recite al-mu’awwidhāt (المعوذات—the protective sūrahs): al-Ikhlās, al-Falaq, and an-Nās. He would recite them upon himself and blow over his body.
When you recite, at the end, you blow on your hands and rub them on the affected area. Sometimes when we are tired and quick to take paracetamol, sometimes do this ruqyah. As you go to the hospital, recite al-mu’awwidhāt (al-Falaq and an-Nās), recite Sūrat al-Fātihah, and rub it on your body. It wasn’t for the Prophet alone—he would also do it for members of his household. When anyone took ill, he would recite al-mu’awwidhāt (the last two chapters of the Qur’ān).
Ibn ul-Qayyim’s Analysis and Personal Experience
Ibn ul-Qayyim said: “This means of cure has become impactful. The stinging of a scorpion is a bodily disease, yet it (Sūrat al-Fātihah) relieved the sickness as if it never happened.” Among the easiest cures for every ailment is Sūrat al-Fātihah—add it to your medication, start with it. He made us understand that it is potent for all ailments.
“If it were possible for you to perfect using al-Fātihah as a means of cure, you would have seen outstanding potency in Sūrat al-Fātihah as a cure.” Use Sūrat al-Fātihah—it is capable of curing all illnesses. When he took ill, he would recite Sūrat al-Fātihah and blow it on his body.
Sometimes people say, “That was in the time of the Prophet,” so Ibn ul-Qayyim gave us his personal experience:
“I was in Makkah and was faced with different kinds of diseases. I couldn’t find a doctor, neither could I find other means of cure. Then I was seeking cure for myself using Sūrat al-Fātihah, and I was seeing the cure. I found impacts that were so outstanding and excellent. Subsequently, I began to prescribe that to those who complained of problems, to anyone who complained of pain. Many of them were quickly cured of their diseases, and many of them got cures as quickly as they could get them.”
The Three Essential Elements for Effective Ruqyah
Ibn al-Qayyim raised an issue that deserves proper attention: Sūrat al-Fātihah is a cure and it cures all kinds of diseases—whether of the body, heart, or soul. Likewise, every part of the Qur’ān is a cure. I used to say it—even Sūrat al-Masad is a means of cure.
The matter we need to pay attention to is this: those adhkār and verses of the Qur’ān with which we find cure, with which we make ruqyah—intrinsically, they are beneficial and curing. However, it remains that the place we are putting it should be receptive. Where you want to place that medicine—how receptive is the body?
The du’ā’ and adhkār require that we have attention. Three elements determine effectiveness:
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The person reading it: What is his conviction? How attentive is he? The strength of the mind of the person reciting—like asking what is the experience of the doctor treating the person.
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Where we are placing the medicine: The reception of the person receiving the cure.
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How impactful is the person reciting: The person giving the cure.
The interplay of these three issues—the cure, the person receiving the cure, and the person giving the cure—will be explained next week, inshāAllāh.
We have the cure now: Āyat al-Kursī, al-Falaq, al-Fātihah… It remains the person receiving the cure and the person giving the cure. The interplay among the three of them will be explained next week, inshāAllāh.
Q&A Session
Question: Can we receive compensation for ruqyah?
Answer: Yes, but if you can benefit the person, benefit the person. When ‘AbduLlāh ibn Mas’ūd did ruqyah for the person who fell, he didn’t collect money. In fact, the best is not to collect, so all your rewards will be from ALlāh.
When ‘Ā’ishah (رضي الله عنها) said that whenever anyone in their household became ill, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would recite Sūrat al-Falaq and an-Nās, he didn’t give a condition. So the basic rule is: don’t give conditions. If you give them, there’s no blame in that. If you say, “If I do this ruqyah, I’ll collect something,” you can give the condition before that and collect it after doing it.
If you don’t accept payment, it’s easier for your brother and clearer in mind for you.
Some use this as evidence to collect money at social gatherings after reciting the Qur’ān. We also do this now—we want to do a wedding, so we ask someone to recite. In our time, it’s starting to take on another meaning. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did it in gatherings of knowledge to remind the people in the gathering. As for collecting compensation, it’s for ruqyah, not reminders.
There is also a hadīth: Mu’āwiyah reported that the Messenger of ALlāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Learn the Qur’ān. When you have learned it, do not exaggerate with it, do not abandon it, do not earn your livelihood from it, and do not accumulate wealth from it.”
May ALlāh preserve Shaykh Abu Nāsir upon goodness. Āmīn.
Credits
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