Sickness – Page 2 – AbdurRahman.Org

Stories of sorcerers claiming treating the incurable diseases – Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb

by AbdurRahman.orgSeptember 7, 2011November 13, 2017

115- Ruling on those who claim to be mediators between mankind and Jinn for the sake of treating incurable diseases

Q: I heard that there is a woman who deals with Jinn (creatures created from fire). She was told by Jinn that she will be a good mediator between mankind and Jinn in order to treat incurable diseases that physicians failed to treat. The woman is only a mediator, while the Jinn are the ones who will prescribe medicines and perform operations. But people cannot see them. What is the ruling on this regard?

A: There is no basis for what you mentioned and such statements can not be relied upon. The tales of Jinn, very old women and those who serve the Jinn are unauthentic and can not be relied upon. It is not permissible to deem as authentic the sayings of old women, old men, youth or any other person who reports from the Jinn. One should guard himself against using or serving them. This is because if the Jinn use him, they will draw him to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) if they are unbelievers. Moreover, there is no certain way whereby we can distinguish the believer from the unbeliever. They may be hypocrites who deceive Mu’mins (believers) by these acts. This is because one can not discern their affairs or deal with them openly in order to know their status and morals from authentic sources to distinguish between the reliable and the unreliable ones.

Briefly, there is great ambiguity and difference in morals and attributes between us and them whereby we can not know their realities. Whoever is a believer among them, we supplicate to Allah (Exalted be He) to grant him success and guidance. But we can not trust or rely upon them in treating patients, counseling with them or any thing else as this leads to claiming to know the Ghayb (the Unseen). Man may be tried by dealing with the Jinn and thinks that he knows the Ghayb through the Jinn. He will be, in this case, like those people about whom Allah (may He Glorified and Exalted) says: ‘And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn, but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression’. Man will be in great danger if he deals with the Jinn. They may lead him to commit Shirk, Bid`ah (innovation in religion) and sins. Thus, man can cause harm to himself or to others unknowingly. Consequently, it is not permissible to deal with them for the sake of curing or any other purpose.

If one knows or deals with any one of the Jinn, he has to call him to worship Allah alone, teach him goodness, call him to Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah) and obedience to Allah (Exalted be He). One should also advise him to teach others goodness and obedience to Allah (Exalted be He). But man should not trust them or ask them anything for people because they may give him something that brings harm to people. They may give him something good and then deceive him. Briefly, he who deals with them faces great danger because one cannot certainly discern their affairs because they see you and you cannot see them. They may conceal many things from you. They may also claim to be Muslims while they are hypocrites. They may deal with you in order to achieve certain purposes and then do whatever they desired when their purposes are achieved. If you deal with them, you will be in danger. Therefore, you have to avoid them except for the sake of calling them to Allah (Exalted be He), informing, and guiding them to the truth.

Q: There is a woman called Masasah (sucker) who lives in a village. Men and women used to visit her for treatment especially those who suffer diseases in their abdomens, back or chest. Every one pays her one hundred Riyals. If a man suffers pains in his abdomen, she makes him lie down on his back and sucks his abdomen with her mouth. This means that she puts her mouth on the place of pain and sucks like the process of cupping without using anything. Then, she ejects from her mouth a pebble, vein or anything else. Is it permissible to do this? May Allah reward you well!

A: It seems that this woman is a sorcerer who deceives people by these acts. People think that she has knowledge and extraordinary abilities that are unknown to physicians as she sucks a man’s abdomen and then ejects pebbles and the like from her mouth. This woman may use the Jinn in order to trick people by showing them that she brings something out of their abdomens while there is nothing. She only deceives people’s sight as was done by the sorcerers during the confrontation between Musa (Moses) and Pharaoh. She might also have something in her mouth like pebbles upon visiting the patient. Then, she ejects it when she sucks his abdomen in order to convince people that this thing comes out of his abdomen. We believe that it is not permissible to visit or seek treatment with this woman and others like her. This is because this woman and those like her are sorcerers who deceive people with lies or with using Jinn and things that were prohibited by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) as Shirk and other evil things that she does with patients for the sake of curing them. Briefly, it appears that this woman is a liar and a sorcerers who uses Jinn. Therefore, it is not permissible to visit her or those like her.

It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: He who visits a diviner and asks him about anything, his Salahs (Prayers) extending to forty nights will not be accepted. This Hadith was reported by Muslim in his Sahih.

It was reported in another narration: He who visits a diviner or a fortuneteller and believes him in what he says disbelieves what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This women and those like her lie and invent things that are baseless. These false things are told by Jinn in order to deceive people and lead them astray without knowing the truth. Allah is the One sought for help.

Q: I have a story that I desire to tell you about in order to give me an interpretation or advice about it. My neighbor’s daughter who is eighteen years old was sick. She had a psychological disorder. Her father brought her to physicians, but they did not achieve any progress. Then, he brought her to diviners and sorcerers who told him that she was touched by Jinn and they would treat her. The girl stayed with them for one day only. Then, she returned home as she had completely recovered from her disease. She now leads a normal and tranquil life with her father. What is the ruling on this regard? May Allah reward you well!

A: This may be done by Jinn and their supporters. They may cause harm to a woman or a man in order to make him feel sick. Then, if the guardian of the patient visits them and asks them for help, they will help him and remove the causes of diseases they have done. They do this in order to deceive people and lead them to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and glorifying, resorting, seeking help and invoking Jinn and devils. All these acts are from evil acts and the machinations plotted by devils. Therefore, a Muslim should not be deceived by these things. He should not visit, resort or ask those people.

It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: He who visits a diviner and asks him about anything, his Salah (Prayer) extending to forty nights will not be accepted. And: He (peace be upon him) said when he was asked about diviners: “Do not visit them!” He said: “They are nothing.” And: He who visits a diviner or a fortuneteller and believes him in what he says disbelieves what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him). And: He is not from us; who performs sorcery or has it performed for him, performs divination or has it performed for him or sees an evil omen or has it seen for him. All these acts, machinations and deception do not give people an excuse to visit them.

People should avoid them and seek cure from these diseases through legal remedies which includes reciting the Qur’an. Reciting the Qur’an is a remedy for diseases caused by Jinn and others. A Mu’min (believer) should recite for the patient and supplicate to Allah (Exalted be He) to grant him cure and recovery. Then, harm will be removed by Allah’s Will. This remedy was tried by the Imams (initiator of a School of Jurisprudence) and scholars in past and modern ages and was a cause of cure and remedy.

If one died because of this disease, it would be his moment of death. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) predestined for him to die because of this disease that they think to be the handwork of sorcerers and Jinn. Therefore, one should not prefer his temporal desire for obtaining a cure at their hands through something that causes harm in his religion and incurs Allah’s wrath upon him to what pleases Allah (Exalted be He) and brings about His satisfaction. Therefore, one should follow legal instructions and remedies. If he dies, he will die according to his appointed moment of death. This is what should man think and do. He is not permitted to visit sorcerers or diviners out of fear of death. All these acts are great falsehoods, mischief in the earth, defiance of religion and aggression against what is legislated by Allah (Glorified be He). Allah is the One sought for help.

Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb: alifta.com – Volume 3 > Chapter on fortunetellers and their likes

The Ruling Concerning Performing a Cesarean Section – Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen

by AbdurRahman.orgMay 24, 2011January 21, 2016

The Ruling Concerning Performing a Cesarean Section

This issue occurs in one of four situations:

[1] That the mother is alive and the baby is alive: In which case it is not permissible to do any surgical operation except under necessity such as when delivery becomes difficult, etc. This is because it is not permissible to perform operation when there is no need, as the body is a trust that must be cared for by every person. He must not do anything that threatens it except for a more useful goal, because the operation may harm the child.

[2] That both mother and child are dead: Here, it is not permissible to perform the operation for there is no benefit in it.

[3] That the mother is alive while the child is dead: Here it is permissible to perform operation to remove it. Because, obviously – and Allah knows best – it will not be removed except by an operation.

– If there is a fear for the mother with the operation, it is not permissible to perform the operation as the fear of the harm prevents doing what may benefit.
– If the possibility of harm is very low, and the child may continue to remain in her womb, then there is no problem with the operation, because the continued existence of the baby in her womb prevents her from pregnancy.

[4] That the mother is dead while the baby is alive: Hanbali scholars have stated that it is forbidden to operate in order to remove the child. Their reason for this ruling is that is involves mutilation and a transgression upon an honour that is existent for the sake of a life supposed to be existent, except where part of the child has started coming out, in which case it is allowed to operate to bring out the rest. They said, ‘it is allowed for a midwife to pounce on it so as to force it out’.

Ibnul-Qayyim stated in his book – I’laa, al-Muwaaqqi’een [3/413] – that is was said to Imam Ahmad that Sufyaan was asked concerning a woman who died with a baby moving in her womb, that he said: “I don’t see anything wrong with slitting her stomach to remove it.” On hearing this, Ahmad said: ‘Evil indeed is what he said.’ And he continued to repeat that, saying ‘Subhaanallah – glory be to Allah, ‘Evil indeed is what he said.’

I say [the author], the reasoning of our scholars, which is that this involves mutilation, implies that it should be permissible in these days since the operation does not involve any mutilation.

Based on this, the correct view is that of Sufyaan, which is that it is compulsory (Waajib) to operate if there is a high probability of the baby’s safety,
Or strongly encouraged (Mustahab), if it is likely that he survives,
And permissible (Mubaah), where there is a low chance of its survival.

This is so because of many reasons:

One: Because it is based on that which was forbidden by our scholars, their reason no longer existent as, once the stomach is incised and then stitched back, after removing the baby, there is no mutilation.

Two: The honour of the living is greater than that of the dead. So, if we were to assume that incising her stomach involves dishonouring her, then doing that is less than dishonouring the living (baby which is exposed to death).

Three: The baby is a living and honourable human being exposed to death, and operating to remove it involves saving a human soul from death, which is compulsory, as the benefit can be achieved without any harm.

Four: That our scholars have permitted operating the case of a child who is half into the world, to remove the rest – based on the reason that his life is known (for sure), whereas before it comes out its life is only imaginary – implies that there shouldn’t be a difference between the two situations, before or after it has started coming out, so long as we are sure of its life.

Five: The benefit in it outweighs the harm and it is well known that Islam either compels Muslims or encourages them (to do things) whenever their benefit is higher than their harm; For there is no doubt that incising the stomach of a dead, pregnant woman, to save her baby is a benefit that outweighs the harm in it. Hence, the thing boils down to either being compulsory or encouraged, or (at worst) permissible, according to the level of hope in saving the life of the child, or otherwise.

[Ibn Uthaymeen, Al Muntaqaa min Faraa’id al-Fawaa’id]

Al Ahkaam wal Fataawaa as Shar’iyyah li Katheerin minal Massailit Tibbiyyah
(Guidelines and Fataawa Related to Sickness and Medical Practice, pgs. 69-71)

Incantations and Amulets with Quranic Ayahs – Permanent Committee

by AbdurRahman.orgJune 21, 2009October 8, 2016

Question:

There are some people who write amulets for sick, insane, and psychiatric patients including in them parts of the Qurýan and Sunnah we never vouch for the sound creed of such people. We advised them against doing so, but they refused to listen, saying: We write only what is in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), which is not prohibited. Some of these amulets are worn by the patients themselves, or by an impure woman such as a menstruating woman, or a woman in her postnatal, or an insane, an under age child who does not know how to clean himself. Is this permissible?

Answer:

The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) permitted incantations with Qur’anic recitation, and supplications, as long as they do not include Shirk, or meaningless words. Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Auf bin Malik said: We used to use incantations in the pre-Islamic era, so we asked the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam): What formula should we recite for that purpose? He said: Let me hear what you say. There is no harm in incantations as long as they do not include Shirk in them. [2]

Scholars have unanimously agreed on the permissibility of incantations provided they meet the above condition, and believing that it has no effect without the Will of Allaah.

It is rather, Shirk according to the Hadith which is narrated by Imam Ahmad in which Imran bin Husain, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) saw a man wearing a copper bangle on his arm, and he asked him: What is this? He said: I am wearing it for cephalic weakness. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Remove it, for it will not increase you in anything except weakness, and if you should die while you are wearing it, you would never be successful. [3]

In another version narrated by Ahmad, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: He who wears an amulet commits Shirk. [4]

It is also narrated by Ahmad and others that Ibn Mas’ud, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah saying: Verily, incantations amulets and Tiwalah [5] are Shirk. [6]

If the worn amulet contains Qur’anic words, then it is, prohibited according to the preponderant opinion for three reasons:

The general prohibition of wearing any kind of amulets according to the Prophetic traditions with no exception.
Leaving no excuse for wearing amulets that contain other than Qur’anic formulas.
Amulets that are worn are usually subject to disrespect by taking them into washrooms, or wearing them during intercourse or the like.

As for writing a Surah or a Verse on a slate or on a sheet, and washing the writing with water and saffron, to drink that water for the hope of gaining blessings, knowledge, wealth, good health, or the like, we have never heard that such was done by the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) for himself or for someone else. He neither permitted any of his Companions to do so, nor did he give the permission to his Ummah to do so, even though the needs for doing so are existent.

Based on the above, it is better to avoid doing so, and be content with what is authentically approved of incantations of Qur’anic recitation, the beautiful Names of Allaah, the authentic supplications, or the like, whose meaning are clear and they are free from the blemishes of Shirk.

One should seek nearness to Allaah by doing only the permissible things for the hope of gaining reward, relief, and gaining beneficial knowledge. This should be sufficient, and he who is content with what Allaah has legitimized, Allaah renders him free from the need of someone else. It is only Allaah Who grants success.

[1] The term incantations is used throughout the book to refer to a recitation formula for healing, whereas amulet is the written formula for the same purpose.

[2] Muslim no. 2200

[3] Ibn Majah no. 3531 and Ahmad 4:445

[4] Ahmad 4:154, Abu Ya’la no. 1759 and Al-Hakim 4:417

[5] Tiwalah, a spell which is used to make a man love his wife, or the other way round.

[6] Abu Dawud no. 3883, Ahmad 1:381 and Al-Hakim 4:418

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts
Fatawa Islamiyah Vol. 1 Page 34