Sunan Ibn Majah: Chapters on Medicine

“I saw the Bedouins asking the Prophet (ﷺ): ‘Is there any harm in such and such, is there any harm in such and such?’ He said to them: ‘O slaves of Allah! Allah has only made harm in that which transgresses the honor of one’s brother. That is what is sinful.’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is there any sin if we do not seek treatment?’ He said: ‘Seek treatment, O slaves of Allah! For Allah does not create any disease but He also creates with it the cure, except for old age.’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the best thing that a person may be given?’ He said: ‘Good manners.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: ‘Do you think that the medicines with which we treat ourselves, the Ruqyah by which we seek healing, and the means of protection that we seek, change the decree of Allah at all?’ He said: ‘They are part of the decree of Allah.’”

“Allah does not send down any disease, but He also sends down the cure for it.”

“Allah does not send down any disease, but He also sends down the cure.”

“What do you desire?” He said: “I want wheat bread.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever has wheat bread, let him send it to his brother.” Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When a sick person among you desires something, give it to him.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) went to visit a sick person, and said: ‘Do you want anything? Do you want cake?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So they looked for some for him.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon us, and with him was ‘Ali bin Abu Talib, who had recently recovered from an illness. We had bunches of unripe dates hanging up, and the Prophet (ﷺ) was eating from them. ‘Ali reached out to eat some, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to ‘Ali: ‘Stop, O ‘Ali! You have just recovered from an illness.’ I made some greens and barley for the Prophet (ﷺ), and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to ‘Ali: ‘O ‘Ali, eat some of this, for it is better for you.’”

“I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and in front of him there were some bread and dates. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Come and eat.’ So I started to eat some of the dates. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Are you eating dates when you have an inflammation in your eye?’ I said: ‘I am chewing from the other side.’ And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled.”

“Do not force your sick ones to eat or drink. Allah will feed them and give them to drink.”

“If any of his family members became ill, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would order that some broth be made. And he would say: ‘It consoles the grieving heart and cleanses the ailing heart, as anyone of you cleanses her face of dirt with water.’”

“You should eat the beneficial thing that is unpleasant to eat: Talbinah,” meaning broth. If any member of the family of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sick, the cooking pot would remain on the fire until one of two things happened, either the person recovered or died.

“In black seed there is healing for every disease, except the Sam.” "Sam means death. And black seed is Shuwniz."

“I heard Salim bin ‘Abdullah narrating from his father that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘You should eat this black seed, for in it there is healing from every disease, except the Sam (death).’”

“We went out and with us was Ghalib bin Abjar. He fell sick along the way, and when we came to Al-Madinah he was sick. Ibn Abu ‘Atiq came to visit him and said to us: ‘You should use this black seed. Take five or seven (seeds) and grind them to a powder, then drop them into his nose with drops of olive oil, on this side and on this side. For ‘Aishah narrated to them that she heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “This black seed is a healing for every disease, except the Sam.” I said: “What is the Sam?” He said: “Death.”

“Whoever eats honey three mornings each month, will not suffer any serious calamity.”

“Some honey was given as a gift to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he shared among us spoonful by spoonful. I took my spoonful then I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, can I have another?’ He said: ‘Yes.’”

“You should take the two that bring healing: Honey and the Qur’an.”

“Truffles are a type of manna, and their water is a healing for eye (diseases). And the `Ajwah* are from Paradise, and they are healing for possession.”** Another chain from Abu Sa`eed from the Prophet (ﷺ) with similar wording.

“I heard Sa’eed bin Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufail narrating from the Prophet (ﷺ) that: ‘Truffles are a type of manna that Allah sent down to the Children of Israel, and their water is a healing for eye (diseases).’”

“We used to narrate from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and mention truffles, and they said: ‘(It is) the smallpox of the earth.’ When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was told of what they were saying: he said: ‘Truffles are a type of manna, and the Ajwah are from Paradise, and they are a healing from poison.’”

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Ajwah and the rock* are from Paradise.’”

“I heard Abu Ubayy bin Umm Haram, who had prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) facing both the Qiblah, saying: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “You should use senna and the Sannut, for in them there is healing for every disease, except the Sam.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is the Sam?” He said: “Death.” (One of the narrators) ‘Amr said: “Ibn Abu ‘Ablah said: the ‘Sannut is dill.” Others said: “Rather, it is honey that is kept in a skin (i.e., receptacle) used for ghee.”*

“The Prophet (ﷺ) set out in the early morning and I did likewise. I prayed, then I sat. The Prophet (ﷺ) turned to me and said: ‘Do you have a stomach problem?’* I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Get up and pray, for in prayer there is healing.’” Another chain with similar wording. Abu `Abdullah said: A man narrated it to his people, then they were stirred up against him.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade treating illness with foul things (Khabith), meaning poison.”*

“Whoever drinks poison and kills himself, will be sipping it in the fire of Hell forever and ever.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: ‘What do you use as a laxative?’ I said: ‘The Shubrum (spurge – Euphorb).’ He said: (It is) hot and powerful.’ Then I used senna as a laxative and he said: ‘If anything were to cure death, it would be senna. Senna is a cure for death.’”

“I brought a son of mine to the Prophet (ﷺ), and I had pressed on an area of his throat due to tonsillitis. He said: ‘Why do you poke your children with this pressing?’ You should use this aloeswood, for in it there are seven cures. It should be inhaled for pustules in the throat, and given in the side of the mouth for pleurisy.” (Another chain) from Umm Qais bint Mihsan, from the Prophet (ﷺ) with similar wording.

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: ‘The cure for sciatica is the fat from the tail of a Bedouin sheep (or wild sheep), which should be melted and divided into three parts, one part to be taken each day on an empty stomach.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was wounded on the Day of Uhud. His molar was broken and his helmet was crushed on his head. Fatimah was washing the blood from him and ‘Ali was pouring water on him from a shield. When Fatimah realized that the water was only making the bleeding worse, she took a piece of a mat and burnt it, and when it had turned to ashes, she applied it to the wound to stop the bleeding.

“On the Day of Uhud, I recognized the one who wounded the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the one who was washing the blood from the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and treating him, and the one who was bringing the water in a shield, and with what the wound was treated until the bleeding stopped. The one who was carrying the water in the shield was ‘Ali. The one who was treating the wound was Fatimah. When the bleeding would not stop, she burned a piece of a worn out mat and applied the ashes to it (the wound), then the bleeding stopped.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever gives medical treatment, with no prior knowledge of medicine, is responsible (for any harm done).’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prescribed Wars (memecyclon tinctorium), Indian aloeswood and olive oil for pleurisy, to be administered through the side of the mouth.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘You should use Indian aloeswood for it contains seven cures, including (a cure for) pleurisy.’”

“Mention of fever was made in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and a man cursed it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Do not curse it, for it erases sin as fire removes filth from iron.’”

“Be of good cheer, for Allah says: ‘It is My fire which I have causes to overwhelm My believing slave in this world, to be his share of the Fire in the Hereafter.”

“Fever is from the heat of the Hell-fire, so cool it down with water.”

“Intense fever is from the heat of Hell-fire, so cool it down with water.”

“I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: ‘Fever is from the heat of the Hell-fire, so cool it down with water.’ He entered upon a son of ‘Ammar and said: ‘Take away the harm, O Lord of mankind, O God of mankind.’”

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Cool it down with water,” and he said: “It is from the heat of Hell-fire.”

“Fever is one of the bellows of Hell, so avert it from yourselves with cold water.”

“If there is any good in any of the remedies you use, it is in cupping.”

“On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey (Isra’), I did not pass by any group of angels but all of them said to me: ‘O Muhammad, you should use cupping.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘What a good slave is the cupper. He takes away the blood, reduces pressure on the spine, and improves the eyesight.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey (Isra’), I did not pass by any group (of angels) but they said to me: “O Muhammad, tell your nation to use cupping.”

It was narrated from Jabir that Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for permission to be cupped, and the Prophet (ﷺ) told Abu Taibah to cup her.

“I heard ‘Abdullah bin Buhainah say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was cupped in Lahyi Jamal,* in the middle of his head, while he was a Muhrim.”

“Jibra’il came down to the Prophet (ﷺ) with (the recommendation of) cupping in the two veins at the side of the neck and the base of the neck.”

It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (ﷺ) was cupped in the two veins at theside of the neck and the base of the neck.

“Whoever lets blood from these places, it does not matter if he does not seek treatment for anything else.”

“Meaning that the Prophet (ﷺ) was cupped because of that for bruising.”

“Whoever wants to be cupped, let him seek out the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first (of the month); and let none of you allow his blood to rage so that it kills him.”

“O Nafi’! The blood is boiling in me, find me a cupper, but let it be someone gentle if you can, not an old man or a young boy. For I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Cupping on an empty stomach is better, and in it there is healing and blessing, and it increases one’s intellect and memory. So have yourselves cupped for the blessing of Allah on Thursdays, and avoid cupping on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Have yourselves cupped on Mondays and Tuesdays, for that is the day on which Allah relieved Ayyub of Calamity, and He inflicted calamity upon him on a Wednesday, and leprosy and leucoderma only appear on Wednesdays, or on the night of Wednesday.”

“Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘O Nafi’! The blood is boiling in me. Bring me a cupper and let him be a young man, not an old man or a boy.’ Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Cupping on an empty stomach is better, and it increases one’s intellect and memory. And it increases the memory of one who has a good memory so whoever wants to be cupped, (let him do it) on a Thursday, in the Name of Allah. Avoid cupping on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Have yourselves cupped on Mondays and Tuesdays, and avoid cupping on Wednesdays, for that is the day on which the calamity befell Ayyub, and leprosy and leucoderma only appear on Wednesday or the night of Wednesday.”

“Whoever seeks treatment by cauterization, or with Ruqyah, then he had absolved himself of reliance upon Allah.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade cauterization. I had myself cauterized and I have not prospered or succeeded.”

“Healing is in three things: A drink of honey, the glass of the cupper, and cauterizing with fire, but I forbid my nation to use cauterization.” And he attributed it to the Prophet (ﷺ).

“I heard my paternal uncle Yahya – and I have not seen a man among us like him – tell the people that Sa'd bin Zurarah, who was the grandfather of Muhammad through his mother, was suffering from pain in his throat, known as croup. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘I shall do my best for Abu Umamah.’ Such that I will be excused (i.e., free of blame if he is not healed). And he cauterized him with his own hand, but he died. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘May the Jews be doomed! They will say: “Why could he not avert death from his Companions?” But I have no power to do anything for him or for my own self.’”

“Ubayy bin Ka’b fell sick, and the Prophet (ﷺ) sent a doctor to him who cauterized him on his medical arm vein.”

It was narrated from Jabir bin ‘Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cauterized Sa’d bin Mu’adh on his medial arm vein, twice.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘You should use antimony, for it improves the eyesight and makes the hair (eyelashes) grow.’”

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘You should use antimony when you go to sleep, for it improves the eyesight and makes the hair (eyelashes) grow.’”

“The best of your kohl is antimony, for it improves the eyesight and makes the hair (eyelashes) grow.”

“Whoever applies kohl, let him do it an odd number of times. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, it does not matter.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) had a kohl container from which he would apply kohl three times, to each eye.”

“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, in our land there are grapes which we squeeze (to make wine). Can we drink from it?’ He said: ‘No.’ I repeated the question and said: ‘We treat the sick with it.’ He said: ‘That is not a cure, it is a disease.’”

“The best remedy is the Qur’an.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) did not suffer any injury or thorn- prick but he would apply henna to it.”

“Why don’t you go out to a flock of camels of ours, and drink their milk and urine.” And they did that.

“On one of the wings of a fly there is a poison and on the other is the cure. If it falls into the food, then dip it into it, for it puts the poison first and holds back the cure.”

“If a fly falls into your drink, dip it into it then throw it away, for on one of its wings is a disease and on the other is a cure.”

“The evil eye is real.”

‘The evil eye is real.”

‘Seek refuge with Allah, for the evil eye is real.”

“ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah passed by Sahl bin Hunaif when he was having a bath, and said: ‘I have never seen such beautiful skin.’ Straightaway, he (Sahl) fell to the ground. He was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was said: ‘Sahl has had a fit.’ He said: ‘Whom do you accuse with regard to him?’ They said: “ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah.’ They said: ‘Why would anyone of you kill his brother? If he sees something that he likes, then let him pray for blessing for him.’ Then he called for water, and he told ‘Amir to perform ablution, then he washed his face and his arms up to the elbows, his knees and inside his lower garment, then he told him to pour the water over him.”

“Asma’ said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The children of Ja’far have been afflicted by the evil eye, shall I recite Ruqyah* for them?’ He said: ‘Yes, for if anything were to overtake the Divine decree it would be the evil eye.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to seek refuge from the evil eye of the jinn and of mankind. When the Mu’awwidhatain* were revealed, he started to recite them and stopped reciting anything else.”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded her to recite Ruqyah to treat the evil eye.

“There is no Ruqyah except for the evil eye or from the sting of a scorpion.”

It as narrated from Abu Bakr bin Muhammad that Khalidah bint Anas, the mother of Banu Hazm As-Sa’idiyyah, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and recited a Ruqyah to him, and he told her to use it.

“There was a family among the Ansar, called Al ‘Amr bin Hazm, who used to recite Ruqyah for the scorpion sting, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade Ruqyah. They came to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! You have forbidden Ruqyah, but we recite Ruqyah against the scorpion’s sting.’ He said to them: ‘Recite it to me.’ So they recited it to him, and he said: ‘There is nothing wrong with this, this is confirmed.’”

It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed Ruqyah for the scorpion’s sting, the evil eye, and Namlah (sores or small pustules ulcers or sores on a person’s sides).

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) allowed Ruqyah for snakebites and scorpion stings.”

“A scorpion stung a man and he did not sleep all the night. It was said to the Prophet (ﷺ): ‘So- and-so was stung by a scorpion and he did not sleep all the night.’ He said: ‘If he had said, last night: A’udhu bikalimatil-lahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created), the scorpion sting would not have harmed him, until morning.’”

“I recited the Ruqyah for snakebite to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), or it was recited to him, and he commanded that it be used.”

“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to a sick person, he would make supplication for him, and would say: Adhhibil-bas, Rabban-nas, washfi Antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uka shifa’an la yughadiru saqama (Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness).’”

“Bismillah, turbatu ardina, biriqati ba’dina, liyushfa saqimuna. Bi’dhni Rabbina (In the Name of Allah, the dust of our land mixed with the saliva of one of us, to cure our sick one by the permission of our Lord).”

“I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and I was suffering pain that was killing me. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me: ‘Put your right hand on it and say: Bismillah, a’udhu bi’izzatil-lahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru. (In the Name of Allah, I seek refuge in the might and power of Allah from the evil of what I feel and what I fear),” seven times.’ I said that, and Allah healed me.”

“O Muhammad, you are ill. He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin aw hasidin. Allahu yashfika, bismillahi arqika (In the Name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye, may Allah heal you. In the Name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you).

“The Prophet (ﷺ) came to visit me (when I was sick), and said to me: ‘Shall I not recite for you a Ruqyah that Jibra’il brought to me?’ I said: ‘May my father and mother be ransomed for you! Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: Bismillah arqika, wallahu yashfika, min kulli da’in fika, min sharrin- naffathati fil-‘uqad, wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad (In the Name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you, from every disease that is in you, and from the evil of those who (practice witchcraft when they) blow in the knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envies), three times.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to seek refuge for Hasan and Husain and say: A’udhu bi kalimatil-lahil- tammati, min kulli shaitanin wa hammah, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah (I seek refuge for you both in the Perfect Words of Allah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).’ And he would say: ‘Thus Ibrahim used to seek refuge with Allah for Isma’il and Ishaq,’ or he said: ‘for Isma’il and Ya’qub.’”

“Bismillahil-kabir, a’udhu billahil-‘Azim min sharri ‘irqin na’ar wa, min sharri harrin- nar (In the Name of Allah the Great, I seek refuge with Allah the Almighty from the evil of a vein gushing (with blood) and the evil of the heat of the Fire.” (One of the narrators) Abu `Ammar said: “I differed with the people on this, I said: ‘Screaming.’” Another chain from Ibn `Abbas, from the Prophet (ﷺ) with similar wording, and he said: “From the evil of a vein screaming (with blood).”

“I heard ‘Ubadah bin Samit say: ‘Jibra’il (as) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was suffering from fever and said: ‘Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min hasadi hasidin, wa min kulli ‘aynin, Allahu yashfika (In the Name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you; from the envy of the envier and from every evil eye, may Allah heal you).’”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to blow when performing Ruqyah.

“Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) fell ill, he would recite the Mu’awwidhat and blow, and when his pain grew worse, I would recite over him and wipe his hand over him, hoping for its blessing.”

“There was an old woman who used to enter upon us and perform Ruqyah from erysipelas: Contagious disease which causes fever and leaves a red coloration of the skin. We had a bed with long legs, and when ‘Abdullah entered he would clear his throat and make noise. He entered one day and when she heard his voice she veiled herself from him. He came and sat beside me, and touched me, and he found a sting. He said: ‘What is this?’ I said: ‘An amulet against erysipelas.’ He pulled it, broke it and threw it away, and said: ‘The family of ‘Abdullah has no need of polytheism.’ I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Ruqyah (i.e., which consist of the names of idols and devils etc.), amulets and Tiwalah (charms) are polytheism.’” “I said: ‘I went out one day and so-and-so looked at me, and my eye began to water on the side nearest him. When I recited Ruqyah for it, it stopped, but if I did not recite Ruqyah it watered again.’ He said: ‘That is Satan, if you obey him he leaves you alone but if you disobey him he pokes you with his finger in your eye. But if you do what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do, that will be better for you and more effective in healing. Sprinkle water in your eye and say: Adhhibil-bas Rabban-nas, washfi Antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shafi’uka, shafi’an la yughadiru saqaman (Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness).’”

“What is this ring?” He said: “It is for Wahinah.”* He said: “Take it off, for it will only increase you in weakness.”

“I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stoning the ‘Aqabah Pillar from the bottom of the valley on the Day of Sacrifice, then he went away. A woman from Khath’am followed him, and with her was a son of hers who had been afflicted, he could not speak. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! This is my son, and he is all I have left of my family. He has been afflicted and cannot speak.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Bring me some water.’ So it was brought, and he washed his hands and rinsed out his mouth. Then he gave it to her and said: ‘Give him some to drink, and pour some over him, and seek Allah’s healing for him.’” She (Umm Jundub) said: “I met that woman and said: ‘Why don’t you give me some?’ She said: ‘It is only for the sick one.’ I met that woman one year later and asked her about the boy. She said: ‘He recovered and became (very) smart, not like the rest of the people.’”

“The best remedy is the Qur’an.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) enjoined killing Dhit-Tufytain* for it takes away the sight and causes miscarriage.” *That means a wicked snake.

“Kill snakes, and kill Dhit-Tufytain* and the Abtar**, for they take away the sight and cause miscarriage.” *A snake that has two white stripes on its back. **A snake with a short or mutilated tail.

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to like good signs and hate bad omens.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘There is no ‘Adwa* and no omen, but I like Al-Fa’l As-Salih.”**

“The omen is polytheistic deed and anyone of us may think he sees an omen but Allah will dispel it by means of relying upon Him.”

“There is no ‘Adwa, no omen, no Hamah and no Safar.”*

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘There is no ‘Adwa, no omen, and no Hamah.’ A man stood up and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if a camel has mange and another camel gets mange from it?’ He said: ‘That is the Divine decree. Who causes the mange in the first one?’”

“A man with sick camels should not let them graze or drink alongside healthy ones.”

“Eat, with trust in Allah and reliance upon Allah.”

“Do not keep looking at those who have leprosy.”

“There was a leper among the delegation of Thaqif. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent word to him: ‘Go back, for we have accepted your oath of allegiance.’”

“A Jew from among the Jews of Bani Zuraiq, whose name was Labid bin A’sam, cast a spell on the Prophet (ﷺ), and the Prophet (ﷺ) began to imagine that he had done something when he had not. One day, or one night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicated, and then supplicated again. Then he said: ‘O ‘Aishah, do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me, and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. The one at my head said to the one at my feet, or the one at my feet said to the one at my head "what is ailing this man ?" He said: “He has been affected by a spell.” He said: “Who cast the spell on him?” He said: “Labid bin A’sam.” He said: “With what?” He said: “With a comb and the hairs stuck to it, and the spathe of a male date palm.” He said: “Where is that?” He said: “In the well of Dhu Arwan.” She said: “So the Prophet (ﷺ) went to it, with a group of his Companions, then he came and said: ‘By Allah. O ‘Aishah. It was as if its water was infused with henna and its date palms were like the heads of devils.’” She said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you burn them?’ He said: ‘As for me, Allah has healed me, and I do not like to let evil spread among the people.’ Then he issued orders that the well be filled up with earth.”

“O Messenger of Allah, every year you are still suffering pain because of the poisoned meat that you ate.” He said: “Nothing that happens to me, but it was decreed for me when Adam was still at the stage of being clay.’”

“If anyone of you, when he stops to camp (while on a journey), says A’udhu bi kalimatil-lahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created), then nothing will harm him in that place until he moves on.”

“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed me as governor of Ta’if, I began to get confused during my prayer, until I no longer knew what I was doing. When I noticed that, I travelled to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he said: ‘The son of Abul-‘As?’ I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘What brings you here?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I get confused during my prayer, until I do not know what I am doing.’ He said: ‘That is Satan. Come here.’ So I came close to him, and sat upon the front part of my feet then he struck my chest with his hand and put some spittle in my mouth and said: ‘Get out, O enemy of Allah!’ He did that three times, then he said: ‘Get on with your work.’” ‘Uthman said: “Indeed, I never felt confused (during my prayer) after that.”

“I was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) when a Bedouin came to him and said: ‘I have a brother who is sick.’ He said: ‘What is the matter with your brother?’ He said: ‘He suffers from a slight mental derangement.’ He said: ‘Go and bring him.’” He said: “(So he went) and he brought him. He made him sit down in front of him and I heard him seeking refuge for him with Fatihatil-Kitab; four Verses from the beginning of Al-Baqarah, two Verses from its middle: ‘And your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God – Allah),’ [2:163] and Ayat Al-Kursi; and three Verses from its end; a Verse from Al ‘Imran, I think it was: ‘Allah bears witness that La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He),’ [3:18] a Verse from Al-A’raf: ‘Indeed, your Lord is Allah,’ [7:54] a Verse from Al-Mu’minun: ‘And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other ilah (god), of whom he has no proof,’[23:117] a Verse from Al-Jinn: ‘And He, exalted is the Majesty of our Lord,’ [72:3] ten Verses from the beginning of As-Saffat; three Verses from the end of Al-Hashr; (then) ‘Say: He is Allah, (the) One,’ [112:1] and Al-Mu’awwidhatain. Then the Bedouin stood up, healed, and there was nothing wrong with him.”