Thread by @aaolomi

In the Islamic world, belief in a hidden realm, al ghayb, led to ideas and practices on how to protect one’s self from the slings of the djinn and spiritual maladies

A thread on spiritual healing and exorcism

As in the case with Christian and Jewish spiritual practices with the Bible, Muslims believed the Quran and its verses had healing and protective powers.

Justified by traditions that related Muhammad’s own use of the Qu’ran to heal and protect.

This is called ruqyah

While many of the methods have some commonality with sihir or magic great pains are taken to distinguish the two, namely by noting they originate from different sources and serve different purposes: one to heal and the other to manipulate/harm

Some examples include the recitation of Surah Ikhlas, Falaq, and Nas followed by blowing on your hands or lightly spitting and running them down the body.

Done before bed to protect from the intrusion of the djinn and to keep safe from evil

The act of blowing air is grounded in the belief that breath carries prayer and barakah or blessing. Blowing a prayer on an object transmits the blessing

A good example is a house blessing or protection: You recite Ayatul Kursi or the Throne Verse followed by blowing towards the four corners of the house to safeguard the home from the devil

Similar methods are used as cures for the evil eye. One recites seeking refuge followed by Surah Fatiha 3 times, Ayatul Kursi 3 times, Surah Ikhlas, Falaq, and Nas followed by 2:102 3 times and then you blow into a cup of water.

The water is then drunk while saying bismillah

Additionally there are material components found commonly like the making of protective charms.

A common home protection is the writing out of the “four quls” meaning Surah Kafirun, Ikhlas, Falaq, and Nas often written stylistically emphasizing the “Qul”

These protective pieces are displayed decoratively in home. Other pieces may include the bismillah or Surah Fatiha or Ayatul Kursi

More complicated ones involve talismanic paper charms or metal charms in which verses or names of God are written out according to numeric symbology

These are then hung on the body or in the home

One such charm used to heal illness involves writing and invoking a Name of God “Al Latif” numerically. It is written on a small scroll and placed around the neck of sick person followed by reciting “As Salam” 115 times and blowing on them

In addition to Quranic verses and Names of God, there are famous dua or prayers recorded in the prophetic tradition like the Dua of Jibrail

Experts in Ruqyah develop specialized knowledge in the uses of healing and protective prayers, written charms, and in exorcism dealing with djinn and shaiytans (devils)

It is said that djinn and shaiytan posses a person for many reasons and so experts are called to drive them out.

Some approaches involve forceful negotiation and even trying to convert the djinn. The creature is identified and asked why it’s doing what it’s doing

The victim with the djinn is asked to recite certain prayers which force the djinn out. Sometimes these can be the adhan or call to prayer other times the shahada or verses of the Quran

Getting a djinn to recite the shahada seeks to covert them to Islam

More forceful means involve restraining the possessed, covering them in a large cloth upon which verses are written, and then reciting prayers and Quranic verses and blowing air upon the person forcing the djinn to flee, though they may struggle.

There is also a clear intersection with natural healing methods. One fascinating element is how the uses of spiritual healing were localized with regional customs.

For example one protective charm involves gathering 99 beans and reciting Ayatul Kursi on each one individually

The beans are scattered outside the home as a protective measure. Djinn are believed to be unable to pass them.

Some say it forces the djinn to stop and count each one and therefore they are kept from entering the home

The act of scattering beans or seeds as a protective measure is a pre Islamic practice from the Near East and Central Asia.

The tradition continued and was islamized

The fusion with Greco-Arabic medicine found in South Asia and the Persianate world called Yunani also points to this relationship.

For example the reputed cure for nausea is a mixture of salt and mint, over which Ayatul Kursi was recited

Combining prayer and Hellenic medicine

These practices faced stringent opposition during the colonial era esp with modernizing reforms. While some of the folk remedies were regulated the spiritual healing and protective practices were treated with great derision

I’ll dive more deeply into some specific talismans, paper charms, and exorcism practices in future threads