Can Shaytan be driven away with salt?

Two things together in Shaykh Bali's answer — the way of the Prophet ﷺ is better, yet whoever does it must not be branded an innovator.

How the Question Comes

The questioner is himself a raqi — he has been working for a long time and tries to hold on to the Sunnah as best he can.

He says — by the grace of Allah, I have seen good results in many patients with a salt bath or with smoke.

His question — if I describe this as mubah rather than as Sunnah, will it be a sin?

This is exactly where many raqis get stuck — "I am seeing results" and "the Prophet ﷺ did it" are not the same thing.

The Shaykh's Answer

Nothing is established that the Prophet ﷺ sprinkled salt or told anyone to sprinkle it; following him is better.

He performed ruqyah for the Companions and also told them to perform ruqyah upon themselves — but he did not point the way to salt or anything of that kind. So one should stop at recitation: either you recite over him, or he recites over himself.

Evidence — the Standard for Ruqyah

اعْرِضُوا عَلَيَّ رُقَاكُمْ، لَا بَأْسَ بِالرُّقَى مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ شِرْكًا

Show me your ruqyahs; there is no harm in ruqyah as long as it contains no shirk. (Sahih Muslim 2200)Copy

The Shaykh's manners are also worth learning: if someone follows a different opinion in their amal (practice), they must not be called an innovator or astray; it is said instead that they have left the better option.

What to Do

1. First of all, check whether there is any shadow of shirk in the ruqyah.
2. Stop at recitation — either recite over the patient yourself, or tell him to recite over himself.
3. "I am seeing results" does not mean it is Sunnah — do not put experience in the place of evidence.
4. In matters of difference of opinion, do not brand anyone an innovator — hold on to this etiquette.

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Source: Based on a talk by Shaykh Wahid Abdussalam Bali

Translation and compilation: Raqi Faisal Ahmed Sabit — Al Qur'an Ruqyah Healing Center