Place Your Hand on the Area of Pain
When a Muslim feels pain in a part of the body, he places his hand on the painful area and says:
In the name of Allah.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Repeat: three times
Illness and Ruqyah
What a Muslim Says When Feeling Pain
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.
Pain is one of the trials of this world. It reminds the servant of his weakness and his need for his Lord. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, guided the Muslim to a great supplication to say when feeling pain in the body. It combines remembrance of Allah, seeking refuge in Him, relying upon His power, and taking the lawful means of treatment, rest, and consulting qualified professionals when needed.
Allah Most High says: “And when I am ill, it is He who cures me.” [Ash-Shu'ara': 80]
قال الله تعالى: {وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ} [الشعراء: 80].
And He says: “We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers.” [Al-Isra': 82]
وقال سبحانه: {وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ القُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ} [الإسراء: 82].
The Authentic Supplication When Feeling Pain
Then Seek Refuge in Allah and His Power
I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ.
Repeat: seven times
'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As ath-Thaqafi, may Allah be pleased with him, complained to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about pain he felt in his body. The Messenger of Allah said to him: “Place your hand on the part of your body that hurts and say: Bismillah three times, then say seven times: I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.” Narrated by Muslim.
Practical Steps When Feeling Pain
- Place your hand on the area of pain.
- Say: “Bismillah” three times.
- Say seven times: “I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.”
- Make the general du'a for healing: “O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm, heal, for You are the Healer...”
- Perform ruqyah upon yourself with authentic supplications if needed.
- Take the lawful medical means, and do not leave treatment when it is needed.
The Meaning of the Supplication
Saying “Bismillah” contains seeking help through Allah and beginning with His name.
Saying “I seek refuge in Allah and His power” means: I turn to Allah for protection and seek shelter in His power, which nothing can overpower.
Saying “from the evil of what I feel and fear” means: from the evil of this pain that I feel, and from the evil of what I fear may come from it or follow it.
Does This Supplication Replace Medical Treatment?
No. Du'a and ruqyah do not mean abandoning treatment. The Muslim combines both: he relies upon Allah and supplicates to Him, while also taking the permissible means such as medicine, rest, and consulting a doctor when needed.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Seek treatment, servants of Allah, for Allah has not placed a disease except that He has placed for it a cure.” Narrated by Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, and others; authenticated or graded hasan by a number of scholars.
General Supplications for Healing
O Allah, Lord of Mankind
O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal. You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves behind no illness.
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، أَذْهِبِ البَأْسَ، اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا.
Repeat: said when needed
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to perform ruqyah with this supplication for some members of his family. It contains the recognition that the true Healer is Allah alone.
Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
In the Name of Allah, I Perform Ruqyah for You
In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللَّهُ يَشْفِيكَ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ.
Repeat: said in ruqyah when needed
Narrated by Muslim.
Being Patient with Pain and Seeking Reward
When a Muslim is patient with pain and seeks reward from Allah, it becomes a cause for expiation of sins and raising of ranks.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “No fatigue, illness, worry, grief, harm, or distress befalls a Muslim, even a thorn that pricks him, except that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it.” Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
This does not mean that the Muslim seeks pain or leaves treatment. Rather, when a trial happens, he is patient, seeks reward, and asks Allah for well-being.
A Brief Table of What to Say When Feeling Pain
| Dhikr or Action | Repetition | Evidence or Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Place the hand on the area of pain | Once at the beginning | The Prophet’s guidance to 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As, narrated by Muslim |
| Bismillah | Three times | Seeking help through Allah and beginning with His name |
| I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear | Seven times | Seeking refuge in Allah’s power from the evil of the pain and its outcome |
| O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm... | When needed | An authentic ruqyah supplication; agreed upon |
Important Manners During Pain and Illness
- Do not resent Allah’s decree.
- Ask Allah for well-being and healing.
- Use authentic Islamic ruqyah.
- Consult a doctor when needed.
- Do not use forbidden or unknown treatments.
- Do not spread complaints to everyone.
- Ask righteous people for du'a without becoming attached to people.
- Increase in istighfar and remembrance of Allah.
Common Mistakes When Feeling Pain
- Leaving du'a and relying on medicine alone.
- Leaving medicine under the claim of tawakkul.
- Using unclear ruqyah or ruqyah that contains violations.
- Panicking or resenting Allah’s decree.
- Interpreting every pain as evil eye or magic without evidence.
- Delaying treatment when serious warning signs are present.
- Sharing details of illness without need.
When Should Medical Help Be Sought?
Medical help should be sought when pain is severe, recurring, accompanied by serious symptoms, or when there is a concern that urgent treatment may be needed. Ruqyah and du'a do not prevent seeing a doctor; taking the means is part of complete tawakkul.
What Should I Say When I Feel Pain in My Body?
Place your hand on the area of pain and say “Bismillah” three times. Then say seven times: “I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.”
Is This Supplication Authentic?
Yes. This supplication is established in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As, may Allah be pleased with him.
Should I Say the Du'a in Arabic?
It is better to say it in Arabic as it was narrated. Whoever has not memorized it may read it from paper or a phone until it becomes memorized.
Is It Permissible to Perform Ruqyah on Myself?
Yes. It is prescribed for a person to perform ruqyah on himself. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed ruqyah on himself and on some members of his family.
Does Pain Expiate Sins?
Yes. If the Muslim is patient and seeks reward, then what afflicts him of pain, illness, or worry becomes a cause for expiation of his sins by Allah’s permission.
Closing Note
What a Muslim says when feeling pain combines remembrance of Allah, turning to Him, and taking the proper means. The Muslim should preserve the authentic supplication: “Bismillah” three times, then “I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear” seven times. He should know that healing is from Allah, medicine is a means, and patience with seeking reward raises the servant with his Lord.