- Ruqyah means reciting the Quran and sound supplications with the intention of seeking healing and protection from Allah.
- It is lawful when it contains no shirk, uses clear language and is done with the belief that only Allah heals (Sahih Muslim 2200).
- The core recitations are Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah, Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas.
- Any Muslim who recites correctly may perform it. No special licence or hidden knowledge is needed.
- It never replaces a doctor. See a physician first for any physical or mental health concern.
Ruqyah is a spiritual practice. It is not a medical treatment. If you or someone you love has pain, a persistent low mood, panic, hearing voices, sleeplessness or any other symptom that worries you, see a doctor first and keep following their advice while you recite. Seeking treatment and seeking Allah are never in competition.
What ruqyah means
The Arabic word ruqyah comes from a root meaning to rise, and it came to describe words recited over someone in need of relief. In the time before Islam, people used it for rhymes and charms that called on spirits and idols. When Islam came, the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not forbid the practice outright. He corrected it, keeping what was pure and rejecting what was not.
That is why scholars speak of ruqyah shar’iyyah, ruqyah within the law. It is the reciting of Allah’s words over a person, with trust in Him, for protection from harm or relief from an affliction. Ruqyah that calls on anyone besides Allah, or uses words nobody can understand, is ruqyah in name only.
Muslims turn to it for many reasons: an illness that lingers, fear after a bad dream, worry about the evil eye, general anxiety, or simply as a protection for the family. In the hands of a sincere reciter it is a quiet, humble act. There is no drama in it, no shouting, no trance, and no secret.
The evidence from the Quran and Sunnah
The starting point is what the Quran says about itself. Allah describes it as a source of healing for hearts, and as a mercy.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا
wanunazzilu mina l-qur'āni mā huwa shifāon waraḥmatun lil'mu'minīna walā yazīdu l-ẓālimīna illā khasāran
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
Quran, Surah Al-Isra 17:82يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.
Quran, Surah Yunus 10:57Scholars have discussed whether this healing is for the heart alone, from doubt and anxiety, or for the body too. The majority understand it as both, in the sense that the Quran can be a means that Allah uses, while the medicine of the physician also remains a means. What nobody disputes is that the Quran is where a believer turns first in difficulty.
From the Sunnah, we find the practice itself. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that when the Prophet, peace be upon him, was ill, he used to recite the Mu’awwidhat (the surahs of seeking refuge) over himself and blow, and when his illness grew severe, she would recite them and wipe his hand over his body, hoping for its blessing (Sahih al-Bukhari 5016, Sahih Muslim 2192).
There is also the well-known story of a group of companions who stayed with a tribe that would not host them. The tribe’s chief was bitten, and nothing helped. One companion recited Al-Fatihah over him, and the man recovered. When they told the Prophet, peace be upon him, he asked, “How did you know it was a ruqyah?” and approved what they had done (Sahih al-Bukhari 5736, Sahih Muslim 2201).
And when people asked about the ruqyahs that they had inherited from the days before Islam, the Prophet, peace be upon him, gave the principle that governs the whole subject:
اعْرِضُوا عَلَيَّ رُقَاكُمْ، لَا بَأْسَ بِالرُّقَى مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ شِرْكًا
I‘ridu ‘alayya ruqakum, la ba’sa bir-ruqa ma lam takun shirkan.
Present your ruqyahs to me. There is no harm in ruqyah as long as it does not involve shirk.
Sahih Muslim 2200The three conditions
From these narrations, scholars drew conditions that make a ruqyah lawful. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari reported the agreement of the scholars on three:
- It is made with the words of Allah, His names and attributes, or supplications from the Prophet, peace be upon him. Nothing else is needed.
- It is in clear language. Ideally Arabic, or any language whose meaning you understand. Words that nobody can explain might hide shirk.
- The belief behind it is right. The words do not heal by themselves. Allah heals, and the recitation is only a means, as medicine is a means.
Hold on to the third one in particular. Many problems that people meet with “ruqyah healers” start when the reciter, or the patient, begins to believe that a particular person, place, formula or ritual carries power of its own. In Islam, power belongs to Allah alone. The Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, put it simply:
وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ
wa-idhā mariḍ'tu fahuwa yashfīni
And when I am ill, it is He who cures me
Quran, Surah Ash-Shuara 26:80What is recited
The ruqyah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, was not complicated. These are the passages most often recited, and each has its own place in the Sunnah.
- Al-Fatihah. The surah used in the story of the bitten chief (Sahih al-Bukhari 5736).
- Ayat al-Kursi (2:255). Recited before sleep for protection through the night, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught Abu Hurayrah (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010). Its meaning is explained in what Ayat al-Kursi and Al-Ikhlas mean.
- The last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285-286). Whoever recites them at night, they are sufficient for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009, Sahih Muslim 807).
- Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas. The Prophet, peace be upon him, recited them, blew into his palms and wiped over his body (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴿1﴾ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿2﴾ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴿3﴾ مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ﴿4﴾ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴿5﴾ ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿6﴾ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ﴿7﴾
bis'mi l-lahi l-raḥmāni l-raḥīmi · al-ḥamdu lillahi rabbi l-ʿālamīna · al-raḥmāni l-raḥīmi · māliki yawmi l-dīni · iyyāka naʿbudu wa-iyyāka nastaʿīnu · ih'dinā l-ṣirāṭa l-mus'taqīma · ṣirāṭa alladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri l-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim walā l-ḍālīna
(1) In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (2) [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds - (3) The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, (4) Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. (5) It is You we worship and You we ask for help. (6) Guide us to the straight path - (7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Quran, Surah Al-Fatihah 1:1-7ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿285﴾ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿286﴾
āmana l-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wal-mu'minūna kullun āmana bil-lahi wamalāikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadin min rusulihi waqālū samiʿ'nā wa-aṭaʿnā ghuf'rānaka rabbanā wa-ilayka l-maṣīru · lā yukallifu l-lahu nafsan illā wus'ʿahā lahā mā kasabat waʿalayhā mā ik'tasabat rabbanā lā tuākhidh'nā in nasīnā aw akhṭanā rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣ'ran kamā ḥamaltahu ʿalā alladhīna min qablinā rabbanā walā tuḥammil'nā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bihi wa-uʿ'fu ʿannā wa-igh'fir lanā wa-ir'ḥamnā anta mawlānā fa-unṣur'nā ʿalā l-qawmi l-kāfirīna
(285) The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (286) Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:285-286Alongside the Quran come short supplications from the Sunnah. One of the best known is the dua with which the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to visit the sick:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، اشْفِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Allahumma rabban-nas, adhhibil-ba’s, ishfi wa antash-shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uk, shifa’an la yughadiru saqama.
O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm. Heal, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness behind.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5675, Sahih Muslim 2191And the ruqyah that Jibril, peace be upon him, made for the Prophet, peace be upon him, when he was unwell:
بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللَّهُ يَشْفِيكَ، بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ
Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘ayni hasid, Allahu yashfik, bismillahi arqik.
In the name of Allah I recite over you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah I recite over you.
Sahih Muslim 2186That is the whole of it, in essence. A student who learns these few passages well already holds the main body of the Prophetic ruqyah. The first step is not to learn more, but to learn these correctly. Our teachers hear mistakes in Al-Fatihah and Ayat al-Kursi every week, from adults who have recited them for decades. A free trial lesson is a simple way to have yours checked.
How ruqyah is performed
There is no single fixed ritual, and that is part of its beauty. What follows is the pattern that the narrations describe, and which most scholars recommend.
- Be in a state of wudu if you can, and sit somewhere quiet and clean. This is a courtesy to the words you are about to recite, not a condition.
- Make a sincere intention that you are seeking Allah’s healing and protection, and remember that He alone grants it.
- Seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, then say Bismillah.
- Recite calmly, clearly and at a natural volume. Al-Fatihah, then Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah, and the three short surahs is a complete and sufficient sequence. Repeat each as you feel is right.
- Blow lightly with a little moisture of the breath, without spraying saliva, either into the palms and then wiping the body, or towards the person. This is what is described of the Prophet, peace be upon him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
- Place a hand on the place of pain, if there is one, and say the supplication that the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught for it (Sahih Muslim 2202). The full text is in our guide to ruqyah on yourself.
- End with dua. Ask Allah for healing, thank Him, and leave the result with Him.
When one person recites over another, the one reciting should be of the same sex, or a close relative (a mahram), or the session should be held in the presence of others. A woman should not be alone with a man she does not know. Touching is not required for ruqyah at all; reciting and light blowing are enough.
The whole thing often takes less than ten minutes. If a session seems to need hours of shouting, struggling or a dramatic confrontation, something is wrong with the method, not with the patient.
Who may perform it
There is no office of “ruqyah practitioner” in Islam. The companions who recited over the bitten chief were ordinary travellers. The Prophet, peace be upon him, recited over himself, and he recited over his family and children. So the first person to ask is yourself, and then a parent, a spouse or a trusted relative.
If you ask someone outside the family to recite for you, look for these things:
- He or she recites the Quran correctly, and uses only Quran and authentic supplications.
- They do not ask for personal items, names of your parents, photographs or details of your enemies.
- They do not claim to see the unseen, to know who “did” something to you, or to speak with jinn and relay their answers.
- They treat you with dignity, do not demand a high fee, and do not promise a result.
- They encourage you to see a doctor, and they never tell you to stop taking medication.
We do not recommend or endorse any individual or organisation offering ruqyah for a fee. A sincere neighbour, relative or teacher you already trust is a better choice than a stranger who advertises.
There is also a hadith that scholars cite as a reminder of reliance. The Prophet, peace be upon him, described people who will enter Paradise without reckoning, among them those who do not ask others to perform ruqyah for them and who put their trust in their Lord (Sahih al-Bukhari 5705, Sahih Muslim 220). Scholars explain that asking for ruqyah is not forbidden, since the Prophet, peace be upon him, did allow it, but that the highest level is to recite for yourself and rely on Allah. That is why a person can start, today, by reciting over himself.
What ruqyah is not
Wearing an amulet or taweez. Tying a thread. Writing verses on paper and dissolving or hiding them as a charm. Consulting someone who claims to know the unseen. Burning incense and chanting unknown words. Hitting or choking a patient “to drive out” a spirit. Any of these can lead to shirk or harm, whatever name they are given.
Understand what it is not, and the rest becomes easier.
- It is not magic. There is no formula that forces a result. It is a request to Allah, and Allah answers as He wills and when He wills.
- It is not a medical treatment. It does not replace diagnosis, medicine, therapy or surgery.
- It is not a diagnosis. Nobody can tell you from a recitation that an illness is caused by jinn, magic or the eye. Only Allah knows the unseen. A reciter who is certain is a reciter to be careful of.
- It is not an instant cure. Allah may give relief quickly, slowly, or in another way than you expected, such as patience, forgiveness of sins or a raised rank. The Prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him, called on his Lord through years of illness.
۞ وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful."
Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya 21:83When people turn to ruqyah
People come to ruqyah in many ways, and most of them are ordinary human situations: a sleepless week, a family trouble, an illness that has not improved, a child who wakes in fear, a worry that someone’s envy has touched them. For these, ruqyah serves as a way to be calm in the presence of Allah and ask for His protection.
Some Muslims also ask about the more serious claims, such as jinn possession or magic. The Quran does mention the touch of Shaytan (2:275, 7:201) and the reality of magic (2:102), and many classical scholars, including Ibn Taymiyyah, accepted that a jinn can harm a human being by Allah’s permission. Others advise great caution in attributing any ordinary illness to such causes. Both views agree on the cure: recite the Quran, keep the prayers, make adhkar a habit, and do not run to practitioners.
Here the first thing a reciter should say is: it is far more likely that what you feel has a medical, emotional or situational cause. Only after those have been looked at, and only gently, should you consider anything else. You can read more about this in our guide to protection from sihr and our guide to the evil eye.
Ruqyah and the doctor
Islam never asked a sick person to choose between medicine and prayer. The Prophet, peace be upon him, told his companions that Allah has not sent down a disease without sending down a cure, and he told them to seek treatment. He also recited over the sick, and was recited over. A believer does both.
In practice, that means a few simple rules:
- Go to a doctor for any physical symptom, and do not delay because you hope ruqyah is enough.
- For anxiety, depression, trauma, intrusive thoughts or hearing voices, see a qualified mental health professional. These conditions are real, they are treatable, and they are not a sign of weak faith.
- Keep taking prescribed medication unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Nobody who recites over you has the right to tell you to stop.
- Recite in addition. Many people find that their prayer and recitation help them endure treatment with more patience.
If you would like to begin building the daily habit of recitation, the next step is how to perform ruqyah on yourself, a short routine that fits into the day. For the Quran passages, our Quran duas page lists supplications with their Arabic and meaning, and the Tajweed guide helps you recite them properly.
Ruqyah: your questions answered
Ruqyah is reciting the Quran and authentic supplications over yourself or another person, seeking Allah’s healing and protection from harm. The word means “incantation” or “charm” in Arabic, which is why scholars add the word shar’iyyah (lawful) to separate it from the superstitious charms of pre-Islamic times.
Yes, when it is free of shirk. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Present your ruqyahs to me. There is no harm in ruqyah as long as it does not involve shirk” (Sahih Muslim 2200). Reciting the Quran and the supplications he taught is the clearest case of a lawful ruqyah.
Scholars, following Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, give three: it is made with the words of Allah, His names and attributes or the supplications of the Prophet; it is in Arabic or in words whose meaning is understood; and the person believes that the words themselves do not heal, only Allah does. If any of these fails, the ruqyah is not lawful.
Any Muslim who recites the Quran correctly and understands these conditions may recite over himself, his family or a person who asks. There is no licence, ordination or special gift required. Be wary of anyone who claims unique powers, asks for large payments or uses unfamiliar words.
Mostly Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi (2:255), the last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah, Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, together with the short supplications that the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught. Other ayat about healing and protection are also recited. Nothing needs to be invented.
Ruqyah is a spiritual means of seeking Allah’s help, and the Quran describes itself as healing and mercy for the believers (17:82). It is not a guarantee, and it never replaces a doctor. The Prophet, peace be upon him, both recited over the sick and told people to seek medical treatment.
Scholars generally allow a fair, agreed fee for the time and effort, based on the incident in which companions accepted sheep for reciting Al-Fatihah over a bitten man (Sahih al-Bukhari 5736). That said, ruqyah should not become a way to pressure or exploit anxious people. Avoid anyone who demands large sums or promises results.
Avoid practitioners who ask for your mother’s name, your photograph, hair, clothing or other personal items, who write letters or numbers on paper for you to carry, who use strange unintelligible words, who treat a woman in private or touch her improperly, or who claim to speak to the jinn and make predictions. None of that is ruqyah.
There is no fixed number. Many people simply fold the recitations into daily prayer and morning and evening adhkar, which is the habit the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught. If someone has a specific complaint, reciting over them for some days is fine. Dependence on repeated sessions is a sign to step back and pray, seek medical help and advice from a trusted scholar.
Sources
This guide is educational and was written by the teachers of Virtual Quran Center from the sources below. It is not a fatwa. For a personal situation, ask a trusted, qualified scholar and a doctor.
- Quran: 1:1-7, 2:255, 2:285-286, 10:57, 17:82, 26:80, 41:44, 112, 113, 114.
- Sahih al-Bukhari: 5009, 5010, 5016, 5017, 5675, 5705, 5736.
- Sahih Muslim: 220, 807, 2186, 2191, 2192, 2200, 2201, 2202.
- Scholarly conditions of ruqyah: Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, chapter on ruqyah.
