Q: Is fire ruqyah Sunnah?
A: No. Neither are ruqyah water or ruqyah vinegar. These are good innovations that have been demonstrated to be helpful and effective. Anything that does not involve shirk is acceptable for use in ruqyah.
Q: Does this involve shirk? This stuff about writing things and burning them reminds me of sihr.
A: No. We do not call upon anything for assistance except Allah SWT, nor are we relying on the substances per se in any regard except as a technique, much like how reciting verses of Qur’an, the names of Allah SWT, or making du’a are techniques that may be used in different circumstances, or like how using ruqyah water is just a technique.
Q: Why not just stick to water?
A: Different substances have different properties and actions. With fire ruqyah, we are using the action of fire to destroy the evil that afflicts a person, as opposed to the actions of other substances, such as the washing action of water. The act of burning the paper sends it from our world to the other levels of reality. Our research aims to expand the field of ruqyah beyond the confounding repetition of methods that do not prove to be effective in all cases.
Q: This still reminds me of what the magicians do with their candles and rituals. How is it different?
A: Those who rely on haram divination, such as astrology, or other shirk such as sihr, will often be required to follow certain protocols and do their work at certain times. There is no such ritualistic aspect to fire ruqyah. It does not really matter what time you do it, and there are no specific requirements like using a certain colour candle at midnight — you just use a match or a lighter or whatever is convenient, whenever is convenient.
Q: It still reminds me of sihr because I have seen the magicians writing things like backwards Arabic and diagrams. Do you do that?
A: No, nothing is hidden from the person upon whom the fire ruqyah is being done. In fact, the sheets are sent to you to use yourself whenever you want. They are written in plain English without any diagrams or drawings and they read much like a du’a.
Q: What is the point of this innovation when the Sunnah way of ruqyah is already known?
A: It really isn’t, either by the ummah at large or by many who are practising ruqyah, nor is there much research being conducted into solutions that do not involve shirk. Our clients’ histories confirm that the current catch-all approach to doing ruqyah has not been working for many people, as they have typically been through several treatments by the time they contact us.
Q: The solution to all of these problems is known. People just need to return to the Sunnah and their problems will go away, instead of falling for gimmicks like this. How can you justify selling easy solutions?
A: By the time an obese person is diagnosed with diabetes, the doctor would surely wish the patient would have controlled the problem from the beginning. He might like to see the patient eating right and walking more to control his blood sugar instead of relying on quick injections. There is some validity in this analogy applied to problems with the unseen, but it is also very common for people to be afflicted with these issues by others who cannot control their jealousy, rage, etc. While we can attribute our own problems to our own failings, we can expect that not everyone is going to be a saint, though that does not mean they should suffer for the rest of their lives. It is as much a test of the person who is able to help as it is for the person who is afflicted with this trial. And if one should dare think that only those who are astray are afflicted with sihr, we must remind you that Muhammad ﷺ also suffered its effects and took measures to resolve the problem, and Aisha (ra) participated in this and related it to us.
Ruqyah is also a rather unique and effective tool for dawah, both within the ummah and to those outside it, as it demonstrates in an easily observable fashion the triumph of tawhid over shirk. Almost anyone can understand what has just occurred when they see some elaborate sihr undone and rendered useless by simple methods that call only upon Allah SWT.
Q: If fire ruqyah is really so effective, why do you expect to need multiple sessions to fix the problem?
A: It is quite likely that it will have some effect from the first attempt. With subsequent sessions, incorporating our observations and your feedback, we can continue to narrow down the problem and target it accurately and specifically, and therefore more effectively. At each stage, the sheets are yours for whenever you want to use them.
Q: Are you not committing Shirk by asking the Arsh of Allah for a cure instead of Allah?
A: As per the below Ayat, the Arsh of Allah is directly linked to the authority of Allah to do everything and anything. The firesheet calls upon Allah’s authority (i.e the Arsh of Allah) to destroy evil. This is the opposite of Shirk because we are relying solely on Allah’s authority to help us.
Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority), regulating and governing all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave (hath been obtained). This is Allah your Lord; Him therefore serve ye: will ye not receive admonition? [10:3]
In a metaphorical manner, you may take a cheque to the bank to cash it. The cheque was issued from a different bank, but you don’t have to explicitly state to your bank that the cheque is from another bank and that they have to accept it. Both banks know this as it’s integral in the standard mechanism for cashing cheques. The cheque is merely a ‘statement of authority’ to transfer money.