Ruqyah is the recitation of Qur’an and permissible supplications while asking Allah for healing, protection and relief. A Muslim can perform ruqyah for themselves without depending upon unusual objects, secret formulas or unknown words.

Begin with the correct belief

Healing comes only from Allah. The verses and supplications are means through which a believer worships Allah and asks for His help. Ruqyah should contain no invocation of spirits, talismans, magic, mysterious symbols or words whose meanings are unknown.

The Prophet ﷺ permitted ruqyah provided that it contained no shirk.

Recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah

A companion recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah as ruqyah for a man who had been stung. When the incident was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, he approved the practice and confirmed that al-Fātiḥah may be used as ruqyah.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

Recite the three protecting sūrahs

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

The Prophet ﷺ recited them into his hands, blew lightly and wiped his hands over his body. This may be repeated three times.

A simple self-ruqyah routine

  • Place your trust in Allah.
  • Recite al-Fātiḥah.
  • Recite Āyat al-Kursī.
  • Recite al-Ikhlāṣ, al-Falaq and al-Nās.
  • Blow lightly into your hands and wipe the affected area or your body.
  • Ask Allah directly for healing, protection and well-being.

Ruqyah should not become a reason to delay necessary medical care. A Muslim may seek both appropriate treatment and spiritual support while recognizing that all healing ultimately comes from Allah.