Spiritual Healing:

Allah has created human beings and decreed that they will face various trials throughout their lives, including illness. When a person becomes ill or is afflicted by hardship, it is natural to seek lawful means of healing and protection. Islam encourages believers to seek treatment while placing their complete trust in Allah. Among the methods discussed in Islamic teachings are Ruqyah (supplications and recitations from the Qur’an and Sunnah) and the use of Ta’wiz (amulets). The Arabic term Tamimah (plural: Tama’im) refers to an amulet or object worn for protection.

During the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah: Ignorance), the Arabs practiced various forms of incantations and protective charms. Some of these practices were based on superstition, while others involved recitations. Hazrat Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja’i (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “We used to perform Ruqyah during the time of Jahiliyyah. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is your opinion concerning it?’ He replied, ‘Show me your Ruqyah. There is no harm in Ruqyah as long as it does not contain any element of shirk (associating partners with Allah).'” (Sahih-e-Muslim)

In some cases, people would also write words or verses and wear them around the neck as a Tamimah. This practice later became a subject of scholarly discussion. Even today, the use of Ta’wiz remains a widely debated issue within the Muslim community. While many Muslims believe they have benefited from it, others consider it an innovation (Bid’ah) or even an act that may lead to Shirk. Therefore, it is important to examine this matter carefully in the light of the Qur’an, the authentic Sunnah, and the opinions of qualified Islamic scholars.

Spiritual healing through sacred words of Qur’an and Sunnah:

In the following discussion, we will explore the Islamic ruling on Ta’wiz based on authentic evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah, helping readers understand the different scholarly perspectives of this important topic.

A Ta’wiz: generally contains verses from the Holy Qur’an, the Beautiful Names of Allah, or authentic supplications (du’as). The purpose of such a Ta’wiz is to seek Allah’s protection and healing through His revealed words. The believer understands that the Ta’wiz itself has no independent power; rather, all healing and benefit come from Allah alone. Allah Almighty says:

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Surah Al-Isra 17:82)

“And We send down in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers.”

The same principle is reflected in the Hadith. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

(Sunan Ibn Majah) “The best medicine is the Qur’an.” خَيْرُ الدَّوَاءِ الْقُرْآنُ

These texts clearly demonstrate that the Qur’an is a source of spiritual healing, mercy, and guidance for the believers.

The Prophet ﷺ instructed that a written supplication be prepared

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he once complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about disturbing experiences caused by the jinn. He said:”O Messenger of Allah, while I was lying in my bed, I suddenly heard a sound in my house like the turning of a millstone, followed by a humming noise similar to the buzzing of bees. I then saw a flash of light and a dark figure rising in the courtyard of my house. As I approached it and touched it, its skin felt rough like that of a porcupine. It then threw sparks of fire towards me, causing me to fear that I or my house would be burned.”The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “O Abu Dujanah! An evil being has entered your house. By the Lord of the Ka’bah, people such as you are often troubled by these creatures.”The Prophet ﷺ then instructed: “Bring me a piece of paper and a pen.”Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him) brought them, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ handed them to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: “O Abu al-Hasan, write.”Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what should I write? “The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Write the following:”

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰن ِالرَّحِیْم ھٰذَا کِتَابٌ مِّنْ مُّحَمَّدِِ رَّسُوْلِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم اِلٰی مَنْ طَرَقَ الدَّارَمِّنَ الْعُمَّارِ وَالزُّوَارِوَالصَّالِحِیْنَ اِلَّا طَارِقاً یَّطْرُقُ بِخَیْرٍ یَّا رَحْمٰنُ اَمَّا بَعْدُ :فَاِنَّ لَنَا وَلَکُمْ فِیْ الْحَقِّ سَعَۃً ،فَاِنْ تَکُ عَاشِقاً مُوْلِعاً، فَاجِراً مُقْتَحِماً أَوْ رَاغِباً حَقّاً أَوْ مُبْطِلاً،ھٰذَا کِتَابُ اللہِ تَبَارَکَ وَ تَعَالٰی یَنْطِقُ عَلَیْنَا وَعَلَیْکُمْ بِالْحَقِّ ،اِنَّا کُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخ ُ مَا کُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ وَرُسُلُنَا یَکْتُبُوْنَ مَاتَمْکُرُوْنَ، اُتْرُکُوْا صَاحِبَ کِتَابِیْ ھٰذَا وَانْطَلِقُوْا اِلٰی عَبْدَۃِ الْاَصْنَامِ وَاِلٰی مَنْ یَّزْعَم ُاَنَّ مَعَ اللہِ اِلٰہًا آخَر لَااِلٰہَ اِلَّا ھُوَ کُلُّ شَیْءٍ ھَالِکٌ اِلَّا وَجْھَہ لَہُ الْحُکْمُ وَ اِلَیْہِ تُرْجَعُوْنَ یُغْلَبُوْنَ حٰم لَا یُنْصَرُوْنَ حٰم عسق، تُفَرَّقُ اَعْدَاءُ اللہ ِ،وَبَلَغَتْ حُجَّۃُ اللہِ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّۃ اِلَّا بِا اللہِ فَسَیَکْفِیْکَھُمُ اللہُ وَھُوَ السَّمِیْعُ الْعَلِیْمُ۔

Translation:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is a written message from Muhammad, the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds ﷺ, addressed to every resident, visitor, and righteous being who enters this house. Let none enter except with goodness and peace. There is sufficient room for us and for you within the truth. Therefore, whether you have come out of passion, transgression, falsehood, or any other motive, know that this is the Book of Allah, the Blessed and Most High, which speaks the truth for us and against you. Indeed, Allah says: “Surely, We have been recording all that you used to do, and Our messengers (angels) have been writing down all your deeds.” Therefore, leave the bearer of this written message unharmed, and depart to those who worship idols or claim that there is another deity besides Allah. There is no deity except Allah. Everything will perish except His Countenance. To Him belongs all authority, and to Him you will all be returned. Your efforts will fail, and you will not be granted victory. Ha-Mim. Ha-Mim ‘Ayn-Sin-Qaf. May the enemies of Allah be scattered. The proof of Allah has been established. There is no power and no strength except through Allah. Allah is sufficient for you against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

According to the narration, Sayyiduna Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I took the written supplication home, wrapped it carefully, and placed it beneath my pillow before going to sleep. During the night, I was awakened by a loud voice saying‘O Abu Dujanah! We swear by al-Lat and al-‘Uzza that these words have burned us. By your master, if you remove this written supplication from your house, we will never return to it. In another narration, the words are: ‘We will never harm you again.’ Nor will we come near your home or any place where this written supplication is kept.’ I replied, ‘By my master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I will not remove it until I seek his permission.’ Throughout the night I continued to hear the jinn crying out and lamenting, and the night seemed unusually long. When dawn arrived, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, offered the Fajr prayer with him, and informed him of everything that had occurred during the night. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: ‘O Abu Dujanah! Do not remove this written supplication from them. I swear by the One Who sent me with the Truth, they will continue to suffer its effect until the Day of Resurrection.’ This narration is recorded in Al-Khasa’is al-Kubra and is cited by scholars who discuss the permissibility of written supplications (Ta’wiz) containing Qur’anic verses and authentic invocations. As with other narrations on this subject, scholars have differed regarding its authenticity and evidential strength.

The Practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar: (رضي الله عنهما)

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrates in Musnad Ahmad that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would instruct his adult children to recite the following supplication before going to sleep:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

Translation:

“In the Name of Allah. I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from His anger, His punishment, the evil of His servants, the whisperings of the devils, and from their presence.”

It is further narrated that if any of his children were too young to memorize this supplication, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would write these words and place them around their necks as a Ta’wiz for protection.

This narration is recorded in Musnad Ahmad and is cited by many scholars as evidence that some of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) permitted the use of a written Ta’wiz containing Qur’anic verses or authentic supplications, while maintaining the belief that protection and benefit come solely from Allah Almighty.

The Views of the Tabaee’un: Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib and Ibn-e-Sirin:

Among the distinguished scholars of the Tabaai (the generation that followed the Companions of Prohet), there are reports indicating the permissibility of written Qur’anic Ta’wiz. It is narrated that Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “There is no harm in wearing a Ta’wiz containing verses of the Qur’an, provided that it is enclosed in a protective cover or wrapper.”

Similarly, Imam Muhammad ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) held that there is no objection to writing verses of the Holy Qur’an and hanging them around a person’s neck for protection. These reports are mentioned in Al-Bahr al-Muhit and are cited by scholars who permit the use of Qur’anic Ta’wiz under the prescribed Islamic conditions.A Written Supplication for Childbirth Reported from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when a woman experiences difficulty during childbirth, the following supplication and Qur’anic verses may be written on a clean piece of paper:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيم لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبِّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنَ النَّهَارِ ۚ بَلَاغٌ ۚ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُون

Translation:

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. There is no deity except Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing, the Most Generous. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. It will seem to them, on the Day they see it, as though they had remained in the world no more than an evening or its morning. And on the Day they witness what they were promised, it will appear as though they had remained only an hour of a day. This is the message. And none are destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people.”

According to the narration, these words are to be written on a clean piece of paper, dissolved in water, and the water given to the woman to drink while seeking Allah’s help and cure.This narration is recorded by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma’ad (Vol. 4, p. 328) and is cited by scholars discussing the permissibility of written Qur’anic remedies (Ta’wiz and Ruqyah) within the limits prescribed by Islamic law.

Which Ta’wiz are permissible and which are prohibited?

Islamic scholars have distinguished between permissible (Ja’iz) and impermissible (Na-Ja’iz) forms of Ta’wiz based on their contents and the beliefs associated with them. The View of Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali Azami (may Allah have mercy on him) In his renowned Book Bahar-e-Shariat, he explains that the prohibition mentioned in certain hadiths refers to those amulets that contain polytheistic expressions, unlawful words, or practices inherited from the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). He further states that it is permissible to write verses of the Holy Qur’an, authentic hadith, or prescribed supplications (du’as) as a Ta’wiz, provided they contain nothing contrary to Islamic teachings. Likewise, Qur’anic verses or supplications may be written inside a clean vessel, dissolved in water, and given to a sick person to drink with the intention of seeking healing from Allah alone. He also mentions that a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), a menstruating woman, or a woman in the postnatal period (nifas) may wear a Ta’wiz around the neck or arm, provided that it is enclosed in a protective cover so that the sacred writing remains protected and is treated with due respect.

The View of Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi:

Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi (may Allah have mercy on him) states that there is no harm in reciting Ruqyah or supplications that do not contain the names of jinn or devils and whose meanings do not imply disbelief (kufr) or polytheism (shirk). He further explains that scholars have discouraged the recitation of words whose meanings are unknown, as they may contain impermissible expressions. However, supplications authentically transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ may be recited even if every word is not fully understood, since their authenticity has been established.

(Ashi’at al-Lama’at)

Dear Readers,

As discussed above, many Islamic scholars have held that a Ta’wiz containing verses of the Holy Qur’an, the Beautiful Names of Allah, or authentic supplications from the Sunnah is permissible, provided that it is free from any element of shirk, unlawful words, or superstitious practices, and that the believer understands that all benefit and healing come solely from Allah Almighty. The narrations cited in this article indicate that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to prepare a written supplication for Sayyiduna Abu Dujanah (may Allah be pleased with him). Similar reports are also found regarding the practices of distinguished Companions such as Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and the views of prominent scholars from the generation of the Tabi’un. These narrations and scholarly opinions have been cited by many classical Islamic scholars as evidence for the permissibility of Qur’anic Ta’wiz when observed within the limits prescribed by the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

At the same time, Muslims should avoid all forms of amulets that contain polytheistic expressions, unknown symbols, magical formulas, or anything contrary to the teachings of Islam. Our faith and reliance must always remain firmly upon Allah alone, for He is the Ultimate Protector, the True Healer, and the Source of all benefit. May Allah Almighty grant us the understanding to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah correctly, strengthen our faith, bless us with beneficial knowledge, and protect us from all forms of misguidance. Ameen!