Chinese Cupping Therapy (Hijama)
A complementary therapy called Hijama, or wet cupping, needs tighter regulation, say experienced practitioners.
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
The cups may be made of:
- Glass
- Bamboo
- Earthenware
- Silicone
Types
There are different methods of cupping, including:
- Dry
- Wet
Benefits of Cupping
1. Faster Pain Relief
Cupping can relieve pains due to arthritis, lower back pain etc. Other forms of pain that can be effectively treated with Cupping include headache, migraine, dental pain, muscle pain, sciatica etc.
With arthritis, cupping is done with the concerned joints. Cupping increases blood circulation and mobility, therefore it is an effective treatment for conditions like rheumatism, lumbago, stiff neck and shoulders.
2. Get Rid of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
In our fast-paced world, there is little time for rest and rejuvenation. Even if we find the time to take physical rest, we are mentally overloaded with digital distractions like smartphones, laptops etc.
All of this can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome. This can be a long-standing form of fatigue. Hijama or cupping is an effective treatment for this condition.
3. Relief from Lung Diseases
Cupping is an effective treatment for lung diseases like chronic cough, asthma, bronchial congestion, and pleurisy.
4. Keeping the Skin Healthy
Often the health of your skin directly reflects what is happening inside your body. Cupping improves the skin blood flow and thereby increasing the supply of oxygen and essential nutrients required for healthy skin. It is also helpful in reducing the recurrence of acne and other skin diseases like eczema, cellulite etc. Cupping therapy also helps to expand the blood vessels to facilitate blood flow and also remove toxic substances from the skin surface.
5. Relieving Digestive Problems
Cupping helps to relieve digestive problems caused due to chronic stress, malnutrition or immune system response.
6. Healing Urinary Diseases
Cupping therapy can be used for the treatment of urinary diseases like kidney stones, urine retention, and abscess. Urine retention is treated by applying the cups to the lumbar region.
7. A Way of Relaxation
Cupping also acts as a form of massage that provides relaxation. The energy and blood flow created due to cupping is a good form of relaxation.
8. Faster healing
Strategically using cupping can increase the blood flow to specific areas that need healing. The increased blood and energy flow will lead to faster healing.
Wet Cupping has been practiced for many thousands of years all over the world by many different cultures. Earliest records in history show the art of Cupping being used in China and Egypt.
During the advent of Islam Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) refined Wet Cupping Therapy (Hijama) making it an Islamic discipline in its own right surrounded by rules and regulations particular to Islam only.
Islam greatly encourages the use of Hijama Therapy as a therapeutic and remedial treatment. Hijama works by creating a negative pressure in the applied area, thus relieving pain and pressure.
Hijama Therapy rids the body of harmful pathogens by drawing out the excess blood lying dormant underneath the skin. Research has shown considerable pathological differences in the healthy blood in the veins and the stagnant blood underneath the skin.
Hijama forces the body to increase its blood circulation and boosts the immune system allowing the body to use its natural resources to heal itself. It is a natural way to alleviate pain and treatment many illnesses.
Below are some narrations from the sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) that relate to Hijama therapy:
Narrated ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: I did not pass by an assembly of Angels on the night that I was taken on the night journey (lailatul israa), except that all of them said to me: Oh Muhammad, upon you is Cupping (You should have cupping performed). (Sunan ibn Majah 3477)
Narrated Anas bin Malik (radiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: I did not pass by an assembly of Angels on the night that I was taken on the night journey (lailatul israa), except that they said: Oh Muhammad, order your nation with Cupping (to use cupping as a treatment). (Sunan ibn Majah 3479)
Narrated Jabir (radiyallahu anhu) that Umm Salamah (wife of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam) sought permission from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) to have Cupping performed on her. So the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) ordered Abu Taibah to cup her. He said: I assumed that he was her brother from breast feeding or he was a boy under the age of puberty. (Sunan ibn Majah 3480)
Narrated Jabir (radiyallahu anhu) when he returned to Muqanna’ he said: I will not leave until to treat yourself with Cupping. For indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying: Indeed there is a cure in it (in Cupping). (Sahih Muslim 2205)
Narrated ibn Abbas (radiyallahu anhu), the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: there is a cure in three things: in the slash of the cupper or drinking honey or cauterization with fire, and I forbid my nation from cauterisation. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 5681)
Benefits of Hijama mentioned in Islam:
Many benefits of Hijama Therapy are mentioned in the Sunnah of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Not only did the Prophet use Hijama Therapy for specific ailments, he also promoted it for overall health and as a preventative measure.
Below are some narrations of the Prophets (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) mentioning the benefits of using Hijama Therapy:
Narrated Ibn Abbas: That the Messenger of Allahs was treated with Cupping on his head while he was in ihram due to a migraine that he had. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 5701)
Narrated Anas (radiyallahu anhu), that the Prophet (sallahu alaihi wasallam) used to get treated with cupping on the two jugular veins and the upper part of the back. He used to get treated with cupping on the 17th and 19th and the 21st. (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2051)
Narrated Jabir (radiyallahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) fell off from his horse onto a trunk (of a tree), so his foot became dislocated. Waki’ said: meaning that the Prophet was treated with Cupping on it because of a contusion. (Sunan ibn Majah 3485)
Narrated Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: Whoever wants to be treated with Cupping let him search for the 17th or the 19th or the 21st. And do not let your blood become hyperaemic (becomes excessive/boil/rage) so that it kills you. (Sunan ibn Majah 3486)
Narrated Jabir (radiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was treated with Cupping on his hip because of a sprain/bruise he suffered from. (Sunan Abu Dawud 3863)
Narrated Salma (radiyallahu anhaa), the servant of the messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): There was no one who complained to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) of a headache except he would say to him: Get treated with Cupping. And neither a pain in the legs except he would say: dye them (with Henna). (Sunan Abu Dawud 3858)
Narrated Jabir (radiyallahu anhu) when he returned to Muqanna’ he said: I will not leave until to treat yourself with Cupping. For indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying: Indeed there is a cure in it (in Cupping). (Sahih Muslim 2205)
Cupping while fasting:
There are many examples from the wives of the Messenger of Allah (salllallahu alayhi wasalam), mothers of the believers and of his closest Companions who adhered strongly to his Sunnah.
Narrated Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu anhuma): “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was treated by Cupping while he was fasting.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5694)
Best days to have Hijama Therapy:
The best and most beneficial days to have hijama performed, also commonly known as the ‘Sunnah Days’ are the 17th, 19th or 21st of the Islamic (Lunar) month which fall on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.
Taking into consideration that in Islam the night enters before the day. So at sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday night comes in and so on.
Hijama Therapy is more beneficial when perfomed during the daytime between fajr and maghrib.
If you are not able to be cupped on the Sunnah days then the closest Monday, Tuesday or Thursday to the Sunnah Days are the next best days. Likewise, if there are no Sunnah days in a month, then the closest Monday, Tuesday or Thursday to the 17th, 19th, and 21st days of that month. If not, then on any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday of the month.
Below are some narrations of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) mentioning the best time to have Hijma performed:
Narrated Anas (radiyallahu anhu), that the Prophet (sallahu alaihi wasallam) used to get treated with cupping on the two jugular veins and the upper part of the back. He used to get treated with cupping on the 17th and 19th and the 21st. (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2051)
Narrated Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: Whoever wants to be treated with Cupping let him search for the 17th or the 19th or the 21st. And do not let your blood become hyperaemic (becomes excessive/boil/rage) so that it kills you. (Sunan ibn Majah 3486)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: Whoever gets treated with Cupping on the 17th and 19th and the 21st will be cured from every illness. (Sunan Abu Dawud 3861)