Ruling on Blowing Over Water for Healing – Sharʿi Explanation
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Vol. 01, in the light of Qur’an and Hadith
❖ Question
Is it permissible to blow over water (dam) and then use it as a means of healing?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿAmma Baʿd!
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) explained clearly that blowing on water has two forms:
✿ First Type: Blowing for Barakah
- If the purpose of blowing on water is to seek barakah from the blower himself, then this act is harām and a form of shirk.
- Human saliva carries no blessing or healing power, and it is not permissible to seek tabarruk (blessings) from any human’s bodily traces.
- The only exception is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whose physical traces (e.g., hair, sweat) were a means of blessing during his lifetime and after his passing, provided they are authentic.
Example:
- Umm al-Muʾminīn Umm Salamah (RA) possessed a small silver container with some of the Prophet’s ﷺ hair.
- When a sick person came, she would place those hairs in water, stir it, and then give the water to the ill person for healing.
This permissibility is restricted only to the Prophet ﷺ.
For anyone else, seeking barakah through their saliva, sweat, or clothing is harām and falls under shirk.✿ Second Type: Blowing After Reciting Qur’an
- If a person recites Qur’anic verses (such as Sūrat al-Fātiḥah) over water and blows into it, this is permissible.
- Sūrat al-Fātiḥah is also called al-Ruqyah, and it is considered the most effective recitation for healing.
- Blowing on water after reciting the Qur’an was practiced by the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn, and it has been proven effective by experience with the will of Allah.
✿ Prophetic Sunnah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, before sleeping, used to recite:
- Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ (Qul Huwa Allāhu Aḥad),
- Sūrat al-Falaq (Qul Aʿūdhu bi-Rabbil-Falaq), and
- Sūrat al-Nās (Qul Aʿūdhu bi-Rabbin-Nās).
He would then blow into his hands and wipe them over his face and body wherever his hands reached.
❖ Conclusion
- Blowing on water with the belief that the blower’s saliva or blessing heals = ḥarām, shirk.
- Blowing on water after reciting Qur’an = permissible, beneficial, and practiced by the Salaf, in accordance with the Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
