This treatment is called cupping by Muslims. It is the application of a suction cup to the skin to draw out stagnant, excess blood and excess energy, stagnant, disease-causing body fluids. It is usually done with a glass cup; in the past, it was also done with bone, horn and bamboo.

Cupping is an incredibly ancient and universal practice that has spread throughout both the East and the West. All of the world's indigenous peoples and primitive shamanistic practices had shamans who specialized in treating illnesses and disabilities of the body through suction.

In the East, China has practiced the art of treating points for at least five thousand years. Tui Na massage, acupuncture and moxibustion, Cupping has been used to identify organs that are activated after treating local points, and cupping is applied to acupuncture points to relieve stagnation and excess.

In the West, cupping therapy originated in Egypt. The Ebers Papyrus, written in 1550 BC, mentions the treatment. Ancient Egyptians sought a cure for almost every disease in cupping therapy.

Hippocrates and Galen were staunch advocates and users of cupping therapy.

The famous Greek historian and physician Herodotus (413 BC) wrote:

“By drawing with cupping, the body has the opportunity to purify itself of impurity, at the same time pain is reduced, inflammation is reduced, a weak constitution is strengthened; dizziness and fainting tendency are removed, stagnant impurity is removed which has settled towards the surface. These and many similar diseases are relieved by the application of the bloody Cucurbitaceae (Cup). ”

From the ancient Greeks and Romans to the Alexandrians and Byzantines and Persians, cupping therapy was used.

Cupping is now an important and popular treatment method for Medicine in the West.

In the West, cupping remained alternative and folk-based until the 20th century.

After the modern era of drug treatments that are not a solution and have many side effects, cupping therapy is applied with pleasure by acupuncturists and other holistic health practitioners because of its satisfactory results. When the exciting changes of this ancient technique are combined with oil cupping massage, miraculous improvements can be seen in the spine and joints.

Taking blood from between the shoulders, from the back, from the back of the head or from any part of the body for therapeutic purposes with a glass, bottle or horn. This is one of the health-related recommendations of our Prophet (pbuh) and one of the sunnahs that he personally practiced.

Cupping is a general treatment method used to eliminate the discomfort caused by excess blood in the body, rather than treating a specific disease.

This method, which used to be commonly applied with a tool called “cupping knife” or “cupping spring”, has now been replaced by taking blood with a syringe. A cupping knife is a comb-shaped tool that creates a series of scratches on the body. The blades, which are connected to a trigger spring in a copper box with many slits on one side, are released when the button is pressed and the spring pops out of the slits and creates scratches on the body. Blood is drawn from the scratches with a cup or something similar. A type of leech is also used for this purpose. Leeches are placed on painful areas of the body and are allowed to suck the blood.

Regardless of the tool or method used, the important thing is to have blood taken. Cupping, which is performed with the examination and recommendation of a specialist physician, is a beneficial and permissible treatment method in Islam.

Deeds gain value according to intentions. Cupping, which we do with the intention of complying with the Sunnah and to restore the health of our body entrusted to us, has the value of worship. Because we can only fully perform our worships and other duties with a healthy body.

There is undoubtedly a meaning and wisdom in the deeds that our Prophet (pbuh) did and advised us to do. His life is an example for us: “And indeed in the Messenger of Allah there is for you a best example for whoever desires Allah and the Hereafter and remembers Allah much” (al-Ahzab, 33/21).

Abdullah b. Abbas (ra) narrates that a group of angels he passed by on the night of Ascension said to the Prophet: “Order cupping to your nation!” (Ali Nasif, et-Tac, III, 203).

The Prophet (pbuh) himself had cupping done by a Hajjām named Abu Tayba, and he paid the fee for having his blood drawn from his head, and he said: “The best way of having blood drawn is cupping. (or cupping is your best way of treatment)” (Bukhari, Tib 13; Muslim, Musakat 62, 63; Abu Dawud, Nikah 26, Tib 3).

The Prophet (pbuh) had cupping done while he was in ihram (Bukhari, Sawm, 22; Muslim, Hajj 87, 88; Abu Dawud, Manasik 35). There is a consensus among scholars that cupping is permissible on the condition that one does not cut his hair while in ihram. Similarly, the Prophet (pbuh) had cupping done while he was fasting. In other words, he had his blood drawn (Bukhari, Tib II; Abu Dawud, Siyam 29).

It was narrated from Nafi (ra) that Ibn 'Omar (ra) said to him: Nafi, the blood has eaten me (by increasing). Therefore, bring me a cupper and choose a young cupper. Do not choose a cupper who is old or a child.

Nafi says; Ibn Umar (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: “Cupping is more beneficial on an empty stomach. Cupping increases the mind and the power of memorization. It also strengthens the ability of a person who has memorized. So whoever wants to be cupped, let him be cupped on Thursday, mentioning the name of Allah.” (Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Tib, 22).

In the section on cupping in his commentary on Bukhari, Ibn Hajar gives the following information in summary: Bukhari opened a chapter in his Sahih under the title of “At what time is cupping performed?” and narrated a work of Abu Musa about cupping at night and a hadith of Ibn Abbas (ra) about the Prophet (pbuh) being cupped while he was fasting.

Ibn Hajar said the following regarding this: There are several hadiths that have been narrated about the appropriate times for cupping, but none of them are in accordance with the condition mentioned by Bukhari. It seems to me that Bukhari wanted to indicate that cupping can be done whenever there is a need and that it is not tied to a specific time, because he narrated the hadith that cupping is done at night and that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to be cupped while he was fasting.