Date : 08-11-2010

Question :

I sought the help of a person who claimed to treat with Ruqyah and deal with the Muslim jinn. After I had dealt with him, I realized that what he did wasn`t permissible. I owed him a certain amount of money, but couldn`t pay him because I was in a hard up. He approved that I pay him part of the money and the rest to be paid once I have it. I was reluctant about paying him because I realized that he was making money unlawfully. Do I incur sin if I didn`t pay him the rest of the money as agreed? What is the solution for paying off this amount regardless of what it is to be spent on?

The Answer :

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.


 


If it was confirmed that this person is a sorcerer, a fortuneteller or doesn`t perform the Ruqyah* prescribed in the Prophetic Sunnah, then it is unlawful to pay him. The evidence on this is that Aba Mas'ud al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) forbade the charging of price of the dog, and earnings of a prostitute and the payment given to a soothsayer." {Related by Muslim}.


"Divination, soothsaying and witch craft, teaching them, and taking payment for them are prohibited by the clear prohibition of the payment given to a soothsayer stated in the authentic Hadith of Muslim (pp.231/100)." {Hasheyat Nehayat al-Mohtaj, vol./pp.400}.


However, if he used the Ruqyah prescribed in the Prophetic Sunnah or you (Asker) weren`t sure that he was an imposter then you should pay him. For more details on taking payment for Ruqyah, check Fatwa No. (274). We advise people not to seek the help of any person for Ruqyah. Rather, one can perform Ruqyah on himself, spouse and children for this may be more beneficial than any other Ruqyah. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.


*Ruqyah’ is the practice of treating illnesses through Qur’ānic āyāt and invocations as prescribed by the Messenger of Allah. It provides a cure for evil eye, magic and physical ailments.