All perfect 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.
Ruling on giving payment to the person who treats with Ruqyah* relies on the following situations:
1- If this person is a sorcerer, a fortuneteller, or one whose faith and honesty are questionable, then it isn`t permissible to pay him money. Not only this, it is even forbidden to go to him in the first place.
2- If this person does the Ruqyah as prescribed by the Messenger of Allah, then it is permissible to seek his help and there is nothing wrong with giving him money for what he does (Ju`al). This person is also allowed to take the price of the Ruqya water and honey provided that he tells the person seeking Ruqyah about that.
Narrated Abu Sa`id:
Some of the companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) went on a journey till they reached some of the 'Arab tribes (at night). They asked the latter to treat them as their guests but they refused. The chief of that tribe was then bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and they tried their best to cure him but in vain. Some of them said (to the others), "Nothing has benefited him, will you go to the people who resided here at night, it may be that some of them might possess something (as treatment)," They went to the group of the companions (of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) ) and said, "Our chief has been bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and we have tried everything but he has not benefited. Have you got anything (useful)?" One of them replied, "Yes, by Allah! I can recite a Ruqya, but as you have refused to accept us as your guests, I will not recite the Ruqya for you unless you fix for us some wages for it." They agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them then went and recited (Surat-ul-Fatiha): 'All the praises are for the Lord of the Worlds' and puffed over the chief who became all right as if he was released from a chain, and got up and started walking, showing no signs of sickness. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the recitation said, "Do not divide them till we go to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and narrate the whole story to him, and wait for his order." So, they went to Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) and narrated the story. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) asked, "How did you come to know that Suratul- Fatiha was recited as Ruqya?" Then he added, "You have done the right thing. Divide (what you have earned) and assign a share for me as well." The Prophet (Peace be upon him) smiled thereupon. {Bukhari & Muslim}. Moreover, Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Some of the companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) passed by some people staying at a place where there was water, and one of those people had been stung by a scorpion. A man from those staying near the water, came and said to the companions of the Prophet: "Is there anyone among you who can do Ruqya as near the water there is a person who has been stung by a scorpion." So one of the Prophet's companions went to him and recited Surat-al-Fatiha for a sheep as his fees. The patient got cured and the man brought the sheep to his companions who disliked that and said, "You have taken wages for reciting Allah's Book." When they arrived at Medina, they said: "O Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him)! (This person) has taken wages for reciting Allah's Book" On that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: "You are most entitled to take wages for doing a Ruqya with Allah's Book." [Al-Bukhary, 5737].
Ruqyia is done to treat a person cursed by magic or smitten by an evil eye. Abu Sa'id reported that Gabriel came to Allah's Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) and said: Muhammad, have you fallen ill? Thereupon he said: Yes. He (Gabriel) said: "In the name of Allah I exorcise you from everything and safeguard you from every evil that may harm you and from the eye of a jealous one. Allah would cure you and I invoke The Name of Allah for you." {Transmitted by Muslim}.
Ibn Hajar (May Allah have mercy on him) said: "It is permissible to receive payment for performing Ruqyah." {Tohfat al-Mohtajvol.6/pp.372}.
The Ruqyah that is acceptable in the Sharee'ah is that which fulfills three conditions:
1- The Ruqyah must be done with the Quran, with the Names and Attributes of Allaah the Almighty, or with a supplication reported on the authority of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
2- The Ruqyah must be composed of comprehensive Arabic words because it is not appropriate to use a language other than Arabic in supplication. It is only permissible for those who are not fluent in Arabic. Using foreign words in Ruqyah is unacceptable.
3- It must be known that Ruqyah has no effect on its own, but it is effective only by the Will of Allah The Almighty.
Once these three conditions are fulfilled, it becomes a valid Ruqyah. For more details, kindly check {Al-Fatawa Al-Fiqhiyah Al-Kubra, vol.1/pp.37}.
It is worth reminding that it is forbidden for a woman to go to the person who treats with Ruqyah. Rather, she should do Ruqyah on herself or ask a trustworthy woman to do that for her. And Allah The Almightyh 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.
