Recitations for Ruqya
—From The Ruqya and its Benefits Course, by Sh Imraan Mollagee for Tayibah institute.
Link to the class recordings: https://tayibah.co.za/audio/ruqya-and-its-benefits/
First of all, the book of Allaah. In it there is healing for men’s hearts, light and illumination for the blind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We send down of the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) nothing but loss” [al-Isra’ 17:82]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e. the Qur’aan, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a healing for that which is in your breasts, — a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things) for the believers” [Yoonus 10:57]
“And if We had sent this as a Qur’aan in a foreign language (other than Arabic), they would have said: ‘Why are not its verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?’ Say: ‘It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur’aan) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand)’” [Fussilat 41:44]
In a Hadeeth, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to ‘Aa`ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) whilst she was doing Ruqya on a woman: “Treat her with the book of Allaah”. [Muwatta` of Malik (2/943), ibn Hibban (13/464)]
Imam ibn al-Qayyim said:
The Qur’aan is the complete healing for all mental, spiritual and physical diseases, all diseases of this world and the Hereafter. But not everyone is guided to use it for the purpose of healing. If the sick person uses the Qur’aan for healing in the proper way, and applies it to his disease with sincerity, faith, complete acceptance and firm conviction, fulfilling all its conditions, then no disease can resist it.
How can disease resist the words of the Lord of heaven and earth which, if He had revealed it to the mountains they would have crumbled and if He had revealed it to the earth it would have broken it apart? There is no sickness, spiritual or physical, but in the Qur’aan there is that which indicates its remedy, its cause and how to protect against it for those who are blessed with understanding of His Book. [Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/352]
The Qur’aan contains the treatment for hearts and souls, and as such it is a means of expelling all sicknesses from the body. In this regard the Qur’aan is a healing and a remedy for many diseases.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
We and others have tried this on many occasions and we have seen that it works in ways that physical remedies do not. Indeed we now regard physical medicine as the doctors regard folk medicine. This is in accordance with the law of divine wisdom, not contrary to it, but the causes of healing are many and varied. When the heart is in contact with the Lord of the Worlds, the Creator of the disease and the remedy, the Controller of nature Who directs it as He wills, he has other remedies apart from the remedies that are sought by the heart that is far away from Him and that turns away from Him. It is known that when a person’s spirits are high and his body is in good shape, they cooperate in warding off disease and suppressing it, so if a person is in high spirits and physical good shape, finds comfort in being close to his Creator, loving Him, enjoying remembrance of Him (dhikr), devoting all his strength and power for His sake and focusing on Him, seeking His help, putting his trust in Him, how can anyone deny that this is the greatest medicine or that this spiritual power gives him the means to ward off pain and defeat it completely? No one would deny this but the most ignorant of people, those who are furthest away from Allaah and the most hard-hearted and unaware of human nature. [Zaad al-Ma’aad 4/12]
What to recite from the Qur’an? The entire Qur’an can be used as a Ruqya!
However certain portions are more preferred. Example:
1. Al-Faatihah
A group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out on a journey and travelled until they made came near one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to do so. Then the leader of that tribe was stung, and they tried everything but nothing helped him. Then some of them said, Why don’t you go to those people who are staying (nearby)? Maybe some of them have something. So they went to them and said, O people, our leader has been stung and we have tried everything and nothing helped him. Do any of you have something? One of them said, Yes, by Allaah. I will perform ruqyah for him, but by Allaah we asked you for hospitality and you did not give us anything, so we will not perform ruqyah for you unless you give us something in return. So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then he started to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen. Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and started walking, and there was nothing wrong with him. Then they have them what they had agreed to, and some of them (the Sahaabah) said, Let us share it out. The one who had performed ruqyah said, Do not do anything until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and tell him what happened, and we will wait and see what he tells us to do. So they came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, “How did you know that it is a ruqyah?” Then he said, “You did the right thing. Share them out, and give me a share.” And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) smiled. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2276, and by Muslim, 2201).
2. Mu’awwidhatayn.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was ill, he would recite al-Mi’wadhatayn over himself and spit drily. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its barakah (blessing).” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4728; Muslim, 2192]
3. Ayat ul-Kursi
4. The last 2 verses of Surah Baqarah
5. Surah al-Kaafiroon.
6. Depending on the issue. Example, verses of magic when treating magic, verses of Jinn when dealing with Jinn possession.
Some du’aas to recite from the Sunnah:
1. Narrated `A’isha:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to treat some of his wives by passing his right hand over the place of ailment and used to say,
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Allahumma Rabban-naas adh-hibil baas, ishfihi wa antash-shaafi, laa shifaa`a illaa shifaa`uka, shifaa an laayughaadiru saqamaa
“O Allah, the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble and heal the patient, for You are the Healer. No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that will leave behind no ailment.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5743]. A version in Sahih Muslim (2191) reads:
أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ اشْفِهِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
‘Adhhib il-ba’s Rabb al-naas ishfi anta al-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illa shifaa’uka shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqaman
Remove the harm, O Lord of mankind, and heal, You are the Healer. There is no healing but Your healing, a healing which leaves no disease behind.’
2. ‘A’isha reported:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to recite (this supplication) as the words of incantation (ruqya):
أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ بِيَدِكَ الشِّفَاءُ لاَ كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
Adh-hibil baas Rabban-naas biyadika ash-shifaa`u laa kaashifa lahoo illaa Anta
” Lord of the people, remove the trouble for in Your Hand is the cure; none is there to relieve him (the burden of disease) but You.”
[Narrated by Muslim (2191)]
3. A dua for pain:
Muslim (2202) narrated from ‘Uthmaan ibn Abi’l-Aas that he complained to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about pain that he had felt in his body from the time he had become Muslim. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him:
“Put your hand on the part of your body where you feel pain and say ‘Bismillaah (in the name of Allaah) three times, then say seven times,
أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
‘A’oodhu bi ‘izzat-illaah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajid wa uhaadhir
I seek refuge in the glory and power of Allaah from the evil of what I feel and worry about).”
4. Abu Sa`eed رضي الله عنه reported that Jibreel عليه السلام came to Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ and said: Muhammad, have you fallen ill? Thereupon he ﷺ said: “Yes”. He Jibreel said:
بِاسْمِ اللهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللهُ يَشْفِيكَ بِاسْمِ اللهِ أَرْقِيكَ
Bismillaahi arqeeka, min kulli shay’in yu’dheeka, min sharri kulli nafsin aw `ayni hasidin, Allaahu yashfeeka, bismillaahi arqeeka.
In the Name of Allaah I recite over you (to cleanse you) from everything that troubles you and (safeguard) you from every evil (that may harm you) and from the eye of the envier. Allaah would cure you and in the Name of Allaah I recite over you.”
[Sahih Muslim (2186)]
5. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say at times of distress:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ ” .
“Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Adheem al-Haleem, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb al-‘Arsh al-‘azeem, la ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb ul-samawaati wa Rabb ul-ard wa Rabb ul-‘Arsh il-kareem
There is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, the All-Powerful, the Forbearing; there is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne.”
[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6345; Muslim, 2730.]
6. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The words of relief are:
لا إله إلا الله الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيم ، لَا إلهَ إلا اللهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيم ، لَا إلهَ إلا اللهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيم
Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Adheem al-Haleem, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb al-‘Arsh al-‘azeem, la ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb ul-samawaati wa Rabb ul-ard wa Rabb ul-‘Arsh il-kareem
There is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, the All-Powerful, the Forbearing; there is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no Diety worthy of worship but Allaah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne).”
[Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuhu, 4571.]
7. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of something that, if any worldly calamity or disaster befalls any man among you and he says these words, he will be relieved of it. (It is) the du’aa’ of Dhu’l-Noon:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“Laa ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka inni kuntu min al-zaalimeen
(none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah), Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers).”
According to another report: “No Muslim man says this du’aa’ concerning anything but Allaah will answer his prayer.” [Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuhu, 2065]
8. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The du’aa’ of the person who is in distress is:
للَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ
‘Allaahumma rahmataka arjoo fa laa takilni ilaa nafsi tarfat ‘ayn wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu laa ilaaha illa anta
O Allaah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for the blink of an eye; rectify all my affairs. There is no god except You)’”
[Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4246.]
9. If some matter was troubling him, he would say,
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ
Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom bi rahmatika astagheeth
O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek Your help).”
According to another report: “If some matter worried him or distressed him.”
[Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, 4791]
10. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: to Asma’ bint ‘Umays, “Shall I not teach you some words which you can say at times of distress and hardship?
اللَّهُ رَبِّي لا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا
‘Allaahu rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an
(Allaah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).’
[Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1525; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 1349].
According to a version narrated in al-Saheeh al-Jaami’, “Whoever is afflicted by worry, distress, sickness or hardship, and says,
اللهُ رَبِّي لَا شَرِيكَ لَه
Allaahu rabbee laa shareeka lah
(Allaah is my Lord, He has no partner or associate),
will be relieved of that.”
11. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he would say, “Your father [ meaning Ibraaheemm peace be upon him] used to seek refuge with Allaah for Ismaa’eel and Ishaaq with these words:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِماتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطانٍ وَهامَّةِ، وَمِنْ كُلّ عَيْنٍ لامَّةٍ
A’oodhu bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammah min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli ‘aynin laammah
(I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).’”
[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3191]
12. Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allaah be pleased with them) said, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would to teach them the following words in the case of alarm or fear:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
A’oodhu bikalimaati-llaahit-taammati min ghaḍabihee wa sharri ibaadihi wa min hamazatish-shayaṭeen wa an yahḍuroon.
I seek refuge in Allah’s perfect words from His anger, the evil of His servants, the evil suggestions of the devils and their presence.
[Abu Dawood (3893) Classed as Hasan by al-Albani].
13. Narrated `Aisha: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say to the patient,
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تُرْبَةُ أَرْضِنَا بِرِيقَةِ بَعْضِنَا، يُشْفَى سَقِيمُنَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّنَا
Bismillaahi, turbatu arḍina, bireeqati ba’ḍinaa, yushfaa saqeemunaa, bi ‘idhni Rabbinaa
“In the Name of Allah, the earth of our land and the saliva of some of us, cure our patient.”
[Narrated by Bukhari (5745)].
In another narration:
`Aishah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When a person complained to the Prophet (ﷺ) about an ailment or suffered from a sore or a wound, the Prophet (ﷺ) would touch the ground with his forefinger and then raise it (Sufyan bin `Uyainah, the narrator, demonstrated this with his forefinger) and would recite:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تُرْبَةُ أَرْضِنَا. بِرِيقَةِ بَعْضِنَا، يُشْفَى سَقِيمُنَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّنَا
Bismillaahi, turbatu arḍina, bireeqati ba’ḍinaa, yushfaa saqeemunaa, bi ‘idhni Rabbinaa
(With the Name of Allah, the dust of our ground mixed with the saliva of some of us would cure our patient with the permission of our Rabb.”
[Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim (2194)]
14. It was reported from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِي عَبْدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ , مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ , عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ , أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ , أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ , أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ , أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي , وَنُورَ صَدْرِي , وَجَلاءَ حُزْنِي وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
Allahumma innee `abduka, ibnu `abdika, ibnu amatika, naaṣiyatee biyadika, maaḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, `adlun fiyya qaḍaa`uk, as aluka bikullis min huwa laka, sammayta bihee nafsaka, aw anzaltahoo fee kitaabika, aw ‘allamtahu aḥadan min khalqika, aw ista`tharta bihee fee `ilmil-ghaybi `indaka, an taj’alal-Qur’aana rabee’a qalbee, wa noora ṣadree, wa jalaa`a ḥuznee, wa dhahaaba hammee.
(O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety)
– but Allaah will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy.”
[Narrated by Aḥmad (1/391), authenticated by al-Albani in Kalim ut-Tayyib (pg. 72)]
The female should recite:
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَمَتُك بِنْتُ أَمَتِك.
15. Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say,
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma innee a’oodhu bika minal-hammi wal-ḥazan, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa ḍala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijaal.
“O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men.”
[Narrated by Bukhari (6369)]