CHAPTER 38 – THE EARNINGS OF PHYSICIANS
According to the narration of Abu Sa’id al-Hudri, may Allah be pleased with him:
A group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, set out on a raiding expedition (seriyya). They halted at the encampment of one of the Arab tribes and asked them to host them. The tribe declined to entertain them. The chieftain of that tribe was stung by a venomous creature. They tried every means of healing for him, but nothing availed him. One of the people of the tribe said: “Perhaps if you were to go to the group who came down among you as guests, it is possible that one of them has something (a remedy) that would benefit your chieftain.”
Thereupon, a man from that tribe approached this guest group and said: "Our chieftain was stung by an animal. We have tried every means of treatment, but nothing has benefited him. Do any of you possess anything that could benefit our chieftain? Does anyone know *ruqya*?"
A man from the group replied: “I practice sorcery, but you refused to host us when we asked you to do so. I will not perform *ruqya* for your chieftain unless you assign me a reward.” They assigned him a flock of sheep as a reward. He then came to the chieftain and recited al-Fatiha over him and blew upon him. The chieftain was released from the effects of the poison, as if he had been untied, and they gave him the flock they had agreed to give.
The group of companions said: "Distribute the sheep." The sorcerer said, “Let us go to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and seek his opinion about this.” They came before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the morning and recounted the story to him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Where did you learn this sorcery? You have done well. Set aside a portion for me from the flock."
From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who narrated the preceding hadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, with a different wording.
Harice bin Salt, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from his uncle:
He visited a tribe, and the people of that tribe came to him and said, "You have brought something good from the presence of that man (the Prophet)." They said, “Perform some enchantment for this man.” They brought him a madman bound with ropes. He performed the enchantment with al-Fatiha in the morning and evening for three days. Every time he finished reciting it, he would collect his saliva in his mouth and then spit it out. The man seemed to be released from his bonds (and healed). They gave him something as a reward. He came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and related the matter. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Eat, I swear by my life that there are those who eat what they earn through performing false enchantments. By God, you have eaten what you earned from a true enchantment.”
**Note:** *The explanatory notes following the hadith in the original text are not part of the hadith itself and therefore were not translated.*