MEDICAL SECTION · 18 – HADITHS CONCERNING INCANTATION (EFSUN)
3885 – It is narrated from the grandfather of Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) once entered upon Thābit. Ahmad ibn Ṣāliḥ says that at that time Thābit was ill. Thereupon, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Lord of mankind, remove the distress from Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās.” Then he took some earth from the valley of Bathān (in Medina), placed it in a cup, poured water over it, recited over it and blew on it, and then poured it over Thābit ibn Qays. [494]
3886 – It is narrated from ʿAwf ibn Mālik: In the Age of Ignorance, we used to perform incantations (efsun, i.e., healing by reciting and blowing). We said: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you command regarding incantation?” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Present your incantations to me; there is no harm in incantation so long as there is no shirk (associating partners with God) in it.”
3887 – It is narrated from Shifāʾ bint ʿAbdullāh (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon me while I was with Ḥafṣa. He said to me: “Why do you not teach Ḥafṣa the incantation (efsun) for the disease called ‘namla’ (which appears as black spots on both sides of the body), just as you taught her writing?”
EXPLANATION
The disease ‘namla’ means ‘ant disease.’ It is a wound that appears on the sides of the body, with a black appearance resembling ants. Lady Shifāʾ used to perform incantation (efsun) for this disease. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) requested that she teach this incantation to Lady Ḥafṣa as well. This hadith indicates that women should learn writing.
3888 – It is narrated from Rabāb (may Allah be pleased with her), the grandmother of ʿUthmān ibn Ḥakīm, that she said: I heard Sahl ibn Ḥunayf say (during our journey): We came across a running stream, and I entered and bathed in it. I came out of the water afflicted with fever. My condition was reported to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Command Abū Thābit to seek refuge (from this illness).” Rabāb said: I asked, “O Messenger of God, is it permissible to have incantation (efsun) performed?” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no (real) effect in incantation except for the evil eye, poisoning, or being stung by a venomous creature.” Abū Dāwūd said: Poisoning occurs from snakes or stinging animals.
3889 – It is narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no incantation except for the evil eye, poisoning, or bleeding; incantation stops bleeding.” Among the narrators, ʿAbbās did not mention the evil eye. This wording is that of Sulaimān ibn Dāwūd’s narration. [495]