The use of Ruqyah
The use of Ruqyah (which contains the ayat from The Holy Qur'an) is similar to a use of certain remedy. By taking some remedy, as an asset which is going to help one to get better, ill person places his/her hopes in God's Mercy and Benefit. The effect of that remedy, hence recovery, can be placed into connection with the effect of God's Mercy.
There is more than one evidence which clarifies this fact, here are some of them:
- The Noble Qur'an has two well known surahs (chapters), Al-Falaq and An-Nas, also known as Al-Muawidhatan (the two wardens, the two protections). These two surahs were revealed when a bad spell was thrown on our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ص).
-Narrated from `Aisha (Allah be well pleased with her): 'Whenever Allah's Messenger (ص) was ill, he used to recite Al-Muawidhatan (i.e. surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas) in his hands, and than he passed his hands over himself. Last time he (ص) was ill I recited those two surahs and done as he (ص) used to do.
- Narrated from Abu Sa`id (Allah be well pleased with him): 'Few Apostol's (ص) companions went to a voyage and they have met a beduin tribe. They wanted tribe to treat them as guests, but the tribe refused. Soon the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake (or a scorpio) and his friends tried to help him, but in vain. Some of them said: 'Let's go to that group of people we didn't want to treat as our guests, maybe they have some cure.' They went to Apostol's (ص) companions and said: 'Our chief was bitten by a snake (or ascorpio) and we have tried everything, but in vain. Do you have anything (some remedy)?'. One of Apostol's (ص) companions said: 'Yes, by Allah, yes. I can recite ruqyah, but you have refused to host us. I am not going to recite this ruqyah unless you don't give us some wages for it.' They agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of Apostol's (ص) companions went to tribe chief and recited surah Al-Fatiha, puffed over the chief who became all right as if he was released from a chains, feeling excellent. The tribe paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. Apostol's (ص) companions) suggested to divide the wages among each other, but the one that recited the ruqyah said: 'Do not divide until we go to the Prophet (ص) and narrate the whole story to him (ص).' When they came back and narrated their story to the Prophet (ص), he (i.e. the Prophet (ص)) said: 'How did you come to know that surah Al-Fatiha can be recited as Rukyah?'. Then he (ص) added: 'You have done the right thing. Divide (what you have earned) and assign a share for me as well'. Thereupon he (ص) smiled. (Saheeh Bukhari)
Another version of the same event is listed below:
- Few Apostol's (ص) companions came by a group of people, near some water. One of those people came to them and said: 'Does anyone among you knows how to recite ruqyah? There is a man near water, and he is stung by a scorpio.' One among the Prophet's (ص) companions went to the ill man and recited him surah Al-Fatiha, asking for a sheep as his wage. The stung man got cured and the man hwo recited ruqyah brought the sheep to his companions who disliked that and said: 'You have taken compensation for reciting Allah's Book!'. When they came back to Madinah, they said: 'O Allah's Apostle (ص). This person has taken wages for reciting Allah's Book.' On that Allah's Messenger (ص) said: 'You are most entitled to take wages for doing a ruqyah with Allah's Book.'(Sahih Bukhari)