Using the Five Elements theory in acupuncture treatment
Fatwa No: 127771

Question

salam wa alakum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatu
i had started doing acupuncture for a while now and it has been working for me i have stopped using medicine and back to normal after doing acupuncture alhamedulla and i have been reading its halal based on a previous question and other fatwa sites but recently i have been reading more on acupuncture and some use this theory of 5 elements wind, earth, water, metal ,and fire i dont know exactly what this all is it sounds a bit scary not knowing the meaning and they say evil is blocking flow but for myself all she does is insert needles on different locations and they stay their for 40 mins and she removes the needles and thats all she doesnt use any symbols she has some relaxing music she says but i have starting using my mp3 and listening to anasheed, quran, lectures ,etc but after reading the 5 element theory i dont know what to do and scared please help here is a site i had read this on http://www.yinyanghouse.com/theory/chinese/five_element_acupuncture_theory
jazakum allahi khair

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

 

Acupuncture ‎is permissible as we mentioned in Fatwa 83858 as long as the ‎criteria we explained in it are observed. If the doctor who treats you does not practice any pagan rituals, then there is no harm in continuing with her and there is no reason for you to worry.

However, it is impermissible to be treated at the hands of those ‎who practice acupuncture and connect it with any false ‎beliefs, such as the Five Elements theory.

In fact, this theory is a philosophical principle through which the followers of the eastern religions and atheists try to explain the movement, emotions, and the other aspects of living beings and supernatural events, away from what was received through divine revelation. They assumed that there is a so-called universal power or life power that is found in all beings. They also claim that the changes of this power and its fluctuations are governed by the Five Elements theory, which is based on principles of astrology and the ancient eastern philosophies.

To sum up, this theory is not based on sound scientific bases, and it contradicts the foundations of the Islamic creed and principles of believing in the unseen. It is, rather, based on a metaphysical belief derived from other than the sound source which is divine revelation.

Allaah Knows best.

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