Introduction

Who is Muhammad Tim?

"Muhammad Tim Humble became Muslim at the age of 14. He was accepted to study at the Islamic University of Madeenah in 2004, and graduated from the Faculty of Hadeeth and Islamic Studies in 2011. He has been involved in teaching and da'wah work for several years, and currently resides in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He delivers lectures and seminars on a variety of topics, in the UK and abroad, and is a founding director/trustee of The Humble Foundation. You can see some of the work that Muhammad Tim is involved in on his website, and follow him on twitter."

In addition to the short biography mentioned above:

A raaqi since 2006.
Involved in training and teaching ruqyah to others since 2011.
Learned from a number of experts and prominent scholars in the field over the last 5-10 years, including Shaykh 'Ali ibn Ghaazi at-Tuwayjiri and Shaykh 'Adil ibn Taahir al-Muqbil.

A Word About the Unseen

The topic which we are dealing with today is from the matters of the unseen.
Belief in the unseen is from the most important characteristics of a Muslim: "Those who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them" [al-Baqarah 2:3 ]
Our only source of knowledge about the unseen is the Qur’aan and the Sunnah: "Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." [Luqmaan 31:34 ]
We cannot take knowledge of the unseen from so-called 'holy people', etc. Even the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was told to say: "Say, [O Muhammad], 'I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.' Say, 'Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?'" [al-An'aam 6:50 ]
Experience can be used to suggest a certain theory but it can’t be used to prove something.
Therefore, in all of this topic we must be very careful to stick within the limits of that which Allah and His Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have told us.

The Role of Experience

In ruqyah, we can divide the different theories and practices into a number of categories:
- Those things which are clearly mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, or they are matters of ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus). These must be accepted.
- Those things which were from the actions of the reliable scholars of Islam. These are not guaranteed to be correct, but we bear them in mind, especially when the practice is in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah, and when it is reported from one or more of the major scholars of Islam.
- Those things which are from our own experience.
Distinguish in your mind between these different categories and weigh them accordingly. As Allah said: "O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing." [al-Hujuraat 49:1 ].
Experience can be used to suggest a certain theory but it is not conclusive proof.
You can feel free to disagree with the conclusions we have drawn from experience, but you cannot disagree with the Qur’an and the Sunnah: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error." [al-Ahzab 33:36 ].
Likewise your own experiences; we want to hear about them, and to learn from them, but like all things that are rooted in experience, they are allowed to be debated and questioned, to ascertain whether or not they are compatible with the evidences of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.