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Is it permissible to recite the Quran and legitimate supplications over water or oil to treat sorcery, the evil eye, and demonic possession, and to take a fee for that, and does this recitation take the same ruling as reciting over the patient himself?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is permissible to take a fee for ruqyah (exorcism/spiritual healing) for the sick, just as the Companions did when they performed ruqyah on the stung person with Surat Al-Fatihah and took a flock of sheep. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, approved of this, saying: "You have done well." There is no harm in reciting over water and oil for treatment, but reciting directly on the patient with spitting (naft) is more preferable and better. It has been reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, recited over water for Thabit ibn Qais and poured it over him. The general principle is: "There is no harm in ruqyah as long as it does not involve polytheism (shirk)," and this includes ruqyah upon oneself, water, and oil.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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