23. Medicine and Spells

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَا أُبَالِي مَا أَتَيْتُ إِنْ أَنَا شَرِبْتُ تِرْيَاقًا أَوْ تَعَلَّقْتُ تَمِيمَةً أَوْ قُلْتُ الشِّعْرَ مِنْ قِبَلِ نَفْسِي» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

“If I drink an antidote, or tie on an amulet, or compose poetry, I am the type who does not care what he does.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Meaning that one who does any such thing is an abandoned character.

وَعَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ اكْتَوَى أَوِ اسْتَرْقَى فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِنَ التَّوَكُّلِ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه

“He who has himself cauterized or uses a spell has exempted himself from trust in God.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ حَمْزَةَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عبدِ الله بن عُكيم وَبِهِ حُمْرَةٌ فَقُلْتُ: أَلَا تُعَلِّقُ تَمِيمَةً؟ فَقَالَ: نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ تَعَلَّقَ شَيْئًا وُكِلَ إِليهِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘Isa b. Hamza told that he went to visit ‘Abdallah b. ‘Ukaim* who was suffering from erysipelas and asked why he did not attach an amulet. He replied, “We seek refuge in God from that. God’s messenger said that if anyone hangs anything on himself he will be left to it.”** Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Mirqat, iv, 510 wrongly gives Hukaim. Cf. Tahdhib, v, 323 f. ** If anyone puts his trust in a charm instead of seeking God’s help His help will be withheld from him.

وَعَن عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا رُقْيَةَ إِلَّا مِنْ عَيْنٍ أَوْ حُمَةٍ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَرَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه عَن بُرَيْدَة

“No invocation is to be used except for the evil eye or a scorpion sting.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on the authority of Buraida.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا رُقْيَةَ إِلَّا مِنْ عَيْنٍ أَوْ حُمَةٍ أَوْ دَمٍ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

“No invocation is to be used except for the evil eye, or a scorpion sting, or bleeding.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The text has dam (blood), but it is said that nose-bleeding in particular is what is meant here. Cf. Mirqat, iv, 5U.

وَعَن أَسمَاء بنت عُميس قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ وَلَدَ جَعْفَرٍ تُسْرِعُ إِلَيْهِمُ الْعَيْنُ أَفَأَسْتَرْقِي لَهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ سَابِقُ الْقَدَرِ لَسَبَقَتْهُ العينُ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه

Asma’ daughter of ‘Umais said, “Messenger of Go'd, Ja’far’s children are readily susceptible to the influence of the evil eye, so may I use an invocation for them?” He replied, “Yes, for if anything could get ahead of the decree the evil eye could.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن الشَّفاءِ بنت عبد الله قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَنَا عِنْدَ حَفْصَةَ فَقَالَ: «أَلَا تُعَلِّمِينَ هَذِهِ رُقْيَةَ النَّمْلَةِ كَمَا عَلَّمْتِيهَا الْكِتَابَةَ؟» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

“Why do you not teach this one the invocation for skin eruptions as you taught her writing?” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ قَالَ: رَأَى عَامِرُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ سَهْلَ بْنَ حُنَيْفٍ يَغْتَسِلُ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ كَالْيَوْمِ وَلَا جِلْدَ مُخَبَّأَةٍ قَالَ: فَلُبِطَ سَهْلٌ فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ لَكَ فِي سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ؟ وَاللَّهِ مَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ: «هَلْ تَتَّهِمُونَ لَهُ أَحَدًا؟» فَقَالُوا: نَتَّهِمُ عَامِرَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ قَالَ: فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَامِرًا فَتُغُلِّظَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: «عَلَامَ يَقْتُلُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ؟ أَلَا بَرَّكْتَ؟ اغْتَسِلْ لَهُ» . فَغَسَلَ لَهُ عَامِرٌ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ وَمِرْفَقَيْهِ وَرُكْبَتَيْهِ وَأَطْرَافَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَدَاخِلَةَ إِزَارِهِ فِي قَدَحٍ ثُمَّ صُبَّ عَلَيْهِ فَرَاحَ مَعَ النَّاسِ لَيْسَ لَهُ بَأْس. رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السُّنَّةِ وَرَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَفِي رِوَايَتِهِ: قَالَ: «إِن الْعين حق تَوَضَّأ لَهُ»

Abu Umama b. Sahl b. Hunaif told that ‘Amir b. Rabi'a saw Sahl b. Hunaif bathing and said, “I swear by God that I have seen no skin to compare with what I have seen to-day, not even that of a secluded girl.” Sahl fell to the ground and people went to God’s messenger and said to him, “Messenger of God, can you do anything for Sahl b. Hunaif? We swear by God that he cannot raise his head ” He asked if they suspected anyone, and when they replied that they suspected ‘Amir b. Rabl‘a. God’s messenger summoned ‘Amir, and speaking roughly to him, said, “Why does one of you kill his brother? Why did you not invoke a blessing? Bathe on his behalf ” ‘Amir then washed on his behalf his face, hands, elbows, knees and toes, and inside his lower garment, collected the water in a vessel and poured it over him, so he recovered and went away with the people none the worse.* It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna. Malik transmitted it, and in his version he said, “The evil eye is real. Perform ablution for him.” He therefore did so. * The trouble was due to the words of praise which were not qualified by any reference to what God might will, and accordingly attributed to the evil eye.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَعَوَّذُ مِنَ الْجَانِّ وَعَيْنِ الْإِنْسَانِ حَتَّى نَزَلَتِ الْمُعَوِّذَتَانِ فَلَمَّا نزلت أَخذ بهما وَترك سِوَاهُمَا. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيث حسن غَرِيب

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that God’s messenger used to seek refuge in God from jinn and the evil eye in men till the Mu’awwidhatan* came down, after which he made use of them and abandoned everything else. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition. * Qur’an, 113 & 114.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «هَلْ رُئِيَ فِيكُمُ الْمُغَرِّبُونَ؟» قُلْتُ: وَمَا الْمُغَرِّبُونَ؟ قَالَ: «الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرِكُ فِيهِمُ الْجِنُّ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘A'isha told that God’s messenger asked her, “Have the mugharribun been seen among you?” She asked what that meant and he replied, “They are those in whom is a strain of the jinn.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Mirqat, iv, 514, says this happens if a man neglects to mention God when he has sexual intercourse with his wife.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمَعِدَةُ حَوْضُ الْبَدَنِ وَالْعُرُوقُ إِلَيْهَا وَارِدَةٌ فَإِذَا صَحَّتِ الْمَعِدَةُ صَدَرَتِ الْعُرُوقُ بِالصِّحَّةِ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتِ الْمَعِدَةُ صَدَرَتِ الْعُرُوقُ بِالسقمِ»

“The stomach is the tank of the body and the veins go down to it. When the stomach is healthy the veins come back in a healthy condition, but when it is in a bad condition they return diseased.”

وَعَن عَليّ قَالَ: بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ يُصَلِّي فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ فَلَدَغَتْهُ عَقْرَبٌ فَنَاوَلَهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِنَعْلِهِ فَقَتَلَهَا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ: «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْعَقْرَبَ مَا تَدَعُ مُصَلِّيًا وَلَا غَيْرَهُ أَوْ نَبِيًّا وَغَيْرَهُ» ثُمَّ دَعَا بملحٍ وماءٍ فَجعله فِي إِناءٍ ثمَّ جَعَلَ يَصُبُّهُ عَلَى أُصْبُعِهِ حَيْثُ لَدَغَتْهُ وَيَمْسَحُهَا وَيُعَوِّذُهَا بِالْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ. رَوَاهُمَا الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ

When God’s messenger was praying one night he placed his hand on the ground and was stung by a scorpion, so he struck it with his sandal and killed it. Then when he departed he said: “God curse the scorpion! It does not leave alone one who is praying or anyone else, or a prophet or anyone else.” He then called for salt and water, and putting it in a vessel he began to pour it over his finger where it had stung him and wipe it, seeking refuge in God by reciting the Mu’awwidhatan. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Shu’ab al-iman.

وَعَن عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ قَالَ: أَرْسَلَنِي أَهْلِي إِلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ بِقَدَحٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ وَكَانَ إِذَا أَصَابَ الْإِنْسَانَ عَيْنٌ أَوْ شَيْءٌ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهَا مِخْضَبَهُ فَأَخْرَجَتْ مِنْ شَعْرُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَكَانَتْ تُمْسِكُهُ فِي جُلْجُلٍ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ فَخَضْخَضَتْهُ لَهُ فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ قَالَ: فَاطَّلَعْتُ فِي الْجُلْجُلِ فَرَأَيْت شَعرَات حَمْرَاء. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

My people sent me to Umm Salama with a bowl of water. Whenever anyone was smitten by the evil eye or anything else he sent her a basin, and she took out some hairs of God’s messenger which she kept in a little silver bell.* She moved it about for him in the water and he drank some of it. I looked into the little bell and saw some red hairs. Bukhari transmitted it. * Mirqat, iv, 515, says that although the word means a bell, it may here be used of a small box in the shape of a bell. This is the kind of bell that would be used on a tambourine.

وَعَن أبي هريرةَ إِنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالُوا لرسولِ الله: الْكَمْأَةُ جُدَرِيُّ الْأَرْضِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْكَمْأَةُ مِنَ الْمَنِّ وَمَاؤُهَا شِفَاءٌ لِلْعَيْنِ وَالْعَجْوَةُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَهِيَ شِفَاءٌ مِنَ السُّمِّ» . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: فَأَخَذْتُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَكْمُؤٍ أَوْ خَمْسًا أَوْ سَبْعًا فَعَصَرْتُهُنَّ وَجَعَلْتُ مَاءَهُنَّ فِي قَارُورَةٍ وَكَحَّلْتُ بِهِ جَارِيَةً لِي عَمْشَاءَ فَبَرَأَتْ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حسن

“Truffles are a kind of manna, and their juice is a remedy for the evil eye. The 'ajwa dates come from paradise, and they are a remedy for poison.” Abu Huraira said that he took three, five, or seven truffles, pressed them, put their juice in a bottle and applied it as an eye-lotion to a slavegirl of his who was blear-eyed, and she recovered. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan tradition.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ لَعِقَ الْعَسَلَ ثَلَاثَ غَدَوَاتٍ فِي كلِّ شهر لم يصبهُ عَظِيم الْبلَاء»

“If anyone licks honey three mornings every month, he will not be afflicted with any serious trouble.”

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " عَلَيْكُمْ بِالشِّفَاءَيْنِ: الْعَسَلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ ". رَوَاهُمَا ابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ وَقَالَ: وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ الْأَخِيرَ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ

“Make use of the two remedies: honey and the Qur’an.” Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-lman, transmitted the two traditions, Baihaqi saying the correct view is that the second goes no farther back than Ibn Mas'ud.

وَعَن أبي كَبْشَة الْأَنْمَارِيِّ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ احْتَجَمَ عَلَى هَامَتِهِ مِنَ الشَّاةِ الْمَسْمُومَةِ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ: فَاحْتَجَمْتُ أَنَا مِنْ غَيْرِ سُمٍّ كَذَلِكَ فِي يَافُوخِي فَذَهَبَ حُسْنُ الْحِفْظِ عَنِّي حَتَّى كُنْتُ أُلَقَّنُ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ. رَوَاهُ رزين

I had myself cupped like that in the middle of my head for a reason other than poison and suffered some loss of memory till I was recommended to use Fatihat al-Kitab in the prayer. Razin transmitted it. * An attempt was made to poison the Prophet after the conquest of Khaibar in 7 A.H., but when he had taken a mouthful of the poisoned meat he spat it out realizing that it was poisoned.

وَعَن نافعٍ قَالَ: قَالَ ابنُ عمر: يَا نَافِع يَنْبغ بِي الدَّمُ فَأْتِنِي بِحَجَّامٍ وَاجْعَلْهُ شَابًّا وَلَا تَجْعَلهُ شَيخا وَلَا صَبيا. وَقَالَ ابْنِ عُمَرُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «الْحِجَامَةُ عَلَى الرِّيقِ أَمْثَلُ وَهِيَ تُزِيدُ فِي الْعَقْلِ وَتُزِيدُ فِي الْحِفْظِ وَتُزِيدُ الْحَافِظَ حِفْظًا فَمَنْ كَانَ مُحْتَجِمًا فَيَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَاجْتَنِبُوا الْحِجَامَةَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَيَوْمَ السَّبْتِ وَيَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ فَاحْتَجِمُوا يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَيَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الْحِجَامَةَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي أُصِيبَ بِهِ أَيُّوبُ فِي الْبَلَاءِ. وَمَا يَبْدُو جُذَامٌ وَلَا بَرَصٌ إِلَّا فِي يَوْمِ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ أَوْ لَيْلَةِ الأربعاءِ» . رَوَاهُ ابنُ مَاجَه

“Cupping before food is best; it increases the intelligence, increases the memory and increases the memory of one who has a good memory. He who has himself cupped should choose Thursday, doing it in the name of God most high; but avoid cupping on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Get yourselves cupped on Monday and Tuesday, but avoid cupping on Wednesday for it is the day when Job was smitten with affliction. Tubercular leprosy and leprosy make their appearance only on Wednesday or Tuesday night.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ مَعْقِلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْحِجَامَةُ يَوْمُ الثُّلَاثَاءِ لِسَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ دَوَاءٌ لِدَاءِ السَّنَةِ» . رَوَاهُ حَرْبُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْكِرْمَانِيُّ صَاحِبُ أَحْمَدَ وَلَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِذَاكَ هَكَذَا فِي الْمُنْتَقى وروى رزين نَحوه عَن أبي هُرَيْرَة

“Cupping on Tuesday the 17th of the month is a cure for a year’s illness.” Harb b. Isma'il al-Kirmani, Ahmad’s companion, transmitted it, but his isnad is worthless. Thus it is stated in al-Muntaqa. Razin transmitted something to the same effect on the authority of Abu Huraira.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا طِيَرَةَ وَخَيْرُهَا الْفَأْلُ» قَالُوا: وَمَا الْفَأْلُ؟ قَالَ: «الْكَلِمَةُ الصَّالِحَة يسْمعهَا أحدكُم»

Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, “There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, “A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)