repelled devils from the children of Adam by the means Allah and His Messenger have enjoined, as the Messiah did and as our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did. Ahmad narrated in his Musnad, and Abū Dāwūd in his Sunan, through Matar ibn ʿAbd al-Rahmān al-Aʿnaq, who said:

“Umm Abān bint al-Wāziʿ ibn Zāriʿ, of ʿĀmir al-ʿAbdī, told me, on her father’s authority, that her grandfather al-Zāriʿ went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, taking with him a son of his—or a son of his sister—who was suffering from madness.

“She said: ‘My grandfather related: When we came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I said, “I have with me a son of mine—or a son of my sister—who is suffering from madness. I have brought him to you so that you may supplicate to Allah for him.”

“‘He said, “Bring him to me.” I went to bring him to him. He was among the mounts, so I untied him, removed his travelling clothes, dressed him in two fine garments, and took him by the hand until I brought him to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, “Bring him close to me, with his back towards me.”

“‘[He took hold] of the gathered parts of his garment, at the top and bottom, and began striking his back until I could see the whiteness of his armpits, saying, “Come out, enemy of Allah! Come out, enemy of Allah!” The boy then began looking about as a healthy person would, unlike the way he had looked before. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, seated him before him, called for water for him, wiped his face, and supplicated for him. After the supplication of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, no one in the delegation surpassed him.’”

Ahmad also said in the Musnad:

“ʿAbd Allāh ibn Numayr narrated to us, from ʿUthmān ibn Hakīm, who said: ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz informed us, from Yaʿlā ibn Murrah, who said: ‘I have indeed seen at the hands of