Q. I would like to ask about cupping, or hijamah, which is mentioned as part of the medical treatment used at the time of the Prophet. Some people are suggesting that this is a Sunnah, which is good to have even if one does not have any medical complaint. They say that in case of illness, the first thing that should be done is to resort to cupping. Please comment.
Maryam
A. The Prophet had cupping administered to him when he was unwell, but this he did as part of the medication that was available at his time. He never had cupping at other times.
So, to claim that cupping is a Sunnah when it is not needed for medical reasons is definitely wrong, as it relies on no evidence whatsoever.
Nor is it a Sunnah to resort to cupping in the case of illness. The Prophet used it because it was a method known and practiced in his time. It was one of the techniques to which doctors resorted as they did not have better options. Now that we have much better and more advanced techniques, we do not resort to cupping to cure our modern diseases which are far more complicated than those known at the time of the Prophet.
The case would have been different had the Prophet stated that cupping would remain the first port of call in medical treatment. But he did not, because he knew that medicine would make much progress over the years, and he wanted his followers to benefit by such advances.
