Online therapy for Muslim women offers clinically sound, faith-aware care that honors Islamic values, emotional safety, and real healing.
The Benefits of Hijama Therapy for Mental Health
Hijama therapy involves creating a vacuum on specific points of the skin using 9-11 plastic cups on either side of the spine, neck and shoulder blades. Cuts are made to the skin under the cups, and the cups are suctioned to create a vacuum. The vacuum pulls out the blood and other fluids from the skin, which removes toxins and promotes healing.
The traditional medical perspective towards Hijama therapy is to balance the body’s humours, improve blood circulation, and strengthen the immune system. Modern research demonstrates hijama as stimulating the release of the natural painkillers known as endorphins, hence increasing one’s sense of relaxation.
Hijama therapy has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various health conditions.
Cupping has been 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.
Hijama continues to be practised around the world. However, it has only recently gained recognition in modern medicine.
In traditional medicine, Hijama therapy balances the body’s humours, improves blood circulation, and strengthens the immune system. Traditionally, hijama treats various health conditions, including musculoskeletal pain, respiratory problems, digestive disorders, and skin problems.
Modern medicine recognises Hijama therapy as reducing pain and inflammation in the body, improving blood circulation, and boosting the immune system. It also has shown positive results for various health conditions like migraines, back pain, and arthritis.
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih (5269) from Sa’id ibn Jubayr from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Healing is in three things: drinking honey, the incision of a cupper, and cauterizing with fire, but I forbid my ummah to use cauterizing.”
Al-Bukhari (5263) and Muslim (2952) narrated that Anas ibn Malik was asked about the earnings of the cupper, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was treated with cupping by Abu Taybah. He ordered that he should be given two sa’ of food, and he spoke with his masters so that they reduced what they used to take from his earnings. And he said: “The best medicine with which you treat yourselves is cupping, or it is one of the best of your medicines.”
Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 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.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6583; Muslim, 2205).
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 Allah’s Leave include the following:
- Circulatory diseases
- Treating blood pressure and infection of the heart muscle
- Diseases of the chest and trachea
- Headache and pains in the eyes
- Pain in the neck and stomach, and rheumatic pain in the muscles
- 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, please see Zad al-Ma’ad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 4/52, and al-Hijamah: Ahkamuha wa Fawaiduha by Ibrahim al-Hazimi.
Hijama therapy can be particularly beneficial for women’s health. It treats menstrual problems, fertility issues, and menopausal symptoms. Hijama therapy can treat menstrual problems like heavy, irregular, and painful periods. It can aid in regulating one’s menstrual cycle, reduce cramping, and alleviate other common symptoms of menstruation.
Hijama therapy can treat fertility disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility. Hijama may improve the quality and quantity of eggs, regulate hormones, and increase blood flow to the reproductive organs.
Hijama therapy can reduce symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. It may also reduce the risk of osteoporosis and other common menopause-related health issues.
Hijama therapy is beneficial for physical health and can improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.
According to traditional medicine, Hijama therapy can help to balance the body’s energy and improve mental health by releasing negative emotions and promoting relaxation. Modern research has shown that Hijama therapy stimulates the release of endorphins and other feel-good hormones, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.
Medical research studies highlight Hijama therapy as effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It may also dampen or reduce the presence of flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. Hijama can also improve the overall well-being and quality of life of people with PTSD.
How to Cure Waswas
What is Waswas?
Waswas means whisperings or intrusive thoughts. They can come from a number of sources such as from shaytan, your own self, other individuals, and jinn.
Approximately 94% of all individuals experience intrusive, distressing throughts over a number of topics which might seem unsettling.
Is Waswas OCD?
Since majority of people experience intrusive thoughts, we cannot say that merely having waswas is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
It is possible to have a lot of waswas but not be OCD. On the other hand, depending on the level of impairment, distress, time spent in thoughts and behaviors to reduce the thoughts (safety behaviors, compulsions, rituals, etc), the waswas might be a larger clinical problem like OCD.
When is Waswas a Problem?
Having such thoughts are not a concern except when the the intrusive thoughts (waswas) cause significant distress, affects quality of life such as relationships, work, social, spiritual, or other area.
When intrusive thoughts become impairing, individuals may be suffering from a clinical condition called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
During certain times of stress, individuals may notice an increase in symptoms or notice the themes shift to new or different areas of life.
How is Waswas Cured?
Since we understand waswas as being intrusive thoughts or whisperings, there is no ‘cure’ for them. We cannot stop or prevent thoughts from coming altogether.
What we can do is change your relationship with the thoughts that you have in such a way that you take the power, punch, control, and concern away from the thoughts. Thoughts are not necessarily facts, and we can decide how we react to thoughts.
When we train the brain to react differently to thoughts, we will feel empowered toward wellbeing rather than feeling controlled and bullied by thoughts and the power they seem to have over what we do and how we feel.
Often we will find that when we stop giving serious attention to thoughts by the reactions we give to the thoughts, we will likely find that we may not notice them much and if we do, the impact will be minimal.
Specific Help with Waswas
As a clinician, I utilize specific techniques to help all of my clients relate better to their thoughts because what we pay attention to typically grows stronger and more difficult to manage.
In general, I use exposure-response prevention and acceptance and commitment therapy to help clients manage waswas and symptoms of OCD.
Because I specialize in these areas, I am able to understand all of the ways whispersing, thoughts, and rituals might be showing up in a person’s life.
What NOT to Do with Waswas?
I personally do not advise any person to only ‘ignore’ waswas that is creating distress or taking up a lot of time in their lives. If waswas is creating a lot of distress or taking up a lot of time, it is likely more clinical in nature which may be a disorder.
Whatever creates a lot of distress, takes up time, and impairs life, typically is a disorder as it literally creates dis-order in life.
If you do have OCD, please do not engage in safety behaviors/compulsions/rituals such as to:
ignore, repeat, ruminate, research, analzye, check, ask others, etc.
If you engage in rituals, it sends a message to the brain that the thoughts are truths and must be corrected through actions.