the moistened soil and rub it onto the wound, saying, “The soil of our land, mixed with the saliva of one of us, brings healing to our sick by the permission of our Lord.” This indicates that a person may treat a wound in this manner. The reason is that soil is ṭahūr (ritually purifying), as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Its soil has been made a purifier for us,” and the saliva of a believer is likewise pure. When these two purifying elements are combined, together with strong reliance on Allah and complete trust in Him, the patient is healed thereby.

Nevertheless, two conditions are indispensable:

1. A firm certainty on the part of the one making the supplication that Allah will heal this patient through that incantation.
2. The patient’s own acceptance of it and his belief that it will benefit him.

If the matter is undertaken merely as an experiment, it will be of no use, for there must be absolute conviction that what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did is true, and the recipient—the patient—must be receptive and believe in its benefit. Otherwise, there is no benefit, for those in whose hearts is sickness, the signs only increase them in impurity upon impurity—may Allah protect us.

As for the second hadith, when the Prophet visited a sick member of his household he would say, “O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the hardship; heal, for You are the Healer—there is no cure except …”