رَّبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأبْرَارِ

Prophet's Guidance regarding Cauterization and puncturing of the veins

فَصْلٌ فِي هَدْيِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي قَطْعِ الْعُرُوقِ وَالْكَيِّ

Guidance of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم  in Cauterization and Venesection

ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعَثَ إِلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ طَبِيبًا، فَقَطَعَ لَهُ عِرْقًا وَكَوَاهُ عَلَيْهِ

Ibn al Qayyim wrote : It is authentically reported in Sahih Muslim through the narration of Jabir ibn Abdullah that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم sent a physician to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b Radi Allaho Anh, who cut a vein for him and then cauterized it. (Sahih Muslim: Book of Greetings)

وَلَمَّا رُمِيَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فِي أَكْحَلِهِ حَسَمَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ وَرِمَتْ، فَحَسَمَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ. وَالْحَسْمُ: هُوَ الْكَيُّ

When Sa‘ad ibn Mu‘adh Radi Allaho Anh was struck in his median vein (Akhal), Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم treated it by cauterization. Later, when it swelled, Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم cauterized it a second time. Cauterization (al-Hasm) refers to sealing a wound by burning it. (Reported by Muslim and Ahmad)

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: رُمِيَ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ فِي أكحله فحمسه النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِهِ بِمِشْقَصٍ ثمَّ ورمت فحمسه الثَّانِيَة. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

When Sa'ad bin Mu'adh Radi Allaho Anh was shot in the median vein of his arm, Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم (with his own hand) cauterized it with a broad arrow head. Afterwards it swelled up and he cauterized it a second time. (Muslim transmitted it, Mishkat al-Masabih 4518)

وَفِي لَفْظٍ آخَرَ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ رُمِيَ فِي أَكْحَلِهِ بِمِشْقَصٍ، فَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِهِ فَكُوِيَ. وَقَالَ أبو عبيد: وَقَدْ أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِرَجُلٍ نُعِتَ لَهُ الْكَيُّ، فَقَالَ: اكْوُوهُ وَارْضِفُوهُ قَالَ أبو عبيد: الرَّضْفُ الْحِجَارَةُ تُسَخَّنُ، ثُمَّ يُكْمَدُ بِهَا (زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد)

Another version mentions that a man from the Ansar was struck in his median vein by a lance. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed that he should be cauterized. (Reported by Abu Ubaid).

Abu Ubaid stated that a man was brought to Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم who had been recommended for cauterization. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم  said: "Cauterize him and apply Radhf to him." Abu Ubaid explained that Radhf refers to heated stones applied as a compress.

وَقَالَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ: حَدَّثَنَا سفيان، عَنْ أبي الزبير، عَنْ جابر، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَوَاهُ فِي أَكْحَلِهِ

Al-Fadl ibn Dukayn narrated that Sufyan, on the authority of Abu Zubair, reported from Jabir Radi Allaho Anh that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم cauterized a wound in his (Jabir’s) median vein.

(زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد) وَفِي صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أنس، أَنَّهُ كُوِيَ مِنْ ذَاتِ الْجَنْبِ وَالنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلم حيّ

In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is reported from Anas that he was cauterized for pleurisy (dhat al-janb) while Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was still alive. (Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of Medicine, Chapter on Pleurisy)

وَفِي جَامِعِ الترمذي وَغَيْرِهِ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَى عَنِ الْكَيِّ قَالَ: فَابْتُلِينَا فَاكْتَوَيْنَا فَمَا أَفْلَحْنَا، وَلَا أَنْجَحْنَا. وَفِي لَفْظٍ: نُهِينَا عَنِ الْكَيِّ وَقَالَ:  فَمَا أَفْلَحْنَ وَلَا أَنْجَحْنَ

In Jami' al-Tirmidhi, it is narrated from Anas that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم cauterized As‘ad ibn Zurarah for an ailment known as al-Shawkah (a specific disease). (Jami' al-Tirmidhi) This aligns with the previously mentioned Hadith, which is agreed upon, wherein Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم stated: "I do not like to be cauterized." In another version, he said: "I forbid my nation from cauterization."

وَفِي الترمذي، عَنْ أنس، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَوَى أَسْعَدَ بْنَ زُرَارَةَ مِنَ الشَّوْكَةِ ، وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ الْحَدِيثُ الْمُتَّفَقُ عَلَيْهِ وَفِيهِ وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَكْتَوِيَ وَفِي لَفْظٍ آخَرَ: وَأَنَا أَنْهَى أُمَّتِي عَنِ الْكَيِّ

Additionally, in Jami' al-Tirmidhi and other collections, it is narrated from Imran ibn Husayn that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibited cauterization. Imran said: "We were afflicted (with ailments) and resorted to cauterization, but it neither brought us success nor relief." In another narration, he said: "We were forbidden from cauterization, and it did not bring us success or benefit." (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah)

Al-Khattabi said: " Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم cauterized Sa‘ad ibn Mu‘adh Radi Allaho Anh to stop the bleeding from his wound, fearing that he might bleed to death. Cauterization is used for this purpose, just as someone whose hand or leg is amputated may also be cauterized to seal the wound."

As for the prohibition of cauterization, it pertains to seeking it as a remedy while holding the belief that one will perish without it. The prohibition was to address this misconception and intention.

It has also been said that the prohibition applied specifically to Imran ibn Husayn Radi Allaho Anh, as he had a fistula located in a dangerous area. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade him from cauterization because of the risk involved. Thus, the prohibition might be directed at cases where the procedure poses significant danger. And Allah knows the best.

Ibn Qutaybah explained: "Cauterization is of two types:

(1). Preventative cauterization: Used on a healthy person to prevent future illness. This is the type referred to in the saying: 'One who resorts to cauterization does not fully rely on Allah,' because it reflects an attempt to ward off destiny.

(2). Curative cauterization: Applied to a wound when it becomes infected or to seal an amputated limb. In such cases, it is a form of healing.

However, if cauterization is used as a treatment with uncertain outcomes—where it might or might not be effective—it leans closer to being disliked." (End quote)

وَثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحِ فِي حَدِيثِ السَّبْعِينَ أَلْفًا الَّذِينَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ أَنَّهُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَسْتَرْقُونَ وَلَا يَكْتَوُونَ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

It is also recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in the Hadith of the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning: "They are those who do not seek Ruqyah, do not cauterize, do not believe in omens, and place their complete trust in their Lord."

The narrations about cauterization encompass four categories:

(1). Its practice: Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم performed cauterization, which indicates its permissibility.

(2). His dislike for it: Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم expressed a lack of love for cauterization, which does not imply it is prohibited.

(3). Praising those who refrain from it: This highlights that avoiding cauterization is preferable and more virtuous.

(4). Prohibiting it: This prohibition is understood as a matter of preference or dislike rather than absolute forbiddance, or it pertains to situations where cauterization is unnecessary and done merely out of the fear of potential illness.

There is no contradiction among these categories, and all harmonize perfectly, praise be to Allah. His (Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) practice of cauterization confirms its permissibility, while his personal dislike for it reflects his preference to avoid it. The praise for those who abstain from it demonstrates that avoiding it is better and more aligned with reliance on Allah. The prohibition, therefore, applies to cases of unnecessary use or excessive caution where no real need exists. Allah knows the best.