…‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas narrated that Dimaad came to Makkah.{1} He was from the tribe of Azdu Shanoo’ah, and he used to treat people{2} who were possessed by these jinns{3}. Dimaad heard unwise individuals among the people of Makkah saying that Muhammad was possessed by jinns{4}, so Dimaad said, “I hope I can see this man so that Allaah might heal him at my hands.”{5}

Dimaad subsequently met him and said, “Muhammad, I treat people who are possessed by these jinns and Allaah heals at my hands whomever He wills. Would you like me to treat you?” Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) replied, “Indeed, all praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him and seek His assistance. If Allaah guides any person, none can lead that person astray; and if Allaah leaves any person astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone, without any partner, and that Muhammad is Allaah’s worshipping servant and Messenger. As for what follows.” Dimaad said, “Repeat to me these words of yours” and Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) repeated them thrice.

Dimaad then said, “I have heard the words of soothsayers, the words of magicians, and the words of poets. However, I have never heard anything like these words of yours, and they most certainly reached as deep as the depths of the ocean{6}.” Dimaad further said, “Give me your hand, and I will pledge allegiance to you and accept Islaam.” Dimaad gave him that pledge and Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) then said, “On behalf of your people as well.” Dimaad said, “I give that pledge on behalf of my people as well.”

Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) later{7} sent out an army contingent{8} and they passed by Dimaad’s people. The commander of the contingent asked the troops, “Did you take anything from these people?” One man said, “I took from them a water vessel”{9}. The commander said, “You and whoever was with you must return it because these are Dimaad’s people.{10}” This was collected by Muslim [868].

Notes:

{1} Dimaad coming to Makkah was after the beginning of Prophethood and the advent of Islaam. Sources for the biography of Dimaad ibn Tha‘labah al-Azdee mention that during jaahiliyyah (the period of ignorance prior to the advent of Islaam), he was an acquaintance of Muhammad (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection). Dimaad was a healer and he had knowledge of medicinal treatments. Some sources mention that he had departed at some point to acquire knowledge, and by the time he subsequently came to Makkah as mentioned in this narration, Muhammad had been commissioned by Allaah as a Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection).

{2} No specific method used by Dimaad for treatment was mentioned, but the basis of the Arabic verb used in this narration – raqaa / yarqee – has been explained as involving saying particular words for healing, or supplicating Allaah to grant someone protection. In that regard, there is an authentic hadeeth in which the Companion ‘Awf ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “During the era of ignorance prior to Islaam, we had used certain words to treat ailments. We once asked, “Messenger of Allaah, what do think about that?” He replied, “Present to me the words you read for treatment. There is no harm in them so long as they do not contain meanings that amount to shirk (directing worship to other than Allaah)’.” [Saheeh Muslim, no. 2200].

{3} A human may lose his intellectual function (i.e. become insane) if affected by jinn possession. Jinns are creatures that Allaah created from fire, and which He has given the ability to take on various forms. They are living beings that are unseen to humans. Like humans, they have intellects, they act according to the will and ability Allaah has given them, they have decreed lifespans, they reproduce, they eventually die, their duty towards Allaah is to comply with the directives of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and they will be recompensed in accordance to their fulfillment of that duty.

{4} This was one of the methods used by the mushrikoon (those who worshipped others besides Allaah): they publicly accused Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) of being insane and affected by jinn possession. That was deliberate misinformation spread to obstruct people from accepting the truth that he brought from Allaah. The mushrikoon of Makkah at the time strove to spread misconceptions about Allaah’s revelation, Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection), and the Messenger’s Companions.
In fact, the methods used for disinformation and deception bore similarities to some of what Allaah mentioned in the Qur’aan regarding things that Fir‘awn had said to and about Allaah’s Prophet Moosaa (may Allaah grant him continued protection). Allaah stated, ((Fir‘awn said, “Indeed, this supposed Messenger who was sent to you is surely insane”)) [26:27]. Allaah also stated, ((…and Fir‘awn then told him, “Moosaa, I indeed think that you are most surely affected by a spell”)) [40:26]. Scholars have explained the expression “affected by a spell” as an accusation that either Moosaa’s intellect was impaired due to being under a spell that others had put on him, or that Moosaa himself was a sorcerer who cast spells which produced all the extraordinary things that were witnessed from him. Allaah also stated, ((And Fir‘awn said, “Leave me to kill Moosaa, and let him call upon his Lord. I certainly fear that he will change your religion or cause corruption to appear throughout the land”)) [40:26]. Fir‘awn had also dishonestly tried to make himself seem sincere to his people, as Allaah mentioned in His statement, ((Fir‘awn said, “I am not informing you of anything besides what I know is right, and I am not guiding you to anything besides the correct path”)) [40:29]. These are some of the things that proponents of misguidance say and do to obstruct people from Allaah and the sound guidance that He sends to humanity by way of His Messengers.

{5} Companions of the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) accepted Islaam under various circumstances. In this situation, Dimaad initially expected that he would be able to treat Muhammad (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) so that he could be cured of the ailment that people claimed he had; namely, that he was possessed and his intellectual function was not intact due to that. However, Dimaad ended up realizing that he himself was the one who was ill and the treatment he needed was with the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection).

{6} The expression “reached as deep as the depths of the ocean” conveys what Dimaad grasped regarding the depth of the truth that those words captured, as well as the depth of their impact upon the heart of any living creature.

{7} This must have been quite a while later if what is mentioned in sources of Dimaad’s biography is accurate. He accepted Islaam early and there was no military activity early in Islaam. On the contrary, the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) and his followers were oppressed, downtrodden, and tortured.

{8} The Arabic word used here (sariyyah) expresses a unit that moves covertly.

{9} It was taken because the person assumed that the people whom they had passed were at war with them, and it was permissible to take such an item from them. He may not have known its owner was from Dimaad’s people. He may not have known about Dimaad’s pledge on their behalf, or of Dimaad accepting Islaam to begin with.

{10} In other words, they are people of Islaam, not combatants who are at war with you. Therefore, it is not permissible to take their lives or their property in such a manner.

References: Siyar A‘laam an-Nubalaa’ 1/121 (at-Tawfeeqiyyah), 1/158 Seerah (ar-Risaalah). Further notes drawn from at-Taareekh al-Kabeer by al-Bukhaaree 4/340; al-Istee‘aab 2/752; al-Isaabah 3/394; al-Kawkab al-Wahhaaj 10/344; al-Bahr al-Muheet ath-Thajjaaj 17/298; Jaami‘ al-Bayaan 17/568; Hadaa’iq ar-Rawh war-Rayhaan 16/248; Qasas ar-Rasool (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallama) wa As-haabihi, no. 28; Islaam as-Sahaabah, no. 10; Mu‘jam Mustalahaat al-‘Uloom ash-Shar‘iyyah, p. 627.

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