ابن ماجہ · Hadith 2157

It was narrated that Abu Saeed Al-Khudri said: "The Messenger of Allah P.B.U.H sent us, thirty horsemen, on a military campaign. We camped near some people and asked them for hospitality but they refused. Then their leader was stung by a scorpion, and they said: 'Is there anyone among you who can recite Ruqyalt for a scorpion sting?' I said: 'Yes, I can, but I will not recite Ruqyalt for him until you give us some sheep.' They said: 'We will give you thirty sheep.' So we accepted them, and I recited Al-Hamd (i.e. Al-Fatihah) over him seven times. Then he recovered, and I took the sheep. Then some doubts occurred within ourselves. Then we said: 'Let us not hasten (to make a decision concerning the sheep) until we come to the Prophet P.B.U.H.' So when we came back: 'I told him what I had done. He said: 'How did you know that it is a Ruqyalt? Divide them up and give me a share as well.''' (Sahih) Other chains with similar wording.

Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020