(Adapted from Shaykh Shafeeq ur Rahman Farukh ḥafiẓahullāh’s book “Du‘ā, Dawā aur Dam se Nabawī ﷺ Tareeqah-e-‘Ilāj”)
When a person falls ill, Islamic Sharī‘ah guides him to seek healing through both du‘ā (supplication) and dawā (medicine).
Indeed, there is no doubt that Allah Almighty has made both the Qur’an and medicines a source of spiritual and physical healing for mankind.
Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And We send down in the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers.”
(Surah Al-Isrā’, 17:82)
And Allah also said:
﴿قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ﴾
“Say, it is for those who believe, a guidance and a healing.”
(Surah Fussilat, 41:44)
Moreover, regarding the diseases of the heart and soul, Allah has declared a special healing in His Book:
﴿قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ﴾
“There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, and a healing for what is in the hearts.”
(Surah Yūnus, 10:57)
He said:
“The cure for the heart lies in five things:”
① Reciting the Qur’an with reflection.
② Avoiding overeating.
③ Performing Qiyām al-Layl (standing in night prayer).
④ Weeping before Allah during the pre-dawn hours.
⑤ Keeping the company of the righteous.
(Extracted from Taqwīm-e-Saudi Arab)
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the use of medicine for treatment.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah has not sent down any disease except that He has also sent down its cure.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5678)
He ﷺ also said:
“For every disease there is a medicine; when the medicine corresponds with the disease, it brings about a cure by the permission of Allah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 2204)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has not created a disease except that He has created its cure, except for one disease—old age.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth 3855)
Hence, one must seek treatment when ill.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the use of impure or unlawful substances for treatment:
“The Prophet ﷺ prohibited treating disease with filthy or impure medicine.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth 3523)
He ﷺ further said:
“Indeed, Allah has not placed your healing in what He has made unlawful for you.”
(Mawārid al-Ẓam’ān, Ḥadīth 1397)
Therefore, Muslims must avoid ḥarām substances (such as intoxicants and drugs) in treatment.
Islam also guides regarding measured and gradual use of medicine.
A well-known incident in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī illustrates this beautifully:
Sayyidunā Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه narrated:
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “My brother has pain in his stomach.”
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Give him honey.”
The man went and came back, saying that the pain persisted.
The Prophet ﷺ again said, “Give him honey.”
The man returned a third time and said there was still no relief.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has spoken the truth, and your brother’s stomach has lied. Give him more honey.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5684)
From this ḥadīth, it is evident that a proper and sufficient dosage is necessary to achieve complete recovery.
Before Taking Medicine:
بسم الله
“In the name of Allah.”
If One Forgets to Say It at the Beginning:
بسم الله أوله وآخره
“In the name of Allah, in its beginning and its end.”
(Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth 1858)
After Taking Medicine (or Food):
الحمد لله
“All praise is due to Allah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 2734)
Islam encourages believers to seek healing through both spiritual and physical means —
Du‘ā, recitation of the Qur’an, and use of lawful medicine.
However, believers must ensure that the medicine and method of treatment remain pure, lawful, and within Sharī‘ah limits, as no healing lies in the unlawful.
✿ Treatment through Medicine
When a person falls ill, Islamic Sharī‘ah guides him to seek healing through both du‘ā (supplication) and dawā (medicine).
Indeed, there is no doubt that Allah Almighty has made both the Qur’an and medicines a source of spiritual and physical healing for mankind.
◈ The Qur’an as a Source of Healing
Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And We send down in the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers.”
(Surah Al-Isrā’, 17:82)
And Allah also said:
﴿قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ﴾
“Say, it is for those who believe, a guidance and a healing.”
(Surah Fussilat, 41:44)
Moreover, regarding the diseases of the heart and soul, Allah has declared a special healing in His Book:
﴿قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ﴾
“There has come to you an admonition from your Lord, and a healing for what is in the hearts.”
(Surah Yūnus, 10:57)
❀ Statement of Imām Ibrāhīm al-Khawwāṣ رحمه الله
He said:
“The cure for the heart lies in five things:”
① Reciting the Qur’an with reflection.
② Avoiding overeating.
③ Performing Qiyām al-Layl (standing in night prayer).
④ Weeping before Allah during the pre-dawn hours.
⑤ Keeping the company of the righteous.
(Extracted from Taqwīm-e-Saudi Arab)
✿ Encouragement of Medical Treatment in Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged the use of medicine for treatment.
❖ Healing through Medicine
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah has not sent down any disease except that He has also sent down its cure.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5678)
He ﷺ also said:
“For every disease there is a medicine; when the medicine corresponds with the disease, it brings about a cure by the permission of Allah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 2204)
✿ The Obligation to Use Medicine
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has not created a disease except that He has created its cure, except for one disease—old age.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth 3855)
Hence, one must seek treatment when ill.
❀ No Healing in What is Ḥarām
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the use of impure or unlawful substances for treatment:
“The Prophet ﷺ prohibited treating disease with filthy or impure medicine.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth 3523)
He ﷺ further said:
“Indeed, Allah has not placed your healing in what He has made unlawful for you.”
(Mawārid al-Ẓam’ān, Ḥadīth 1397)
Therefore, Muslims must avoid ḥarām substances (such as intoxicants and drugs) in treatment.
✿ Proper Dosage in Medicine
Islam also guides regarding measured and gradual use of medicine.
A well-known incident in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī illustrates this beautifully:
Sayyidunā Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه narrated:
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “My brother has pain in his stomach.”
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Give him honey.”
The man went and came back, saying that the pain persisted.
The Prophet ﷺ again said, “Give him honey.”
The man returned a third time and said there was still no relief.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has spoken the truth, and your brother’s stomach has lied. Give him more honey.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 5684)
From this ḥadīth, it is evident that a proper and sufficient dosage is necessary to achieve complete recovery.
✿ Supplications Related to Taking Medicine
Before Taking Medicine:
بسم الله
“In the name of Allah.”
If One Forgets to Say It at the Beginning:
بسم الله أوله وآخره
“In the name of Allah, in its beginning and its end.”
(Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth 1858)
After Taking Medicine (or Food):
الحمد لله
“All praise is due to Allah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 2734)
Conclusion
Islam encourages believers to seek healing through both spiritual and physical means —
Du‘ā, recitation of the Qur’an, and use of lawful medicine.
However, believers must ensure that the medicine and method of treatment remain pure, lawful, and within Sharī‘ah limits, as no healing lies in the unlawful.
