Charging a fee for doing cupping (hijāmah)

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The majority of the jurists are of the view that charging a fee for Hijāmah is permissible and the earnings of a cupper are ḥalāl.[1]  This view is based on the following aḥādīth: 

قَالَ احْتَجَمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَعْطَى الْحَجَّامَ أَجْرَهُ، وَلَوْ عَلِمَ كَرَاهِيَةً لَمْ يُعْطِهِ‏.‏

Translation: When the Prophet (ﷺ) was cupped, he paid the man who cupped him his wages. If it had been undesirable he would not have paid him. ( Sahih al-Bukhari 2279) 

احْتَجَمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، حَجَمَهُ أَبُو طَيْبَةَ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِصَاعَيْنِ مِنْ طَعَامٍ، وَكَلَّمَ أَهْلَهُ فَوَضَعُوا عَنْهُ مِنْ خَرَاجِهِ، وَقَالَ‏:‏ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ مَا تَدَاوَيْتَمْ بِهِ الْحِجَامَةُ، أَوْ إِنَّ مِنْ أَمْثَلِ دَوَائِكُمُ الْحِجَامَةَ‏.

Translation: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam took the treatment of cupping which was administered by Abu Taybah Radiyallahu 'Anhu, he was given two saa' food (in a narration it is mentioned that dates were given), and Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam interceded on his behalf to his master that the stipulated amount he was responsible for be made less. He also said this, that cupping is the best of medicine". (Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 359)

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَحْتَجِمُ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَظْلِمُ أَحَدًا أَجْرَهُ‏.‏

Transaltion: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to get cupped and would never withhold the wages of any person. (Sahih al-Bukhari 2280) 

The view of impermissibility is held by a few scholars and is based on the following aḥādīth:

وَعَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ثَمَنُ الْكَلْبِ خَبِيثٌ وَمَهْرُ الْبَغِيِّ خَبِيثٌ وَكَسْبُ الْحَجَّامِ خَبِيثٌ

Translation: Rafi' b. Khadij reported God’s Messenger as saying, "The price paid for a dog is impure, the hire paid to a prostitute is impure, and the earnings of a cupper are impure.” (Saḥīḥ Muslim 2763) 

نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن كسب الحجام وأمرنا أن نطعمه ناضحنا

Translation : Nabi Ṣallāhu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam  prohibited from aceepting a fee for cupping and ordered to feed (of its earning) the water carrying camels. (Sharh Ma’ānil ‘Āthār)

These ahādīth apparently contradict each other regarding the charging of a fee for cupping. The majority of jurists have given preference to those ahādīth that indicate towards its permissibility; and as such agree that it is permissible to charge a fee and that the income earned would be halāl. As for the ahādīth that refer to its impermissibility, they are interpreted in the following ways:

1.     These ahādīth are abrogated by those ahādīth that show permissibility. [2]

2.     These ahādīth merely point out to the fact that this profession is a lowly profession and one should refrain from charging a fee. [3]

In conclusion, there is no sin if you charge a fee for cupping and therefore your income will be halāl.  

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Ikraam Elias Gangat

Student Darul Iftaa

Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai

(2020-12-22)