The Legal Status of Income from Cupping Operation

“I once asked Abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the legal status of earning by means of cupping. He (the Imam) replied, There is no offense in the earning by such means, if it is not with an established pre-condition.’”

“Once we visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when Farqad al-Hajjam was also with us. He (Farqad) asked him (the Imam) saying, ’May Allah keep my soul in the service of your cause, I perform a certain kind of work and I have asked more than one person about the legal status of what I do and they think it is a detestable work. I like to ask you. If it is as they say I will stop performing such works. Instead I will find some other kind of work. I will take your word as the word in the matter.’ He (the Imam) asked, ’What kind of work is it?’ He (the man) replied, ‘It is cupping.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You can use the income thereof for living, give charity, pay the expenses of your Hajj and marriage thereof, O brother, (in faith). The Holy Prophet had used cupping services and paid for them. Had it been unlawful he would not pay for it.’ He (the man) then asked, saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I have a he-goat. People hire it for goat grooming. What do you say about the income thereof?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’You can use the income thereof; it is lawful, although people may dislike it.’ I (Hanan) then asked, ’Why people dislike it when it is lawful?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is because people scorn each other about it.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did use cupping services. A Mawla’ (slave) of banu Bayada performed cupping service for the Messenger of Allah and paid for such services. Had it been unlawful he would not pay for it. When cupping was complete the Messenger of Allah asked, ‘Where is the blood?’ He (the slave) replied, ‘I drank it, O Messenger of Allah.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘You should not have done so. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made it a curtain between you and the fire but do not do it again.’”

“I once asked Abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the legal status of income from performing cupping. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is detestable for him to establish stipulations (to receive payment), but there is no offense in establishing stipulations to receive payment and bargaining for the price. It is only detestable but there is no offense for you to receive payment.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the legal status of the income from cupping. He (the Imam) replied, There is no offense in it.’ I then asked about income from he-goat for goat-grooming. He (the Imam) replied, ’Even though Arab people consider it scornful, there is no offense in receiving such income.’”