What is the ruling on believing in auras and energy healing?

Praise be to Allah.

The word aura is part of the terminology used by energy healers, by which they refer to a subtle body which surrounds the physical body. In their view, the aura is the means that connects the human being to the energy of the universe!

Practitioners of energy healing claim that it is possible for some people who have extraordinary vision to see these auras that surround the body, and that these auras are composed of seven layers, which are called the “seven bodies.”

They also claim that it is possible for one who does not have these extraordinary powers to see these aura and their different colours with the naked eye by doing specific exercises, which are mostly based on exhausting the retina.

The evidence which proves scientifically that this so-called seeing is false and it has no medical indication, whether for the purposes of diagnosis or treatment, includes the following:

1.. Those who claim to see the aura of the same person see it differently.

2.. The colours in some experiments differed from the psychological conditions they were supposed to represent.

And there are other reasons mentioned in the article Aura Photography: a Candid Shot, which was published in Skeptical Inquirer Magazine, vol. 24, no. 3.

It should be noted that the philosophy of the seven bodies is connected to one of the ancient forms of yogic philosophy, according to which each of these seven bodies is connected to one of the centres of energy, which are known as chakras. These are centres of universal spiritual energy which are found in the auras, and have corresponding centres in the body which are known as the nervous system. The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga (p. 344) by Swami Vishnu Denananda.

But most of the research into energy science and its therapeutic applications is based on mere speculation and conjecture, and is connected to idolatrous beliefs that have nothing to do with empirical medicine or Islamic teachings, because there is no way to prove it either on the basis of shar‘i evidence or of empirical evidence that is acceptable to scientists. In fact, the matter went further, to the realm of astrology, through the philosophy of the five elements, which have to do with stars and zodiac signs. Hence you will find blatant astrology in some applications of Reiki and Ayurveda, especially with regard to healing with precious stones and crystals.

This is in addition to what these practices involve of going to extremes in sanctifying the self, because the focus of one of them is to bring out his hidden divine essence and become one with the universal energy, in order to liberate himself – or so they claim – from materialistic enslavement, until the seeker reaches an advanced stage of self-awareness and realizes that he and his object of worship are one, at which point there is no longer any point in worship!

This matches precisely the belief of the heretics, those who believe in immanence and union with the divine, and they believe in the oneness of all being or pantheism. This is an ancient idolatrous philosophy that found its way to some misguided Sufis who believe in immanence.

For more information, please see the answer to question no. 112043 .

See also the books: at-Tatbeeqaat al-Mu‘aasirah li Falsafat al-Istishfaa’ ash-Sharqiyyah: Diraasah ‘Aqdiyyah, by Dr. Haifa’ ar-Rasheed, published by Markaz at-Ta’seel li’d-Diraasah wa’l-Buhooth; and Khuraafat as-Sirr, by Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Saalih al-‘Ujayri.

And Allah knows best.