Ruqyah in Islam: the full authentic text, verses, supplications and method

Ruqyah is reciting the words of Allah and the authentic supplications of the Prophet, peace be upon him, over yourself or someone else, asking Allah alone for healing. It is an established Sunnah, not an amulet, a secret formula or a charm. This page presents the chapter as it stands in Hisn al-Muslim: the verses first in their order, then the prophetic supplications, each in its own situation with its reference and grading, then the practical method, then what to avoid.

The three conditions of valid ruqyah

Jurists record agreement that ruqyah is permitted when three conditions are met, as detailed in the Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Islamic Law under the entry ruqyah:

1. It uses the words of Allah, His names and attributes, or a transmitted, intelligible supplication.
2. Its wording is Arabic or otherwise understood: no unknown formulas, no talismanic words, no oaths sworn by jinn.
3. Both reciter and patient believe ruqyah is only a means, and that Allah alone heals.

If any one of these three is missing, the recitation is no longer valid ruqyah and falls into what the Sunnah warns against, whatever its practitioner calls it.

The verses, in the order they are recited

First: Surah al-Fatihah

A companion recited al-Fatihah over a man who then recovered, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "How did you know it was a ruqyah?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5736). Scholars therefore begin with it.

Second: Ayat al-Kursi

Abu Hurayrah reported the Prophet saying: "When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi, for no devil will come near you until morning" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311). That is its established virtue, and it is recited in ruqyah as part of reciting the words of Allah.

Third: the closing verses of al-Baqarah

An-Numan ibn Bashir reported that they "are not recited in a house for three nights without a devil staying away from it" (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2882, graded hasan gharib). The household adhkar are detailed in protecting the home with adhkar.

Fourth: al-Ikhlas and the two refuge surahs, three times

When the Prophet went to bed he would cup his hands, blow into them, recite ﴿قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ﴾ and the two refuge surahs, then wipe his head, face and the front of his body, three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).

Surah al-Ikhlas is recited with them in full, and the blowing is a light breath without saliva.

Other passages scholars commonly recite

These are Quranic passages recited for healing and blessing, not fixed litanies tied to numbers that were never transmitted.

The prophetic supplications, each in its place

When reciting over a sick person

This is the ruqyah Jibril recited over the Prophet, reported by Muslim (2186).

While wiping the place of pain

Reported by al-Bukhari (5750); the Prophet would say it while wiping the patient with his right hand.

If you feel pain somewhere in your own body

The Prophet taught this to Uthman ibn Abi al-As: place your hand on the place of pain and say it (Sahih Muslim 2202).

For a visitor of the sick, seven times

Said over the sick person seven times (Sunan Abi Dawud 3106, Jami at-Tirmidhi 2083, graded sahih).

For general seeking of refuge

Reported by Muslim (2708), among the most comprehensive supplications of seeking refuge; its place in the day and night is set out in protecting the home with adhkar.

For children

The Prophet used it for al-Hasan and al-Husayn (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371), and for a single child the singular form is used.

How to recite it, step by step

1. Ritual purity is not a condition, though it is better; what matters is sincerity and reliance on Allah.
2. Sit calmly in a quiet place, and place your hand on the site of pain if you can.
3. Recite al-Fatihah, then Ayat al-Kursi, then the closing verses of al-Baqarah, then al-Ikhlas and the two refuge surahs three times.
4. Blow lightly into your palms without saliva, then wipe your face, head and whatever of your body you can reach.
5. Follow with the supplications in their proper places: "In the name of Allah I recite over you" for the person you recite over, "O Allah, Lord of mankind" while wiping, "I seek refuge in the might of Allah" seven times for pain in your own body, and "I ask Allah the Great" seven times when visiting the sick.
6. Repeat the session once, twice or three times a day as needed; no maximum and no binding count.
7. Never treat ruqyah as a replacement for medicine. The Prophet instructed his companions to seek treatment, so combine both.

Common mistakes and what is correct

Tools that help you recite

• The Quran with recitation to read full surahs and hear a verified reciter.
• Adhkar for morning and evening remembrance with the transmitted counts.
• Protecting the home with adhkar for what is said at home, on entering and on leaving.
• Sleep adhkar in order for the sequence recited at bedtime.

Frequently asked questions

Does ruqyah require a practitioner?

No. The norm is that a person recites over himself and his family. The Prophet recited over his companions and had ruqyah recited over him, so the matter is broad. What is wrong is believing that healing is tied to one specific person.

What is the order of recitation in ruqyah?

al-Fatihah, then Ayat al-Kursi, then the closing verses of al-Baqarah, then Surah al-Ikhlas and the two refuge surahs three times with blowing and wiping, then the prophetic supplications, each in its own situation.

How many times a day should ruqyah be recited?

No binding number of sessions was transmitted. Three repetitions are reported for the refuge surahs and seven for "I seek refuge in the might of Allah" and "I ask Allah the Great"; beyond that it depends on need.

Can ruqyah be recited over water or olive oil?

Many scholars permitted reciting over water or oil and then drinking or applying it, as the Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Islamic Law notes. No specific count or manner was transmitted, so nothing is required here and no one is criticised for leaving it.

What is the difference between ruqyah and an amulet?

Ruqyah is recitation and supplication directed to Allah; an amulet is an object hung to repel harm, and the Sunnah forbids amulets. One is a prayer, the other is reliance on an object that controls nothing.

Does ruqyah replace medical treatment?

It does not. Ruqyah is a religious means and medicine is a physical means Allah permitted and the Prophet instructed his companions to use. Combining both is the practice of the Sunnah.