Ruqyah is a form of Prophetic Medicine that is done for a general purpose as well as to protect one from evil. This article will look at the meaning of the unseen, who are the jinn and the angels, symptoms of how one know if they possessed by the jinn or black magic and how to perform ruqyah.

Al Ghayb (The unseen)
The Unseen (Al-Ghayb). What does it mean? Can we know the unseen? Or is this something sacred and kept to Allah (The Most High)? 

Al-Ghayb is defined as something that cannot be visualised. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy upon him) said in Sharh al-Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah that there are two types. Ghayb Al-Mutlaq (Unseen in the Absolute sense), where knowledge is hidden from all of the creation in the heavens and on the earth but is known to Allah (The Most High) alone. The other type of unseen is the one who is ignorant of it; it is unknown to all people but is not unique to Allah (The Most High).

Little do we know of the Unseen, as this is something Allah (The Most High) has kept for Himself. We do not know what will happen in the next hour, the following day, week, month, and year. We can have intentions to do something or go somewhere, but whether this intention will turn into action, will not occur without the permission of Allah (The Most High). When we plan on doing a course, marrying someone, buying a house or going on holiday, are we fully confident that this will occur? Everything is destined, and this is why it is important to always make Dua (Supplication) to Allah, the Almighty, to grant what is best for us and protect us from all forms of evil such as evil eye.
In the Qur’an we are constantly reminded of this very fact; Allah the All mighty, is All knowing and All seeing.

“But perhaps [that] you dislike a thing and it (is) good for you; and perhaps [that] you love a thing and it (is) bad for you. And Allah knows while you (do) not know.”
                                                                        [Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah: The Cow, 2:216] 

“And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record”
                                                  [Quran, Surah Al-An’am: The Cattle, 6:59] 
 
Islamic rulings on fortune-tellers:
It is in human nature to be curious of our future and some people go above and beyond in getting a so called glimpse of it. However, in Islam, this is not allowed. A hadith narrated by by Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said:

‘Some people asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about fortune-tellers, and he said: “They are nothing.” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, they say something and it comes true. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “That is a word of truth which the jinn snatches and cackles into the ear of his familiar like the cackling of a hen, and they mix more than one hundred lies with it.”
                                                               [Sahih al-Bukhari, 7561]

So the question is how can they manipulate and steal this word?

Our Beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
‘…when our Lord, may His name be blessed and exalted, decrees some matter, the bearers of the Throne glorify Him, then the people of heaven who are closest to them glorify Him, until the tasbeeh reaches the people of the lowest heaven. Then those who are nearest to the bearers of the Throne say: What did your Lord say? And they tell them what He said. And the people of heaven ask one another for the news, until the news reaches the lowest heaven. Then the eavesdropping jinn snatch what they can and convey it to their familiars. What they narrated as they heard it is true, but they add lies to it.”
                                                                  [Sahih al-Muslim, 2229].

This implies that the Jinn do not have knowledge of the unseen, rather they overhear it from the angels. However , even the Angels do not have knowledge of the unseen.

“(He Alone is) the All‑Knower of the Ghayb (Unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghayb (Unseen)”
                                                    [Quran, Surah Al-Jinn: The Jinn, 72:26] 
 
Angels and Jinn
In Islam, Muslims believe that Jinn and Angels exist and are amongst the creation of Allah (The Most High). However, we are unable to see them despite their interactions with human beings. Our sources of evidence that declare their existence are in the Quran and the Sunnah.

Believing in the existence of Angels is one of the six pillars of faith in Islam; Allah (The Most High), His angels, His Books, His Messengers, The Last Day and predestination both good and bad comes from Allah (The Most High).
They were created before mankind but we do not know precisely when. They are made from light, have wings and come in various sizes.

Their purpose in life is to follow the commands of Allah (The Most High) and do not deviate nor stop worshipping Him. They are free of sin.

“Who disobey not, (from executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.” 
                                              [Quran, Surah Al-Tahrim: The Banning, 66:6] 

The phrase ‘Jinn’ derives from the word ‘Janna’ which is defined as, to conceal and they were created from fire.
"Indeed We created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We created the Jinn before that from the smokeless flame of fire," 
                                           [Qur'an, Surah Al-Hijr: The Stoneland, 15:26-27]

In many respects, they have many similarities with human beings. They live on earth, were created to worship Allah (The Most High), have free will, eat, drink, marry, have children, die and are accounted on the Day of Judgement whereby they will either go to Jannah (Paradise) or Hell (Jahannam).

"I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
[Qur'an, Surah Al-Dhariyat: The Winds that Scatter, 51:56]

They are found in bathrooms, dumps, animal yards and other locations that are filled with impurity.

"Cover your utensils and tie your water skins, and close your doors and keep your children close to you at night, as the Jinns spread out at such time and snatch things away. When you go to bed, put out your lights, for the mischief-doer (i.e. the rat) may drag away the wick of the candle and burn the dwellers of the house." Ata said, "The devils" (instead of the Jinns) [Sahih Bukhari,4:533]

This is why we recite the dua before entering the toilet:

“O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.” [Sahih Al-Muslim, 375]

Majority of them are disbelievers and are called Shayateen (devils) and form part of the army of Iblis.

"Indeed he (Iblis) and his tribe watch you from a position where you cannot see them," 
                                                [Qur'an, Surah Al-A’raf: The Heights, 7:27]

Jinns who are Muslims have been revealed at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and are attracted to the Quranic recitation:

“Say (O' Muhammed): It has been revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened and said; 'Indeed we have heard a marvellous Qur'an. It guides unto righteousness so we have believed in it, and we will never make partners with our lord,'" 
                                                [Qur'an, Surah Al-Jinn: The Jinn, 72:1-2]

How can I know if I am possess by the Jinn?
Individuals who have had experiences in being possessed by the Jinns have mentioned the following symptoms/signs:
1)   Dislike to hear the Quran nor the Adhaan (Call for prayer).
2)   Losing consciousness when Quran is being recited.
3)   Frequent nightmares.
4)   Being anti-social. In other words, the tendency to avoid people.
5)   The Jinn speaks when Quran is being recited.
6)   Madness “Those who devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom Satan by his touch hath driven to [epileptic] madness…"
                                         [Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah: The Cow, 2:275]

How can I know if I am affected by Black Magic?
Normally magic is referred to a deception by presenting something to an audience that is untrue. However, Black magic is when one seeks the aid of Shayateen (Devils) to perform something bad against somebody. The symptoms that one who is being affected by black magic is:
1)   Disliking one’s spouse.
2)   Loss of appetite
3)   Unable to have sexual intercourse with one’s spouse
4)   Change in behaviour with unknown reasons
5)   Frequent miscarriages.
6)   Sudden obedience for someone
7)   Sudden love for someone
8)   Imagining one has done something but never have done.
9)   Different attitude within the house than outside the house. They miss the family when away but when at home it alters to hatred.

Please note that these symptoms are not solely if one is possessed by a Jinn or affected by black magic. Other causes for such symptoms include psychological or physiological reasons.

Forms of Ruqyah:
It is important to note that trials that consist of illnesses, arguments and problems, are natural and should not be assumed it is due to black magic. If one is suffering from anxiety or depression, one should first reflect on their lives and increase their connection with Allah (The Most High) via Dhikr (His Remembrance) and Dua (Supplication). One needs to be conscious in what they are saying and calling upon Allah (The Most High) sincerely.
1.   Initiate with Bismillah (In the name of Allah) as Allah (The Most High) is the One who can cure everything.
A synonym for Ruqyah is "ta'with" and "ta'withah", from which obtains the “Mu'awwidhatan" (the two protecting ones) for the last two Surahs only:

• Surah Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) 113,
  
• Surah Al-Naas (The people) 114.
• Surah Ikhlas (The Sincerity) 115
  
• Al-fatihah (The Opening)
• and Ayatul Kursi (2:255)
   
  
• This is the permissible Ruqya which our Beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved and performed onto himself and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
  
• On the authority of Ma‘mar from Al-Zuhry from ‘Urwah that ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them all) said:
  In his last illness, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to blow breath (into his cupped hands) and recite Al-Mu‘awwidhatayn (Surah Al-Falaq and Al-Nas) and then wipe over his body. But when his illness aggravated, I used to recite them over him and pass his own hand over his body for its blessing. Ma‘mar asked Al-Zuhry  “How did he use to blow breath?” He said, “He used blow into his hands and then pass them over his face.”
                                                                                                 [Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
  In another ahadith it has been narrated by Ibn Al-Qayyim that “the effectiveness of these surahs is great to repel magic, evil eye, and the rest of the evils and the need for a slave to seek Allah’s protection from these two surahs is greater than his need for self, eating, driking, and wearing dress” [Al-Fawwaid, 2/426]
  Before going to Sleep:
  1)   Recite Ayatul kursi. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
  "Whoever recites Ayatul kursi at night, a protector (angel) from Allah continually safeguards him and Shaytaan will not come near him until morning." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
  2)   Read the last two verses of Surah Baqarah (The Cow) for protection from Shaytan and misfortunes. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
  "Whoever recites the last two verses of Soorah Al Baqarah at night, they will be sufficient for him." [Sahih Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhii, Abu Dawood, Nasai, Ibn Majah]
  After Salah:
  1)   Read Surah Ikhlas (Sincerity), Falaq (Daybreak) and Nas (People) after every Fardh Salah. Read it thrice after Fajr and Maghrib Salah.
  Make Dua (Supplication):
  1)   Read the following du’a:
  “A'oodu bikalimatil'lahit tam'maati min shari ma khalaq”
  Translation: “I seek refuge in all the Perfect Words Of Allah from the mischief of His Creations.” [Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]
  2)   Read the following du'a at the beginning of the day and night:
  “Bismil'laahil lazi laa yadhur'ru ma'a ismihi shay'un fil ardhi walaa fis samaa'i wahuwas samee'ul 'aleem”
  Translation: “In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing can cause harm in the earth and the heaven. And He is All Hearing, All Knowing.” [Sahih Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Hakim]
  3)   “Allaahuma rabban naas, azhibil ba's, ishfi antas shaafi, laa shifaa’a illaa shifaa’uk, shifaa’an laa yughaadiru suqman”
  Translation: “0 Allah 0 the Lord Of the people! Remove the pain. Grant cure, You are the Curer. There is no cure except Your Cure. Grant such a cure that leaves no sickness.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah]
  4)   Bismillaahi arqeeka, min kulli shay'in yu'zeeka, wa min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasidin, allaahu yashfeeka, bismillaahi arqeeka.
  Translation: “In The Name of Allah I make blow upon you from everything which harms you and from the evil of every person or jealous eye. May Allah grant you cure. In The Name of Allah I make blow on you.” [Sahih Al-Muslim, Ibn Majah].
  

Many research have been done on yoga on its health benefits. Majority of the studies consider yoga to be a safe and effective manner to increase physical activity. For instance, balance, flexibility and strength. But what is Yoga? What does it consist of? Where does it originate from? What are the health benefits of yoga?
 
Yoga are exercises whose origins can be traced back to India 5,000 years and was then adapted in different manners in other countries around the world. It aims to increase one’s health and wellbeing. It consists of postures and breathing. Posture aims to increase strength and flexibility. Yoga classes can take place in many locations such as hospitals, surgeries, schools and leisure centres. There are various styles of yoga for instance, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Sivananda. However, one style is not better than the other style and is dependent on your level of fitness. The duration of the session is between 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours. There are a range of health benefits of yoga:
 
Muscloskeletal System
 
It builds muscle strength – The difference between building strength via yoga and building strength via gym and weights, is the former balances strength with flexibility. Alternatively, the latter builds strength by using flexibility causing an imbalance. An advantage of muscle strength is that it protects us from conditions such as back pain and arthritis as well as preventing falls.
 
It releases muscle fatigue, chronic tension, soreness in the limbs - This can decrease stress and lower mood. Tension can present tension in the muscles.
 
Improves flexibility – inflexibility in muscles and connective tissues can cause poor posture. Having tight hamstrings can flatten the lumbar spine and can cause back pain and degenerative arthritis of the spine. Inflexibility can also cause neck, other muscle and joint problems. Tight hips can affect the knee joint, this is due to improper alignment of the thigh and shinbones.
 
Supports connective tissue - The whole body is connected. If you change the posture and change the way you breathe. An alteration in the way one breathes, can affect the nerves of the nervous system.
 
Eases pain – besides back pain and arthritis, other conditions yoga helps are fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome. Relieving pain can improve the mood.
 
Improves balance – Bad posture or movement patterns can lead to poor proprioception. Proprioception is the ability to sense movement in the joints. Poor proprioception is associated with knee and back pain. So by doing yoga, it increases proprioception which leads to better balance.
 
Increases health of bones – it can improve bone density and lowers the level of the stress hormone cortisol. This in turn aids calcium in the bones.
 
Prevents breakdown of cartilage and joint – yoga allows the joints to be in full motion and aid in preventing arthiritis.
 
Protects spine.
 
Cardiovascular System
Increases blood flow – this allows more oxygen to the cells. It also aids in circulation especially in the hands and feet. Twisting movements increases movement of venous blood (blood from veins that have low oxygen) out from internal organs and allow oxygenated blood (blood with oxygen) to flow.
 
 Inverted poses such as shoulderstand, headstand and handstand can increase venous blood from the legs and pelvis back to the heart, where it can be pumped to the lungs to increase the amount of oxygen. Swelling in the legs is one of the symptoms of heart and/or kindney problems. Thus, yoga can lower the swelling that occurs.
 
It increases the level of haemoglobin and red blood cells – This increases the amount of oxygen to the cells. Haemoglobin is the iron-rich protein pigment found in the red blood cells. The role of the red blood cells is to carry oxygen around the body via the blood. How? Haemoglobin binds to the oxygen to form oxyhaemoglobin.
 
It thins the blood – It makes the platelets less sticky and lowering the level of clot-promoting proteins in the blood. This in turn reduces heart attacks and strokes.
 
Increases heart rate – It lowers the risk of heart attack by lowering the resting heart rate, increase endurance and improve the amount of oxygen uptake. It can also relieve depression.
 
Lowers high blood pressure – A study took place where they compared the effects of Savasana (Corpse Pose) of yoga with simply lying on a sofa. After three months, they discovered that Savasana lowered both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
 
Lymphatic system
 
It improves immunity – When stretching muscles, it increases the draining of lymphs. Lymphs is a viscous fluid rich in immune cells. By increasing the drainage of lymphs, it increases the body’s ability to fight infection, destroy cancer cells and remove toxic waste products.
 
Endocrine system
 
Regulates adrenal glands – Cortisol is the hormone responsible for stress. Adrenal glands secrete cortisol which can increase immune function and improve long-term memory.Very high levels of cortisol is linked to depression, osteoporosis, hypertension and insulin resistance.
 
It lowers blood glucose levels – Yoga lowers levels of glucose in the blood and also lowers bad cholesterol known as Low density lipoproteins and increases the levels of good cholesterol known as high density lipoproteins. It also lowers levels of cortisol and adrenaline which increases weight loss and improve sensitivity effects of insulin. Lowering the blood glucose levels, will reduce the risk of diabetic complications such as blindness, heart attack and kidney failure.
 

Moods
It increases happiness, focus, relaxes the body, increases you to sleep, increases self-esteem, inner strength and allows one to be drug-free. A study investigating the effects of people with asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure discovered that yoga aided them in lowering the dosage of medications and even some were taken off medications.
Moreover, it increases awareness, helps in relationships and self-care.

Furthermore, a study discovered that yoga nidra which involves contemplating an image in one’s mind, improves the quality of life for individuals with cancer and HIV. It also lowers headaches and postoperative pain.


Digestive System
Improves a healthy lifestyle
 
It prevents Digestive problems – Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, constipation are amongst the digestive problems that can be increased by stress. Yoga eases constipation. It can also lower the risk of colon cancers because moving the body helps more transport of food and waste products via the bowels.
 
Nervous System
It maintains nervous system which induces relaxation when having difficulty to sleep. Improve blood flow to pelvis if one is trying to improve pregnant.
 
Immune System
Meditation, Asana, and pranayama are yoga exercises that can improve immune system. It increases the levels of antibody levels, and lowering it when needed when there is an aggressive immune function.
 
Breathing system:
 
Kriyas, Jala neti and other exercises can increase breathing via the nose which filters the air, warms it as cold, dry air triggers asthma attack, it humidifies it and removes pollen and viruses from the nose, drains sinuses and prevents the mucus from building up.
 
A study published in The Lancet revealed that in yoga, there is a technique known as ‘complete breathing’ which helps patients with congestive heart failure as they have lung problems. This led to increased oxygen saturation of their blood and improves various measures of lung function, including the maximum volume of the breath and the efficiency of the exhalation.

What's stopping you from doing yoga ;)

 

Do you have lower back pain?

This article circulates around this topic. It does not aim to remind you of your pain, rather it aims to inform you of why this occurs and in what ways to reduce the pain.

Nearly 8 out of 10 people have lower back pain which implies it is really common. The symptoms vary from person to person. There are many reasons as to why lower back pain even occurs that happens normally in the lumbar spine area.

The main reason is due to bad posture. For instance, not sitting or standing, lifting or bending correctly and/or for long periods of times. Other causes include over-stretching and over-using the muscles where the latter can occur during sport known as repetitive strain injury.

This is why all NHS staff have an annual training known as Manual Handling to lower the incidence of lower back pain.

Being stressed, pregnancy, smoking, overweight and long-term use of medications are other reasons. In relation to pregnancy, carrying the baby can add strain.

In relation to smoking, smoking can cause tissue damage in the back.

In relation to overweight, being overweight can add pressure.

​ In relation to medications, an example are corticosteroids that is normally prescribed for anti-inflammatory conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis (hayfever), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and others. When it is used for a long-term period of time, it can weaken the bones.

These causes can lead to:

• The large paired lower back muscles known as erector spinae can have been damaged.
• The bones, ligaments or the joints can have been damaged.
• Intervertebral disc may be degenerating.
• Irritated small nerves.
• Back muscle spasms
• The large nerves in the lower back that goes to the legs are irritated

A problem with the bones, nerves, spinal muscles, tendons or discs in the lumbar spine area can cause lower pain that can radiate to other areas of the body.

Moreover, the symptoms that one gets can imply for a particular medical condition. For instance, sciatica which is a slipped disc. It can cause lower back pain, numbness and a tingling feeling down one leg are the main symptoms.

Another condition lower back pain can be related is due to arthiritis. Having joint pain especially in the back whilst walking are one of its symptoms.

Furthermore, back pain can also be due one of the symptoms of whiplash that can occur following an accident. It is very rare that back pain can be due to a more serious condition of the spine such as cancer, infection or fracture.
Additionally, it is important to seek medical attention urgently if you have back and one of the following as this could be a sign of a serious problem:

• Hyperthermia (high temperature)
• Chest pain (angina)
• After an accident
• Weight loss.
• Unable to urinate
• Swelling
• Constant pain
• Uncontrollable bladder movement
• Numbness in your private area (front/back), bottom
• Worse at night

What’s the lumbar spine?
Lumbar is derived from the Latin word ‘lumbus’ defined as lion. The role of the Lumbar spine is for flexibility (lifting, bending, twisting) and strength. The lumbar spine is where the spine curves inward towards the abdomen. This is known as lordosis.

The lumbar spine connects the thoracic spine with the sacral spine (sacrum) as shown in the image below. It has five vertebrae (L1-L5) providing support of the weight of the whole back. However, L4-L5 and L5-S1 carry most of the weight. Thus, they are more prone to injury.

The lumbosacral joint (L5-S1) allows one to rotate, for instance when running or walking, the pelvis and hips can swing.

The spinal cord initiates from the base of the skull through the spinal column and ends at T12-L1. T12-L1 is where the thoracic spine links with the lumbar spine. The nerves then branch out like roots forming ‘caud equina’ that extend to the bottom, legs and feet.

​Thus, it is very rare that the cause of the lower back pain is due to nerve damage or paralysis as the spinal cord does not run via the lumbar spine.

Engaging the brain
There are skills that the patient can develop to lower or ignore the pain signals which therefore influence how you perceive the pain. Pain specialists are able to help in this manner.

Therapy
Cold therapy

• Acts as an anaesthetic by slowing the nerve impulses causing the pain.
• Lowers inflammation

Heat therapy

• This can be in any form such as hot packs, water bottle, hot bath etc.
• Inhibits pain signals reaching the brain
• Stimulates blood flow allowing nutrients in the blood reaching the affected area.

 
More sleep
Despite pain can cause difficulty sleeping or staying awake, having less sleep can make the pain worse.

Do activities that make you happy
Having pain can influence your life whether that be the ability to get stuff done or relationships and can affect your mood and sleep. Thus, distracting yourself by doing something you enjoy can help.

Hijama/Wet cupping
As earlier stated, stimulating the blood flow allows nutrients to enter the affected area. This aids in healing the damaged area as it supplies cells with energy and recovery. When having problems with the back especially the lumbar spine, the discs do not receive good blood flow.

Hijama therapy (wet cupping) is effective as it can promote good blood flow in the area and remove toxins. When negative pressure is applied on the skin, endorphins are released which is needed to trigger for recovery.

Other therapies such as chiropractic, massage, and CBT also helps.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is another therapy that can help massively. It began in China centuries ago and involves inserting thin needles at certain points on the body. Traditional Chinese medicine is known for its strength and improving health. There are 2000 points connected by pathways to create an energy flow known as Qi (Pronounced as Chee). Stimulating these points allows the imbalance energy flow to be corrected which helps to relieve pain. Moreover, acupuncture also allows:

• Release of chemicals in the brain, muscles and spinal cord which can affect the pain. For instance natural opioids are released in the brain which reduces pain and promotes sleep.
• It alters the release of neurotransmitters that can stimulate nerve impulses.
• It alters the release of neurohormones which can affect the function of an organ.
• It speeds relay of electromagnetic signals which increases the flow of endorphins and release of immune cells.