Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Invocation of Al-Ridha’ for Every Illness and Fear

Muhammad b. Kathir at-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Yaqtin from Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, that he [al-Hasan] said: I took this invocation from Al-Ridha’. He mentioned that it was a comprehensive preventative and a safeguard and protection from every illness and fear:

‘“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, In the Name of Allah, slink you into it, and do not speak to me (23:108). I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee if thou fearest God (19:18) or do not fear God. I take hold, with the Hearing of Allah and His Sight, over your hearing and sight, and with the Might of Allah over your might. No authority have you over so-and-so, son of so-and-so, or over his progeny, or his wealth, or his family. I draw down between you and him the veil of Prophethood, by which they concealed themselves from the assault of the Pharoahs, with Jibra'il on your right, and Mika’il on your left, and Muhammad, blessings be on him and his Ahl al-Bayt before you, with Allah, the Exalted, overshadowing you. Allah guards him, his progeny, his wealth, and his family from the demons (al-shayatin). Whatever Allah has willed, there is no might or power except with Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. O Allah, his clemency will not attain Your patience as long as it does not attain the utmost degree of Your Power. You are the most excellent Master and the most excellent Helper. Allah guard you and your progeny, O so-and-so, by that with which He guarded his friends, blessings of Allah on Mohammad and his Ahl al-Bayt.”

‘Write the verse of the Throne (2:255) up to: And He is the Most High, the Mighty. Then write: “There is no might or power except with Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. There is no refuge from Allah except with him. Sufficient for us is Allah, the most excellent protector.”’

An Invocation for Every Ache

Muhammad b. Hamid narrated from Khalaf b. Hammad from Khalid al-‘Abasi, who said: ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, taught me this invocation and said: ‘Teach it to your brothers among the believers, for it is for every ache:

“I seek protection for myself in the Lord of the earth and the Lord of the heavens. I seek protection for myself in Him with Whose Name no disease causes harm. I seek protection for myself in Him Whose Name is a blessing and a healing.”’

Invocation for Days Of The Week From al-Sadiq, peace be upon him.

[Invocation For] Saturday

‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I seek protection for myself - or for so-and-so, son of so-and-so - in Allah. There is no God but Him. He is the Lord of all Being, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate, the Master of the Day of Doom. Thee only we serve. To Thee alone we pray for succour. Guide us in the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those against whom Thou art wrathful, nor of those who are astray (1:2-7). I seek protection in the Lord of the Daybreak (113:1), and Lord in the of men, the King of men (114:1-2), and the Lord of the dusk when it darkens, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of the women who blow on knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies (113:2-5),

Allah, the One, the Refuge, Who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and equal to Him is not any one (112:3-4), Light of the light and Regulator of affairs, the Light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of His Light is as a niche wherein is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering star kindled from a Blessed Tree, an olive that is neither of the East nor of the West, whose, oil wellnigh would shine, even if no fire touched it. Light upon Light. God guides to His Light whom He will. And God strikes similitudes for men, and God has knowledge of everything (24:35).

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth …His saying is true, and His is the Kingdom the day the Trumpet is blown. He is Knower of the Unseen and the visible. He is the All-wise, the All-aware (6:73). God who created the seven heavens, and of earth their like, between them the Command descending, that you may know that God is powerful over everything and that God encompasses everything in knowledge (65:12) He has numbered everything in numbers (72:28).

‘[I seek protection] from the evil of everything possessed of evil, whether openly or secretly, from the evil of jinn and man, and from the evil of what flies at night and rests during the day, and from the evil of the calamities of the night and the day, and from the evil of that which lives in pigeons and wild beasts, ruins, valleys, open country, jungles and trees, and from that which is in rivers.

I seek the protection of Allah. Master of the Kingdom, Thou givest the kingdom to whom Thou wilt, and seizest the Kingdom from whom Thou wilt. Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt, and Thou abasest whom Thou wilt. In Thy hand is the good. Thou art powerful over everything. Thou makest the night to enter into the day and Thou makest the day to enter into the night. Thou bringest forth the living from the dead and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living, and Thou providest whomsoever Thou wilt without reckoning (3:26-7). Like Him there is nothing. He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He stretches out His provision to whom He will. Surely He has knowledge of everything (42:11-12).

I seek the protection for hirn in the One Who created the earth and the high heavens. The All-compassionate sat himself upon the Throne. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and all that is underneath the soil. Be thou loud in thy speech, yet surely He knows the secret and that still more hidden. Allah - there is no god but He. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful (20:4-8). Verily, His are the creation and the command. Blessed be God, the Lord of all Being. Call on your Lord, humbly and secretly. He loves not the transgressors. Do not corrupt the land after it has been set right. Call on Him fearfully, eagerly. Surely the mercy of God is nigh to those who do good (7:54-6).

I seek protection for him in the Revealer of the Torah, the Gospels (al-Injil), the Zabur, and the Mighty Furqan, from the evil of every tyrant and oppressor, demon, ruler, enchanter (sahir), soothsayer (kahin), watcher, nocturnal visitor, every thing moving or still, silent, imagined, apparent, changeable, or varying. Glory be to Allah, your Protector and Your Helper and Your Solace. He will defend you. He has no partner. There is no one to elevate the one He abases nor any one to abase the one He elevates. He is the One, the Subduer, and Allah bless Muhammad and his family.

Invocation for Sunday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great. The Lord sat on the Throne, and the heavens and the earth were established by His Command. The stars were stilled, and the mountains were fixed firmly by His permission. His Name does not pass by those in the heavens and in the earth. The mountains draw near to Him, obedient, and the bodies are resurrected for Him when they are rotten.

Veil every harmful thing and envious one by the Might of Allah from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, and by the One who placed a partition between the two seas (27:61); and set in heaven constellations, and set among them a lamp, and an illuminating moon (25:61). I seek protection for him in the One who decked them out fair to the beholders, and guarded them from every accursed demon (15:16-17). I seek protection for him in the One who set on the earth firm mountains (21:31) and pegs (78:7), lest evil or indecency or affliction should get to him. Ha Mim. 'Ain Sin Qaf. So reveals to thee, and to those before thee, God, the All-mighty, the All-wise (42:1-3). Ha Mim. A sending down from the Merciful, the Compassionate (41:1-2). The blessings of Allah on Muhammad, the Prophet, and his family.

Invocation for Monday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. I seek protection for the soul of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, in my Lord, the most Great, from the evil of what is hidden and apparent, and from the evil of every female and male, and from the evil of what the sun and the moon behold. Most Holy, Most Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit.

I call on you, O jinn, if you are hearing, obedient, and I call you, O mankind, to the Gracious, the All-knowing. I call you, O mankind and jinn, to Him Who is obeyed by all creation stamped with the seal of the Lord of the Worlds, and the seal of Jibra’ il, Mika’il, and Israfil, and the seal of Sulayman b. Dawud, and the seal of Muhammad, blessings of Allah on him and his family, the chief of the Prophets, blessings of Allah on Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt, the good, the pure.

Remove from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, every female jinn with a rebellious spirit, a jinn or demon or rebellious enchanter, or obstinate ruler or accursed devil. Remove from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, that which is seen and that which is unseen, and that which is seen by an eye, sleeping or awake, by the will of Allah, the Gracious, the All-knowing. There is no way for you over him, nor over what is feared for him. Allah, Allah, Allah, no partner has He, and Allah bless Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt.

Invocation for Tuesday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. I seek protection for myself in Allah, the Great, the Lord of the upright heavens, and in Him Who created them in two days and determined affairs throughout all of heaven, created the earth and determined in it its sustenance, made in it mountains and set in it ravines to serve as ways (21:31), produced the heavy clouds (13:12 ), made it subservient, made the ships sail, made subservient the sea, and made in the earth mountains and rivers, from the evil of what is in the night and the day and entangles the hearts, and which the eyes of jinn and mankind see. Allah protect us, Allah protect us, Allah protect us, there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and his family.

Invocation For Wednesday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I seek protection for you, O so-and-so, son of so-and-so, in the One, the Refuge, from the evil of what is blown on and knotted, and from the evil of Abu Murra [Satan] and what he has begotten. I seek protection for you in the One, the Most High, from that which the eye sees and does not see. I seek protection for you in the Unequalled, the Great, from the evil of what it intends for you [by the decree of the Sovereign]. Go, O so-and-so, son of so-and-so, to the protection of Allah, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the King, the Most Holy, the Subduer, the Perfect, the Faithful, the Guardian, the Mighty, the All-forgiving, the Knower of the unseen and the apparent, the Great, the Most High. He is Allah, no partner has He, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings and mercy of Allah be on him and his family.

Invocation for Thursday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I seek protection for myself - or for so-and-so, son of so-and-so - in the Lord of the East and the West, from the evil of every rebellious, standing, sitting envious, and refractory demon, and We send down on you water from heaven, to purify you thereby, to put away from you the defilement of Satan and to strengthen your hearts, and to make firm your feet (8:11). Stamp thy foot! This is a washing-place cool for drinking (38:42). And We sent down from heaven pure water to revive a dead land, and give to drink of it what We created, many cattle and men (25:48). Now God has lightened it for you (8:66). That is a lightening granted you by your Lord, and a mercy (2:178). God desires to lighten things for you (4: 28). God will suffice you for them (2:137). He is the All-hearer and the All-knower. There is no power except with Allah, no conqueror except Allah. God prevails in His purpose (12:21). There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and his family.

Invocation for Friday

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. There is no might or power except with Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. Allah, the Lord of the angels and the Spirit, the Prophets and the Messengers, Subduer of those in the heavens and the earth. Creator of all things, and their King. Protect me from their might, and blind their sight and their hearts and make between us and them a guard, and a barrier and a defence. Surely You are our Lord. There is no might nor power except with You. In You we trust, and to You we turn. You are the Mighty, the Wise. Protect so-and-so, son of so-and-so, from the evil of every creature You have taken by the forelock, and from the evil of what inhabits the night and day, and from the evil of every evil thing. Amen, O Lord of the Worlds, and bless Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy and his pure family.

Invocation for the Ensnared and Bewitched

Ahmad b. Badr narrated from Ishaq al-Sahhaf from Musa b. Ja’far, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘O Sahhaf.’ I replied: ‘At your service, O son of the Messenger of Allah’. He said: ‘You have been ensnared (ma'khudh) from your wife.’ I said: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger of Allah, For three years I have used every remedy but, by Allah, they have not benefited me.’ He said: ‘O Sahhaf, you did not tell me.’ I said: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I know that with you is deliverance from everything but I was ashamed before you.’ He said: ‘Woe be to you, what is shame in a man bewitched [and] ensnared? I wanted to speak to you about that.

‘Say: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I remove you, O enchanters, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, with Allah, who said to Satan: Go thou forth from it, despised and banished (7:1 8). Get thee down out of it. It is not for thee to wax proud here. So go thou forth. Surely thou art among the humbled (7:1 3).

I neutralize your action and drive it back to you and nullify it by the will of Allah, the Most High, the Mightiest, the Most Holy, the Exalted, the All-knowing, the Eternal. Your enchantment is reverted just as evil devising encompasses only those who do it (35:43), as the plot of the magicians was neutralized when Allah, the Exalted said: Cast thy staff. And lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention. So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they were doing (7:117). By the will of Allah, the Pharoah’s magicians were thwarted.

“I neutralize your action, O magicians, and nullify it by the will of Allah, Who revealed: Be not as those who forgot God, and so He caused them to forget their souls (59:19); and by Him Who said: Had We sent down on thee a Book on parchment and so they touched it with their hands, yet the unbelievers would have said, This is naught but manifest spells. Why has an angel not been sent down on him? Then say: Yet had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been determined, and then no respite would he given them. And had We made him an angel, yet assuredly We would have made him a man, and confused for them the thing which they themselves are confusing (6:7-9); by the will of Allah. Who revealed: So the two of them ate of it, and their shameful parts were revealed to them (20:121). You are confused and not accomplishing any of your affairs. You will never return to it.

“Praise be to Allah, your action has been neutralized, your effort has failed and your plot has weakened, along with the demons who were part of it - Surely the guile of Satan is ever feeble (4:76). I have overcome you by the will of Allah, defeated your multitude with the armies of Allah, shattered your strength with the Sovereignty of Allah, and set up over you the decree of Allah. Your sight has been blinded, your strength has been weakened, your ties have been broken, and Satan has absolved himself of you, by the will of Allah, Who revealed: Like Satan, when he said to man, Disbelieve, then, when he disbelieved, he said, Surely I am free of you. Surely I fear God, the Lord of all Being. Their end is that both are in the Fire, there dwelling forever. That is the recompense, of the evildoers (59:16-17).

“And He revealed: When those that were followed disown their followers, and they see the chastisement, and their cords are cut asunder, and those that followed say, O if only we might return again and disown them, as they have disowned us! Even so God shall show them their works. O bitter regrets for them! Never shall they issue from the Fire (2:166-7).

“By the will of Allah there is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. He is the All-high, the All-glorious (2:255). Surely your God is One, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what between them is, and Lord of the Easts. We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars and to preserve against every rebel demon. They listen not to the High Council for they are pelted from every side, rejected. Theirs is an everlasting chastisement, except such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame (37:4-10).

Surely in the creation of the heavens and earth and in the alternation of the night and day there are signs for men possessed of minds (3:190). And the water God sends down from heaven therewith reviving the earth after it is dead and His scattering abroad in it all manner of crawling thing, and the turning about of the winds and the clouds compelled between heaven and earth-surely there are signs for a people having understanding . (2:164).

“Surely your Lord is God, who treated the heavens and the earth in six days- then sat Himself upon the Throne, covering the day with the night it pursues urgently - and the sun, and the moon, and the stars subservient, by His command. Verily, His are the creation and the command. Blessed be God, the Lord of all Being (7:54). He is God; there is no god but He. He is the knower of the Unseen and the Visible: He is the All-merciful the All-compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the All-faithful, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise (59:22-4).

“Whoever of the jinn or men or any others wish evil for so-and-so, son of so-and-so, after this invocation, Allah has made him of those about whom He said: They are those who have purchased error at the price of guidance. Their commerce has not profited them, and they are not right-guided. The likeness of them is as the likeness of a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit all about him Allah took away their light, and left them in darkness, unseeing, deaf, blind- so they shall not return (2:16-18).

“Allah has made him of those of whom He said: The likeness of those who disbelieve is as the likeness of one who shouts to that which hears nothing, save a call and a cry; deaf and blind - they do not understand (2:171). Allah has made him of those of whom He said: Whosoever associates with Allah anything, it is as though he has fallen from heaven and the birds snatch him away, or the wind sweeps him headlong into a place far away (22:31). Allah has made him of those of whom He said: The likeness of what they expend in this present life is as the likeness of a freezing blast that smites the tillage of a people who wronged themselves, and it destroyed that. Allah wronged them not, but themselves they wronged (3:117).

“Allah has made him of those about whom He said: ..the likeness of a smooth rock on which is soil, and a torrent smites it, and leaves it barren. They have no power over anything that they have earned. Allah guides not the people of the unbelievers (2:264). Allah has made him of those of whom He said: The likeness of a corrupt word is as a corrupt tree- uprooted from the earth, having no stablishment. Allah confirms those who believe with the firm word, in the present life and in the world to come. Allah leads astray the oppressors. Allah does what He will. Hast thou not seen those who exchanged the bounty of Allah with unthankfulness, and caused their people to dwell in the abode of ruin? - Hell, wherein they are roasted: an evil stablishment! (14:26-9).

“Allah has made him of those of whom He said: And as for the unbelievers, their works are as a mirage in a spacious plain, which the thirsty man supposes to be water, until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing. There indeed he finds God, and He pays him his account in full and God is swift at the reckoning. Or, they are as shadows upon a sea obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow, above which are clouds, shadows piled one upon another. When he puts forth his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. To whomsoever God assigns no light, no light has he (24:39-40).

“O Allah, so 1 ask You by Your Truth and Your Knowledge and the excellence of Your examples, and by the right of Muhammad and his family, for whoever wishes evil on so-and-so, that You revert his plot back on to him, and make him low, and turn him over on his head in a pit. Surely You are Powerful over all things, and that is easy for You; and that is surely no great matter for Allah (14:20). There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and his family.”

‘Then recite the following over the soil (al-tin) of the grave and seal and fasten it on to the enchanted person: He is Allah who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may uplift it above every religion, though the unbelievers be averse (9:33). And God suffices as a witness (48:28). False was proved what they were doing. So they were vanquished there and they turned about, humbled (7:118-19).’

Permissible Invocations, Charms and Spells

Ibrahim b. Ma’mun narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Shu’ayb al-Aqrqufi from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “There is no objection to charms for the evil eye, for fever, for the teeth (al-daras), and [for] every serious illness accompanied by a fever. When a person is aware of what he says, nothing unknown enters his invocations.”

Muhammad b. Yazid b. Salim al-Kufi narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that he [‘Abd Allah b. Sinan] said: ‘I asked him [Abu ‘Abd Allah] about the charm for the scorpion (al-‘aqrab) and the snake (al-hayya), and the spell (al-nashra) and charm for the insane (al-majnun) and the enchanted who is in torment.

He replied: “O Ibn Sinan, there is no objection to the charm and invocation and spell if they are taken from the Qur'an. Whosoever the Qur'an does not cure, Allah does not cure him. Is there anything more effective in these matters than the Qur'an? Did not Allah, Sublime is His Majesty, say: We send down, of the Qur'an, that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers? (17:82). Did He not, Exalted be His Mention and Sublime be His Praise, say: If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, thou would at have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God (59:21). Ask us, we will teach you and acquaint you with the verses of the Qur’an for every illness.”

Certain Charms Are Traps

Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Muslim said: I asked Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, “Should I seek protection by using some of these charms?” He replied: “Only those from the Qur’an, for ‘Ali, peace he upon him, would say that many of the charms and amulets (al-tama’im) are traps (al-ashrak).

Ja’far b. ‘Abd Allah b. Maymun al-Sa’di narrated from Nasr b. Yazid from al-Qasim that Abu 'Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said that many amulets are traps.

Permissible Invocations

Ishaq b. Yusuf al-Makki narrated from Faddala from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Zarara b. A’yan, who said: I asked Abu Ja’far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, about a patient - should an invocation or some verses from the Qur'an be fastened to him. He replied: “Yes, there is no objection to it. The verses of the Qur’an are beneficial, so make use of them.”

Ishaq b. Yusuf narrated from Faddala from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Ishaq b. ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who was asked regarding a man who might have an illness, and whether it was permissible to write [verses of] the Quran and fasten [them] to him, or to write verses for him, wash them out and give him its water to drink. He [al-Sadiq] said: “There is no objection to all of that.”

‘Allan b. Muhammad narrated from Safwan b. Yahya from Mansur b. Hazim from ‘Anbasa b. Mas’ab from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “There is no objection to an invocation (al-ta’widh) being fastened to a child or a woman.”

‘Umar b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from ‘Umar al-Tamimi from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Shu’ayb al-Aqrqufi from al-Halabi, who said: I asked Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, shall we fasten some of the Qur'an and charms on to our children and women?” He replied: “Yes, if it is of leather (al-adim), the menstruating woman (al-ha'id) can wear it. If it is not of leather, a woman cannot wear it.”

Shu’ayb b. Zurayq narrated from Faddala and al-Qasim both from Aban b. ‘Uthman from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu ‘Abd Allah- and he is Ibn Salim- who said: I asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him about a patient, and whether some [verses] of the Qur'an or an invocation could be fastened to him. He replied: “There is no objection”. I said: “Sometimes we may be in a state of al-janaba [impurity due to intercourse]”. He replied: “A believer is not impure, but a woman should not wear it unless it is of leather. As for men and children, there is no objection.”

Ahmad b. al-Marzuban b. Ahmad narrated from Ahmad b. Khalid al-Ash’ari from ‘Abd Allah b. Bukayr, who said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, when he had fever. A bondmaid of his entered and said: “How do you find yourself?” She asked him about his condition. There was on him a threadbare garment he had thrown over his thighs. She said to him: “If you wrap yourself up so that you perspire, your body will drive out the wind.” He replied: “O Allah, curse them for opposing Your Prophet, blessings of Allah be on him and his family. The Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, said: ‘Fever is from the severity of the heat of Hell’, and sometimes he said: ‘from the boiling of Hell, so allay it with cold water’”.

Al-Khusayb b. al-Marzuban al-‘Attar narrated from Safwan h. Yahya Bayya’ al-Sabiri and Faddala b. Ayyub from ‘Ala’ b. Razin from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: “Fever is from the severity (al-fayah) of the heat of Hell, so allay it with cold water.”

Abu Ghassan ‘Abd Allah b. Khalid b. Najih narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Husayn b. al-Mukhtar from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, that when he [Abu Ja’far] had fever, he would moisten two garments and put on one of them. When it dried, he would put on the other.

Muhammad b. Muslim said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, say: “We have not found [a cure] for fever like cold water and prayer.”

On Fever And The Manner Of Its Treatment

‘Awn b. Muhammad b. al-Qasim narrated from Hammad b. ‘Isa from al-Husayn b. al-Mukhtar from Usama al-Shahham, who said: ‘I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, say: "Our grandfather, blessings of Allah be on him, did not take anything for fever except ten dirhams weight of sugar (al-sukkar) with cold water on an empty stomach."’

‘Awn narrated from Abu ‘Isa from al-Husayn from Abu Usama, who said: ‘I heard al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, say that there is twice as much fever among the descendants of the Prophets, peace he upon them.’

Al-Qasari b. Ahmad b. al-Qasari narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya from Muhammad b. Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from Muhammed b. Isma’il b. Abu Zaynab, who said: I heard al-Baqir, peace he upon him, say: “Fever is expelled in three things: vomit, sweat (al-‘araq) and diarrhea.”

Al-Sirri b. Ahmad b. al-Sirri narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Musa b. Ja’far, peace be upon him, was ill and the learned came to him with medications, that is the physicians, and they began prescribing marvelous things. I heard him say: “The idea of it! Confine yourselves to the chief of these medicines- myrobalan (al-ihlilaj), fennel (al-raziyanaj), and sugar. [Take it] at the beginning of the summer for three mouths, three times a month, and at the beginning of the winter for three months, three days a month, three times. Let the place of the fennel be from near the gummastic (mastaka) and one will not fall ill except for the illness of death.”

Quartan Fever And The Method Of Its Treatment

‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Kamil from Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Ju’fi from his father that he said: I called on Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and he said: “I see you looking pale.” I replied: “I have the quartan fever (humma al-rib’).” He said: “What about the blessed, the good [remedy]. Grind sugar and add it to water. Drink it on an empty stomach whenever you want a drink of water.” He [al-Ju’fi’s father] said: I did that and the fever did not recur.

An Invocation For Quartan Fever

‘Abd Allah narrated from Abu Zakariyya Yahya b. Abu Bakr from al-Hadrami that Abu al-Hasan the first [i.e. Musa al-Kazim], peace be upon him, wrote the following for him when his son was suffering from quartan fever. He instructed him to write: ‘In the Name of Allah, Jibra’il’, on his right hand; ‘In the Name of Allah. Mika’il’, on his left hand; ‘In the Name of Allah, Israfil’, on his right foot; ‘In the Name of Allah, therein they shall see neither sun nor bitter cold (76:13)’, on his left foot; and, ‘In the Name of Allah, the Mighty, the Omnipotent’, between his shoulders. He [Abu al-Hasan] said: “Whosoever has doubts, it will not benefit him.”

On Various Remedies Described By The Imams, On Them Be Peace

Al-Hasan b. Shadhan narrated from Abu Ja’far from Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, who, when asked about tertian fever (al-humma al-ghabb al-ghaliba) said: ‘Take three spoonfuls of honey and fennel flower and the fever will be uprooted, for they are both blessed. Allah, the Exalted, has said of honey:

Then comes there forth out of their bellies a drink of diverse hues wherein is healing for men (16:69).

The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him, said: “In black cumin (al-habba a-sauda') is a healing from every illness except the poison (al-samm).” It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the poison?’ He replied: “Death.” Then he said: “These two [honey and black cumin] are not predisposed to the heat or the cold, or to natural constituents, but are both a healing wherever they are.”

Al-Hasan b. Shadhan narrated from Abu Ja’far from Abu al-Hasan the third [the tenth Imam, ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (d. 254/ 868)], peace be upon him, who said: “The best thing for quartan fever is to eat sweet flummery (al-faludhaj) [made of honey] and a lot of saffron on the day the fever occurs, and not to eat anything else on that day.”

Water From The Well Of Zamzam

Al-Jarud b. Ahmad narrated from Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Ja’fari from Muhammad b. Sinan from Isma’il b. Jabir, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, say: “The water of the Zamzam is a healing for every illness”, and I think he said: “whatever it may be, for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, would recommend the water of the Zamzam whenever he drank it.”

On The Soil of the Grave of Al-Husayn, Peace Be Upon Him

Al-Jarud b. Ahmad narrated from al-Ja’fari from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. ’Umar al-Ju’fi from Muharnmad b. Isma'il b. Abu Zaynab from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi, who said:

I heard Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, say: “The soil of the grave of al-Husayn, peace be upon him, is a healing for every illness and a protection from every fear, when it is taken.”

Adhan And Iqama On The Shirt Of One Suffering From Fever

Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sinan from Yunus b. Zabyan from al-Mufaddal b. ’Umar from Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that one of his clients who was unwell called on him. He [al-Sadiq] said to him: “Why is it that I see your colour has changed?” He replied: “May I be your sacrifice, I have been feeling very unwell for a month. The fever has not subsided and I have treated myself with all the remedies prescribed by the learned, but have not benefited from any of that.” Al-Sadiq said to him: “Undo the buttons of your shirt and put your head in it.

Recite the adhan [the call to prayer) and the iqama [the introduction to prayer], and recite the sura al-Hamd (1) seven times.” The man said: I did that and recovered as quickly as a camel loosened from its cord.

On Apples

Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from al-Washsha’ a-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan that Ja’far b. Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “If people knew what was in apples (al-tuffah), they would treat their illnesses only with them.”

AI-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Muhammad b. al-Abbas from 'Abd Allah b. al-Fadl al-Nawfali that one of the Imams, peace be upon him, said: “I have not read the sura al-Hamd (1) seventy times without [the illness] abating. So try it and you will not suffer.”

On Scattering Wheat For Fever

Al-Fayd b. al-Mubarak al-Asadi narrated from ‘Abd al-Aziz from Yunus from Dawud al-Raqqi, who said: I was severely ill in Medina and news of that reached Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him. He wrote to me: ‘News of your illness has reached me. Buy [the measure of] a sa’ of wheat (al-burr), lie down on your back (al-qafa'), and scatter it in any way whatever on your chest and say: “O Allah, I ask You by Your Name by Which, if the distressed asks You, his trouble is removed, and You have established him on the earth and made him Your vicegerent over Your creation, to bless Muhammad and his family and to cure me of this illness of mine.” Then sit up, gather the wheat from around you, and recite the same prayer. Then divide the wheat, giving [the measure of] a madd to each beggar and recite the name prayer again.’ Dawud said: I did as he instructed and recovered as quickly as a camel loosened from its cord. More than one person used this remedy and benefited from it.

Abu Ghassan ‘Abd Allah b. Khalid h. Najih narrated from Ibn Mas’ud Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Abu Ahmad from ‘Abd al-Rahman Abu Najran from Yunus b Ya’qub that he said: I was with Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, while he was teaching one of his followers the charm for fever, so I copied it from the man.

He said: ‘Recite the opening of the Book (al-Fatiha (1)), the sura al-Ikhlas (112), the sura al-Qadr (97), and the verse of the Throne (2:255). Then write with your index finger on the feverish side: “O Allah, spare his tender skin (al-jild) and fragile bones from the violence of the fire. O Umm Muladdim, if you believe in Allah and the Day of Judgement, then do not eat the flesh, or drink the blood, or weaken the body, or cause aches in the head. Depart from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, to one who ascribes other gods with Allah. There is no god but Allah, Exalted is Allah over those who associated partners with Him, Sublime, Great.”

On Cauterization and Clysters

Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-‘Alawi al-Musawi narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad [that is, his father] from Abu al-Hasan al-‘Askari, peace be upon him, who said: I heard Al-Ridha’, peace be upon him, speak of his father. He said: ‘Yunus b. Ya’qub, a follower of al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, a man is cauterized with fire and sometimes is killed and sometimes survives.” He [al-Sadiq] said: “One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah was cauterized during the time of the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him, while the latter was standing at his head.”’

Ja’far b. ‘Abd al-Wahid narrated from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from ‘Asim b. Hamid from Muhammad b. Muslim, who said: I asked Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him: “Can cauterization be used as a treatment?’ He replied: “Yes. Allah, the Exalted, made in the remedy a blessing and a cure and much good. What if someone is treated in this way? There is no objection to it.”

lbn Masha’Allah Abu ‘Abd Allah narrated from al-Mubarak b. Hammad from Zur’a from Sama’a, who said: I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, say; “The clyster is one of the remedies. They claim it strengthens the belly. Righteous people used it.”