The Prophetic Medicine — Part 3: Spiritual Healing (Ruqyah, Dua, and Hijamah)

Ibn al-Qayyim devotes this third installment of Prophetic Medicine to the spiritual dimension of healing — the treatments that work upon the soul, the heart, and through the direct intervention of Allah's power. This is perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Prophetic Medicine, setting it entirely apart from secular medical frameworks: the recognition that diseases of the heart and afflictions of the unseen realm (such as the evil eye and sihr) are real and require spiritual remedies.

Ruqyah — the recitation of Quranic verses and prophetic supplications over the ill — is among the most established forms of prophetic healing. The Prophet ﷺ himself performed ruqyah and permitted it, saying: 'There is no harm in ruqyah as long as it does not involve shirk.' He recited Surah al-Fatiha, the Mu'awwidhatain (Surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas), and Ayat al-Kursi over the sick. He would blow lightly after reciting, a practice his companions learned and performed.

The most famous instance of ruqyah in the Sunnah is the story of the companion who recited al-Fatiha over the leader of a tribe who had been bitten by a scorpion, and the man recovered completely. The Prophet ﷺ confirmed the validity of this ruqyah and permitted them to take payment for it, saying: 'The most deserving thing for which you receive payment is the Book of Allah.' This establishes that legitimate ruqyah — based entirely on Quranic recitation and prophetic supplications — is a valid medical practice.

The evil eye (al-ayn) is confirmed in the Quran and Sunnah as a real cause of illness and misfortune. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The evil eye is real (haqq), and if anything were to precede the Divine Decree it would be the evil eye.' He prescribed ruqyah as the treatment for the evil eye, and in cases where the source of the evil eye was known, he instructed the person who had cast it to perform ghusl (full ritual bath) and the water to be poured over the afflicted person.

Regarding sihr (magic and sorcery), the Prophet ﷺ himself was afflicted by it on one occasion, as established in Sahih al-Bukhari — the Jewish man Labid ibn al-A'sam made magic against him. The cure came through revelation (Jibril descended and told him where it was hidden) and through the recitation of the Mu'awwidhatain. Ibn al-Qayyim is careful to distinguish between legitimate treatment of sihr through Quranic recitation and du'a, and the forbidden practice of countering magic with magic.

Hijamah (cupping) receives dedicated attention here both as a physical and spiritual treatment. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The best of what you can use for treatment is hijamah,' and recommended it in at least fifteen different hadiths. Modern research has explored its mechanism, noting that it draws toxins to the skin surface and may stimulate the immune response. Ibn al-Qayyim explains that it is most beneficial in hot seasons and hot climates for conditions involving excess heat and blood congestion.

The chapter concludes with Ibn al-Qayyim's framework for understanding how spiritual and physical medicine relate: the heart is the king of the body, and when the heart is healthy through faith, remembrance, and proximity to Allah, the body is more resilient to disease. Conversely, spiritual weakness — sin, heedlessness, distance from Allah — weakens the body's resistance. The most comprehensive form of health is thus the combination of prophetic physical medicine with sincere worship and reliance on Allah.