As for treatment by cauterization, the early generations differed over its permissibility because of reports that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade it. ‘Imrān ibn Husayn reported: “I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbid cauterization. Yet our affliction persisted until we underwent cauterization, but we neither benefited nor found success.”
‘Imrān said: “I used to receive greetings of peace, but when I underwent cauterization, they ceased. Later, I received the greetings again.”
It is also reported that Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh said: “A man among us became gravely ill. The physicians said, ‘He will not recover without cauterization.’ His family wanted to cauterize him, but some of them said, ‘Not until we seek the Messenger of Allah’s permission.’ They sought his permission, and he said, ‘No.’ The man recovered. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him, he asked, ‘Is this the man from such-and-such a clan?’ They replied, ‘Yes.’ The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Had this man been cauterized, people would have said that cauterization alone had cured him.’”
The majority, however, hold that it is permissible, for “the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, cauterized As‘ad ibn Zurārah for a throat ailment, but he died. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘What an unfortunate death, given that the Jews will say, “His companion did him no good.”’”
It is also reported from him, peace and blessings be upon him, through Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Abbās, that he said: “If there is healing, it is in three things—or he said: Healing is in three things—a drink of honey, cauterization with fire, or an incision made with a cupping lancet.” In light of these reports, it is possible that the Prophet’s prohibition of cauterization concerned a particular circumstance or ailment, or that it was intended as instruction and guidance towards reliance upon Allah and confidence in Him. None heals but Him, and no one can escape what He has decreed.
Further evidence for this is the hadith of al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah, who reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever asks for healing recitations or undergoes cauterization has not truly relied upon Allah.” He means that such a person has not attained complete reliance, since someone who neither requests healing recitations nor undergoes cauterization is more wholehearted in his reliance upon Allah. This is supported by his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Seventy thousand will enter Paradise without being called to account. They are those who do not request healing recitations or undergo cauterization, and who place their trust in their Lord.”
Section
On Playing Backgammon, Chess, and Similar Games
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever plays backgammon has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger,” and “Whoever plays backgammon is like someone who has plunged his hand into the flesh of a pig.” Chess is subject to the same ruling. Al-Layth ibn Sa‘d said of it that it is worse than backgammon. The same applies to “Fourteen,” which consists of well-known pieces with which people used to play