When the Healer Harms: The Abuse of Ruqya by Corrupt Aamils

By Danish Qasim | April 22, 2025 | Comments 0 Comment

Ruqya is a valid and often necessary treatment for those affected by sihr (black magic or jadu), jinn, or evil eye. It is performed by a practitioner known interchangeably as a raqi or an aamil. A genuine raqi who is a person of taqwa, applying religiously sound methods, can indeed prove beneficial. The world of ruqya, however, is rife with charlatans who employ manipulative and exploitative tactics for their personal gain. This article discusses some of these tactics and offers guidelines to consider when evaluating a raqi. Other related issues, such as when to seek the assistance of a raqi and how ruqya should be conducted, are beyond the scope of this article.

Vulnerability

A person seeking ruqya typically starts from a position of vulnerability. Such individuals are often driven by desperation and the deeply held conviction that they are afflicted by sihr or the evil eye. They may believe (whether correctly or incorrectly) that these afflictions are the cause of their health issues, marital problems, or other life challenges. This can lead to a sense of urgency or desperation and a willingness to do whatever one is told. Because these matters originate in the unseen world, one may find it difficult to verify or challenge anything that an aamil says. An exploitative aamil can capitalize on this vulnerability by usurping a client’s autonomy, exploiting them financially, or abusing them sexually. One should guard against all of these possibilities.

Usurping Autonomy

A key driver in the surrendering of autonomy to a raqi is the belief that he has special knowledge of the unseen and the inward realities of human beings. For this reason, abuse by raqis mirrors the abuse of false Sufi shaykhs who are also believed to have these qualities. One must realize that the ability to uncover hidden information is not necessarily an indication of piety and should be viewed neutrally. A raqi might utilize jinn who obtain information from the Alam al-Jinn (the world of the jinn), often after asking for the client’s parents’ names, address, or picture. He may also have a genuine kashf (unveiling) from Allah. He might also simply ask others for information, perform internet research or hazard educated guesses after already learning certain information from the client. In all cases, the raqi’s ability to uncover information should never be a standalone reason to place one’s blind trust in him and certainly never to do anything haram at his request.

A manipulative raqi can utilize the information that he uncovers, whether through spiritual or material means, to usurp his client’s autonomy and assert himself as an authority in the client’s life. When the client sees that the raqi has uncovered something that the client believes or knows to be true, it validates his conviction in the raqi and further solidifies his dependence on him. The unscrupulous raqi can then seamlessly blend truth with falsehood in a way that sows sedition and destroys relationships. The raqi may tell a client, for example, that his own brother, sister, or friend is jealous of him and that they must be avoided or shunned. The raqi may also break a marriage by telling a husband or wife that their spouse is cheating on them. The manipulated client thus ends up giving more authority to the raqi’s claimed spiritual readings of people than the person’s own firsthand experiences and lifelong relationships. The end result is that the raqi assumes an even more indispensable role in the client’s life amid these broken relationships.

By solving or appearing to solve a client’s problem, or by confidently promising that he will, a manipulative aamil can gain dependency from his client in multiple aspects of life. A businessman who received help from the aamil, for example, might then seek advice on the trustworthiness of a potential business partner. A woman may inquire about the quality of a suitor. The aamil thereby becomes an authority in the person’s personal and financial affairs and can easily exploit this dependence, create more authority for himself, and turn the client into a servant.

Financial Abuse

Charging for ruqya and ta’weez is acceptable and should not be seen as a sign that a raqi is corrupt. One should be suspicious, however, when the raqi asks for continuous payments for different supposed afflictions. A corrupt raqi will sell ta’weez and treatment services by making up diagnoses in order to keep extracting payments. Like other con-artists, the raqi’s confidence in selling inspires confidence in the customer.

The corrupt aamil will make empty promises, charge a high rate for his services, and never be held accountable. If he fails to deliver, as is often the case, he can remind the client that he warned of the possibility that ruqya would not work or he may claim that it will work later. Some aamils will also ask for more payment, blaming the client for doing something wrong that stunted the spiritual solution. Because of the unverifiable nature of ruqya, the raqi can also claim credit for any number of outcomes. If a client experiences any success in their business, for example, the aamil can claim that he influenced others’ minds or that he warded off some harm. One businessman told me he even kept an aamil on retainer to protect himself from evil eye and sihr.

Many people seek out a raqi for non-spiritual problems, which also opens the door to financial abuse. This may include, for example, dealing with hair loss and hoping the raqi has a dua, taweez, or anything else that can restore hair. Parents bring their children for them to focus better or listen to their parents. Students may look to a raqi before exams or for university admissions, and job seekers may seek help with employment. A husband or wife may consult a raqi for marital solutions, or a suitor may ask to make someone fall in love with them. A corrupt raqi can easily capitalize on these requests by making false promises and demanding additional payments for the continuation of services.

Like anyone who is conned, those conned by aamils often feel a deep sense of shame and are reluctant to disclose their experiences. This embarrassment prevents them from warning against the aamil or trying to hold him accountable. This makes it even more important to exercise one’s own diligence.

Sexual Abuse

Both men and women can be sexually violated in ruqya through fondling, requests to undress, and inappropriate touch. It is important to understand and enforce appropriate boundaries to guard against such abuse. Ruqya does not allow a man to touch a woman who is otherwise haram for him to touch, and it also does not allow touching a man in inappropriate areas. It further does not require anyone, whether male or female, to undress themselves. A sexually predatory raqi may claim that touching and looking at a client’s body is permissible for him just as it is for doctors. This is a false analogy, however, as ruqya is not akin to a medical procedure and it does not require touch. A woman should never accept a raqi reciting Quran directly in her ear and she should not believe any claimed benefits to such recitation. A predatory raqi may begin by reciting in the ear of his client and then proceed to touch him or her inappropriately. Finally, a woman should never be alone with a raqi or any other man, as this constitutes khalwa (seclusion), which is haram. It is in fact a good safety precaution for all ruqya clients, male or female, to always be accompanied by a friend.

Sexual abuse through ruqya is not merely theoretical. I have heard firsthand accounts from numerous individuals who experienced sexual exploitation under the guise of ruqya, many of whom were given sedatives prior to the abuse. One woman explained to me that she was told to undress, then given a drink, and then woke up not remembering what happened. I have heard other accounts, directly or through imams, of raqis rubbing oil on a woman’s chest and of raqis fondling and groping both men and women during recitation of Quran, all while claiming such practices will expel the jinn. Unfortunately, some will even be convinced by claims that sexual relations will remove sihr and even be convinced to let the raqi touch their own children inappropriately for the purpose of removing a jinn.

A study examining the practices of corrupt aamils has also identified similar behaviors. In a 2013 report on fake spiritual healers in Pakistan, researchers share that aamils have been found to defraud, sexually harass, rape, and to “conduct sexual intercourse with women and girls who approach them, proclaiming it to be an essential part of the healing process…”¹

Such stories of sexual abuse have also generated media coverage. In 2023, the BBC gathered testimonies from 85 women about abuse from 65 raqis in Morocco and Sudan, with accusations ranging from harassment to rape. One lady interviewed believes she was drugged and then raped. When she confronted the raqi, he said he did that to make the jinn leave her body.² In 2018, Morocco World News reported on a raqi in the Moroccan city of Berkane who police arrested for sexual assault on a ruqya client. Police also found multiple videos of him engaging in sexual acts with ruqya clients. One of the women who engaged in these acts with him stated that she was drugged, and that “When the raqi gives you water to drink, you can’t say no and you drink it believing that it’s ruqyah, you do not know what you are doing, or that you are drugged … I am a victim.”³ And in 2022, Morocco World News reported on a Tunisian raqi who, “tricked hundreds of women into having ‘sexual sessions’ with him to exorcize black magic.”⁴

One should further note that when the corrupt aamil is also a corrupt Sufi shaykh, he has even more access because his murids are open with him about their personal problems. It is very easy for the false Sufi shaykh to tell a murid he is afflicted by sihr that the shaykh himself will remove. He can also approach a woman in his tariqa and tell her he needs to treat her, which becomes an avenue to sexual abuse. This danger is compounded by the fact that false Sufi shaykhs, like practitioners of spiritual disciplines in other faiths and notwithstanding even genuine ijazas, may be themselves heavily involved with sihr and jinn. This can be to enhance their charisma and appearance of spirituality and to control and manipulate their followers. They may, for example, utilize jinn to gather information about a murid in order to convey the impression that they have the miraculous ability to read minds. They may also use sihr to make their murids deeply attached and loyal and thus easier to control. And they may use these illicit spiritual means to enable a range of abuse, sexual and otherwise.

Victims of sexual abuse may be highly educated people who find themselves in desperate situations. This includes women who are unable to get married or have had multiple broken engagements, men struggling with unemployment, women struggling with pregnancy and miscarriages, and those with illnesses that doctors are unable to diagnose or treat. A predatory raqi will exploit these vulnerabilities and feelings of desperation. One who acquiesces to something they know is wrong out of desperation will inevitably experience regret later. It is critical not to allow desperation to cloud one’s judgment or principles. This means avoiding seclusion and all types of inappropriate interactions and touching.

Evaluating a Raqi

No human being can lift sihr, evil eye, or any other affliction without the permission of Allah or through methods that are contrary to His guidance. Accordingly, one should not expect a positive outcome with a raqi unless his character and practice conform to Islamic principles. It is best to only utilize a raqi who is known to be righteous and who is trusted by scholars and others of sound knowledge and character. An unscrupulous raqi can be abusive in the ways discussed above or he may even be a practitioner of sihr himself. It is therefore critical to carefully evaluate any raqi before proceeding. This may include speaking with references and asking the raqi detailed questions about his methods and process.

Additionally, one should not imagine that ruqya is a silver bullet that will solve one’s problems without any effort of their own. To the contrary, the first and most easily detectable red flag may be that the raqi does not advise consistent recitation of the Quran and other adhkar. The Prophet ﷺ has left us with guidance to protect ourselves and our homes from the shayateen, such as the recitation of Surah al Baqara and duas for protection. This is in addition to the basic level of protection obtained through one’s obligatory prayers and other acts of worship, as well as avoiding acts of disobedience that repel the angels and attract the shayateen. There is no path to lifting sihr or evil eye that does not include one’s own worship and adherence to the sharia. Thus, when a raqi is unconcerned with a client’s religious practice and promises to take care of everything himself, one can understand immediately that he is making false promises.

Conclusion

“And when I am ill, it is He who cures me.” (Qur’an 26:80)

Ruqya is a means of healing, but it is often misused to inflict even greater harm. Those seeking it are frequently vulnerable to exploitation and abuse at the hands of charlatans. It is essential to stay grounded in the sharia, to never surrender one’s autonomy—even in times of desperation—and to always remember that shifā’ comes from Allah alone.

To contact, please email [email protected]

Fallout: A Real Account of Calling Out an Abusive Shaykh

Analysis of “Fallout”: Using Ruqya for Sexual Violations, and The Cult Justifications

Share this post:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply