Faith Healing In Islam

Before the advent of Islam, Arabs used sketches of animals, men and gods as amulets (Taweez) to protect themselves from different evils and illnesses, but after accepting Islam (monotheistic religion) they left this belief. In Islam, pure of harmful effect of the evil eye is based on the concept of Tauheed (Oneness of God) and Tawakkul (trust in one God only).

The Quran says;

• And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. (At-Talaq, 65:3)
• Put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed. (Al-Ma’idah, 05:23)
• Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). (Al-Imran, 03:173)
• And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. (Al-A’raf, 07:180)

Therefore, following Tauheed and Tawakkul, Muslims believe that the word of God (Quran) has ultimate provenance and healing powers.

The Quran says at another site;

• And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (Ash-Shu’ara, 26:80)
• And We sent down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers. (Al- Isra, 17:82)

There are different methods of faith healing in Islam; some of the methods are written in authentic Hadith, but some methods came into practice with the passage of time which are not mentioned in Hadith. These methods are as under:

Charity (Sadqa)

What Is Charity, And Why Is It Given

Charity (Sadqa) is defined as: giving to those in need (Catherine, 2004). Charity is Sadqa, it is given to get blessings of the God to have favorable impact in different situations such as improvement in health or preventing a disease. It is a common practice that Sadqa is given to cause healing and recovery from diseases and illnesses in Pakistani society. It is common practice that when someone is ill, he or his relatives will give charity (sadqa) in the belief that recovery will take occur.

How to Seek Refuge With Allah

Seeking refuge with Allah is the most important prayer of Islamic teachings to protect from all evils. As evils arrive from Satan, evils have powers over supernatural creatures (human and jinn) so seeking refuge with Allah keeps safe from the harmful effects of witchcraft and evil eye etc. whether they are from human or jinn. This method also points that any prayer recited or performed in any way to seek refuge with other than Allah Almighty (The One) is Haram (unlawful in Islam). Below or few of the prayers mentioned in Hadith that state Islamic way of seeking refuge against evils.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to seek refuge with Allah (calling it deed of Ibrahim (A.S) for his grandsons Hassan (R.A) and Hussain (R.A) and prayed in these words:

“O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye” (Sahih Bukhari).

Ruqayya

What Is Ruqayya, How To Do It

The practice of spiritual healing, called ‘’Ruqayya’’ in Islam is as old as Islam itself. The concept of using Divine positive energy to counter the negative created forces such as those of the Evil Eye, Black Magic and the like is inherent to the Islamic understanding of life and the forces that it is comprised of. The ruqayya treatment is remained as a viable option and alternative in holistic healthcare in modern world.

Ruqayya means to recite prayers (written in Quran and authentic Hadith) as incantation. Many Hadith narrate the use of incantation (ruqayya) for cure and prevention against illnesses, poisons, and the evil eye. Ayesha (R.A) (wife of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)) narrated that Allah's Messenger ordered the use of incantation for curing the effect of an evil eye and Anas (R.A) narrated that Allah's Messenger gave him permission to use incantation (as a cure) for the effect of the evil eye. (Sahih Muslim, Book 26, Number 5445)

How to do ruqayya? Following hadith told by Ayesha (R.A) states ruqayya as an Islamic healing technique; Whenever Allah's messengers (Peace Be Upon Him) became ill, he would recite Mu'awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Naas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously sick, I used to recite (last two chapters from Quran) and rub his hands over

his body hoping for its blessings. Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An- Nas (last three chapters in Quran), and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he could rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times. Ruqayya can also be performed on water, and the affected person can drink that water. As children become sick more often, their parents should know this method and perform it themselves. They can also take their child to some religious person (Imam ibn-e-Qayyim and Al-Jawziyah, 2003) or God-fearing man to do ruqayya. (Zaheer et al, 2011)

Dum

What Is Dum, How To Do Dum

Dum is a method most often used for curing illnesses and sometimes used for harming others. It is mostly done for health issues. In this practice, the healer recites some verse or verses of the Quran or the name of God under the breath and then the breath is blown on the diseased part of the body or the person who is ill or any eatable or drinkable thing such as honey, olive oil or water and the patient must use them for a fixed time prescribed by the healer. Usually to cure a common pain such as bone ache, joint ache or muscle ache, healer performs dam on oil and asks the patient to massage the disease part with it. Some faith healers use a thick thread of black color for doing dam, which is given to the patient to tie it around his neck or wrist or arm.

            Niaz

            What Is Niaz, How It Is Done

Niaz is a tradition in which the healer asks the patient’s family or guardian to give a sacrifice of any animal (usually any hen or he-goat) on behalf of the patient and to distribute its meat among neighbors and the poor people. Usually this meat is divided into three or seven portions. A portion of meat is also sent to the healer but it is not obligatory.

What Is Amulet, How And Where To Wear It

Wearing taweez (amulet) is another religious method to seek protection and cure against the evil eye and illness. A taweez (amulet) writer writes Quranic verses on a piece of paper or a tablet to request divine powers. Taweez (amulets) is a pouch (normally made of leather, cloth or silver) having prayers written on a piece of paper. This pouch is hanged in a string (usually black), and the affected person wears it around his neck or ties it on his arm. People using taweez (amulet), believe that it has powers to save and cure against illnesses, sufferings and misfortunes. There are many Islamic scholars who agree on using taweez for protection and healing, but belief in taweez as a source to request Allah’s mercy and blessings is contravention.

For certain diseases only one of these methods is used while for some other diseases more than one method is used for example for tooth ache and headache both dua and dam and taweez (amulet) are used while for Jaundice only dua and dam is done by the healer. They further say that degree of any sickness also finds out the number of techniques used for healing.

The knowledge attitudes of many Muslim patients may have cause serious issues in the treatment method. Many Muslim patients may deny treatment of any type, especially if they are taken to the hospitals against their consent. The reason for this lies in the cause of illness according to Islamic ideology. As health is the greatest blessing of ALLAH, sickness also has three important benefits:

(1) it is considered to have a medication role; (2) it may be a punishment for sins; and (3) it may give the positive reward. In all these conditions, sickness is thought as a blessing. Furthermore, some people are of the view to not take medical treatment for any sickness until it becomes intolerable. (Raham,1989)

What Is Sufism, Shrine, Fortune-Teller, And Darvaish

Sufism, which came into practice by the twelfth century from a small movement. (Hatina, 2007) The Sufi rituals and shrines are closely associated with each other and their association is the long history. In Pakistan, Sufi shrines have traditionally been looked after by successor saints (Peers), who usually control many followers. (Ewing, 1983) Sufi shrines in Pakistan are the common public places of religious rituals which followers consider to be righteous by being pious. (Platteau, 2011) Followers of Sufis show deep emotional bonding to their shrines. With their emotional fellowship, Sufi shrines are an important part of religion and social cultural in Pakistani community. (Farooq & Kiyani, 2012)

Over the time, Sufi shrines gathered the ambition of the local people and social traditions became the part of many religious rituals at Sufi shrines. (Pirani et al, 2008) Followers of Sufi shrines engage themselves in different rituals and religious activities which include prayer, attending mosque, Quranic study, Langer (feast), Mannat (divine intercession), Qawwali, Sufiana Kalam, Drumming and Dhamal (ritual trance dance) etc. (Wolf, 2006 & Abbas, 2010) Moreover, other religious ritual performed by the people at Sufi shrines are Bayat or having oath in the Peers, touching the tomb, tasting/licking the salt and other sacred items placed at shines, knotting the thread, offering prayers, blowing and taking round, taking amulet. (Chaudhary, 2010) These rituals and religious practices provide a structure and meaning to life of the followers. (Schrode, 2008)

People usually visit to Sufi shrines for solution of their social and psychological problems. (Levin, 2008) In Pakistan, life stress and depression are highly related with the social issues, followed by the lesser social help and few years of education. (Hussain et al, 2007) In this respect, followers look for healing through therapeutic customs, meditation, and fulfillment of their wishes by using Sufi saints as intermediaries Satisfaction of spiritual need is central to the functioning of Sufi shrines. (Abass et al, 2013)

Sufi shrines hold great importance in Pakistani society. Followers of the shrines consider it sacred place and they perform different rituals there. The role of Sufis has been considered as intermediary who lead towards the path of God and success.

There are usually two kinds of dervishes in the shrines i.e. one group are those who permanently live there and remain busy in different educational activities as well as the other services. They guard saint’s tomb, sweep and clean the shrine. Second group of dervishes consist of those people who are not committed to Peers and they are in search of rewards from the followers. These dervishes also busy in different business activities like the using the pictures of the Peers and their visiting cards. Due to their attractiveness, they are very near to some of Peers (Young sons of Peers). No doubt, they receive large donations and alms from the followers.

Fortune-Tellers How They Tell

Fortune-tellers are another important group of people in the shrines. This is a very old profession and includes people like palmists and future fortune telling through parrots. The palmists read the lines on hands and make anticipation about the future of life, career, fortune etc. They also suggest Allah’s name for their clients to get rid of life’s troubles and worries. They take low prices per individual, but it also varies with the client’s status and outlook. Another type of fortune telling common in Pakistan is with the help of parrot which select one envelop from a pile. Fortune-tellers tell that this is transferred from generation to generation. They train the parrot. And it needs a lot of concentration. Once a parrot is angry, he refuses to pick card from the pile. They charge low price but people at times give them extra as “baksheesh” when their cards forecast good future. They feel pride in being called as saint followers and claim to find the peace of mind and soul at his tomb.

What Does He Do

Hakeem is a Traditional healer who uses herbs and local plants for the treatment of their patients. This knowledge is transferred from one generation to the other. They speak and understand the language of their patient. Most of the people in Pakistan still believe that a good Hakeem or doctor must be able to tell the disease of the patient just by feeling the pulse. The medicine cost depends upon the nature of ingredients and these medicines, claim the Hakeem, can cure diseases ranging from simple cold to chronic cancer.

Pakistan has more than 136 million identified Muslims who stick to the Islamic believe. (Ash, 1997) Pakistanis regard submission to the will of Allah (God) as basic to their existence, and strive to develop a strong conscience that is considered important to the development of a healthy personality. Many Pakistanis follow the teachings of the Holy Book of Quran and Hadith in their everyday life. The word Islam comes from the Arabic root word “Salaam” (Peace) and literally translates from Arabic to English as “Surrender devotion to surrender oneself to Allah’s will accepting everything that happens in life, as it is and as it comes, with trust and serenity, listening with hope to the teachings of life”. (Farooqi, Y.N. 2005)

Pakistan is a developing Muslim country which has a very low literacy rate, a poor democratic system, and a weak economy system. It also has a culture that is a mixture of rituals, traditions, and folk beliefs. Many of these rituals and traditions are based upon the Islamic ideology derived from Quran and Hadith therefore, the beliefs in the existence of ghosts, jins, demons, and apparitions; the existence of the spirits of good and bad; miracle healing; the cult of saints; witchcraft; and pilgrimage. (Farooqi, Y. N. 2006)

In Islamic faith, the explanation of mental illness is that it is caused by doubt and dissociation because one’s own compelling needs or outer pressures that are against teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) and Quran. As doubt and conflict increase, the person may develop symptoms of mental illness. As a result, most of Pakistanis adhere to Shahada belief in One Allah and the Final Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to five prayers a day, to Zakat, to fasting, to Hajj to Mecca, and to other obligatory practices pertaining to diet, gender roles, dress, interpersonal relationships and family values to promote their mental and physical health. (Farooqi, Y. N. 2006) However, the ethnic, cultural, and national differences can influence the status, role, and mental health of Muslim women in each Islamic community. (Haddad & Esposito, 1998; Hasan, 2002)

There are least numbers of trained, licensed, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in the government hospitals in Pakistan. As a result, many Pakistanis take the cheapest spiritual treatment from Peers, Aamils, Hakims, magicians, palm readers, folk healers, and other “quacks” rather than seeking medical, psychological, or psychiatric help from the licensed mental health professionals. The costly services available at private clinics and hospitals are out of the reach of the average Pakistani patient. The standard medical, surgical, and psychiatric facilities are available only in few large Pakistani hospitals and in big cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. Consequently, all types of traditional faith healers a lot of money in distant areas of Pakistan where people are mostly illiterate and mental health services are almost not available. However, the limited number of costly mental health professionals would not be able to handle the situation to traditional healers stopped working. It was found that in Pakistan the most commonly used traditional healing practices are: Homeopathy, Naturopathy (Tibb), Acupuncture, Chiropractic’s (Jerrah), Islamic Faith/Spiritual Healing, Sorcery, and Danyalism. (Farooqi, Y. N. 2006)

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