Al-Hijaamah (Cupping/BloodLetting)

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السلام عليكم

Here is an article by brother Abu Abdullaah (from Shiachat) concerning Al-Hijaamah:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْحِجَامَةِ لِلصَّائِمِ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا لَمْ يَخَفْ ضَعْفا

“Muhammad bin YaHyaa from Ahmad bin Muhammad from ‘Alee bin Al-Hakam from Al-Husayn bin Abee Al-‘Alaa: He said: 'I asked Abaa ‘Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) about the Hijaamah (cupping/blood-letting) for a fasting person.' He (عليه السلام) said: 'Yes, if he is not afraid of weakness.'”

Source:

·         Al-Kulaynee, Al-Kaafee, vol. 4, pg. 109, h. 2

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 4, pg. 260, hadeeth # 11

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is Hasan (Good)
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 4, pg. 26

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is Hasan

-->Miraat Al-‘Uqool, vol. 16, pg. 288

 [407] مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا يَقُولُ مَنْ قِبَلَكُمْ فِي الْحِجَامَةِ قُلْتُ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهَا عَلَى الرِّيقِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهَا عَلَى الطَّعَامِ قَالَ لَا هِيَ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ أَدَرُّ لِلْعُرُوقِ وَ أَقْوَى لِلْبَدَنِ

“Aboo ‘Abd Allaah (عليه السلام), once asked, ‘What do they say from your side about al-hijaamah (cupping)?’ I replied, ‘They think it is better before breakfast instead of after food.’ He (the Imaam (عليه السلام)) said, ‘No, after food more blood flows and it is more strengthening for the body.'”

Source:

·         Al-Kulaynee, Al-Kaafee, vol. 8, pg. 273, h. 407

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq (Reliable)

--> Miraat Al-‘Uqool, vol. 26, pg. 278

 [202] فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ«» عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع عَنِ الرُّعَافِ وَ الْحِجَامَةِ وَ الْقَيْ‏ءِ قَالَ لَا يَنْقُضُ هَذَا شَيْئاً مِنَ الْوُضُوءِ وَ لَكِنْ يَنْقُضُ الصَّلَاةَ

'I asked Abaa Al-Hasan (عليه السلام) about nosebleeding and bloodletting/cupping and vomiting.' He (عليه السلام) said: 'It does not break a thing from WuDoo’ (ablution) but it breaks prayer.'

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 2, pg. 328, hadeeth # 202

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 4, pg. 501

[13] وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع قَالَ ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا يُفَطِّرْنَ الصَّائِمَ الْقَيْ‏ءُ وَ الِاحْتِلَامُ وَ الْحِجَامَةُ وَ قَدِ احْتَجَمَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ هُوَ صَائِمٌ وَ كَانَ لَا يَرَى بَأْساً بِالْكُحْلِ لِلصَّائِم‏

“He (عليه السلام) said: 'Three (things) don’t break fasting: throwing up and wet dreams and al-hijaamah (cupping). And certainly the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله) was treated with cupping. He (صلّى الله عليه وآله) was fasting and did not see a problem with kuHl (without fragrance) for the fasting person.”

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 4, pg. 260, hadeeth # 13

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 7, pg. 46

[14] وَ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَحْتَجِمَ الصَّائِمُ إِلَّا فِي رَمَضَانَ فَإِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُغَرِّرَ بِنَفْسِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَخَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ إِنَّا إِذَا أَرَدْنَا الْحِجَامَةَ فِي رَمَضَانَ احْتَجَمْنَا لَيْلًا

“There is no problem in that bloodletting (in) fasting except in RamaDaan. Then, verily I dislike it that danger with himself, however, that you fear upon himself.  And verily we if disallow bloodletting in RamaDaan, bloodlet (at) night.”

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 4, pg. 260, hadeeth # 14

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 7, pg. 47

[8] الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ زُرْعَةَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْحِجَامَةِ وَ حَلْقِ الْقَفَا فِي أَشْهُرِ الْحَجِّ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ السِّوَاكِ وَ النُّورَةِ

“I asked him (عليه السلام) about bloodletting and shaving the back in the months of the hajj. Then he said (عليه السلام): “There is no problem in it and miswaak (twig) and noorah (depilatory cream to remove armpit hairs).”

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 5, pg. 48, hadeeth # 8

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 7, pg. 278

[44] فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ مُوسَى بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَحْتَجِمَ الْمُحْرِمُ مَا لَمْ يَحْلِقْ أَوْ يَقْطَعِ الشَّعْرَ

فَمَحْمُولٌ عَلَى حَالِ الضَّرُورَةِ بِدَلَالَةِ الْخَبَرِ الَّذِي قَدَّمْنَاهُ

“There is no problem that bloodletting the muHrim (person in state of iHraam) unless he shaves or cuts the hair.”

This is for cases of necessity, which we have presented.

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 5, pg. 306, hadeeth # 44

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH
--> Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 8, pg. 203

[10] مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ كَتَبَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع يَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ دَماً وَ صَفْرَاءَ فَقَالَ إِذَا احْتَجَمْتُ هَاجَتِ الصَّفْرَاءُ وَ إِذَا أَخَّرْتُ الْحِجَامَةَ أَضَرَّنِي الدَّمُ فَمَا تَرَى فِي ذَلِكَ فَكَتَبَ ع احْتَجِمْ وَ كُلْ عَلَى أَثَرِ الْحِجَامَةِ سَمَكاً طَرِيّاً كَبَاباً قَالَ فَأَعَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ بِعَيْنِهَا فَكَتَبَ ع احْتَجِمْ وَ كُلْ عَلَى أَثَرِ الْحِجَامَةِ سَمَكاً طَرِيّاً كَبَاباً بِمَاءٍ وَ مِلْحٍ قَالَ فَاسْتَعْمَلْتُ ذَلِكَ فَكُنْتُ فِي عَافِيَةٍ وَ صَارَ غِذَايَ

“Certain persons of our people once wrote to Aboo Muhammad (عليه السلام), complaining about blood and yellowness, saying ‘If I apply cupping, yellowness stirs up, when I delay it blood harms me, so what would you advise me in such case?’ He (عليه السلام) wrote, ‘Apply cupping and after cupping eat fresh fish as kabab.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I repeated exactly the same question to him (the Imaam (عليه السلام)). He (عليه السلام) wrote, ‘Apply cupping and after cupping eat fresh fish as kabab with water and salt.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I followed the instruction and I lived in good health and it became my food.’”

Source:

·         Al-Kulaynee, Al-Kaafee, vol. 6, pg. 324, h. 10

Grading:

·         Al-Majlisee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH

--> Miraat Al-‘Uqool, vol. 22, pg. 151

7 - بَابُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ رُعَافٌ وَ لَا حِجَامَةٌ وَ لَا خُرُوجُ دَمٍ غَيْرُ الْحَيْضِ وَ الِاسْتِحَاضَةِ وَ النِّفَاسِ

 “Chapter on that is not breaking the wuDoo: Vomiting, bloodletting, blood coming out NOT of the HayD (menstruation bleeding) and Nifaas”

Source:

·         Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah, vol. 1, pg. 264, ch. 7

و لا بأس للصّائم أن يحتجم و يفتصد، إذا احتاج إلى ذلك، ما لم يخف الضّعف. فإن خاف، كره له ذلك، إلّا عند الضّرورة اليه

“A fasting person may do blood-letting and phlebotomy if it is needed, provided it does not lead to weakness. But if weakness is feared then it is reprehensible, except when it is absolutely necessary.”

Source:

·         Al-Toosee, Al-Nihaayah, pg. 156