The hadith of the 70,000 who will enter jannah without any punishment or accountability and its link with ruqya

Al-Bukhaari (6472) and Muslim (220) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Seventy thousand of my ummah will enter Paradise without being brought to account; they are the ones who did not ask for ruqyah or believe in omens or use cautery and they put their trust in their Lord.”

 

Concerning this hadeeth – Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

 

“That is because these people will enter Paradise without being called to account because of the perfection of their Tawheed, therefore he described them as people who did not ask others to perform ruqyah for them. Hence he said “and they put their trust in their Lord.” Because of their complete trust in their Lord, their contentment with Him, their faith in Him, their being pleased with Him and their seeking their needs from Him, they do not ask people for anything, be it ruqyah or anything else, and they are not influenced by omens and superstitions that could prevent them from doing what they want to do, because superstition detracts from and weakens Tawheed.” Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/475 

 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said: 

 

What is meant is that they do not ask others to perform ruqyah for them or cauterize them; rather they put their trust in Allah and rely on Him to relieve what they are suffering and to ward off what would harm them and to bring that which would benefit them. End quote. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 24/397 

 

They also said: 

 

Asking others to offer du‘aa’ for one and asking them to perform ruqyah are permissible, but not doing them and doing without people and doing these things for oneself is better. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 24/261 

 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

 

This hadeeth indicates that not asking is better, just as not using cautery is better, but when there is a need for it, there is nothing wrong with asking for ruqyah or using cautery, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told ‘Aa’ishah to ask for ruqyah for an illness that had befallen her, and he told the mother of the children of Ja‘far ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), whose name was Asma’ bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her), to seek ruqyah for them. This indicates that there is nothing wrong with that when there is a need to ask for ruqyah. Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 25/118-119 

 

The above has been adapted from IslamQA. 

 

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

 

“The phrase in the hadeeth about the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being called to account, that they “do not ask for ruqyah” means that they do not seek it from others. But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us and taught us to seek treatment, as he said: “Allaah has not created any disease without also creating the cure; some know it and some do not.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 5678).

 

For this reason the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “… those who do not ask for ruqyah..” and did not say “those who do not seek treatment”. Seeking treatment is essential, but it is better not to seek ruqyah. However, if a person comes forward and recites something over you and you do not stop him, this does not mean that you are not counted among the people mentioned in the hadeeth {note: this is also the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah}, because you did not ask for ruqyah. By the same token, if you do ruqyah for your brother, you are doing him a favour, and this does not rule you out from being one of the seventy thousand. Thus we say that the extra phrase reported in Saheeh Muslim, “… and they did not do ruqyah…” is a dubious addition that is not saheeh. The correct wording is only “Those who did not ask for ruqyah.”

 

Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 55/121

 

Now the question arises – what if an individual is unable to recite because the jinn takes control of his tongue and twists it, or seals his lips shut, or he falls asleep as soon as he tries, or he begins having fits etc. Will this person be taken outside the fold of the 70,000 if he requests ruqya? I asked this question to our noble brother Muhammad Nabeel As-Seylani (just completed his 2200 page PhD thesis on ruqya in Madina) and this was his answer

 

“There comes a times as you rightly mentioned my noble brother that the jinn may take control of his tongue and may cause him to be disabled in some form where he cannot do self ruqya, that person may desire not to seek help and continue to remain patient until death due to the hadeeth. In such a great calamity, it is important for him to assess his condition and iman. Indeed ruqya has been made permissible for one to do over the sick, if he is in dire need, he should seek assistance and make his condition better to worship Allah and perfect his Deen in the best way he can. If he is unable to offer salah and the pillars of Islam due to the oppression of the jinn, he should seek help for indeed on the Day of Judgement he will be questioned on it and be asked as to why he did not get ruqyaa done to fulfil the pillars of the Deen.

 

Indeed Allah Azza wa Jal is most merciful, He may even out of His Mercy admit him amongst the 70000.

 

This is my opinion, at the end of the day each one of us are responsible for ourselves and our flock. So if the oppression is great and he is unable to fulfil even basic duties such as salah, he should get ruqya done.

 

Allah knows best”

 

I (Abu ibraheem) ask Allah to admit amongst the 70,000 who enter Jannah without any reckoning or punishment and I ask Allah to give us the taufeeq to have complete reliance in Allah.