بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
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Ruqyah Protocol
Protection from the Urging Toward Suicide
Ruqyah for protecting the heart from despair, hopelessness and the whispers of Shaytan
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Raqi Faisal Ahmed Sabit
Al Quranic Ruqyah Healing Center
Introduction — who this protocol is for
This subject is extremely sensitive, so it is important to make a few things clear at the very beginning. If a thought suddenly comes into your mind telling you to harm yourself, this is not proof of a weakness in your character or your faith. The Qur'an says that Allah knows what a person's own soul whispers to them and that He is nearer to us than our jugular vein (50:16), and that Shaytan tries to incite exactly at such moments (7:200). The message the Qur'an reminds us of most is this: no matter how much we may have wronged ourselves, we must never despair of Allah's mercy (39:53), and behind every hardship a reward lies hidden. This protocol contains no methods or detailed accounts of incidents, and it never will. Here we give only verses of the Qur'an, duas and actions to take, which help to repel the whispers of this urging. The most important point needs to be repeated: if this feeling becomes intense, do not stay alone. Tell a close family member or someone you trust right away, and seek professional help if needed. Here, ruqyah is a support, never a substitute.
Signs for which this protocol may help
- Sometimes a thought suddenly comes into your mind telling you to harm yourself, and you yourself become frightened by that thought
- Suddenly feeling extreme meaninglessness and heavy despair toward life
- Feeling unworthy of Allah's mercy, losing hope of being forgiven
- The same painful and negative thought going round and round in your mind, and feeling that it is hard to stop
- Feeling lonely, and being unable to tell anyone about your pain out of shame or hesitation
- Feeling prolonged mental exhaustion and fatigue, along with a lack of desire to sleep or eat
- Thoughts coming to mind of blaming yourself and punishing yourself in times of sorrow and hardship
- Remember: if this feeling becomes intense, immediately turn to your family, to people you trust, or to professional help if needed, and do not stay alone. Ruqyah is a complement in this matter, not a substitute
Important note: Most of the signs above can also have ordinary physical or psychological causes. So first get the necessary medical tests and treatment. Ruqyah runs alongside medical treatment, not as a replacement for it. Do not conclude with certainty that someone is affected by sihr or jinn just because a sign matches.
Translation of the meanings of the Qur'an: Saheeh International (via quran.com).
Opening duas
Make wudu and sit facing the qiblah. Make the intention: through the Word of Allah, I am asking Allah alone for healing.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
I begin in the name of Allah, with whose name nothing in the heavens or on the earth can cause harm; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Recite: 3 times
Nothing can cause sudden harm to the one who recites this dua in the morning and evening. (Tirmidhi 3388)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Meaning: Surah Al-Faatiha 1:1, Saheeh International.
Recite: 19 times
Before starting the ruqyah, settle your focus and your intention, then recite.
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
I seek refuge in the perfect Words of Allah from the evil of all that He has created.
Recite: 3 times
(Muslim 2708)
Verses about not despairing of Allah's mercy
Recite slowly, attentively, feeling the meaning. Keep these verses fixed in your heart, and especially remember them again and again in bad times.
۞ قُلْ يٰعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ۵۳
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
Recite: 7 times
Intention: Even servants who have wronged themselves are forbidden to despair of Allah's mercy; all sins are forgiven
يٰبَنِىَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَايْـَٔسُوا مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يَايْـَٔسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكٰفِرُونَ ۸۷
O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allāh. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allāh except the disbelieving people."
Recite: 3 times
Intention: The counsel of Yaqub (peace be upon him): only the disbelievers despair of Allah's mercy
قَالَ وَمَن يَقْنَطُ مِن رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّهِۦ إِلَّا الضَّالُّونَ ۵۶
He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"
Recite: 3 times
Intention: No one despairs of the mercy of their Lord except those who have gone astray
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا اسْتَيْـَٔسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا جَاءَهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّىَ مَن نَّشَاءُ ۖ وَلَا يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ۱۱۰
[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are criminals.
Recite: 3 times
Intention: Even the prophets felt distress in hard times, and only then did Allah's help come
وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسٰنَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنٰهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيَـُٔوسٌ كَفُورٌ ۹
And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us and then We withdraw it from him, indeed, he is despairing and ungrateful.
Recite: 3 times
Intention: Falling into despair in hardship is a natural weakness of human beings; accepting this reality and returning to Allah
Verses of refuge from the whispers and urgings of Shaytan
As soon as you feel a whisper, stop, recite these verses, and say aloud A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim.
مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ۴ الَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ۵
From the evil of the retreating whisperer - Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind -
Recite: 7 times
Intention: Surah An-Nas: seeking Allah's refuge from the lurking Shaytan who whispers in the heart
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ۱۶
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.
Recite: 3 times
Intention: Allah knows every evil thought in the mind; He is nearer than the jugular vein
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطٰنِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۲۰۰
And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.
Recite: 7 times
Intention: The command to turn to Allah at once, as soon as Shaytan incites
وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُم بِصَوْتِكَ وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِم بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِى الْأَمْوٰلِ وَالْأَوْلٰدِ وَعِدْهُمْ ۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ۶۴
And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.
Recite: 3 times
Intention: A warning about Shaytan's tactics of incitement
Special duas — Protection from the Urging Toward Suicide
These duas are arranged specifically for this problem. Recite them after you finish the verses.
اللَّهُمَّ احْرِقْ كُلَّ وَسْوَسَةِ الْيَأْسِ عَلَى قَلْبِي
O Allah! Burn away all the despair and the whispers of incitement in my heart.
Recite: 7 times
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ يُبْطَلُ كُلُّ تَسَلُّطٍ عَلَى قَلْبِي
In the name of Allah, all control over my heart is hereby nullified.
Recite: 7 times
اللَّهُمَّ بِقُوَّتِكَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ فُكَّ كُلَّ عُقْدَةٍ عُقِدَتْ عَلَى قَلْبِي
O Allah! By Your strength and power, undo every knot tied in my heart.
Recite: 7 times
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَسْوَسَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَمِنْ كُلِّ فِكْرٍ يَدْعُونِي إِلَى إِيذَاءِ نَفْسِي، اللَّهُمَّ امْلَأْ قَلْبِي بِالرِّضَا وَالصَّبْرِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْقَانِطِينَ
O Allah! I seek Your refuge from the whispers of Shaytan and from every thought that calls me toward harming myself. O Allah, fill my heart with contentment and patience, and do not make me one of those who despair.
Recite: 3 times
اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِلْيَأْسِ وَلَا لِوَسْوَسَةِ السُّوءِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى صَدْرِي، وَأَبْدِلْنِي بَعْدَ ضِيقِي فَرَجًا وَبَعْدَ حُزْنِي سُرُورًا وَرِضًا
O Allah, make my heart firm, and do not give despair or evil whispers any way into my chest. After my distress, grant me relief, and after sorrow, grant me joy and contentment.
Recite: 3 times
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَجِيرُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ أَنْ يُوَسْوِسَ لِي بِمَا يَضُرُّنِي، اللَّهُمَّ يَسِّرْ لِي مَنْ يُعِينُنِي وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
O Allah! I seek Your refuge from the accursed Shaytan, so that he does not whisper to me anything that harms me. O Allah, make it easy for me to find someone who will help me, and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye.
Recite: 3 times
Closing surahs and duas
End every session this way. At the end, blow into water and drink it.
1
Surah Al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۱ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ ۲ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ۳ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ۴
Say, "He is Allāh, [who is] One, Allāh, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
Recite: 3 times
Intention: Strengthening the heart by declaring tawhid
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ۱ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ۲ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ۳ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفّٰثٰتِ فِى الْعُقَدِ ۴ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ۵
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak From the evil of that which He created And from the evil of darkness when it settles And from the evil of the blowers in knots And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Recite: 7 times
Intention: Refuge from magic, hasad (envy) and the evil of the night
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۱ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ۲ إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ۳ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ۴ الَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ۵ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ ۶
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer - Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - From among the jinn and mankind".
Recite: 7 times
Intention: Refuge from the waswasa (whispers) of mankind and jinn
أُعِيذُكَ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
I entrust you to the protection of the perfect Words of Allah from every Shaytan, every venomous creature and every harmful evil eye.
Recite: 3 times
The Prophet ﷺ used to recite this dua over Hasan and Husain (may Allah be pleased with them). (Bukhari 3371)
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 over you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul and of the envier's eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah I perform ruqyah over you.
Recite: 3 times
Jibril (peace be upon him) performed ruqyah over the Prophet ﷺ in this way. (Muslim 2186)
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
O Allah, Lord of mankind! Remove the hardship and grant healing. You are the Healer; there is no healing except Your healing — a healing that leaves no illness behind.
Recite: 7 times
(Bukhari 5743)
📌 Self-ruqyah guideline
Consistency is the key. A little every day, but regularly.
Method — step by step
- Make wudu, then sit somewhere quiet facing the qiblah. Keep your phone away.
- Make the intention: I am asking Allah for healing through the Words of Allah; the Words have no power of their own — the power belongs to Allah.
- Recite the opening duas (Chapter 1).
- Then recite the verses (ayahs) in order. While reciting, blow lightly into both palms and pass your hands over the affected area.
- Recite each verse as many times as stated in the instruction box below it — there is no need to do more or less.
- In between, make dua wholeheartedly in your own language for 15 minutes. If tears come, do not hold them back.
- At the end, recite the closing surahs and duas, then blow lightly into the water.
- Continue every day for at least 40 days. If you miss some days, do not lose heart — simply start again.
Daily schedule
| Morning | After Fajr — verse recitation, 15 minutes |
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| Evening | After Maghrib — verse recitation, 15 minutes |
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| Night | Before sleeping — closing surahs and duas, drink recited-over water |
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| Weekly | One ruqyah bath a week |
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Your own dua in your own language (15 minutes)
During or after the recitation of the verses, ask Allah in your own language. Below is a sample — you do not have to read exactly this; say it in your own words.
O Allah, You know the dark thoughts that sometimes peek into my mind; I myself am frightened by these thoughts. I know that this pain and this despair are only an urging to push me away from Your mercy, not reality. You Yourself have said not to despair of Your mercy; I am not despairing, O Allah. Lift this heavy burden from my chest, calm my heart, and send people around me to whom I can open up about this pain of mine. Do not leave me alone, O Allah. You alone are the Helper, You are the best Protector.
Where to massage the recited-over oil
Focus for Protection from the Urging Toward Suicide: Regularly massage ruqyah oil/olive oil onto the crown of your head, forehead, chest and neck, especially before sleeping at night and when the whispers feel intense
Supplements and weekly practices
| Recited-over water | Recite the ruqyah verses over a bottle of water and blow into it. Drink it 3 times a day: in the morning on an empty stomach, at midday, and at night before sleeping. |
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| Recited-over honey | Blow into pure honey and take one spoonful every morning. It is good to recite verse 69 of Surah An-Nahl and then blow into it. |
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| Recited-over olive oil | Recite the verses over olive oil, blow into it, and massage it into the affected area. It is best done at night before sleeping. |
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| Black seed (nigella) | Every morning, take 7 black seeds with recited-over honey. The Prophet ﷺ said that black seed contains a cure for every disease except death. (Bukhari 5688) |
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| Ruqyah bath | Recite the verses over a bucket of water and blow into it. You may also mix in seven crushed jujube leaves. Pour the water over yourself from the head down and bathe, once a week. |
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| Spraying the home | Put recited-over water in a spray bottle and spray it in the corners of the house, on the doors and windows, and under the bed. |
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Daily practices (amal)
Alongside ruqyah, it is these practices that give long-term protection.
| After Fajr | Surah Yasin 1 time |
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| Morning and evening | The morning and evening adhkar from Hisnul Muslim, regularly |
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| After Asr | Surah Al-Waqi'ah 1 time |
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| At night | Surah Qaf 3 times, Surah Al-Mulk 1 time |
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| Before sleeping | Ayat al-Kursi 1 time, the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, and the three Quls 3 times each. Blow into your hands and wipe them over your whole body. |
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| Every day | Give sadaqah as much as you can, every day, even if only a little. Sadaqah wards off calamity. |
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| Every day | The obligatory salah in congregation, istighfar 100 times, salawat upon the Prophet 100 times |
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Ruqyah is a Shariah-based method of treatment; it is not a substitute for necessary medical treatment.