Muslims who will enter Jannah (Paradise) without being called to account – Imam Ibn Baz

Bismillaah

1- Muslims who will enter Jannah without being called to account

Q: Is it true that some Muslims will enter Jannah (Paradise) without being called to account?

A: Yes, it is true, The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said:

(“All the nations were shown to me, and I saw a prophet accompanied by a small group of his followers, another with two or three people of his followers and a third not accompanied by any follower.”

At the end of the Hadith, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

“Among my Ummah there are seventy thousand who would enter Jannah without being brought to account or being punished.”

When the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) asked who these people were, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) replied:

“They are those who do not seek Ruqyah (recitation for healing or protection); they are those who do not get themselves cauterized; and they are those who do not believe in bad omens; rather, they put their trust in their Lord.”

The Hadith implies that the Mu’min (believer), who continues obeying Allah’s commands and avoiding His prohibitions until death, will enter Jannah without being held accountable for their deeds and without suffering punishment.

Falling under this category are the Mu’mins who do not ask others to recite Ruqyah over them. There is nothing wrong, however, if they themselves are accustomed to reciting Ruqyahs over other Muslims. This is because one who recites Ruqyah basically does a good deed by asking Allah (Exalted be He) to cure the illness of the person for whom they recite the Ruqyah. This is based on the authentic Hadith in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (Whosoever among you is able to benefit his fellow believer, let him do so.)

Istirqa‘ means to ask others to recite Ruqyah for you. For example, you may ask a person to recite Rygyah for you. It is better not to ask others for Ruqyah unless one happens to be suffering from an ailment, In this case, it is not wrong to ask others to recite Ruqyah. It has been reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) asked Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saying: (Seek healing through asking for Ruqyah) The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered her to treat herself by means of asking others for Ruqyah, He also ordered Asma’ bint Umays to recite Ruqyah to the children of Jafar when they were under the influence of the evil eye. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is also reported to have said: (There is no Ruqyah (reciting Qur’an and supplicating over the sick seeking healing) better than that which is said as a treatment for an evil eye or (a sting of) a venomous animal.” It is not wrong to seek treatment by means of Istirqa’ when necessary. However, it is better not to resort to such means if it is possible to cure oneself by means of some other kind of medicine.

It is also better not to treat oneself by means of cauterization if another means of treatment is available. This is based on the Hadith in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (The best of all remedies are three; cauterization, drinking honey, and cupping, yet I hate to be cauterized.)

In another version it states: (..and I forbid my Ummah (nation) from cauterization.) This denotes that cauterization should be used as a last resort when all other means prove unsuccessful. It is better to seek treatment by other means if possible. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have cauterized some of his Sahabah. However, cauterization may only be resorted to when necessary. It is, however, better to apply another means of treatment like drinking honey, cupping, or reciting the Qur’an, The Prophet’s (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) statement: (They are those who do not seek Ruqyah; they are those who do not get themselves cauterized…) does not denote that seeking Ruqyah or cauterization are prohibited; rather, it denotes that one may resort to other means of treatment in preference to these kinds. However, if one is forced by necessity to seek Ruqyah or cauterization, there is nothing wrong with that.

“They are these who do not believe in bad omens“: Believing in the occurrence of evil omens, a custom practiced by the pre-Islamic Arabs, constitutes an act of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship).

Among the characteristics of the seventy thousand Muslims who will enter Jannah without being called to account is that they avoid the prohibited practice of believing in bad omens and the reprehensible practice of seeking Ruqyah and cauterization when there is no need for them.

The statement “They put their trust in their Lord,” means that such Muslims avoid these things because they put their trust in Allah (Exalted be He) and seek to attain His Pleasure. The statement implies that they steadfastly obedient to Allah (Exalted be He) and they avoid not only what He has declared as prohibited but also some of what He has declared as permissible if there is something better than it. By doing so, they hope for Allah’s Reward and fear His Punishment. They draw near to Him through doing deeds that He loves and do so with their hearts filled with trust and confidence in Him (Glorified and Exalted be He),

According to another similar Hadith, it was stated: (An extra number of seventy thousand Muslims will enter Jannah with every thousand…) According to another Hadith: (Allah promised to increase the number by as many as three Handfuls added by my Lord, Glorified be He.) This increase in number is known to none but Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He).

To summarize, every upright Mu’min who avoids Allah’s Prohibitions and does not allow themselves to go beyond the limits set by Allah (Exalted be He) will be counted among the seventy thousand Muslims who will enter Jannah without Allah calling them to account or consigning them to punishment.


Q: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said that seventy thousand Muslims will enter Jannah without being called to account and without suffering punishment. When the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) inquired about their characteristics, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) told them that they are those who do not seek Ruqyah, those who do not get themselves cauterized, and those who do not believe in bad omen. We ask Your Eminence to clarify these characteristics so that we may develop them.

A: The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said that seventy thousand people of his Ummah (nation) will enter Jannah without being called to account and without suffering punishment. In another Hadith, it was stated: (An extra number of seventy thousand Muslims will enter Jannah with every thousand.,.)

When the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) was asked about their characteristics, he said: (They are those who do not seek Ruqyah from others, those who do not get themselves cauterized, and those who do not believe in bad omens; rather, they put their trust in their Lord.)

The Hadith refers to pious and faithful Muslims who adhere steadfastly to Allah’s Din (religion), those who worship Allah Alone, those who fulfill their religious duties, those who avoid His Prohibitions and strive hard to do good to the point that they decline to do what is permissible, yet undesirable, like seeking Ruqyah and cauterization. This perfects their Iman (faith). They do not ask others to make Ruqyah for them nor do they get themselves cauterized. It is better not to resort to seeking Ruqyah or cauterization unless under necessity. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered ‘Aishah to treat herself by means of seeking Ruqyah. He also ordered Asma’ bint Umays to treat her children by means of seeking Ruqyah when they were under the influence of the evil eye. This indicates that seeking Ruqyah is permissible only when necessary. However, it is better not to treat oneself by means of Istirqa’ or cauterization if another means of treatment is available, Some of the Sahabah were treated by means of cauterization. Khabbab ibn Al-Arat and other Sahabah were also treated by means of cauterization, The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is also reported to have used cauterization as a means of treating the sickness of some of his Sahabah. Having oneself cauterized does not necessarily mean that one will not be counted among the seventy thousand people who will enter Jannah without being held accountable for their deeds. However, one of their good characteristics includes their uprightness, truly obeying Allah (Exalted be He) and avoiding disobedience to Him.


Q: What is the meaning of the following Hadith: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) once asked his Sahabah: “What are you talking about?” They asked him about those people who will enter Jannah without being called to account. Whereupon the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “They are those who do not seek Ruqyah, those who do not get themselves cauterized, and those who do not believe in bad omens; rather, they put their trust in their Lord.”

A: This has been reported in the Hadith about the seventy thousand Muslims who are destined to enter Jannah without being called to account. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) told his Sahabah that his Ummah were displayed before him. Among them were seventy thousand people who are destined to enter Jannah without being called to account and without suffering punishment, Some people said; “The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) may be referring to those who were born Muslims.” Others said: “He may be referring to those who accompanied the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) during the early days of Islam and did not associate any partners with Allah.” When the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) entered upon them, he asked them about the topic they were discussing, When they told him that they were inquiring about the Muslims who will enter Jannah without being judged, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said; (They are those who do not seek Ruqyah, those who do not get themselves cauterized, and those who do not believe in bad omens; rather, they put their trust in their Lord.)

In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the above Hadith, they also fear Allah, believe in Him and hold steadfastly to His Din (religion).

They are those who do not get themselves cauterized” means that they do not resort to cauterization when they are ill. Another great characteristic is that they put their trust in Allah (Exalted be He), However, it is permissible to treat sickness by means of cauterization or seeking Ruqyah as the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have permitted them both. He permitted “Aishah to treat herself by means of seeking Ruqyah. He also permitted the mother of Ja ‘far’s children to treat them by means of seeking Ruqyah. However, if another means of treatment is available, then it will be better not to resort to seeking Ruqyah or cauterization. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (The best of all remedies are three: cauterization, drinking honey, and cupping, yet I do not like to be cauterized. )

Believing in bad omens is prohibited because it leads to pessimism. There is a narration from Imam Muslim that states: “They do not recite Ruqyah to others,” but its status has been classified as weak. Some narrators have mistaken seeking Ruqyah for Ruqyah. There is nothing wrong if the Muslim recites Ruqyah for his fellow Muslim, The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (There is nothing wrong with Ruqyahs as long as they do not contain formulas that bear the meaning of Shirk.)

The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have recited Ruqyah to his Sahabah, “Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is also reported to have recited Ruqyah over the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) when he fell sick. The Sahabah are also on reported to have recited Ruqyah to each other. There is nothing wrong with reciting Ruqyah.

It is better not to seek Ruqyah unless there is a necessity. This is based on the fact that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered Aishah saying: “You may ask for someone to recite Ruqyah over you.” The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) also said to the mother of the children of Ja ‘far “You may ask for someone to recite Ruqyah over them (her children).” There is nothing wrong to ask someone saying: “O so and so, recite the Qur’an over me so that Allah may cure my sickness. May Allah reward you greatly.” There is also nothing wrong to have oneself cauterized if there is need for that.


Q: Who are the people who will enter Jannah without being held accountable for their deeds? Are they those who do not recite Ruqyah for themselves nor for others? Kindly explain this to us. May Allah reward you with the best.

A: Those who follow Allah’s Din, fulfill His religious duties, and avoid His Prohibitions are destined to enter Jannah without being called to account or suffering punishment. Among them are the seventy thousand who do not seek Ruqyah, have themselves cauterized or believe in bad omens, but put their trust in Allah.

They also do not believe in bad omens because believing in them is prohibited. Moreover, they prefer to avoid cauterization as a form of treatment, This is because the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said that these are among the characteristics of the seventy thousand (who will enter Paradise without being called to account). It would be better to use another form of treatment instead of cauterization. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (The best of all remedies are three: cauterization, cupping, and drinking honey, yet I do not like to be cauterized, ) The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have cauterized some of his Sahabah, Therefore, it is better not to treat oneself by means of cauterization, especially when another means of treatment is available. If no other means is available, then there is nothing wrong to resort to this. That does not necessarily mean that they will not be accounted among the seventy thousand. This is because the seventy thousand are those who adhere to the Din of Allah, avoid His Prohibitions, and fulfill the duties He prescribed. Among their good characteristics is that they do not seek Ruqyah. However, seeking Ruqyah does not necessarily mean that they will not be included among the seventy thousand. Seeking Ruqyah is to ask others to recite Ruqyah for you. There is nothing wrong to ask for Ruqyah if there is need for that. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered ‘Aishah to treat herself by means of seeking Ruqyah, He also ordered the mother of the children of Ja far to treat her children by means of seeking Ruqyah, so there is nothing wrong with that.

There is also nothing wrong to have oneself cauterized if there is a need for that. This is based on the Hadith in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said: (The best of all remedies are three things: cauterization, cupping, and drinking honey.) This Hadith denotes that though it is permissible to seek treatment by means of cauterization, it is preferable not to resort to it, especially when some other sort of medicine is available.


(Part No. 1; Page No. 68-77)


Source: English Translations of Collection of “Noor ala Al-Darb” Programs, Volume 1. By: Sheikh `Abdul `Aziz Bin `Abdullah ibn `AbdulRahman ibn Bazz (May Allah forgive and reward al-Firdouse to him and his parents). He was The Mufti of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, and Chairman of Department of Scholarly Research and Ifta’.

This English Translations are collected from alifta.com , Portal of the General Presidency

Related Links:

Dunya, Death & Hereafter : https://abdurrahman.org/finaljourney/

Treatment with Hijamah (cupping) and Doctors’ Denial of its Effectiveness – alifta

Treatment with Hijamah versus medical denial

Useful note

Treatment with Hijamah (cupping) and doctors’ denial of its effectiveness: Hijamah has great effect on health. It is stated in the Hadith of Isra’ (Night Journey): Whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by a host of angels they would instruct him to command his Ummah (the Muslim nation) to use Hijamah”. There are waste products that remain in the blood from substances circulated and secreted throughout the body. Unless such waste products are gradually cleared little by little, they would cause great harm to people risking their lives. Since the human body continuously produces substances that are surplus to its requirements, Hijamah has been introduced. Yet, doctors see it ineffective, and this is not strange, for they lack great deal of knowledge about many matters.

It is fair to give each person their right, and doctors should be given their due rights relating to their profession. Yet treatment of diseases is beyond comprehension and restriction, and doctors are not experienced in a lot of methods outside their area of specialization. Allah (Exalted be He) says: And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little. (Surah Al-Isra’, 17: 85) Doctors often deny particular matters prescribed by Shari`ah (Islamic law) due to their great ignorance of their effectiveness. This is because many of them are westernized, have studied under western teachers, or they mainly derive their knowledge from western sources of knowledge.

Their denial of many of the matters prescribed by Shari`ah is not, however, based on scientific principles, but rather a blind pursuance of those who deny prophethood and imperceptible matters such as existence of Jinn (creatures created from fire) and the effect of the envious eye. For instance, they diagnose possession by Jinn as nervous disorders.

[Issued by His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al Al-Shaykh, may Allah be merciful to him]

Fatwas on Medical Issues and the Sick>Rulings related to medicines>Treatment with Hijamah versus medical denial

Posted from: http://www.alifta.net

Related Link:

A Collection of Points Regarding Hijaama (Cupping) – Compiled and Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

A- Benefits related to Hijaama (Cupping)

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah (d.728) -Rahimullaah- after speaking about the Neeyah (intention) and purpose, says that they are from the actions of the heart and it is a must to follow the Messenger sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam with regard to intention and purpose:

‘From this issue is that when the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam had Hijaama performed upon him and ordered others to have Hijaama performed upon them, he said in an authentic hadeeth:

‘Cure/treatment for my Ummah is in the incision made by the one who performs Hijaama , by drinking honey or cauterization but I do not like to be cauterized.’

It was well-known that the purpose of Hijaama was to extract blood which is harmful to the body.

Hijaama is mentioned because in hot countries blood rises to the surface of the body and so Hijaama removes that blood.  This is why Hijaama is performed in the Hijaaz (the western provinces of Saudi Arabia) and in other similar hot countries because the intended aim of extracting blood is achieved with the Hijaama.

As for cold countries, the blood seeps into the veins and so the vein needs to be cut by performing venesection (opening/dissecting a vein for bloodletting).

This matter is well known from experience and from observation.

In cold periods, internally, the body warms up and, externally, it cools down.  So, as similar things attract each other, a cold wind cools down what it meets from bodies and the earth so that the heat which is present escapes from the cold which opposes it, moving to the inside and heating up the inside of the earth.  Similarly, heat escapes the cold and moves to the inner core of animals (’ internal systems) , so animals therefore seek shelter in warmer places.

In winter and in cold countries, due to the heat in his body, a person eats more than the one who eats in the summer or in hot countries because body heat helps to digest and utilize food.  Also, underground spring water in winter is warmed due to the warmth of the inside of the earth.

In such cases, warm blood is found inside veins and not at the surface of the skin and so in cold weather a  person such as this, having Hijaama performed on them will not benefit from it, in fact, they could be harmed by it.

In the summer and in hot countries, the surface warms up and the core cools down.  Therefore, food is not digested in this condition in the way it is digested in the winter.  Also spring water is colder due to the core of the earth being colder, causing animals to go out to the desert and open lands due to the heat of the wind.  So, for people such as these (in warm climates), venesection may not benefit them, rather it could even harm them, and so Hijaama is more beneficial for them.’

[Taken from Majmoo’ Fatawa V.17/486 ]

B- The Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam recommended Hijaama

1- From Sumurah bin Jundub who said: I was seated near the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam when he sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam called for a person to perform Hijaama.  He attached a horn [1] to the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam and then made an incision with a blade.

A bedouin from Bani Fazaza came in and said: O Messenger of Allaah what is this person doing cutting your skin?

The Messenger sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam answered: ‘This is Hijaama.’

He asked: what is Hijaama?

The Messenger sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam said:

It is the best medicine with which people seek cure.’

[Collected by Nisa’ee and Hakim and it was authenticated by Shaykh Albaani in Silsilah as-Saheehah see v.3  h.1176]

2- From Ibn Abbas, in a narration ascribed to the Prophet:

‘The best days on which to have Hijaama performed are 17th, 19th and 21st. I did not pass a gathering of Angels on the night I was taken on the night journey except that they said: You should haveHijaama, O Muhammad.’

[Collected by Tirmidhee, al-Hakim, Ahmad and it was declared Hasan by Shaykh Albaani in Silsilah as-Saheehah No. 1847]

3- Days on which it is recommended to have Hijaama performed:

17th, 19th and 21st of every Islaamic month, according to the Hijiri calendar.

From Abu Huraira who said: The Messenger of Allaah said:

‘Whoever has Hijaama on the 17th, 19th and 21st then it is a cure for every illness.’

[Collected by Abu Daawood and Bayhaaqi and Tabraani see: Silsilah Saheehah No. 908 and Silsilah Daeefah’ No.1863 -1864]

4- Days on which Hijaama is not recommended and which should be avoided:

From Nafi’ who said: Ibn Umar said O Nafi’ I have blood pressure so find me a person who performs Hijaama and, if you can, make sure he is a gentle person.  Do not appoint an old man, nor a young child since I heard the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam saying:

‘It is better to have Hijaama done while on an empty stomach.  Hijaama has a cure and blessings in it and it increases memory and intelligence.

So have the Hijaama performed with the blessings of Allaah on Thursday and keep away from Hijaama on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, to be cautious.  Perform Hijaama on Monday and Tuesday since it is the day Allaah pardoned Ayoob sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam from his trial while Allaah imposed the trial on him on a Wednesday.  Neither a skin discolouration disease nor leprosy appear except by performing Hijaama on a Wednesday daytime or a Tuesday night.’

[Collected by Ibn Majah, Ibn Adee in ‘al-Kamil’ and Khateeb in ‘al-Faqeeh wa al-Muttafaqih’ and Shaykh Albaani graded it Hasan. See Silsilah Saheehah No.766]

C – Clarifications

A brief summary of the clarifications about Hijaama taken from ‘Iblaagh al-fahhaamah bi Fawaaid al-Hajjamaa’ by Abu Abdul Bari AbdulHameed bin Ahmad al-Arabi

  • 1- It is better not to have Hijaama after having a bath, except for the one whose blood is thick then he should take a bath relax for an hour then have Hijaama performed.
  • 2- It is obligatory that the utensils for Hijaama are clean and sterile so that contagious diseases do not transfer, by Allaah’s permission, from one person to another.
  • 3- It is better not to have the Hijaama performed 2 or 3 hours prior to Zawwal 
    (when the sun is at its highest point), except for the one who is in dire need of it, then for that person it is good for him at any time.
  • 4- You should not have Hijaama done on the top of the head except by a person who is very skilled at it, since it is a very sensitive area.
  • 5- Older people should not have Hijaama performed on them often except for the one who has a need.
  • 6- Doctors dislike Hijaama to be performed on a person who has a full stomach, so Hijaama on an empty stomach is better and more beneficial.

All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance.

[1] In the olden days, a horn used to be attached to suck out the blood, nowadays a plastic suction instrument is used.

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