Ruqyah
The recitation of Quranic verses and prayers over a person, believed to protect them or relieve harm from sihr, jinn or envy.
Also: ruqya, raqi, roqya
Ruqyah (رقية) is an Arabic term for reciting verses of the Quran and supplications from the prophetic tradition, often with a hand placed on the person or a prayer blown into water. Muslims turn to it for protection, for a child said to be struck by the evil eye, and for suspected possession. Many scholars permit it, provided only the Quran and sanctioned prayers are used and no intermediary spirits are addressed. A raqi, a person who performs it, may run a private practice and charge fees. Some ruqyah sessions have turned abusive, and deaths have been reported during forced exorcisms. Medical doctors urge people with physical or mental illness not to rely on recitation alone.