The benefits of hijama, or cupping, are mentioned in several authentic Hadith, and many Muslims practise it as a Sunnah treatment. This article explains what the Prophet ﷺ said about cupping, what scholars say about its rulings, and why it should be done safely and with qualified practitioners.
What the Hadith Says About Hijama
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, a cut of the cupper’s lancet, and cauterisation with fire, but I forbid my Ummah to use cauterisation” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5681).
“The best of what you use for treatment is hijama.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5696
He ﷺ also said that for every disease Allah has sent down a cure (Sahih Muslim 2204), which encourages believers to seek treatment.
Honey and Natural Remedies
The Qur’an speaks of honey as a drink “in which there is healing for people” (Qur’an 16:69). The Prophet ﷺ joined honey and cupping in the Hadith above, so many Muslims see natural remedies as part of the Sunnah, as long as they are used correctly.
Recommended Days
It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever has cupping on the seventeenth, nineteenth and twenty-first of the month will find a cure from every illness (Sunan Abi Dawud 3861). Another narration says that on the night of Isra the angels told him to instruct his Ummah to practise hijama (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2053). Scholars of Hadith such as al-Albani graded these narrations as hasan, but they are not obligations, and the best timing also depends on health and the practitioner’s advice.
Cupping and Fasting: Where Scholars Differ
Scholars differ on whether cupping breaks the fast. The Prophet ﷺ was cupped while fasting (Sahih al-Bukhari 1938), and another Hadith says that the cupper and the one cupped have both broken their fast (Sunan Abi Dawud 2367). The Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi’i schools hold that it does not break the fast, though some consider it disliked if it causes weakness, while the Hanbali school holds that it does. Most scholars understand the second Hadith as being abrogated or explained by the first.
Safety and Modern Medicine
Islam encourages treatment but also forbids harm (Sunan Ibn Majah 2341). Studies on the benefits of hijama have mixed results, so it should not replace medical care for serious conditions. Choose a trained practitioner who uses sterile, single-use equipment, and tell him about any medicines or conditions such as anaemia, blood disorders or pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Benefits of Hijama
Is hijama a Sunnah?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ practised it and encouraged it, as in Sahih al-Bukhari 5696, although it is a recommended treatment and not an obligation.
Can women have hijama?
Yes, ideally with a female practitioner, observing the rules of modesty.
Does it replace other medicine?
No. It is a supportive treatment, and a doctor should be consulted for illness.
Conclusion
The benefits of hijama are attested in the Sunnah, but its use should follow safety, knowledge and moderation. Read more about prophetic habits in our article on the importance of Fajr prayer.
