Ruqyah: how to perform lawful ruqyah with the Quran

الرُّقْيَة الشَّرْعِيَّة

Lawful ruqyah consists of reciting the Quran and the supplications of the Prophet ﷺ to ask Allah for healing and protection.

Lawful ruqyah: the verses to recite and how to perform it yourself with the Quran, without an intermediary, Muslim Alim
Lawful ruqyah: an open Quran, a bowl of water and a bottle of olive oil on a wooden table
The Quran, water and olive oil, tools of ruqyah.

The conditions of lawful ruqyah

  1. It uses the words of Allah, His names and attributes, or the reported supplications.
  2. It is said in Arabic or in an understandable language.
  3. One believes it does not work by itself, but by the permission of Allah.

How to perform ruqyah on yourself

  1. Perform wudu and face the qibla if possible.
  2. Recite Al-Fatiha seven times.
  3. Recite Ayat al-Kursi, then the last two verses of Al-Baqarah.
  4. Recite Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times.
  5. Blow lightly into your hands and wipe them over your body, or blow into water that you drink.
  6. Place your hand on the painful spot and say the supplication below.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (ثَلَاثًا) أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ (سَبْعًا)
Bismillah (3 times), a‘udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhir (7 times)

“In the name of Allah. I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear.”

Sahih Muslim, 2202
An olive grove at sunrise with a small white mosque in the distance
Olive oil, from the blessed tree mentioned in the Quran (24:35).

The Prophet’s ﷺ supplication for the sick

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ البَأْسَ، اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Allahumma Rabban-nas, adhhibil-ba’s, ishfi antash-shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uk, shifa’an la yughadiru saqama

“O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal, You are the Healer. There is no healing but Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness.”

Sahih al-Bukhari, 5743

See also the evil eye, jinn in Islam and our everyday duas.

Advertisement

Continue reading

All of Islamic knowledge
99 names of Allah (Asma ul-Husna): the full list with their meaning and pronunciation, on Muslim Alim

The 99 names of Allah
The three sacred mosques of Islam: Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, their history and virtue, Muslim Alim

The three sacred mosques
Al-Aqsa Mosque live: watch Jerusalem streaming free, around the clock, on Muslim Alim

Al-Aqsa Mosque live
Arabic numerals from 0 to 9: a table, writing examples and a free interactive quiz, on Muslim Alim

Arabic numerals
The Hanafi school: Abu Hanifa, the principles of the most widespread madhhab and how it spread, Muslim Alim

The Hanafi school of Abu Hanifa
Hanbali school: Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the priority given to the texts in this madhhab, on Muslim Alim

The Hanbali school of Ibn Hanbal
Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

What is ruqyah?

Ruqyah is a recitation of the Quran and supplications over a sick person, asking Allah for healing and protection from the evil eye, magic and jinn. The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no harm in ruqyah as long as it contains no shirk” (Sahih Muslim, 2200).

Can you perform ruqyah on yourself?

Yes, and it is even preferable. The Prophet ﷺ recited the protective surahs into his hands, blew into them and wiped them over his body (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5017). There is no need for a paid intermediary.

Which verses are recited for ruqyah?

Mainly Al-Fatiha, Ayat al-Kursi (2:255), the last two verses of Al-Baqarah (2:285-286), and Surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas. Al-Fatiha itself is called a ruqyah (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2276).

Which practices are forbidden?

Talismans, incomprehensible writings, sacrifices for other than Allah, consulting fortune-tellers, and any practice asking for the mother’s name or unknown names. See shirk.

Quiz

Test your knowledge of Islam

3 questions, then as many rounds as you like.

Loading questions…