Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
"I never said that" — yet a room full of people heard him say it. Some stretches of time he does not remember at all. In such a situation, families go to one of two extremes: either they assume everything is jinn, or they deny it completely and turn the patient into an actor. Both are harmful.
What the Qur'an Affirms
The Qur'an speaks directly about the condition of a person touched by Shaytan. This is not a metaphor — most of the mufassirun have taken it in its literal sense.
Surah Al-Baqara 2:275
الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَوٰا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطٰنُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَوٰا ۗ وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَوٰا ۚ فَمَن جَاءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولٰئِكَ أَصْحٰبُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خٰلِدُونَ ۲۷۵
Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allāh. But whoever returns [to dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
In describing the state of the one who consumes interest, it gives the example of a person thrown into turmoil by the touch of jinn.
But Affirmation Does Not Mean Explaining Everything
Memory disturbance, a sudden change in personality, losing control over oneself — these symptoms are also seen in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, and even some neurological illnesses. These have treatment, and that treatment works.
To keep a patient on ruqyah alone for years and away from medical treatment — this is not help, it is harm. The opposite is also true: if, even while all the medication is being taken, a particular kind of reaction happens again and again specifically while the Qur'an is being recited, there is no reason to dismiss it either.
What Ruqyah Is, and What It Is Not
Ruqyah shar'iyyah means treatment with the words of Allah, His names and attributes, and authentic duas. That is all. It contains no conversation with the jinn, no asking for its name or religion, and no getting it to do any work.
This boundary is important, because this is exactly where people slip. Once dealings with the jinn begin, it is no longer treatment — it turns into a relationship of seeking help, and that path ends in shirk.
If someone speaks through the patient's mouth, there is no need to strike up a conversation with it. There is also no guarantee that what is said is true — lying is their nature.
The Role of the Family
Do not leave the patient alone, and do not blame him either. He has no control over what is happening — it is essential for the family to understand this, otherwise there is more humiliation than treatment.
Setting right the atmosphere of the home is half the work of ruqyah. Regular salah, recitation of the Qur'an in the home, the morning and evening adhkar — without these, relying only on sessions means improvement will not last.
And patience. In problems of this kind, improvement usually comes slowly and goes up and down. If you keep changing the raqi after seeing no results in a few weeks, no treatment will ever be completed.
Surah Al-Israa 17:82
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ۸۲
And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
The Qur'an itself is shifa and mercy for the believer.
- Do not stop treatment for a mental or neurological illness.
- Do not strike up a conversation with what is said through the patient's mouth, and do not believe it either.
- Do not try to get the jinn to do any work — this is not treatment.
- Do not beat the patient or put him in chains; this is torture, not ruqyah.
The touch of jinn is affirmed in the Qur'an, but not every abnormality is to be named jinn. Continue the treatment, continue the ruqyah, do not cross the limits — and stay by the patient's side. Shifa is in Allah's hands.
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.