By Dr. Shadee Elmasry
One of the best things to increase one’s iman is ruqya, which is seeking a cure by the Quran. We are in a world today where visible, physical things are trusted and believed in, whereas the unseen is doubted and often times mocked. Here’s a good little score card of our iman: next time you’re in pain, ask yourself, which are you trusting more in: ruqya or Tylenol? Take both, but trust in the former.
Ruqya is physically done by reciting the verse and placing one's hand where the pain is. Reciting the verse by itself is sufficient. Or...the verses may be recited on water then blown upon, then drank. Or recited then blow in palms, then wipe palms over body or area of pain. There are five principles to observe on the topic of using the Quran for healing.
1) All of the Quran in general is a refuge, and all dhikr of Allah protects from harm. The basis for this is the Prophetic dua, “I seek refuge in the words of Allah from the harm in His creation.” And, “In the name of Allah with whose name no harm can come.” Protection from harm does not imply disappearance of bad things, but rather the neutralization of its detrimental effects.
2) The source of ailments can be internal or external or both. For example, a deep trauma or grief can cause sicknesses from headaches to cancer. But once the sickness is there, it becomes a physical reality. Therefore, one must also continue taking physical medicines.
3) The Quran in general is a healing, but there are specific verses which are like a fast-lane of this healing. Not all of the verses are equal in this regard. The proof of this is His saying, “We reveal *from* the Quran that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers.”
4) What those specific verses are is a zanni science, i.e. speculative and based in opinion. If large swaths of scholars hold a verse to be a cure to something, then they are likely to be correct. Of course, if it comes in a hadith or a verse is crystal clear that it is a shifa, then it is absolute. For other verses, it is the language that matters, not the context.
5) Sidq & Taqwa. The remainder of the aforementioned shifa verse ends with, “It does not increase the oppressors except loss.” Therefore, it may be the oppressor and the shameless sinner may not benefit. Ibn al-Qayyim says, “The Quran is a healing but not everyone is prepared or successful in benefitting from it. Whoever recites it on his ailment with sincerity, iman, submission, and complete trust, the sickness will not overcome the words of Allah.”
General ailments for all pain:
1) Surat al-Fatiha based on the hadith of Abu Said al-Khudri.
2) For stress, anxiety, or anything in the chest or heart (9:14 Tawba): Wa yashfi sudoora qawmin mumineena And [God] shall heal the breast of the believers. وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ
3) For anything in the heart, chest, or general pain (10:57 Yunus): Yaa ayyuha an-naasu qad ja’atkum maw`izhatun min rabbikum wa shifaun limaa fee as-sudoori wa hudan wa rahmatun lil-mumineen Mankind there has come to you a guidance from your Lord and a healing for (the diseases) in your hearts, and for those who believe a guidance and a mercy. يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
4) To recite while taking honey for medicinal purposes as this verse pertains to honey (16:69 Nahl): Yakhruju min butooniha sharaabun mukhtalifun alwaanuhu feehi shifaun lin-naas. There issues from within the bodies of the bee a drink of varying colors wherein is healing for mankind. َيخْرُجُ مِن بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاء لِلنَّاسِ
5) For general use (17:82 Isra): Wa nunazzilu mina al-qurani ma huwa shifaun wa rahmatun lil-mumineen. And We sent down in the Quran such things that have healing and mercy for the believers. وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاء وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
6) For illnesses in general (26:80 Shu'ara): Wa idha maridtu fahuwa yashfeeni. And when I am ill, it is [God] who cures me.” وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ
7) For general purposes (41:44 Fussilat): Qul huwa lil-ladheena amanoo hudan wa shifa. And declare that [the Quran] is a guidance and healing for the believers. قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاء
8) For general pain (21:82 Anbiya): Anni massani al-durr wa anta arham al-rahimin. Harm has touched me and You are the most merciful of the merciful. أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّٲحِمِينَ
9) For pain and burdens (8:66 Anfal): Al'aana khaffaf Allahu ankum wa alima anna fikum da'fa. Now Allah has lightened your load and knew that within you is weakness ٱلۡـَٔـٰنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمۡ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمۡ ضَعۡفً۬اۚ
10) For vision (50:20 Qaf): Fakashafna anka ghita'aka fa basaruka al-yawma hadid. We have removed the covering from you; your vision is now iron. فَكَشَفۡنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ حَدِيدٌ۬
11) For bleeding or bodily fluids that will not cease pouring out (11:44 Hud): Wa qila ya ard ibla'i ma'aki wa ya sama'u aqli'i wa ghid al-ma' wa qudi al-amr. It was said, Earth, swallow hyour water. Sky, clear. The water drained, and the matter was done. وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرۡضُ ٱبۡلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقۡلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلۡمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ
12) For the pregnant woman as a dua for a healthy and beautiful child (59:24 Hashr): Hu Allahu al-Khaliq al-Bari al-Musawwir... He is Allah the creator, the former, the fashioner... هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقُ ٱلۡبَارِئُ ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُۖ لَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
13) For the health of skin and bones (2:259 Baqara): Look at the bones how we give it life and cover it with flesh وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَى ٱلۡعِظَامِ ڪَيۡفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكۡسُوهَا لَحۡمً۬اۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ۥ قَالَ أَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬
14) For speech (20:25-26 Taha): Rabb ishrah li sadri wa yassirli amri wahlul uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِى صَدۡرِى (٢٥) وَيَسِّرۡ لِىٓ أَمۡرِى (٢٦) وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً۬ مِّن لِّسَانِى (٢٧) يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِى
15) For insomnia and anxiety (13:28 Ra’d): Ala bi dhikrillah tatma'inn al-qulub. Truly by the remembrance of Allah do hearts find ranquility. أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ
16) For hunger: Surat Quraysh.
17) For birth during labor (84:1-4 Inshiqaq): ...wa alqat ma fiha wa takhallat. ...And it released what was in it and became empty إِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ ٱنشَقَّتۡ (١) وَأَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّہَا وَحُقَّتۡ (٢) وَإِذَا ٱلۡأَرۡضُ مُدَّتۡ (٣) وَأَلۡقَتۡ مَا فِيہَا وَتَخَلَّتۡ (٤)
18) For fever and burns (21:69 Anbiya): Ya naru kuni bardan wa salaman O fire be cool and peaceful يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرۡدً۬ا وَسَلَـٰمًا
19) For black magic (10:81-82 Yunus): فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئۡتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحۡرُۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبۡطِلُهُ ۥۤۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصۡلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ (٨١) وَيُحِقُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ (٨٢)
20) For strength (42:19 Shura): اللَّهُ لَطِيفٌ بِعِبَادِهِ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيزُ