The reason why those who ask for ruqyah are not included in the 70,000 will enter Paradise without Judgment

 Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

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.” These people will enter Paradise without being brought to account because of the perfection of their Tawheed, their complete trust in Allah and their independence from people. 

The one who asks for ruqyah from others is not included in that seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being brought to account, due to the shortfall in their trust in Allah, because asking for ruqyah involves a kind of humiliation and need of the raaqi (the one who performs ruqyah), and part of complete trust and Tawheed is that the Muslim should not ask people for anything. 

Muslim narrated (1043) that ‘Awf ibn Maalik al-Ashja‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were with the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), nine or eight or seven (people) and he said: “Will you not swear allegiance to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?” We had only recently sworn our allegiance, so we said: We have sworn our allegiance to you, O Messenger of Allaah. He said: “Will you not swear allegiance to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?’ We said: We have already sworn our allegiance to you, O Messenger of Allaah. Then he said: “Will you not swear allegiance to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?” We held out our hands and said: We swear our allegiance to you, O Messenger of Allaah. Tell us on what basis we should swear allegiance to you? He said: “On the basis that you will worship Allaah and not associate anything with Him, and (you will perform) the five daily prayers, and you will obey Allaah – and he whispered – and you will not ask the people for anything.” I saw that some of those people, if they dropped a whip, they would not ask anyone to hand it to them. 

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. End quote. 

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 

Secondly: 

Seeking ruqyah from another person is not haraam, but it is contrary to what is best and most perfect. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas 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. 

End quote. 

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. End quote. 

Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 25/118-119 

Thirdly: 

With regard to your saying “I do not have the patience or skill to do ruqyah for myself,” asking for ruqyah is permissible, as stated above, although ruqyah does not require any skill; rather it is of the same status as supplication (du‘aa’), and anyone can call upon his Lord for healing; that is not difficult. So a person can perform ruqyah for himself by reciting Soorat al-Faatihah, or any other passage of the Holy Qur'aan, or supplications that are proven to be from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), such as: 

“Allaahumma Rabb an-naas, mudhhib al-ba’s ishfi anta al-Shaafi, laa shaafiya illa anta, shifaa’an laa yughaadir saqaman (O Allaah, Lord of mankind, the One Who relieves hardship, grant healing, for there is no healer but You, a healing that leaves no trace of sickness).”  Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5750) and Muslim (2191). 

“A’oodhu bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammah min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli ‘aynin laammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every bad eye).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3371). 

Muslim (2202) and al-Tirmidhi (2080) narrated from ‘Uthmaan ibn Abi’l-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he complained to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about some pain that he had felt in his body since he became Muslim. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Put your hand on the part of your body that hurts and say: ‘Bismillaah (in the name of Allaah)’ three times, then say seven times: ‘A’oodhu bi ‘izzat-illaah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajid wa uhaadhir  (I seek refuge in Allaah and His Power from the evil of what I find and I fear).’”. 

Al-Tirmidhi added: He said: I did that and Allah took away what I was suffering, and I still tell my family and others to do that. 

We ask Allah to heal you, a healing that leaves no trace of sickness. 

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Competing and Co-operating to reach Paradise

Fear Allaah as He should be feared and be mindful of Him openly and secretly.

“O you who believe! fear Allaah as He should be feared and die not except in the state of Islaam.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:102).

Fellow Muslims, Our Almighty Lord says

“And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:133).

He also says:

“Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord, and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allaah and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allaah which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.” (Al-Hadeed 57:21)

Dear brethren, when one carefully looks at peoples’ behavior, he will notice different kinds of competition. Some people do compete over this mundane world as to conquer and hold it in their possession; some compete over the attainment of high positions; some compete to achieve fame and stardom and some compete on building luxurious houses just as if this world is an everlasting one.

Let us leave those people moving directionlessly in their fake pleasures and ponder over a better and sublime competition; a competition that is encouraged by the Glorious Qur’aan. It is a race towards the Pleasure of Allaah and the Paradise, a competition in the field of righteous deeds. It is a competition in which the participants are wise people who are aware that this live is short hence they compete with one another in investing their lives in acts of obedience to Allaah.

The Messenger of Allaah saws kindled the fire of race towards what pleases Allaah in the hearts of his companions when he said:

“The Mufarridoon have gone ahead!’ The companions asked: ‘Who are the Mufarridoon O Messenger of Allaah!’ He answered: “They are those men and women who remember Allaah much.” (Muslim)

He also said:

 “Should I teach something with which you can catch up with those who have gone ahead of you and outstrip those who are behind you and none will be better than you except the one who does as you do?’ They said: ‘Yes! O Messenger of Allaah!’ He said: ‘You should glorify Allaah, exalt him and praise Him 33 times at the end of every prayer.” (Muslim)

He also said:

“If people had known the reward of Aadhaan and the first row (in the congregational prayer) and would not get a way to it except by casting lots they would have certainly done that; and if they had known the reward in the midnoon prayer, they would have raced with one another to attend it. If they had known the reward in the late evening prayer (‘Ishaa) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) they would have attended it even if they had to crawl.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

When you read the stories of the Sahaabah, you will see that they are resolute, enthusiastic and serious as far as good deeds are concerned to the extent that the poor among them do compete with the rich in carrying out meritorious acts even though they had no excessive money with which they could compete with them in acts of charity.

Some poor companions came to the Messenger of Allaah saws one day and asked him of what they could do to be ahead of the rich in terms of reward.

They said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! The rich people have made away with rewards. They pray as we do, fast as we do and spend their excessive wealth in charity.’

He answered: ‘Has Allaah not provided for you what you can do charity with? Indeed, every glorification (Subhaanallaah) that you do is charity, every exaltation (Allaahu Akbar) that you do is charity, every praise that you give(Alhamdulillaah) is charity, every ‘Laailaaha illa Allaah’ that you say is charity, enjoining what is good is charity, preventing evil is charity and even doing marital intercourse with one’s spouse is charity.’ 

They said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! How can we enjoy ourselves and still get reward for it?’

He replied: ‘Tell me, if he does it in an unlawful way, is it not going to be a sin? Likewise is when he does it in a lawful way, he is going to get a reward for that.” (Muslim). 

Here is a good example of the Sahaabahs’ competition with one another in the field of meritorious deeds. In the days of the Battle of Badr, Sa‘d ibn Khaythamah draw lots with his father as to whom of both will participate in the battle. Sa‘d’s lot emerged and his father told him: ‘My son, give me preference over yourself today.’Sa‘d answered: ‘If it is other things beside Paradise I would have done that.’So Sa‘d went to the Battle of Badr and was martyred. His father later took part in the Battle of Uhud and also got martyred.

The noble and commendable competitions that occurred between Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar is also well-known though ‘Umar never succeeded in outstripping Aboo Bakr. To cite an example, the Messenger of Allaah saws once called upon his companions to give charity.

‘Umar saw that as an oppurtunity to outstrip Aboo Bakr and he said: ‘Today, I am going to surpass Aboo Bakr.’ He said: ‘So I came with half of my property. The Messenger of Allaah r asked: ‘What have you left for your family?’ I answered: ‘As much as this.’ Then Aboo Bakr came with all that he has and the Messenger of Allaah r said: ‘What have you left for your family?’ He replied: ‘I left for them Allaah and his Messenger.’ It is then that I said: ‘I shall never compete with him on anything again.” (At-Tirmidhee). 

It is quite wonderful that Aboo Bakr participated competitively in all aspects of good deeds; be it spending in the cause of Allaah, worship and propagation of Islaam.


Actually, entering the competition for meritorious acts creates in a Muslim a desire to meet up with those who are above him in terms of devotion, Da‘wah and Jihaad. Some ‘Ulamaa while commenting on the verse:

“Hasten towards all that is good” (Al-Baqarah 2:1448) said: “Whoever beats others to the righteous deeds in this world will be the foremost on the Last Day and the foremost people are the highest in position.” 

Allaah says while lauding the foremost: 

“Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they use to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.” (Al-Anbiyaa 21:90) 

The above verses are enough to make a Muslim aim for the highest possible rank through a noble race towards all acts of worship. As for the Taabi‘een, they have laid a great example in the arena of competition over good deeds. They used to rebuke their souls whenever it lagged behind in the race towards righteous acts and they would tell it: 

“The Sahaabah rode behind the Prophet saws on the backs of the perfectly breeded race horses and we are riding on the backs of lame donkeys. Do you then want to hamper our movement so that they can win the Messenger of Allaah saws while we remain on the way? ..By Allaah, we shall meet up with them even though we have to crawl so that they will know that those they left behind are really men.” 

If you therefore, want to increase your reward in the hereafter, hasten to join the arena of the great race, for you are now in the season of good deeds. The highest thing that people can compete for is the Paradise which is as wide as are the heavens and the earth. Allaah says:

“Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been Al-Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons).” (Maryam 19:63) 

 However, we must remember that here the word "competition" means to encourage ourselves to hasten to do good more than others, but one must not forget "co-operation" while thinking of "competition".

From early on in age children are encouraged to compete in order to be successful. But for you to be successful you do not have to cause failure to others.

The opposite of competition is co-operation which is defined as association of persons for common benefit. Imagine how smoothly things would run if everybody was working together towards a common benefit, and everybody would be winners and no losers.

Over 1400 years ago, the Holy Qur’an spoke about cooperation that should exist between us and in which matters.

Help you one another in Al Birr and At Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment. 

(Al-Ma’idah 5:2)

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the Cause of Allâh, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid; – these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and Rizqun Karîm (a generous provision i.e. Paradise). 

(Al-Anfal 8:74)

The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma’rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); they perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and give the Zakât, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 

(At-Tawbah 9:71)

Groups of 70,000 who will enter Paradise without Judgment

In sahih bukhari, it is mentioned that ...70,000 of all mankind will enter paradise(!!!)
The first three generations of muslims alone probably amounts to 70,000.
Is there another explanation to this hadith?

Praise be to Allaah.

Perhaps you are referring to the hadeeth about the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being brought to account, which was reported by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim), Ahmad and others from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If you study this hadeeth and think about it, then in sha Allaah the confusion you describe in your question will be resolved.

Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated in his Saheeh from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I was shown the nations, and some Prophets passed by with a few followers, and some Prophets passed by with no followers. Then I was shown a great multitude, and I said, ‘What is this? Is this my ummah?’ It was said, ‘No, this is Moosa and his people.’ It was said, ‘Look at the horizon.’ There I saw a huge multitude filling the horizon. And it was said, ‘Look there, and there, on the horizons of the sky.’ There was a multitude filling the horizons. It was said, ‘This is your ummah, and of these, seventy thousand will enter Paradise without being brought to account.’” Then he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] went inside, without explaining further. The people started to discuss what he had said, saying, “We are the ones who have believed in Allaah and followed His Messenger; we are they” or, “It is our children who were born in Islam whilst we were born in Jaahiliyyah.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard about what was being said, so he came out and said: “They are the ones who do not seek ruqya, do not believe in bad omens and do not use branding; they put their trust in their Lord…”

What the hadeeth means is that there is a group of this ummah who will enter Paradise without being brought to account, not that the number of inhabitants of Paradise from this ummah is seventy thousand. The seventy thousand referred to in this hadeeth are of a high status in this ummah because of some special qualities that they have, as mentioned in the hadeeth: “They are the ones who do not seek ruqya, do not believe in bad omens and do not use branding; they put their trust in their Lord…”

The reason why they will enter Paradise without being brought to account and without being punished is stated clearly in another report narrated by al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I was shown the nations. One Prophet passed by with a group, another passed by with a small band, another with ten followers, another with five, and another on his own (with no followers). I looked and saw a huge multitude, and I said, “O Jibreel, are these my ummah?” He said “No, but look at the horizon.” So I looked and saw a huge multitude. He said, “These are your ummah, and these are seventy thousand at their head who will not be brought to account or punished.” I said, “How come?” He said, “They do not use branding, or seek ruqya, or believe in bad omens; they put their trust in their Lord.”’ ‘Ukhaashah ibn Mihsan stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allaah to make me one of them!’ He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said, ‘O Allaah, make him one of them.’ Then another man stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allaah to make me one of them.’ He said, ‘ ‘Ukaashah has beaten you to it.’” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 6059).

They are described further in another hadeeth, narrated by Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Seventy thousand or seven hundred thousand [one of the narrators was not sure] of my ummah will enter Paradise, and the first of them will not enter until the last of them do so. And their faces will be like the moon on the night when it is full.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘A group of my ummah seventy thousand strong will enter Paradise, with their faces shining like the moon.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).

Muslim also reported about them in his Saheeh from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah: “… then the believers will be saved and the first group to be saved will have faces like the moon when it is full, [they will be] seventy thousand, who will not be brought to account. Then will come those who shine like the stars in the sky…”

There is good news for all of us Muslims in this hadeeth and others. There is more information in a report narrated in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and the Sunan of al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah, where Abu Umaamah is reported to have said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “My Lord promised me that seventy thousand of my ummah will enter Paradise without being brought to account or being punished; with each thousand of them will be another seventy thousand, plus three handfuls of the handfuls of my Lord, may He be glorified.” We ask Allaah to make us among them. Just imagine: seventy thousand, with each thousand of whom is another seventy thousand – how great will be the total number of people who will enter Paradise without being brought to account? How many will be in each handful “scooped up” by the Merciful, Compassionate, Generous Almighty Lord? We ask Allaah to make us among that number.

The second item of good news is that the number of inhabitants of Paradise from this ummah will be two thirds of the total number. More people will enter Paradise from the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) than from all the previous nations combined. This good news comes from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the hadeeth in which he said to his Companions one day, “Would you be pleased if you were a quarter of the people of Paradise?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Would you be pleased if you were a third of the people of Paradise?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Would you be pleased if you were a half of the people of Paradise?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. No one will enter Paradise except a Muslim, and among the people of shirk you are like a white hair on the hide of a black bull, or a black hair on the hide of a red bull.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6047). The final part of the good news comes in another saheeh hadeeth, in which he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people of Paradise are 120 rows, of which eighty are from this ummah and the other forty from all the other nations.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3469; he said this is a hasan hadeeth). We praise Allaah for His blessings and ask Him for His grace and mercy, and to make us dwell in Paradise by His mercy and kindness. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

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