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People come to the raqi only after everything has fallen apart. Yet the practices that could have stopped so much at the beginning are free, daily, and can be done without anyone's help. This writing is not about treatment — it is about prevention.
The house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Do not make your houses into graveyards. Indeed, Shaytan runs away from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited." (Muslim 780)
The comparison with a 'graveyard' here is worth noticing — a house where the Qur'an is not recited, even if it is a home of living people, is spiritually silent.
Ayat al-Kursi — the night guard
If you recite Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping, a guardian from Allah remains appointed over you until morning and Shaytan cannot come near — this has been narrated in Sahih Bukhari (Bukhari 2311).
Surah Al-Baqara 2:255
اللَّهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيمُ ۲۵۵
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
The most exalted verse (ayah) of the Qur'an.
The three Quls — in the morning, in the evening, and before sleep
Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times each, blow lightly into both hands, and wipe them over the whole body. This was the Prophet's own habit sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (Bukhari 5017).
This is especially effective for children, because children cannot recite for themselves and they are the ones most exposed to the eye.
Surah Al-Falaq 113:1-5
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."
Surah Al-Falaq — the evil of what has been created, the darkness of night, knots, and envy — four refuges.
The atmosphere inside the home
Entering the house after reciting a dua, saying Bismillah before eating, closing the door at night, and covering containers — protection is linked to each of these small sunnahs.
On the other side, it is equally important to reduce the things that prevent the angels from entering — keeping pictures of living beings or statues in the house, indecency, and keeping family ties severed.
A house is not protected merely by reciting verses; in a house where sin becomes normal, the effect of the verses also grows weak. The two go together.
Consistency versus quantity
The most beloved practice to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the one that is done regularly, even if it is small (Bukhari 6464). The same rule applies to the practices of protection.
Five minutes every day, twelve months — this is far more effective than one hour once a week. Start small, but do not give up.
- No one can give a guarantee that no trouble will come just because you do the protective practices; qadar is in Allah's hands.
- There is no need to write verses and wear them on the neck or hand — reciting is the sunnah.
- Do not make any particular number or time 'obligatory'.
- If illness appears, seek medical treatment alongside the protective practices.
Protective practices are free, small, and daily. It is much easier to cover the house from today than to look for a solution after problems arrive. May Allah make our homes homes of peace.
Translation of the meanings of the Qur'an: Saheeh International (via quran.com).
Ruqyah is a Shariah-based method of treatment; it is not a substitute for necessary medical treatment.