Cupping Therapy (Al-Hijama) in Karachi

Hijama is an Arabic alternative treatment to medicines and surgery. There are numerous Hadis mubaraka (sayings of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad salahu alihi wasalam) about getting hijama done to cleanse blood from the system. Following are some I was able to find over internet with due reference, which may be cross checked from sources mentioned:

"Oh Muhammad, order your Ummah (nation) with cupping (hijama)." [Saheeh Sunan Tirmidhee (3479)]

Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, "Indeed in cupping (hijama) there is a cure." [Saheeh Muslim (5706)].

Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, "Whoever performs cupping (hijama) on the 17th, 19th or 21st day (of the Islamic month) then it is a cure for every disease." [Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawud (3861)].

and another version of this hadith / hadis:

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, "When the weather becomes extremely hot, seek aid in cupping (hijama). Do not allow your blood to rage (boil) such that it kills you." [Reported by Hakim in his 'Mustadrak' and he authenticated it and Imam ad-Dhahabi agreed (4/212)].

Therefore, it is very clear that indeed the leader of all Prophets, the last Prophet of ALLAH, himself got hijama, with or without any disease. It is also clear that blood circulation always does not pass all the areas of the body thus worsening some parts or organs. Due to this problem with blood circulation hijama looks very appropriate instead of taking heavy medicines or getting surgeries.

Hearing about hijama for the first time positively shocked me into disbelief. I could not fathom that such a hadith was available. And if it ever was, then I wasn't surely aware of it. After searching internet for no more than 12 minutes I got loads of websites dedicated to this brilliant yet simple procedure.

I soon found myself, along with my good father, at the doorstep of Doctor Asif's clinic deep in F.B Area, Karachi. There, to my horror, I found men sitting half naked, their backs towards a bearded, young, energetic doctor wearing gloves and holding a surgical blade. Men were bleeding, some were confused others calm; there was also a boy with semi paralysis getting his blood sucked out. And doctor moved from one patient to another with no assistant. It was clear to me that this doctor was having a wonderful practice.

Hijama's procedure is as follows:

1) You tell your doctor your ailment, if any;
2) Doctor then suggests the points where he will suck the blood out;
3) You remove your clothes;
4) A glass cup is taken, a burning tissue is placed inside and this cup is then squeezed onto your skin. This creates a vacuum thus holding the glass cup in place;
5) After 10-15 minutes, when the skin has popped out due to vacuum, the cup is removed and small cuts with surgical blades are made on the popped out skin;
6) Then again the cup is filled with burning tissue and put in place and squeezed;
7) Blood trickles into the cup and you wait. Please no turning, I was told.

Later, perhaps after 20 minutes of blood sucking activity (literally) the cups are removed and the colour of blood shown to you. (Dr. Asif loves to show around darker shades of blood, just in case). Then, honey is applied on the cuts, tissue affixed. You pay the bill and you move away to make space for another patient. My fee for first time visit was Rs.600. And today he charged me Rs.450 for 3 points on my back. The most painful point is surely the one just behind where the neck ends. It is the first point doctors should treat and there is evidence from Hadith that this is a very important part where cupping / hijama should be performed.

Please also note that before you go to doctor for hijama your stomach should be empty (that you must not have eaten for min. of 3 hours, as recommended to me by Dr. Asif). Following hadith is also ample proof that hijama is best performed on an empty stomach:

Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, "Cupping (hijama) on an empty stomach* is best. It increases the intellect and improves the memory. It improves the memory of the one memorising. So whoever is going to be cupped then (let it be) on a Thursday in the name of Allaah. Keep away from being cupped on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Be cupped on a Monday or Tuesday. Do not be cupped on a Wednesday because it is the day that Ayub was befallen with a trial. You will not find leprosy except (by being cupped) on Wednesday or Wednesday night." [Saheeh Sunan ibn Maajah (3488)].

Unfortunately, my doctor sits only on Fridays and Saturdays, both of which are not recommended for in the hadith just quoted above. Next time I will surely ask my doctor about this.