among the people as to who those entering Paradise without reckoning or punishment might be. Some said, “Perhaps they are those who accompanied the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” Others said, “Perhaps they are those who were born into Islam and never associated anything with Allah.” They mentioned other possibilities as well. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then came out to them and asked, “What are you discussing?” They told him, and he said, “They are those who do not perform ruqyah, do not ask others to perform ruqyah for them, do not take omens, and place their trust in their Lord…”—to the end of the hadith.
As the scholars explain, these are people who trusted Allah and placed their trust in Him as He truly deserves. Because of their profound trust in Him, they paid no heed to physicians’ medicine or practitioners’ ruqyah. Nevertheless, resorting to these means does not compromise reliance upon Allah, for authentic hadiths establish that doing so is not merely permissible but recommended, as does the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who faithfully followed them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) personally performed ruqyah upon himself and others, while Gabriel (peace be upon him) performed it upon him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also encouraged ruqyah and instructed that it be learned. The reports concerning this are numerous and well known.
The Legitimacy of Treatment
Affliction by the evil eye gives rise to organic illnesses—or, more precisely, illnesses resembling organic illnesses—as well as other conditions already mentioned in the discussion of its effects and symptoms. Treating these with the Quran and ruqyah is well known. Allah Most High says, “We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers.” Surah al-Isrā (82)
Abu Saīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge from the evil eyes of the jinn and human beings. When the two surahs of refuge were revealed, he adopted them and left aside everything else. (1)
Abu Saīd (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that Gabriel came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked, “Are you ill, Muhammad?” He replied, “Yes.” Gabriel said, “In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you against everything that harms you, and against the evil of every soul and every malevolent eye. Allah will heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you.” It was related by Muslim and others.
The evidence is abundant and has already been presented among the proofs concerning the evil eye, so we will not prolong the discussion by repeating it. There is one further point here, namely that