Supplication for PainWhat a Muslim Says When Feeling Pain
All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.
If you feel pain in your body, there is a supplication that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught a Companion who complained to him of his pain. Say it while asking Allah for well-being and seeking the treatment you need; supplication does not conflict with medical treatment.
{وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ}
Allah Most High says, relating the words of Ibrahim, peace be upon him: {And when I become ill, it is He who heals me.} [Ash-Shuara: 80].
When feeling pain1
Practical Steps When Feeling Pain
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, of pain he felt in his body. He instructed him to do the following:
1. Place your hand on the area of pain, if you can do so without causing harm.
Repeat: 3 timesبِسْمِ اللَّهِ
2. Say: "In the name of Allah" three times.
Repeat: 7 timesأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
3. Then say seven times: "I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear."
Reported by Muslim, no. 2202.
This is a recommended form of ruqyah, and the numbers are established in the hadith: three times for mentioning Allah's name and seven times for seeking refuge. The other supplications below are not additional steps that must follow it, and no particular number or sequence should be assigned to them without evidence.
The Meaning of the Supplication
You begin with Allah's name, seeking His help, then turn to Him and seek refuge in Him and His power from the evil of the pain you feel and from the harm you fear may occur or result from it. Thus, "what I feel" refers to what you are experiencing, and "what I fear" to what you are afraid of.
Healing comes from Allah alone. Supplication, ruqyah, and medicine are means; none heals through a power independent of His will, glorified is He. There is therefore no conflict between supplicating to Allah and consulting a doctor and taking appropriate medicine.
Supplication for someone who is ill2
O Allah, Lord of Mankind
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to perform ruqyah for some members of his family, passing his right hand over them and saying:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
"O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the affliction. Heal him, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness behind."
Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 5743.
Its meaning is to ask for healing that leaves no illness remaining. This wording is a supplication for someone who is ill; you may also supplicate for your own healing and well-being.
Ruqyah for someone who is ill3
In the Name of Allah, I Perform Ruqyah for You
Among the words of ruqyah that Jibril, peace be upon him, recited for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, are:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللَّهُ يَشْفِيكَ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ
"In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or the eye of an envier. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you."
Reported by Muslim, no. 2186.
Mentioning the evil eye in this supplication does not mean that every pain is caused by the evil eye or magic. A person who is ill may receive prescribed ruqyah while the causes of their illness are investigated through examination and treatment. No unseen cause should be asserted with certainty without knowledge.
When visiting someone who is ill, supplicate for them, treat them gently, and respect their need for rest and privacy. We explain these matters in The Virtue and Etiquette of Visiting the Sick.
Does This Supplication Replace Medical Treatment?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لِكُلِّ دَاءٍ دَوَاءٌ، فَإِذَا أُصِيبَ دَوَاءُ الدَّاءِ بَرَأَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
"For every disease there is a remedy. When the remedy suited to the disease is found, recovery occurs by the permission of Allah, Mighty and Majestic."
Reported by Muslim, no. 2204.
Consult a doctor if the pain is severe, recurrent, persistent, or of unknown cause. Do not stop a prescribed medicine or change its dose on the advice of someone unqualified. Do not treat a ruqyah practitioner's experience or a widely circulated remedy as a substitute for medical assessment. For further explanation, read Ruqyah and Medical Treatment.
When Should Medical Help Be Sought?
In an emergency, do not wait to finish the supplication. Call for an ambulance immediately if you have sudden chest pain or pressure that does not go away, or chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or nausea. Other emergencies include severe difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, signs of a stroke, and a life-threatening allergic reaction. Call your country's emergency number, and do not delay medical help for ruqyah.
Being Patient With Pain and Seeking Reward
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ، حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا، إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ
"No fatigue, illness, worry, sadness, harm, or distress befalls a Muslim, even the prick of a thorn, except that Allah expiates some of their sins through it."
Reported by al-Bukhari, nos. 5641 and 5642.
The pain a Muslim experiences is therefore a means of expiating sins. Patience and seeking Allah's reward are also acts of worship for which one is rewarded. Do not use the hadiths about expiation as an excuse to neglect repentance from major sins or disregard other people's rights. A Muslim asks Allah for well-being, does not seek illness, and does not abandon treatment in the hope of gaining reward for pain.
Patience does not mean concealing your pain from your doctor or family, or hiding your need for help. You may tell them how you feel and ask for care and comfort. Tears caused by severe pain are not, in themselves, an objection to Allah. What is prohibited is expressing resentment toward Him, wailing, or committing forbidden acts when afflicted. Shaykh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, explained that it is permissible to tell relatives and friends about an illness and to shed tears without wailing.
What Should I Say When I Feel Pain in My Body?
بسم الله
أعوذ بالله وقدرته من شر ما أجد وأحاذر
Place your hand on the area of pain if you can do so without harm. Say: "In the name of Allah" three times, then say seven times: "I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear."
Is This Supplication Authentic?
Yes. It is reported in Sahih Muslim, no. 2202, in the hadith of Uthman ibn Abi al-As, may Allah be pleased with him. Its wording and the numbers mentioned above are part of the authentic guidance.
Should I Say the Supplication in Arabic?
Learn its Arabic wording as it was reported. You may read it from paper or a phone until you memorize it. Someone who does not know Arabic may ask Allah for healing in their own language outside prayer. They should not abandon supplication because they are unable to speak Arabic.
Is It Permissible to Perform Ruqyah on Myself?
Yes. Performing ruqyah for yourself is prescribed. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was ill, he would recite the Muawwidhat over himself and blow lightly; reported by al-Bukhari, no. 5016.
{وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا}
Allah Most High says: {We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it only increases the wrongdoers in loss.} [Al-Isra: 82]. For details, read How to Perform Ruqyah on Yourself Step by Step.
Does Pain Expiate Sins?
Yes. The hadith quoted earlier shows that the pain, illness, and worry that befall a Muslim are means of expiating sins. Patience and seeking Allah's reward bring further good. This does not mean that pain expiates nothing unless the person who is ill consciously intends to seek that reward.
Is Wudu Required for the Supplication for Pain?
Wudu is not required for the supplication for pain. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to remember Allah at all times; reported by Muslim, no. 373. This answer concerns supplication, not the rulings on touching the mushaf.
May I Perform Ruqyah for Someone Else Who Is Ill?
بسم الله أرقيك
Yes. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed ruqyah for some members of his family, and Jibril, peace be upon him, performed ruqyah for him. You may supplicate for someone who is ill using words addressed to them, such as the supplication "In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you" quoted above. Ruqyah does not permit prohibited touching or prohibited seclusion.
Will the Pain Disappear Immediately After This Supplication?
The hadith does not promise that pain will disappear immediately in every case. Supplicate to Allah and continue appropriate treatment. Do not judge your faith or someone else's by how quickly recovery occurs. If the pain worsens or persists, seek medical assessment rather than relying only on repeated ruqyah.
Does Telling My Doctor or Family About Pain Conflict With Patience?
No. Describing symptoms and asking for treatment or assistance do not conflict with patience. Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, complained to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about his pain, and he taught him this supplication. There is a clear difference between explaining a need and expressing resentment toward Allah. Someone who is ill should not be blamed for asking for help.
