My mother was sick and she went to a number of hospitals, but to no avail. In the end, she went to a kaahin (soothsayer or fortuneteller) who told her to wash with goat’s blood. In fact my mother did what he asked her to do – not knowing the shar’i ruling. Do we have to offer any kafaarah? May Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to go to soothsayers, astrologers, magicians
or any other kind of tricksters. It is not permissible to ask them anything
or to believe what they say. This is one of the gravest of major sins.The Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to a fortuneteller and asks
him about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.”
(Narrated by Imaam Muslim in his Saheeh).
And he (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to a soothsayer or fortuneteller
and believes what he says has disbelieved in that which was revealed
to Muhammad (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him).” (Narrated by the authors of Sunan
with a saheeh isnaad). And he (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who
practises magic or has magic done for him, or who tells fortunes or
has his fortune told, or who practises augury or has augury done for
him. Whoever goes to a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved
in that which was revealed to Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).” (narrated by al-Bazzaar
with a jayyid isnaad).
With regard to washing with blood, it is clearly an evil
action and is haraam, because it is not permissible to seek treatment
with things that are naajis (impure). Abu Dawood (may Allaah have mercy
on him) narrated in his Sunan
from Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Allaah has sent down the disease and the cure; He
has made for every disease a cure, so seek treatment but do not seek
treatment with that which is haraam.” And He
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah does not make
your healing in that which He has forbidden to you.” (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi
and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan from the hadeeth of Umm Salamah,
may Allaah be pleased with her). So your mother has to repent to Allaah
and not do such a thing again. Whoever repents sincerely, Allaah will
accept his repentance, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And all of you beg Allaah to
forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”[al-Noor 24:31]
Sincere repentance also includes regret for past
sins, and giving them up, and resolving not to go back to them, out
of veneration and love for Allaah, and the desire to seek His pleasure
and avoid His wrath. If the sin has to do with the rights of another,
then correct repentance is subject to a fourth condition, which is restoring
his rights or seeking his forgiveness. And Allaah is the One Whose help
we seek.