A Muslim had a very critical health problem and lost hope in all kinds of conventional medicine. He decided on using Islamic medicine. I mean he recites parts of the Holy Qur’ān and blows on a glass of water and then drinks it. He also uses medicine which the Holy Prophet (sws) is reported to have used or recommended like black seeds. He started to improve but was not fully cured. Later on he discovered that he might be cured if he avoided certain diet and did certain exercises. As he has adopted the Islamic treatment and has strong faith in God and sticks to it with all conviction and true intent, is he now allowed to resort again to the conventional medicine, and, at the same time, continue with the Islamic medicines? Please provide reference from the basic sources of the religion to substantiate you reply.

We understand that the Messengers of God and the Books revealed to them are not sent in order to divulge medical knowledge to people; rather they were all sent to guide humans in religious matters. We therefore believe that the Book of God never touches upon any issue other than religion. We are supposed to apply all available knowledge, cures and remedies made available by medical science. Therefore, validity of the claim that the medicine the Holy Prophet (sws) is reported to have used or told others to use are sanctioned by God may be criticized but there is nothing wrong with using medicine which humans have discovered overtime.

We think it would be a serious misunderstanding to ascribe sanctity to the medicines the Holy Prophet (sws) is reported to have prescribed. All the Companions (rta) of the Holy Prophet (sws) and great Muslim scholars knew that there was nothing divine in the prescriptions of the Holy Prophet (sws); this is why we do not find them prescribing the so called Islamic medicines. Similar is the case of use of the Qur’ānic verses as charms and drinking water after blowing on it in order to cure the sick. However, if someone claims that he has been cured through this process that does not prove the fact that the act is recommended by Islam. Indeed, people of very bad character use their charms and we see that the sick are healed. It is indeed one’s faith in something that creates psychological effects on him and this produces positive results. When we recite the Holy Qur’ān and pray to the Almighty with true faith in Him He listens to our prayer and cures our ailments. But such an act is quite distinct from that of the person who just does this as a process to obtain cure. We do believe that we should always apply all medical discoveries and modern knowledge in curing diseases. There is no problem in abandoning them or starting to use them again.