Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2276
sahih

Narrated Abu Sa`id:

Some of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) went on a journey till they reached some of the 'Arab tribes (at night). They asked the latter to treat them as their guests but they refused. The chief of that tribe was then bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and they tried their best to cure him but in vain. Some of them said (to the others), "Nothing has benefited him, will you go to the people who resided here at night, it may be that some of them might possess something (as treatment)," They went to the group of the companions (of the Prophet (ﷺ) ) and said, "Our chief has been bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and we have tried everything but he has not benefited. Have you got anything (useful)?" One of them replied, "Yes, by Allah! I can recite a Ruqya, but as you have refused to accept us as your guests, I will not recite the Ruqya for you unless you fix for us some wages for it." They agrees to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them then went and recited (Surat-ul-Fatiha): 'All the praises are for the Lord of the Worlds' and puffed over the chief who became all right as if he was released from a chain, and got up and started walking, showing no signs of sickness. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the recitation said, "Do not divide them till we go to the Prophet (ﷺ) and narrate the whole story to him, and wait for his order." So, they went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and narrated the story. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked, "How did you come to know that Suratul- Fatiha was recited as Ruqya?" Then he added, "You have done the right thing. Divide (what you have earned) and assign a share for me as well." The Prophet (ﷺ) smiled thereupon.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ انْطَلَقَ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفْرَةٍ سَافَرُوهَا حَتَّى نَزَلُوا عَلَى حَىٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ فَاسْتَضَافُوهُمْ، فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمْ، فَلُدِغَ سَيِّدُ ذَلِكَ الْحَىِّ، فَسَعَوْا لَهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُهُ شَىْءٌ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَوْ أَتَيْتُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الرَّهْطَ الَّذِينَ نَزَلُوا لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عِنْدَ بَعْضِهِمْ شَىْءٌ، فَأَتَوْهُمْ، فَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّهْطُ، إِنَّ سَيِّدَنَا لُدِغَ، وَسَعَيْنَا لَهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُهُ، فَهَلْ عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ شَىْءٍ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ نَعَمْ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرْقِي، وَلَكِنْ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدِ اسْتَضَفْنَاكُمْ فَلَمْ تُضِيِّفُونَا، فَمَا أَنَا بِرَاقٍ لَكُمْ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لَنَا جُعْلاً‏.‏ فَصَالَحُوهُمْ عَلَى قَطِيعٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ، فَانْطَلَقَ يَتْفِلُ عَلَيْهِ وَيَقْرَأُ ‏{‏الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏}‏ فَكَأَنَّمَا نُشِطَ مِنْ عِقَالٍ، فَانْطَلَقَ يَمْشِي وَمَا بِهِ قَلَبَةٌ، قَالَ فَأَوْفَوْهُمْ جُعْلَهُمُ الَّذِي صَالَحُوهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمُ اقْسِمُوا‏.‏ فَقَالَ الَّذِي رَقَى لاَ تَفْعَلُوا، حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَنَذْكُرَ لَهُ الَّذِي كَانَ، فَنَنْظُرَ مَا يَأْمُرُنَا‏.‏ فَقَدِمُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرُوا لَهُ، فَقَالَ ‏

‏ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ ـ ثُمَّ قَالَ ـ قَدْ أَصَبْتُمُ اقْسِمُوا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي مَعَكُمْ سَهْمًا ‏

‏‏.‏ فَضَحِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَقَالَ شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بِشْرٍ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْمُتَوَكِّلِ بِهَذَا‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 37, Hadith 16
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 36, Hadith 476 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) keenly sought the opinion of the Prophet ﷺ on every new matter concerning their personal affairs, even if it seemed a righteous deed; they still demanded his consent or disapproval (prohibition). In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudhree (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he went on a journey with a group of Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They passed by a tribe, and asked them for the usual hospitality as their guests, but they refrained. As these Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were in their place of residence, the chief of the tribe was stung by a scorpion and was poisoned. The pain intensified, and they tried their best to cure him but in vain.Some of them said (to the others), "Nothing has benefited him, will you go to those people who stayed here,” meaning the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Raht’ which is used to refer to a group of men below ten, and it was also said that it refers to a group of men below forty. They added, “…one of them might possess something (as treatment).” One of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) informed them that he would cure him by means of Ruqyah (i.e., Quranic healing), provided that they paid them fees, because they had refused to welcome them as their guests and show them the usual hospitality. They agreed to pay him a flock of sheep in return for curing their chief. The version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree read: “… thirty sheep.” He then went and recited (Soorat Al-Faatihah): “Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds” and puffed over the chief; Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) added that he, “became all right as if he was released from a chain,” meaning that his pain ended immediately as if he was released from a chain; “he got up and started walking, showing no signs of sickness.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Qalabah’ meaning illness, and the word literally denotes turning something upside down. It is given this name because a patient may beasked to lie on his back during the medical examination. They paid them the agreed-upon fee, and some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who recited the Ruqyah, i.e., Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him), as stated in Musnad Ahmad, forbade them until they went to the Prophet ﷺ, related the whole story to him, and waited for his command. They went to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and narrated the story, and he ﷺasked Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him), “How did you know that Soorat Al-Faatihah is recited as Ruqyah (and a cure for illness)?” As recorded in Musnad Ahamd, Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “It was inspired into my heart,” meaning that it was an insight and inspiration from Allah, Exalted is He, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) acted according to it, and this was a blessing from Him. Then he ﷺ added, "You have done the right thing,” by acting upon such insight and inspiration and reciting the Ruqyah to save this stung man, such that you were made the reason for his recovery. He ﷺ commanded them to divide those sheep among themselves and assign him a share as well, to comfort them so that they would be reassured regarding the lawfulness of such earnings. It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to recite Ruqyah from the Quran and that Soorat Al-Faatihah is a cure for illness, and this is why one of its names is Al-Shifaa’, meaning ‘recovery or cure’. It is also inferred from the hadeeth that although the whole Quran is a source of blessing, yet certain chapters are recited as Ruqyah. It is deduced therefrom that it is permissible to take fees in return for reciting Ruqyah. The Hadeeth also highlights the Companions’ mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, and keenness on consulting the Prophet ﷺ before availing themselves of any earnings to inquire about the relevant Laws of Islam ruling..
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