What is the decree on reading ayat al-kursiyy and blowing on the body in tasbihat after prayers? Did the Prophet do something like that (read the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas and blow before going to bed)?

What is the decree on reading ayat al-kursiyy and blowing on the body in tasbihat after prayers? Did the Prophet do something like that (read the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas and blow before going to bed)?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is written in hadith books that when the Prophet (pbuh) read verses like ayat al-kursiy, and chapters like al-Falaq, an-Nas and al-Fatiha, he blew to his right, left, front and back, on his hands and an ill person.  

The reason for it is to take measures like that in order to be protected from spiritual and harmful things along with taking material measures in order to be protected from material diseases. Allah, who created us, showed us one of the ways of protection through the Prophet.

We will quote a hadith and give its explanation while explaining this issue:

Hz. Aisha narrates:

"Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed every night, he would cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting the chapters of al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, then rub his hands over his head and body. He would do that three times. He ordered me to do the same when he got ill." (Bukhari, Fadailul-Quran 14, Tibb 39, Da'awat 12; Muslim, Salam 50; Muwatta, Ayn 5; Tirmidhi, Da'awat 21; Abu Dawud, Tibb 19.)

EXPLANATION:

1. It is written in reliable narrations that the Prophet (pbuh) read the Quran for cure when he was ill. In fact, it is stated the verses that the Quran is material and spiritual cure for believers: 

"We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur´an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss." (al-Isra, 17/82).

"O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy." (Yunus, 10/57)

2 Ibn Hajar includes different versions of the hadith narration in order to give information about the nature of “breath” the Prophet (pbuh) blew on his body. Accordingly, first, he would cup his hands; then, he would blow on his palms; after that, he would read and blow on his palms while reading. Ibn Hajar states that this blowing can be without spitting or with slight spitting. The chapters of al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas are read with this intention.

The deed of wiping was made with the thought of blessing. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would wipe his head, face and then all of his body parts that he could reach with his hands. Hz. Aisha states the following:

"When the Messenger of Allah suffered from the illness of which he died, I would blow over him and rub his body with his hand because his hand had greater blessing than my hand."

In another narration, Hz. Aisha states that when she rubbed and prayed for cure, the Messenger of Allah came round and said, "No, I no longer want cure. I want Rafiq al-A’la from Allah."

3. Some narrations state that the Prophet applied the treatment of reading the Quran and blowing on the members of his family too. The Companions and Tabiun also practiced the same method. Scholars agree unanimously that it is permissible.

4. Describing breath as "slight blowing without spitting" Nawawi states that it is mustahab in ruqya and that scholars agree unanimously that it is permissible. Hz. Aisha was asked about the breath that the Prophet (pbuh) blew in ruqya; she answered as follows: "His breath was like the blowing of a person eating raisins; there was definitely no spitting in it.'' It is stated that the moisture that comes out with breath involuntarily is not regarded as spitting.  

(Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte Muhtasarı, VII/50, 51, Akçağ Basım Yayın, Ankara, 1988)

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