❖ Ruqyah (Spiritual Healing) and Tawakkul: The Practice of the Prophet ﷺ and Islamic Teachings ❖
📚 Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
❖ Question:
Is performing ruqyah (spiritual healing through Qur’anic recitation) contrary to tawakkul (reliance upon Allah)?
Who is the greatest example of tawakkul in human history?
Did the Prophet ﷺ adopt means to avoid harm, or did he rely on Allah without using worldly means?
✔ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
❖ Understanding Tawakkul (Reliance on Allah):
Tawakkul means to have true reliance upon Allah in seeking benefit or warding off harm, while also adopting the means and methods that Allah has commanded or permitted.
🔴 Tawakkul does not mean to abandon all means and rely on Allah alone.
Doing so would be a misunderstanding of the divine system, as Allah has linked outcomes (musabbabāt) with their causes (asbāb).
To neglect the means while expecting the result is akin to objecting to Allah’s wisdom.
❖ Who Had the Highest Level of Tawakkul?
✅ The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the one who had the highest level of reliance upon Allah.
❖ Did the Prophet ﷺ Use Means to Avoid Harm?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ would take necessary precautions along with his trust in Allah.
Examples:
◈ When going to battle, the Prophet ﷺ wore body armor to protect himself from enemy arrows.
◈ On the Day of Uhud, he ﷺ wore two layers of armor, fully preparing for the potential dangers of war.
❖ Conclusion:
It is therefore clear that:
✅ Adopting the means is not against tawakkul,
Provided the belief is maintained that:
➊ These are merely means,
➋ And they have no independent effect except by the will and permission of Allah.
❖ Ruling on Ruqyah (Spiritual Healing):
◈ Performing ruqyah—whether for oneself or for another sick person—is not contrary to tawakkul.
◈ It is proven from authentic Hadith that the Prophet ﷺ would recite the Muʿawwidhāt (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās) and perform ruqyah upon himself.
◈ It is also authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to perform ruqyah on his companions when they were ill.
✅ Final Ruling:
Performing ruqyah is:
– Permissible,
– In accordance with the Sunnah,
– And does not contradict true tawakkul on Allah,
As long as the individual believes that healing ultimately comes only by the will of Allah.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
