Imam Jalaaluddin Suyuti on the Permissibility of wearing a Ta’widh
(Excerpt from his Tibb un-Nabawiyya)
Know then that the recital of verses and the wearing of amulets are indeed useful if accepted by the patient and received with his consent as a method of cure. The recitation of charms and the wearing of amulets are a form of taking refuge with Allah for the purpose of securing health, just as is done in the case of medicine. Blameworthy recitations are those not made in Arabic when the meaning of the words is not known. But if the words are understood, then the practice is approved.
On this subject 'Awf bin Malik is reported to have said: You mean: as we used to do in the days of the ignorance. And they said: O Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم , how do you regard that? And he said: Recite to me your verses. And after hearing them he said: All well & good, always provided there is no suggestion of polytheism in them. This story is reported by Muslim. In another version it is reported that a man was brought to the Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم saying: O Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم , is it true that you have forbidden the recitation of charms ? I once recited a verse to charm away a scorpion bite. And the Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم replied: Whosoever among you is able to help his brother, let him indeed do so. This is related by Muslim.
Indeed the prohibition is directed against heretical charms. Or perhaps the prohibition was once absolute and later was cancelled. I once asked Abu 'Abd-Ullah about charms against scorpions. He saw no harm in the practice provided the words were understood or were taken from the Quran. Said Shifa bint 'Abd-Ullah: The Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم entered the tent while I was with Hafsa. He said to me: Teach her the charms against the herpes in the same way as I had taught her to write. Abu Dawud relates this. In this tradition it will be also noted that permission is given for women to be taught to write.
From 'Ayesha comes this tradition. When people used to complain of something such as an ulcer or a wound, the Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم would put his finger in the dust. Then he would raise it and say: In the name of Allah, the dust of our earth united with the spittle of some of us will cure our sick with the permission of the Lord. About this traditional saying there is general agreement. The phrase ' dust of our earth ' is used because the constitution of dust is cold & dry and a desiccant for all damp. Now, ulcers and wounds contain much damp within, which checks the good functioning of the Faculties and so hinders speedy healing. And as for the phrase ' spittle of some of us ', that is our saliva, this means that if saliva be added to dust and dried and then placed upon ulcers or wounds, these will be cured by the permission of Allah. On this subject there are many traditions.
Regarding reading verses from the Quran, 'Ali is reported to have said: The best medicine is the Quran. Al-Tirmidhi reports this tradition.
Quran 17.82: Said Almighty Allah: We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the Believers. The word ' of' does not refer to certain parts only, but the meaning is that all that is revealed in the Quran is curative. The Quran cures from physical diseases if used for that purpose just as it cures from error, ignorance and doubt. It will guide a man lost in amazement. It cures the heart by removing ignorance from it: it cures the body by removing sickness from it. Know that sound bodies are found with sound hearts. Make healthy your heart and healthy will be your body. Said the Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وصحبه وسلم : There is within the body a lump of flesh. If this lump of flesh is healthy, then the whole body is healthy. This is a traditional saying (Hadith).
Read more: Imam Jalaaluddin Suyuti on the Permissibility of wearing a Ta’widh
Excerpt from Jaa al Haqq wa Zahaqal Batil
Hadhrat Mufti Ahmed Yar Khan Naemi (رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ)
The literal meaning of ‘Bid’at’ (Innovation) is a new thing. The Holy Qur’an states, “Say, “1 am not a new Rasool,”.” The Creator of the heavens and earth,” 7.22 and “و رھبانیۃ ن ابتدعوا ھا ما کتبنھا علیھم”7.23.
The literal meaning of Bid at has been used in these verses (i.c. to create, to make new, etc). Mulla Ali Qaari رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ writes, “Bid’at is the action which has no past example.” 7.24 _ Mirqaat Sharah, Mishkaat, Baabul-Itisaam bil-Kitaab was Sunnah.
It is now used in three meanings,
1. A new action that came to be after the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
2. An action against the Sunnat which removes a Sunnat.
3. Bad or false beliefs (aqaaid) that came to be afterwards.
The first meaning of Bid at is divided into two categories,
1. Hasana (Good Innovation)
2. Sayyia (Bad Innovation)
The second and third meanings of innovation refer only to a Bad Innovation. The second meaning was meant by the pious when they said, “Every Innovation is Bad (Sayyia).” The third meaning is meant by the Hadith, “Every Innovation is a deviance.” Thus, the Ahadith and rulings of the Ulama are not in conflict.
According to the Shariah, Innovation (Bid’at) refers to those beliefs or practices which were not prevalent in the visible lifetime of Rasulullah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and were produced afterwards. This results in Innovation within Shariah (Shar’i Bid’at) to be of two types, Bid’at-e-I’tiqaadi and Bid’at-e-Amali.
Bid’at-e-l’tiqaadi (Innovation in Belief) are those false beliefs that were produced in Islam after The Holy Prophetصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. The beliefs of Jews, Christians, fire- worshippers and polytheists are not Bid’at-e-I’tiqaadi because they were found in his time, also, these beliefs are not considered to be Islamic beliefs according to the Christians, etc.
The Permissibiity of Raising Both the Hands and Making Dua.
Dua' is a very powerful weapon that Allahu ta'ala has gifted the believers. Through which, we defend ourselves against the attacks of shaytan and the shayateen. We seek shifa (healing) hidaya (guidance) and rizq (liveihood) through dua'. We also seek refuge in Alllahu ta'ala and ask for victory against those who oppress us by trying to impede or worship of our Rabb. Never trust anyone who discourages you from remembering Allahu ta'ala (Dhikr) or discourages you from calling upon Allahu ta'ala. These individuals are shayateen in human form.
It is narrated that Abdullah Ibn Zubair (radhiallahu anhu) saw a man raising his hands and making dua before completing his salah. When the person had completed his salaah, Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Zubair (radhiallahu anhu) went up to him and said: "Verily, Rasulullah ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ) used to only raise his hands and make dua after completing his salaah" (the narrators of this Hadith are all trustworthy Majmauz Zawaaid, vol. 1, pg. 169). It is also mentioned in the Fataawa of Ahle Hadith (vol.1, pg.190) as well as in Fataawa Nazeeriyyaa (vol. 1, pg. 566) that in the light of the Sharia, the dua after salaah is an authentically established practice and it is mustahab to do so.
This and the following report suggests that Ibn `Umar, like his father, - Allah be well-pleased with both of them - supplicated together with others: From Wahb: "I saw Ibn `Umar and Ibn al-Zubayr supplicating [i.e. together] and rubbing their hands against their faces."
Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (2:68) with a sound chain according to Shaykh `Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda in his Thalath Rasa'il (p. 93). This event may have taken place at the highly dramatic time following the death of al-Husayn ibn `Ali – upon them peace - at the hands of Yazid ibn Mu`awiya, after which Ibn `Umar told `Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr - Allah be well-pleased with them: "Al-Husayn has beaten us" i.e. with martyrdom, and they wept.
Ibn `Abd al-Razzaq narrated with his chain in his Musannaf (2:252-253) from Yahya ibn Sa`id al- Ansari the qadi of al-Madina that "Ibn `Umar used to supplicate together with al-Qass" (kâna yabsutu yadayhi ma`a al-Qass) and that "they [i.e. the senior Successors]mentioned that those that came before them [i.e. the Companions] would supplicate and then place back their hands on their faces so as to place back the du`â' and its baraka. Al-Qass is the Tâbi`î `Ubayd ibn `Umayr ibn Qatada al-Laythi al-Makki the admonisher and Qur'anic commentator.
Shaykh Abu Ghudda said (p. 94): "This is frank evidence to the effect that wiping the face with the two hands after raising them in supplication was practiced in the first generations."
From Abu al-Darda' - Allah be well-pleased with him -: "Raise up these hands of yours in supplication before they become manacled with the chains [of Hellfire]."Narrated from al-Faryabi's al-Dhikr by al-Zarkashi in his al-Azhiya (p. 74).