Is it permissible for a person to ask others to do Ruqyah for him? Is there any contradiction between such a request and the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (may Allaah exalt his mention), pointed out that among the attributes of the seventy thousand people who will enter Paradise without reckoning is that they did not ask others to do Ruqyah for them? Is it permissible for me to do Ruqyah for a disbeliever, in the hope that he would embrace Islam?

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 is His slave and Messenger.

There are many Hadeeths that permit Ruqyah and permit asking others to recite it for a person. On the authority of ‘Awf Ibn Maalik the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, mentioned that Ruqyah is permissible as long as it does not include any element of Shirk (polytheism). [Muslim]

‘Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered her to do Ruqyah to ward off envy. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] There are many other Hadeeths on this issue.

There is no contradiction between these Hadeeths and the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, informed us that  there would be seventy thousand of his Ummah (nation) who would enter Paradise without reckoning, and among their attributes was that they did not ask anyone to do Ruqyah for them. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Hadeeths about Ruqyah indicate that doing so is permissible, and this Hadeeth indicates the virtue of leaving Ruqyah with reliance on the strength of a person’s trust in Allaah The Almighty and his firmness of faith.  Asking others to do Ruqyah for oneself contradicts the state of perfect trust in Allaah The Almighty. However, it is neither prohibited nor disliked; it is permissible.

It is permissible to do Ruqyah for a non-Muslim with the intention of guiding him to embrace Islam. When Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri recited Ruqyah over a disbeliever by reciting Chapter Al-Faatihah and Allaah The Almighty cured him, he informed the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who approved of what he had done and praised it. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]  An-Nawawi deduced from this Hadeeth that it was recommended to recite Chapter Al-Faatihah over the sick. Hence, it is worthier to recite Ruqyah over someone who is likely to embrace Islam.

Allaah Knows best.