The Lajnah Daa’imah stated:

لا حرج في الصدقة عن المريض تقربا إلى الله عز وجل ، ورجاء أن يشفيه الله بذلك ؛ لعموم الأدلة الدالة على فضل الصدقة وأنها تطفئ الخطيئة ، وتدفع ميتة السوء

“…There is no harm in giving Sadaqah on behalf of the sick as a way to seek nearness to Allah – ‘Azza wa Jal – and to hope by means of it that Allaah cures the person. [This is] due to the general proofs which indicate the virtues of giving sadaqah and that it wipes away sin and protects from a bad ending.” End translation. [24/441]

Also, The Mufti, Shaykh Abdul Azeez Aal Ash-Shaykh was asked the following question:

Question:

“What is the ruling on giving Sadaqah with the intention of being cured?”

Answer:

“There comes a narration stating,

“Treat your sick by giving sadaqah (charity)”.

However, the Sadaqah that is [really] beneficial is the one which is continuous and consistent. It is one that a person does in all cases. As for delaying it until a sickness comes, yes it still may be beneficial, but the [true] benefit is when the Sadaqah is part of his life – during his good health and well-being – so that it becomes a protection for him In Shaa Allaah from being taken by a disaster.” End translation. Audio attached.

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Likewise, Ash-Shaykh Saalih Aali-Shaykh was asked the following question:

ما حكم من يقول له أهله : اذبح ذبيحة ووزعها على المساكين دفعا لبلاء ما ، فهل تجوز تلك النية ؟

Question:

“What is the ruling on the person who says to his family, ‘make a sacrifice and distribute it between the needy as a means to repel a certain type of calamity’, would this intention be correct?”

هذا فيه تفصيل ، ذلك أن ذبح الذبائح إذا كان من جهة الصدقة ، ولم يكن لدفع شيء متوقع ، أو لرفع شيء حاصل ، ولكن من جهة الصدقة ، وإطعام الفقراء ، فهذا لا بأس به وهو داخل في عموم الأدلة التي فيها الحض على الإطعام ، وفضيلة إطعام المساكين .وأما إن كان الذبح ؛ لأن بالبيت مريضا ، فيذبح لأجل أن يرتفع ما بالمريض من أذى ، فهذا لا يجوز بل يحرم ؛ سدا للذريعة ، ذلك لأن كثيرين يذبحون حين يكون بهم مرض ؛ لظنهم أن المرض كان بسبب الجن ، أو كان بسبب مؤذ من المؤذين ، فإذا ذبح الذبيحة وأراق الدم فإنه يندفع شره ، أو يرتفع ما أحدثه ذلك المؤذي . ولا شك أن اعتقاد مثل هذا محرم ولا يجوز

Answer:

“This issue has some details to it. [This is] since if the one making the sacrifice is doing it from the angle of Sadaqah and not to deflect harm that is expected nor to uplift a particular calamity, but solely for the purpose of giving Sadaqah and to feed the poor, then this is okay. It falls under the general proofs that encourage feeding [the poor] and the virtues of feeding the needy. As for if the sacrifice is upon the basis that a household member fell ill whereby a sacrifice is made in order for the sickness to be uplifted from him, then this is not allowed. Rather, it is haraam, as a means to close doors to evil, since many who make sacrifices during their illnesses are upon the assumption that the sickness occurred through a Jinn or due to [a myth of] something being harmful so [the person assumes] if he slaughters the animal and brings out the blood from it, then surely the evil will be deflected from him or what came upon him of harm will be uplifted. Without a doubt, this creed is haraam and not permissible…”. End translation. [The Explanation of the Shaykh to Kitaab at-Tawheed]

Note: The act of Sadaqah generally has a great effect in repelling and deflecting different types of trials and calamities. However, in this era in particular many have added a number of superstitions and innovations to this act of worship. Therefore, one should advise he who wishes to make a sacrifice with the intention to cure himself or his family to do it solely for the purpose of seeking nearness to Allah and to hope by means of it that Allah repells many trials and calamities from him and his household.

Translated by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr