Seeking Allah’s Refuge
📖Sahih Muslim 2202
Uthman ibn Abi al-‘As reported: He complained to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, of pain he felt in his body since he had embraced Islam. The Prophet said to him, “Place your hand over the part of your body where you feel pain and say three times: In the name of Allah. And say seven times: I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and worry.”
This hadith shows the Prophet ﷺ teaching a form of spiritual healing through invocation and seeking refuge in Allah. At that time, when the Prophet was physically among the people, he was acting on Allah’s behalf, so his guidance carried direct divine connection. Saying the words while following the Prophet’s instruction was spiritually effective because the Prophet ﷺ was present as the conduit of Allah’s mercy and guidance, However, the hadith does not guarantee that this will always work today. The Prophet ﷺ did not explicitly promise a cure in this instance. He provided a method that can bring spiritual comfort and may assist in healing, but it leaves room for human experience and the limits of physical treatment.
Islam acknowledges both spiritual remedies and practical medicine:
- Allah sent guidance, including.
- If a method does not work, using medicine and modern treatment is fully permitted and encouraged.
- Spiritual healing complements, rather than replaces, physical treatment.
📖Sahih Muslim 2204
There is a remedy for every malady, and when the remedy is applied to the disease it is cured with the permission of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 17:82
And We send down of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers…
→ Saying “In the name of Allah” aligns with the Qur’anic teaching that the words of Allah bring spiritual healing and mercy.
📖Quran 16:98
So when you recite the Qur’an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].
→ The instruction to seek refuge in Allah mirrors the hadith’s guidance to seek protection from the evil of pain and worry.
- The words in the hadith are directly connected to Qur’anic principles: invoking Allah’s name, seeking His refuge, and relying on His power.
- Saying “In the name of Allah” emphasizes that all action is by Allah’s command, and seeking refuge recognizes His protection.
- These words bring spiritual comfort, align the believer with Allah’s mercy, and acknowledge that ultimate healing comes from Him.
- The hadith does not guarantee a cure; it leaves room for natural remedies or medicine, while showing the spiritual aspect of healing rooted in the Qur’an.
- Quran 2:152
- Quran 7:200
- Quran 13:28
- Quran 41:36
- Quran 50:16
These verses show that repeating dhikr (remembrance) and seeking Allah’s protection multiple times is fully supported in the Qur’an.
📖Quran 45:13
And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth—all from Him. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who reflect.
→ This confirms that all resources, whether on earth or in the sky, are provided by Allah for human use and benefit.
- Natural resources as remedies: Plants, minerals, herbs, and other natural elements are part of what Allah has subjected to humans. Many of these have medicinal properties that humans can discover and use.
- Scientific exploration is allowed: Since Allah made these resources available, studying them to find cures, develop medicine, or improve health is in line with His provision.
- Complement to spiritual healing: Spiritual remedies like supplication, prayer, and reciting Qur’an work alongside physical remedies. Medicine is part of the resources Allah has given humans to maintain life and health.
- Evidence of Allah’s mercy and signs: Healing through medicine demonstrates Allah’s wisdom, mercy, and the signs in creation, encouraging humans to reflect on His creation.
The Prophet ﷺ taught a method of seeking refuge in Allah for pain, showing the connection between divine guidance and human well-being. At his time, the statement carried special effectiveness because he was among the people acting on Allah’s behalf. Today, it may or may not work, and Islam fully permits using medicine alongside spiritual supplication. Both spiritual and practical remedies are part of Allah’s mercy, and believers are encouraged to combine them while trusting in Allah’s wisdom.