By Shaykh Rashid Khan
15 August 2025

﷽ 

Sometimes I ask myself: what do I really turn to when things get tough? When I’m feeling down, tired, anxious, or sick, what’s the first thing I reach for? Is it a screen? A painkiller? A distraction? Or is it the Qur’an?

In this week’s khutbah, I want to reflect on something many of us overlook: the Qur’an isn’t just a book of rules and stories. It’s also a healing. 

As Allah says in the Qur’an:

This verse is powerful. Allah is telling us that His words are not just guidance, but actual healing. That when the heart is heavy, the Qur’an can lift it. When the body is sick, the Qur’an can help it recover. But only if we believe that to be the case.

We live in a time where distractions surround us. Holidays, weekends, and school breaks are often seen as chances to relax and switch off. But they can also be traps for us. Not because rest is wrong, but because when we let our guard down, we risk letting Shaytan in.

Allah warns us in the Qur’an:

This verse is a clear warning. When we become comfortable, when we forget Allah and the reminders He has given us, we become vulnerable. That’s when heedlessness creeps in. That’s when our spiritual shield, the Qur’an, gets put down.

But the Qur’an isn’t just a book of rules. It’s our protection. It’s healing.

That healing is both spiritual and physical. When we feel sadness, confusion, stress or even illness, the Qur’an is our first medicine. But only if we believe that. Only if we return to it with eeman.

One of the ways the Prophet ﷺ taught us to access this healing is through ruqyah – a simple but powerful practice.

Ruqyah involves three things:

• Reciting the Qur’an with sincerity and purpose.
• Listening attentively to its words – not just letting it play in the background.
• Making duʿa with complete reliance on Allah

A beautiful example of this comes from the companion Abu Saʿid al-Khudri (RA). He once recited Surah al-Fatihah over a sick man. No long ritual, no magic, just sincere recitation of the Qur’an. And by Allah’s will, the man was healed.

That’s what ruqyah really is. It’s not mysterious or exclusive to scholars. It’s something every Muslim can do, in their own home, with their own voice, if they believe in the power of the Qur’an.

Sadly, many today have moved away from this Sunnah. Instead, they turn to charms, amulets, and even fortune-tellers.

But the Prophet ﷺ warned us:

There is no harm in ruqyah unless it involves shirk.

Anything that takes us away from Tawhid, even if it claims to bring healing, is a danger, not a cure

Mental health is a part of Islam. Sometimes we act like a true believer should never feel sad or anxious. But that’s not what the Prophet ﷺ taught. Many companions came to him with their worries, fears, and sadness. And he ﷺ didn’t blame them. He guided them.

There’s no conflict between taking modern medicine and reciting the Qur’an. Both are means of healing. The Prophet ﷺ said:

Allah has not sent down a disease except that He also sent down its cure.

So yes, take your medicine. But don’t forget your Qur’an. Both come from the same Healer – Allah. 

A man once asked Mutarrif ibn ʿAbdullah ash-Shikhkhir – one of the early righteous scholars of the Tabiʿeen – for duʿa. Mutarrif was known for his deep wisdom and sincerity. He replied, “No, make duʿa for yourself. You are the one in need.”

How often do I rush to ask others to pray for me, yet forget to lift my own hands to Allah? Mutarrif’s reminder was simple. When you’re in pain, your duʿa carries a weight that no one else’s can. And Allah listens to the one who calls on Him with desperation and sincerity.

We often leave Allah as the last resort. When nothing else works, we remember Him. But it should be the opposite. He should be the first one we turn to.

As Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

Allah is the One in control. No therapy, no pill, no plan works without His permission. So when you feel pain, whether in your heart or your body, turn to Him.

The Prophet ﷺ taught us simple, powerful steps for protection:

• Recite morning and evening adhkar.
• Say Bismillah before removing clothes or eating.
• Read Surah al-Baqarah in our homes.
• Remove images or statues that block blessings.
• Keep children indoors after Maghrib.
• Make wudu before sleep and pat the bed with your hand.
• Always pray on time, and if you’re a man, pray in the masjid.
• Most of all – stay away from sin.

Remember that Shaytan and his allies enter people who are unprotected. If someone isn’t praying, doesn’t recite the Qur’an, is heedless in worship, that person is like a house with no locks. Shaytan walks in easily. But when we are close to Allah, the angels guard our hearts. 

The Prophet ﷺ said that angels and devils both whisper to the heart. It’s up to us who we let in. 

O Allah, make the Qur’an the light of our hearts, the cure for our sicknesses, and the protection for our families. Let us never abandon what You have given us as healing. Let us run to You first, not last.

Ameen

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