What is Hijaamah)cupping(?

The word hijaamah )cupping( comes from the word hajm which means
sucking, as in the phrasehajama al-sabiy thadya ummihi)the infant
suckled his mother's breast(. Al-Hajjaam means the cupper, hijaamah is
the profession of cupping, and the wordmihjamis used to describe the
vessel in which the blood is collected and the lancet used by the
cupper.(
In fiqh )Jurisprudence( terminology, the word hijaamah is applied by
some scholars to the extraction of blood from the nape of the neck by
means of cupping after making an incision with the lancet.
Al-Zarqaanistated that cupping is not limited to the nape of the neck,
rather it may be done on any part of the body. This was also the view
of al-Khattaabi.
In conclusion, hijaam refers to the extraction of blood from the body
by means of cupping using a suitable vessel or whatever modern
equipment serves the same purpose.
Cupping was known since ancient times. It was known to the Chinese,
the Babylonians and the Pharaohs. Their relics and carved images
indicate that they used cupping to treat some diseases. At first they
used metal cups or bulls' horns, from which they would remove the air
by sucking it out after placing the cup on the skin. Then they used
glass cups from which they would remove the air by burning a piece of
cotton or wool inside the cup.
Virtues of cupping:
Al-Bukhaarinarrated from Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr from Ibn 'Abbaasthat the
Prophetsaid: 'Healing is in three things: drinking honey, the incision
of a cupper, and cauterizing with fire, but I forbid my Nation to use
cauterizing.'
Al-Bukhaari and Muslimnarrated that Anas Ibn Maalikwas asked about the
earnings of the cupper, and he said:
The Messenger of Allaahwas treated with cupping by Abu Taybah.
Heordered that he )Abu Taybah( should be given two saa' )quantity
unit( of food, and he spoke with his masters so that they reduced what
they used to take from his earnings. And hesaid: 'The best medicine
with which you treat yourselves is cupping, or it is one of the best
of your medicines.'
It was narrated that Jaabir Ibn 'Abdillaahsaid: I heard the Messenger
of Allaah sallallaahu alyhi wa sallam say: 'If there is anything good
in the medicines with which you treat yourselves, it is in the
incision of the cupper, or a drink of honey or cauterization with
fire, but I do not like to be cauterized.' )Al-Bukhaari, Muslim(.
Benefits of cupping:
Cupping has real benefits in treating many diseases, past and present.
The diseases which have been treated by cupping and for which it has
been of benefit by Allaah's Leave include the following:
1- Circulatory diseases
2- Treating blood pressure and infection of the heart muscle
3- Diseases of the chest and trachea
4- Headache and pains in the eyes
5- Pain in the neck and stomach, and rheumatic pain in the muscles
6- Some diseases of the heart and chest, and pain in the joints
In addition, cupping may offer a unique treatment which may reduce
pain, and it does not have any side-effects. For more information on
the benefits of cupping see Zaad al-Ma'aad by Ibn Al-Qayyim.
How cupping is done:
The mouth of the cupping vessel )nowadays they use glass vessels( is
placed on the skin at the site chosen for cupping. Then the cupper
rarefies the air inside the vessel by burning a small piece of paper
or cotton inside the vessel )the old method(, so that the mouth of the
vessel will cling to the skin. Sometimes a machine is used instead of
the method described above. The vessel clings to the skin and is left
for a period of three to ten minutes.
Then it is lifted off and a very small incision is made in the skin
using a clean sharp instrument such as a razor blade or the like. Then
the cup is put back in the same manner as described above, until it is
filled with the bad blood that comes out of the veins. Then it is
taken off, and may be put back once more if needed. When it is
finished and the cup is taken away, a dry dressing is placed over the
site of the incision.
Before ending we should point out that no one should undertake cupping
except one who can do it well, because of the harm that may result if
it is done by one who is incompetent.