Legitimate Ruqyah: Quranic Treatment

Ruqyah — the recitation of Quranic verses and authentic supplications as a form of healing — is among the most extensively documented prophetic practices. The Prophet, peace be upon him, performed ruqyah on himself and on others, and he permitted his Companions to perform it, provided it contained no elements of shirk. The canonical hadith collections contain numerous narrations describing specific ruqyah practices, most prominently the use of Surah al-Fatiha, Ayat al-Kursi, the Mu'awwidhatayn (the last two surahs), and Surah al-Baqarah in its entirety.

Wahid Abdussalam Bali provides a systematic and practical guide to legitimate ruqyah, grounding every element in Quranic and hadith evidence. The guiding principle is that ruqyah shara'iyyah (legally valid ruqyah) must be composed entirely of Quranic verses and authentic prophetic supplications, recited in Arabic or with a sound translation, with full belief in Allah's power as the ultimate healer. Any ruqyah that incorporates unintelligible words, invocations of other than Allah, diagrams or symbols, or conditions of ritual impurity is prohibited and falls into the category of sihr or shirk.

The most detailed treatment is of Surah al-Baqarah, which the Prophet described as a protection against Shaytan: 'Do not turn your homes into graveyards; indeed, Shaytan does not enter a house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited' (Muslim). Bali documents the prophetic practice of reciting this surah regularly in the home and over the afflicted person. He also discusses the specific power of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255), the recitation of which in the morning and evening protects the reciter until the following period.

The procedure for treating a patient with ruqyah is described in detail: the practitioner should be in a state of wudu, begin with Surah al-Fatiha, recite the key protective verses while placing the right hand on the patient's chest or head (or blowing lightly on them as the Prophet did), and make sincere dua for the patient's recovery. The patient should also be actively involved — reciting supplications themselves and maintaining their daily prayers and adhkar. Bali emphasizes that the practitioner is only a conduit; the healing power belongs exclusively to Allah.

Bali also addresses the phenomenon of jinn 'speaking' through a possessed patient during ruqyah sessions. Classical scholars have differing positions on how to handle this, but the general guidance is to engage only to the extent of commanding the jinn to leave and to accept Islam if it is willing, and to avoid prolonged negotiations or conversations that can expose the practitioner to manipulation. The ruqyah session should be conducted with the recitation of Quran and not degenerate into a dialogue with the jinn.

The chapter also warns against the exploitation of desperate patients by unscrupulous individuals who claim to perform ruqyah but who in fact practice sihr under an Islamic guise. Legitimate ruqyah requires no payment, no unusual rituals, no writing of mysterious symbols, and no conditions of isolation or physical contact beyond what is necessary. Muslims seeking treatment should be educated about these distinctions to protect themselves from charlatans who profit from their vulnerability.