22/11. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1577a — Cupping Treatment and Fair Payment
The permissibility of a cupper's earnings
Hadith About Cupping Treatment and Paying the Cupper
Sahih Muslim : 1577a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1577a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - يَعْنُونَ ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ سُئِلَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ عَنْ كَسْبِ الْحَجَّامِ، فَقَالَ احْتَجَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَجَمَهُ أَبُو طَيْبَةَ فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِصَاعَيْنِ مِنْ طَعَامٍ وَكَلَّمَ أَهْلَهُ فَوَضَعُوا عَنْهُ مِنْ خَرَاجِهِ وَقَالَ " إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ مَا تَدَاوَيْتُمْ بِهِ الْحِجَامَةُ أَوْ هُوَ مِنْ أَمْثَلِ دَوَائِكُمْ " .
Humaid Narrated from:
Anas b. Malik was asked about the earnings of the cupper. He said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got himself cupped. His cupper was Abu Taiba and he (the Holy Prophet) commanded to give him two sa's of corn. He (the Holy Prophet) talked with the members of his family and they lightened the burden of Kharaj (tax) from him (i. e. they made remission in the charges of their own accord). He (Allah's Apostle) said: The best (treatment) which you take is cupping, or it is the best of your treatments.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1577aIn-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 77USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3830
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1577a
This hadith about cupping gives several clear lessons in one report. Anas was asked about the earnings of a cupper. He answered by saying that Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم got himself cupped by Abu Taiba, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered that Abu Taiba be given two sa’s of corn. He also spoke to the cupper’s family, and they reduced his kharaj burden. Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that cupping is among the best treatments people use. The narration joins health care with fair payment. It does not present cupping as a magic cure for every illness. It simply praises it as a good treatment in the words given here.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted cupping as a treatment in this narration.
- The cupper was paid for his work, as stated in the report.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم helped reduce the worker’s financial burden.
- The hadith presents care for health together with fair treatment of workers.
