JEDDAH: There has been an increasing number of people claiming they are faith healers but are in reality defrauding people and involved in sexual harassment and other criminal activity, according to a local media report.

Many claim that they are able to heal people using ruqyah, which is reciting verses of the Qur’an seeking Allah’s help to cure an ailment. Others use herbs claiming that these can ward off illnesses and the “evil eye,” the report said.

Jeddah’s criminal court recently sentenced a man to 30 lashes, a verdict endorsed by the Court of Appeals, for trying to heal a “patient” using a “suffocation technique” while reciting some verses, which almost resulted in his death.

Although the “healer” denied the charges and said he did not know the “patient”, the court found there was sufficient evidence proving he used methods that did not conform to Islamic law.

A search on Google found that there are about 500,000 websites offering all kinds of ruqyah treatment, with the names, phone numbers and addresses of these people in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Jazan, Tabuk and many other cities.

These people offer services to men and women, and can also make home visits. Their services include “Avoid the Evil Eye,” “Get Results in Three Days,” and the sale of “Blessed Water.” Sessions of 30 to 60 minutes cost between SR300 and SR600. Clients would need several sessions for a cure, the advertisements say.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance had announced a while ago that it intends to hold a workshop on ruqyah with scholars, sheiks and psychiatrists to codify and control the practice of healing with the Qur’an.

Psychiatrist Adel Al-Ghamdi said there have been several studies completed on how to include ruqyah in modern psychiatry.

Lawyer Khalid Abu Rishah said practicing ruqyah contrary to Islamic law can result in penalties, with charges including defying the country’s rulers, financial fraud and harassment.

Sources said the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice plans to propose legislation to regulate this activity.