Ruling on watching video clips of people doing ruqyah

Praise be to Allah.

The basic principle with regard to watching video clips is that it is permissible, so long as the images shown are free of prohibited things and anything that is contrary to Islamic teaching.

But if the clips contain things that are contrary to Islamic teaching, then it is not permissible to watch them, as was explained previously in fatwa no. 70557.

Similarly, if the sick person is a woman, there is no need for the viewer to look at her.

Based on that, if these clips show people doing ruqyah as prescribed in Islam, there is nothing wrong with watching them.

Please see fatwa no. 166302 for the ruling on watching video clips that contain permissible things.

But if this ruqyah is something other than that which is prescribed in Islam, then it is not permissible in the first place.

Shaykh Haafiz Hakami said in Ma‘aarij al-Qubool bi Sharh Sullam al-Wusool  (2/507):

With regard to ruqyah using non-Arabic phrases, of which the meanings cannot be understood, and that is not well known or narrated via Islamic texts at all, it has no connection to Allah or to the Qur’an and Sunnah whatsoever; rather it is waswaas from the Shaytaan that he inspires in his allies, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And certainly, the Shayaateen (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you”

[al-An‘aam 6:121].

Based on that, the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the hadith of Ibn Mas‘ood – “Verily ruqyah, amulets and love charms are shirk” – are to be interpreted as meaning that because the one who utters those words does not know whether these are names of Allah, may He be exalted, or names of the angels or names of the devils, and he does not know whether it involves disbelief or faith, whether it is true or false, whether it is beneficial or harmful, whether it is ruqyah or sihr (witchcraft).

By Allah, most people are involved in these things and expend a great deal of effort on them, using all kinds of them. End quote.

If this ruqyah is Islamically unacceptable, then it is not permissible to watch it.

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Whatever is haraam, it is haraam to look at it, because that is helping in the sin.

End quote from Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj fi Sharh al-Minhaaj (10/221).

And Allah knows best.