CASE STUDY OF THE USE OF QUR'AN VERSES AS A MEDIA FOR

HEALING DISEASE OR RUQYAH BY SANTRI PONPES TAHFIDZ AL-

FATAH PEKALONGAN

M. Syauqi yusuf
syauqiilayka@gmail.com

Abstract

Ruqyah which is the method of treatment of the Prophet Muhammad is ruqyah shariah
where the treatment uses verses of the Qur'an and prayers that come from as-sunnah by
focusing on the belief that Allah SWT gave the disease and to Him, we ask for healing because
of Allah Allah who gives healing. In this study, we discuss the study of ruqyah with the use of
Al-Qur'an verses as treatment by students of PONPES Al-Fatah Pekalongan so that we can
know what is done by students is ruqyah shariah which is allowed not to lead to shirk as ruqyah
syirkiyyah. The study of the living Qur'an on the existence of ruqyah syar'iyah, which is
increasing to sahabah to Allah SWT and making human knowledge about the great verses of
Allah SWT can affect human health both on physical, mental, and non-medical health.

Keywords: Case Study, Healing Disease, Ruqyah

INTRODUCTION

The Qur'an is the word of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad Salallahu 'Alaihi
Wasallam, which has virtues, including the Qur'an itself is the greatest miracle of the Prophet, the
best literature, there is no doubt in it, the life guide of the people Islam even reads the Koran is an
act of worship (Eldeeb, 2009). The Qur'an is a holy book full of miracles that contains all the
information about life needed by humans because it contains eternal wisdom (Yahya, 2003). In
addition to understanding textually, the Qur'an also contains broad meaning and wisdom, so it
requires an interpretation that reveals the sciences in it, including practical meaning outside the
text, and contextual use of the verses of the Qur'an as a medium for treating disease

The Qur'an was revealed as a cure for all diseases and mercy for all believers. According
to the word of God:

‫ارا‬
ً ‫س‬َ ‫َونُن ِّ َِّز ُل مِّنَ ْالقُ ْر ٰا ِّن َما ه َُو ِّشف َۤا ٌء َّو َر ْح َمةٌ ِّلِّ ْل ُمؤْ ِّم ِّني َْۙنَ َو ََل يَ ِّز ْيد ُ الظّٰ ِّل ِّميْنَ ا ََِّّل َخ‬
 "And We send down from the Qur'an something that is healing and a mercy for those who
believe and the Qur'an does not add to the wrongdoers other than loss." (RI, 2014)

The word Syifa 'according to Quraish Shihab, usually means healing or medicine and is
also used in the sense of freedom from deficiency, or the absence of obstacles in obtaining benefits
(Shihab, 2001).

All verses of the Qur'an are medicine that can heal. However, there are several verses or
letters from the Qur'an that are more specific because: has virtue is a healing drug, for example in
the letter al-Fatihah. In addition to al-Fatihah, other verses also have the virtue of being a cure for
physical and mental illnesses, for example, the letter al-Muawwizhatain (Al-Falaq, An-Nas) and
the verse of the chair for treating magic. This means that the practice of interpreting the Qur'an
does not refer to an understanding of the textual message, but is based on the assumption that there
are fadilah from certain units of the Qur'anic text, for the benefit of the people's daily life
(Syamsuddin, 2007)

So far, the Qur'an has been identified with spiritual and psychological needs. That's not the
case though. However, if we examine carefully, all kinds of diseases originate from problematic
mental and spiritual conditions, such as stress and depression (Abdushahamad, 2004). Thus,
conditions of stress and depression have an impact on the malfunctioning of the immune system
in the body, causing the body to become susceptible to various diseases

According to Mustaqim (2007), the study of the living Qur'an can also be used for the
benefit of da'wah and community empowerment, for example; if in society there is a phenomenon
of making the verses of the Qur'an "only" as amulets or incantations for supernatural purposes,
while they do not understand what the messages from the content of the Qur'an are, then we can
invite and awaken them that the Qur'an was revealed its main function is for guidance. That way,
the occult way of thinking can gradually be drawn to an academic way of thinking. More than that,
people who previously only appreciated the Qur'an as a talisman, can be made aware that the
Qur'an is used as a "transformative ideology" for the advancement of civilization (Bakhri, 2018 ).

Al-Qur'an has many nicknames or is called by other names such as Al-Huda (guidance),
and Al-Furqon (Distinguisher) which means to distinguish between good and bad. Then the Qur'an
is also known as ash-sofa which means healer or medicine. So that most Muslims know that the
Qur'an can be used as a healer in overcoming disease or all kinds of code requirements in the verses
of the Qur'an regarding something that can be a cure for a disease.

There is a disease that Allah (SWT) has revealed to humans at the same time as a cure or
antidote. This is as explained in a hadith from Abu Hurairah r.a narrated by Al-Bukhari that the
Messenger of Allah said: "Allah will not send down a disease unless He sends it down or an
antidote for it". Another hadith also explains the same thing in the history of Muslim Imams and
Ahmad "Every disease has a cure. if a drug fulfills its target, then the disease is cured or the disease
disappears with the permission of Allah SWT.” (Azhim, 2006)

There are so many types of treatment that have been developed until now. Starting from
traditional medicine, a treatment that brings elements of religion or in Islam we know as ruqyah,
as well as treatment using sophisticated medical tools.

Ruqyah is known in Indonesia as a treatment or healing of disease by reading prayers and

verses of the Qur'an using certain methods without violating the Shari'a. According to research
tracks, it is noted that this ruqyah is widely discussed and researched by academics so many articles
have been created since 2005. (Harmuzi, 2020). Until now, there have been many ruqyah activities
and there are even institutions and special assemblies to learn ruqyah or for people to seek
treatment.

At the Tahfidz Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School located in Pesanggrahan Village,

Pekalongan Regency, residents are often asked by residents both inside the village or neighboring
villages or outside the village to ruqyah or pray for someone to recover from illness. This was done
not intentionally on the part of the pesantren, but many residents believed in the blessing and
fulfillment of prayers from the students. Therefore, the researchers in this paper will discuss the
phenomenon of ruqyah, or reading verses of the Qur'an as a healing medium or treatment carried
out by students at Tahfidz Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School Pekalongan.
METHOD

The research method is several ways or steps that a researcher will take in conducting
research. (Faiz, 2015) The type of research conducted by the author in this research is qualitative
research using field research with phenomenological and ethnographic approaches. This research was
conducted to study intensively the interaction of the environment, position, and field conditions of
a research unit. (Suyitno, 2018) The research location in this research is Ponpes Tahfidz Al-Fatah,
Jerakah Sari Village, Pesanggrahan, Wonokerto District, Pekalongan Regency, Central Java. This
data source consists of two forms, namely primary data sources and secondary data sources. The
primary data sources are data from ruqyah therapists at Tahfidz Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School
and patients who have had ruqyah therapy. Secondary Data, namely supporting data originating
from written data such as books, journals, theses, and other data sources that are bibliographic.

The data collection techniques in this study are: First, Observation is an observation made
by someone about something that is planned or unplanned, either in passing or in a fairly long
period, which can give birth to a problem (source of the problem). (Hardani, 2020) Second, the
interview is an oral question and answer between two or more people directly or a conversation
with a specific purpose. The conversation was carried out by two parties, namely the interviewer
who asked the question and the interviewee who answered the question. The form of interview
used by the author in this study is the Snow-Ball Technique, namely extracting data through in-
depth interviews from one informant to another, until no new information is found, saturated, or
the information is no longer of good quality. (Mustaqim, 2019)

After the data in the form of transcripts of interviews and observations, and so on are considered
complete and perfect, then data processing or data analysis is carried out. In essence, data analysis
is an activity to give meaning or interpret data by arranging, sorting, grouping, coding, or marking,
and categorizing it into parts based on certain groupings so that a finding is obtained on the
formulation of the problem proposed. (Rahardjo, 2017)
RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Result

Overview of Ruqyah Activities by Santri

According to the explanation of one of the students named Iqbal who took part in the field
or participated in someone's ruqyah activities, not all students were invited by the ustadz to ruqyah,
only a few students were appointed. This is appointed based on the amount of memorization and
the good or partial reading of the Qur'an, and several other factors. In addition, even during ruqyah,
students do not go alone but with their ustadz. It was also explained that the ruqyah method was
carried out in several ways. The request for ruqyah is not always for people who are affected by
jinn but can also be for people who have physical or mental illnesses. (the result of the interview
on 21 March 2021)

When in the field, on March 18, 2021, it was seen that 4 students who were accompanied
by the ustadz did ruqyah to Mrs. Umi Atiyah, one of the residents of the Pesanggrahan village who
had an internal disease and often had convulsions. In the first ruqyah process, the students who are
ruqyah must perform ablution and be in a holy state and perform the duha prayer in the morning.

Then water is provided and the students begin to read the holy verses of the Qur'an which
are used for ruqyah and the patient participates in reading if memorized or listening. Then if there
is a sick part asked to wipe and continue to read the verses that are recited. After finishing reading
the patient was asked to drink water. Sometimes during ruqyah activities, Ibu Atiyah feels
nauseous.

However, when asked about the situation after finishing, he said that his condition was
quite good, unlike before, which felt his head was heavy and dizzy. The verses that are read during
ruqyah are certain prayers, then Muawwizatain (an-Nas and al-Falaq), al-Ikhlas, the throne verses,
and the last 3 verses of Qs. Al-Baqarah, Qs. Jinn and so on.
 Discussion

Ruqyah Impact Analysis

The word ruqyah seen from the KBBI has the meaning of witchcraft, magic, and so on.
Meanwhile, according to Ibn Hajar Al-Asqolani seen from the etymology side that ruqyah is a
request for remembrance, prayer, and reading verses of the Qur'an to people who are sick. When
viewed from the terminology of Shari'a, ruqyah is reading based on definite and authentic texts
contained in the Qur'an and Sunnah/hadith for treatment in an appropriate manner on the
provisions that have been agreed upon by the scholars. (Sabry, MENYINGKAP AYAT-AYAT
RUQYAH DI MAJELIS ZIKIR SIRATAL MUSTAQIM MAKASSAR (SUATU KAJIAN
FENOMENOLOGI), 2019)
Types of Ruqyah
There are two kinds or types of ruqyah, namely ruqyah syariyah and ruqyah syirkiyah.

1. Sharia Ruqyah

Ruqyah is a method of treatment of the Prophet Muhammad, both for the treatment of
physical, mental, or mental illnesses, and non-medical. By focusing on the belief that it is Allah
SWT who sent down the disease and to Him we ask for healing because only Allah SWT can heal.
Sa’id bin Ali Al-Qahtaniy explained that ruqyah syariyah is ruqyah that is allowed because
it uses good readings, namely using the guidelines of the verses of the Qur'an and hadith by relying
on the belief that Allah SWT will heal. In Muhammad Faiz's writings, he describes the types of
syar'iyah ruqyah including:

a) Ruqyah uses prayer readings and verses of the Qur'an

b) Ruqyah with basmalah, intifada, and reading certain verses of the Qur'an while placing the
hand on the affected part
c) Blow (breath) in both hands while reading mu'awidzat.
d) Ruqyah by reading QS. al-Fatihah and certain verses by collecting saliva and spitting it out.
e) Reading the Qur'an in water or writing it on something and placing it in water and drinking it
or bathing with it.
 Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explained that exhalation in ruqyah therapy affects bi idznillah,
which has the meaning, "The benefit of the blast is to seek blessings with the wet mouth and air of
a person who has just recited dhikr, just as someone seeks blessings by sprinkling or writing the
words- recitation of remembrance" (Sabry, 2019)

2. Ruqyah shirkiyah

According to Said bin Ali al-Qahtani, ruqyah syirkiyyah is a form of ruqyah treatment that
is not justified and allowed in Islam because it contains elements of shirk by inviting cursed devils
and distancing themselves from Allah SWT.
In an article that discusses the type of ruqyah, it is stated that this ruqyah syirkiyyah (shirk)
is a type of medical therapy that is usually carried out by shamans and psychics in which we will
find elements of shirk such as reciting mantras that do not come from al[ 1] Qur'an and Hadith, as
well as using objects such as amulets, offerings, and so on as a medium of treatment. We can find
out that the types of ruqyah shirkiyah include the following characteristics:

a. Using genie media,

b. The reading or the procedure contains shirk, that is, it does not make the belief that Allah SWT
heals,
c. Using objects that are considered to have supernatural powers
d. Asking for certain conditions that are not based on the shari'ah and also irrational
e. Readings that are read are not heard clearly
f. Claims to be able to see far away places or predict something that has not happened to the
patient or know past events from the patient
g. Claiming to be able to predict using cards or ribbon or something else.
h. Doing medical therapy in sacred places

Claiming to do treatment using the karma of the guardians or pious people who have died.
(Sabry, 2019)

Ruqyah can deliver the human mind to be calm and stable because in treatment the verses
of the Qur'an and dhikr are read to Allah. Because with the dhikr of Allah the human heart will be
calm. Anxiety experienced by someone who is caused by feelings of worry or fear of something
both physical and non-physical creatures can be helped by ruqyah syar'iyyah therapy by reading
prayers and verses of the Qur'an that are chanted, it will reduce and reduce disturbances. worry.

By conducting observations and interviews, the patient, namely Ibu Atiyah, was initially
dizzy, restless, emotional, anxious, and sometimes had seizures and a lot of burdens on her mind
which eventually got better.

The results of other studies also show that a person who is directly involved deeply with
repeated prayer can also bring about physiological changes, namely reduced heart rate, decreased
breathing rate, decreased blood pressure, slowed brain waves, and reduced blood pressure. overall
metabolic rate. This condition is known as the relaxation response.

Ruqyah in addition to having the power of prayer for humans, the Qur'an that is sung during
ruqyah can have a positive impact on humans, through reading the Qur'an so that Allah SWT heals
psychological diseases. The sound waves generated by reading the Qur'an will interact with brain
cells, make humans in balance and remind human brain cells of human nature. This has a great
influence when humans are accustomed to hearing and reading the holy verses of the Qur'an.
(Iriansyah, 2018) So from the existence of the ruqyah tradition circulating in the community, it can
bring closeness to Allah SWT by making people believe that Allah SWT is almighty and can
reduce disease and treat it.

CONCLUSION

Ruqyah is a medical tradition that has existed since the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
There are two types of ruqyah, namely ruqyah syariyah and ruqyah syirkiyah. Syariyah ruqyah is
permissible ruqyah which is done by reading a prayer or special verses in the Qur'an with certain
methods that are by Islamic law in treatment. While ruqyah syirkiyah is ruqyah that is not
following Islamic recommendations or leads to shirk so it does not lead to a closeness to Allah
SWT. The study of the living Qur'an on the existence of ruqyah syar'iyah, which is increasing to
mahabah to Allah SWT and making human knowledge about the great verses of Allah SWT can
affect human health both on physical, mental, and non-medical health.
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