MEDICINE SECTION · 7 – TREATMENT BY CAUTERIZATION
3865 – It is narrated from ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn (may Allah be pleased with him) as follows: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade cauterization. (Despite the prohibition of the Prophet,) we treated ourselves with cauterization, but our ailments neither improved nor were cured. [479] Abū Dāwūd said: ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn used to hear the greetings of the angels; when he was cauterized, this sensitivity was cut off from him. When he abandoned cauterization, this sensitivity returned to him again.
3866 – It is narrated from Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) treated Saʿīd ibn Muʿādh by cauterizing him due to the arrow wound he had received. [480]
EXPLANATION
Treatment by cauterization has been prohibited unless it becomes absolutely necessary. However, this prohibition does not mean "never do it." As can be understood from the hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) treated Saʿīd ibn Muʿādh’s wound by means of cauterization. The modern equivalent of cauterization practiced in those days is today’s physical therapy (electrotherapy).