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Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Introduction
An hour-long documentary-style video (released in late 2025) delves into the practice of Islamic exorcism, known as ruqyah in Arabic. In the video, American Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi interviews a self-described ruqyah expert who has spent years “casting out” jinn (supernatural beings) from afflicted individuals. Throughout the film, we see dramatizations and discussions of Qur’anic incantations intended to expel unseen entities, interspersed with real accounts of people purportedly possessed by jinn. The video provides a rare look into this “so-called” Islamic exorcism phenomenon – from ritual prayers and cultural beliefs to the controversies and challenges surrounding it.

This report presents a detailed thematic summary of the video, organized into five key dimensions: Cultural Context, Religious Practices, Ethical Concerns, Psychological Aspects, and Public Reactions. Each section below synthesizes the video’s content – including interviews, on-screen practices, and claims made by participants – along with related information from research and media, to give a comprehensive understanding of Islamic exorcism and the debates around it.

Cultural Context of Islamic Exorcism

The belief in spirit possession and exorcism is deeply embedded in many Muslim societies, cutting across regions and social classes. The video sets the stage by noting that for centuries Islamic tradition has acknowledged unseen beings – the jinn, described in the Qur’an as creatures “made from smokeless fire” – who live alongside humans and occasionally interfere in human livesen.wikipedia.orgvice.com. Far from being a fringe superstition, such beliefs are widespread in the Muslim world and diaspora, often serving as a default explanation for misfortunes or inexplicable illnesses across diverse culturesen.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. In the film, Yasir Qadhi emphasizes that belief in jinn is an integral part of Islamic creed (as they are mentioned in scripture), which helps explain why exorcism rituals have persisted from ancient times into the modern day.

Regional and Folk Traditions: The practice of ruqyah (Islamic exorcism) adapts to local contexts. The video’s featured “ruqyah expert” hails from Southeast Asia, and he recounts how, in his community, Islamic exorcism often intertwines with traditional healing customs. For example, he describes witnessing “people vomit nails [and] bent blades” and other bizarre objects during ruqyah sessions – manifestations that are interpreted as physical evidence of black magic being expelled. This anecdote resonates with folk stories across regions: in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia, exorcists (often called bomoh or dukuns) likewise claim that victims may vomit blood, glass, or nails when a spell is broken. In South Asia, exorcism practices are often centered around Sufi shrines and saints. The documentary visits a shrine in Pakistan where a young woman believed to be possessed is brought for healing – her family hopes the spirit of a venerated saint will drive out the jinn afflicting herreuters.comreuters.com. Such scenes underscore that even in culturally “liberal” or mystical Islamic settings (like Sufi traditions), belief in jinn possession endures as a way to make sense of personal and social turmoilreuters.comreuters.com.

Notably, the film shows that in some communities possession and exorcism are not always viewed purely negatively. In portions of Africa and Asia, spirit possession can be ritualized in culturally specific ways. (One expert in the video mentions how in certain Swahili and North African traditions, people may undergo possessions in a controlled setting as a form of healing or trance therapyen.wikipedia.org. For instance, Zar ceremonies in Northeast Africa or Sufi hadra trance rituals involve calling upon spirits or jinn, seeking their aid or appeasement rather than just expelling them – a practice that local Muslims distinguish from “demonic” possessionen.wikipedia.org.) Such regional variations highlight that Islamic exorcism isn’t monolithic; it is colored by local folklore, whether it’s a West African healer negotiating with a jinn for relief, or an Indonesian imam combining Qur’anic recitation with herbal remedies.

Modern Environments: The cultural context also extends to Muslim immigrant communities in the West. The video notes that beliefs in jinn and exorcism remain common among diaspora populations in Europe and North Americaen.wikipedia.org. One segment examines the phenomenon of “jinn healers” in the UK, where demand for exorcisms has grown. The film cites research about British South Asian communities, where some families attribute mental health problems or misfortunes to jinn and seek out back-room exorcists, sometimes in lieu of medical helpaljazeera.com. For example, the documentary mentions a UK-based raqi (exorcist) who operates out of an ordinary flat – reflecting reports that Islamic exorcisms occur “up and down the country” in Britain, even in unlikely locations (one journalist famously found a ruqyah session being conducted in the back of a Glasgow beauty salonvice.comvice.com). Such anecdotes illustrate how the practice has transplanted into urban, secular settings: flyers for “Jinn removal services” circulate in Western citiesvice.com, and dedicated healers serve multi-cultural clienteles in places as far afield as London, Toronto, or New York. The video underlines that despite modern education and scientific progress, many individuals from Muslim backgrounds – whether in Casablanca or Chicago – still turn to age-old exorcistic rituals when faced with misfortunes, seeing them as part of their cultural and religious heritage.

In summary, Islamic exorcism is culturally pervasive. The documentary shows that from rural villages to cosmopolitan capitals, ruqyah is practiced in various forms, often blending orthodox Islam with local tradition. It is a phenomenon “known to the ancient generations” and still ingrained in collective beliefmoroccoworldnews.com. This cultural entrenchment helps explain why attempts to curb or outlaw exorcism (as have been debated in some countries) tend to meet resistancemoroccoworldnews.com – for many people, ruqyah is not seen as superstition but as a legitimate, even sunnah (prophetic tradition) based, remedy for the troubles that modern life and unseen forces alike can bring.

Religious Practices and Rituals in Ruqyah

Rituals and Prayers: The video provides an inside look at how a typical Islamic exorcism is performed. We see the ruqyah practitioner preparing for a session by reciting verses from the Qur’an and supplications (duʿāʾ) either directly over the afflicted person or into a vessel of water. In one scene, a young woman believed to be possessed lies down while the raqi (exorcist) places his palm on her forehead, chanting Arabic verses in a firm, rhythmic voicepulitzercenter.org. As the recitation intensifies – commonly including potent passages like Ayat al-Kursī (Qur’an 2:255) or the last chapters Al-Falaq and An-Nās, known as verses of protection – the patient begins to tremble and scream, taken as a sign that the jinn is reacting. This aligns with the standard ruqyah protocol described in the film: Qur’anic incantation is the core of the ritual, believed to torment the occupying spirit and force it to departpulitzercenter.orgpulitzercenter.org.

The expert interviewed explains that only ḥalāl (permissible) methods rooted in Islamic teachings are used – no pagan rites or sacrifices, since practitioners stress the distinction between authorized ruqyah and sorcery. For example, he recites the basmalah (“In the name of God, the Most Merciful…”) and Qur’an chapters, occasionally blowing air over the patient or water. In the video, he prepares ruqyah water: cupping his hands, he breathes out Quranic prayers into a bottle of water which is then given to the patient to drinkmoroccoworldnews.com. As Morocco’s Islamic affairs minister explains in a related context, “Ruqyah…is the act of reciting verses from the Qur’an or praying duʿāʾ… to exorcise demons or cure the ‘ayn (evil eye) or counter magic. Raqis say the words over water, which the patient then drinks.”moroccoworldnews.com. This method – effectively using holy verses as spiritual “medicine” to consume – is showcased multiple times in the film. In one dramatic case, the expert recounts how after drinking ruqyah water and continued Qur’an recitation, a patient coughed up several needles that, ostensibly, had been placed inside her through witchcraft. Such stories illustrate the blend of Qur’anic healing and folk belief (e.g. the idea that black magic can implant foreign objects in victims, which ruqyah can expel).

Scriptural Justifications: The documentary grounds these practices in Islamic scripture and prophetic tradition. Yasir Qadhi cites historical narrations (hadith) to legitimize exorcism rituals: notably, he mentions a famous incident from the time of Prophet Muhammad where a companion recited Sūrat al-Fātiḥah (the Qur’an’s opening chapter) as a healing ruqyah for a tribal chief who had been bitten by a scorpion. Miraculously, the recitation relieved the man’s pain, and when told of it, “Allah’s Messenger ﷺ asked, ‘How did you know Al-Fātiḥah could be used as ruqyah?’” – implicitly approving the practiceonepathnetwork.comonepathnetwork.com. This hadith (found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī) is highlighted in the film to show that using the Qur’an’s words as incantation is rooted in the Prophet’s sunnah. Likewise, common prophetic supplications (for protection against evil) are referenced. The expert points out that the Prophet Muhammad himself used to seek refuge in God from jinn and the evil eye, and taught specific prayers for it, establishing a precedent for Muslims to do the same.

During the interview, Qadhi and the ruqyah healer discuss the theological underpinnings of jinn exorcism. They cite Quranic verses that acknowledge the existence of jinn and magic – for example, the story of Moses and the sorcerers, or verses like “And we send down in the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers…” (Qur’an 17:82) – which many interpret as evidence that recitation can heal spiritual afflictions. The Qur’an’s 113th and 114th chapters (Al-Falaq and An-Nās) are explicitly mentioned in the video as al-Muʿawwidhatayn, “the verses of refuge,” often recited in ruqyah to drive away malevolent spirits or the evil eyemoroccoworldnews.com. By performing ruqyah, the healer says, he is simply applying these scriptural remedies. The intention is crucial: all healing is from God, so a ruqyah practitioner views himself not as a magician but as someone who invokes divine words to alleviate a patient’s sufferingonepathnetwork.com.

The Exorcism Experience: Visually and aurally, the film gives a sense of how an Islamic exorcism looks and feels. In one segment, the camera captures a live ruqyah session (with patient anonymity preserved). As Quranic verses are broadcast, the audio picks up the patient’s sudden piercing screams and guttural cries, which the raqi interprets as the jinn reacting in painpulitzercenter.org. The healer sternly commands the unseen entity (sometimes in Arabic, telling it “ukhruj!” – “get out!”). According to his explanation, the Qur’an’s sound is like “fire” to jinn, and a devout raqi will keep reciting until the entity either flees or speaks through the patient. Indeed, the video includes an eerie moment where a female patient, normally soft-spoken, suddenly growls in a deep male voice while under trance – taken as the jinn speaking. Such episodes are meant to demonstrate to the audience the reality that is believed to be unfolding: an invisible spiritual struggle, with the Qur’anic verses “burning” the possessing demon until it departs. The exorcist may also question the jinn (asking why it entered this person, or if it was sent by black magic). In the video, the expert mentions that jinn often give flimsy or deceitful answers, but common claimed reasons are that they are either infatuated with the person, angered by some incident, or bound by a sorcerer’s spell to possess the victimpulitzercenter.orgreuters.com. These align with classical explanations in Islamic literature – jinn are thought to enter humans “for various reasons: it may be evil or infatuated, or simply bored,” as one journalist quipspulitzercenter.org.

Tools and Variations: While the core of ruqyah is vocal prayer, the video shows that practitioners sometimes employ adjunct aids. One is ruqyah water, already mentioned, which can also be mixed with sidr (lotus) leaves or honey based on prophetic traditions. Another is the use of hands-on techniques: the healer might place a hand on the patient’s head or shoulder while reciting, as physical touch is believed to “press” the jinn. We see the expert gently restraining an enraged patient at one point to prevent self-harm. Notably, no extreme physical force or harm is used by the healer in this video, distinguishing Islamic ruqyah from some other exorcism practices. There are no props like crucifixes or holy water as in Christian exorcisms; instead, some raqis will use zamzam water (sacred water from Mecca) or oil infused with Quranic recitation. In one instance, the video shows the healer loading verses of the Qur’an on a speaker and placing it near a distraught patient overnight, a form of “passive” ruqyah where constant Qur’an playback is meant to agitate any resident spirit. Additionally, the interview touches on preventative measures: practicing Muslims often recite certain verses daily (e.g. Ayat al-Kursī before sleep) to ward off jinn; such protective ruqyah is part of the faith’s recommended daily regimen, not only a cure after the factyoutube.com.

Throughout the religious practices segment, the tone of the film is one of reverence: ruqyah is presented as fundamentally a spiritual healing art sanctioned by Islam. The expert repeatedly stresses that any Muslim can perform basic ruqyah on themselves by reciting Qur’an and prayers – it’s not “mystical shamanism” but rather an application of faith. However, he concedes that not everyone has the courage or spiritual strength to confront possessing entities, which is why experienced healers (often hafidh who know many Qur’an verses by heart) end up in this role. By grounding ruqyah in scripture and showing its rituals step-by-step, the video underlines that, in an ideal form, Islamic exorcism is essentially prayer-as-therapy – an attempt to heal the unseen using the words of God, as practiced by Muslims for generationsonepathnetwork.comonepathnetwork.com.

Ethical Concerns and Controversies

While the video casts ruqyah in a largely positive light as a faith-based remedy, it does acknowledge – and external sources further illustrate – a number of ethical concerns surrounding Islamic exorcism practices. These concerns range from issues of personal safety and consent to the potential for abuse (financial, physical, and sexual) by unscrupulous practitioners. The documentary itself briefly raises the question: “What safeguards exist to prevent harm during exorcisms?” Yasir Qadhi notes that Islamic law (Sharia) forbids causing unjust harm, implying that legitimate raqis must operate within ethical boundaries. However, as the broader discourse reveals, reality does not always meet this ideal. Below, we outline the key ethical issues highlighted in or related to the video:

• Lack of Consent & Coercion: A recurring concern is that those subjected to exorcism may not always be in a position to give informed consent. The film shows mostly voluntary participants (people or their families seeking help), but elsewhere, cases have emerged of forced exorcisms. For instance, in one shocking case (noted in related reports), a woman in the Maldives and her daughters were confined and abused for months under the pretext of “ruqyah” performed by a local healertimesofaddu.comtimesofaddu.com. The husband in that case believed his wife’s migraines were due to jinn, and without her true consent, brought in a so-called raqi who essentially imprisoned and tortured the family. This illustrates how the concept of possession can be misused to justify depriving individuals of autonomy. In the video’s context, the expert warns that a person who is truly mentally incapacitated by possession might not be able to consent, so their family must act in their interest – but this can be a gray area, easily leading to violations of personal rights if families or healers overstep.
• Physical Harm: Ethical lines are often crossed when exorcists use violent methods to “drive out” a jinn. The ruqya expert in the film insists that Islamic exorcism should rely on words, not beating – “Our Prophet ﷺ never taught us to harm the patient”, he says – yet acknowledges some practitioners do resort to physical force. Unfortunately, there have been real injuries and even deaths linked to exorcism attempts. In the UK and elsewhere, there are reports of victims being beaten, burnt, or gagged in the course of an “Islamic” exorcismcbsnews.com. The documentary cites a news blurb about a 21-year-old who died of suffocation during a supposed jinn-expulsion; such tragedies underscore the danger. In one scene, Qadhi recounts a cautionary tale of an amateur exorcist who drowned a patient during a “water cure” gone wrong. These incidents, though extreme, highlight why many clerics urge caution. In the OnePath Network’s investigation (referenced for context), Islamic scholars in Australia issued a public warning about “physical violence…towards the most vulnerable” being perpetrated under guise of ruqyahonepathnetwork.com. The film echoes this, noting that any exorcist who beats or physically abuses a patient is violating Islamic ethics as well as civil law.
• Gender Dynamics and Sexual Exploitation: The video briefly touches on the sensitive issue of male healers treating female patients. In conservative Islamic practice, gender interaction is regulated – a man should not be alone with an unrelated woman, and certainly not engage in intimate touching. The ruqyah expert mentions he always requires a mahram (a male relative of the woman) to be present when he treats female clients, precisely to maintain propriety. This policy is well-founded, as numerous abuses have been documented when such safeguards are absent. A notable scandal discussed in the video is the case of a Moroccan raqi (exorcist) who sexually exploited several women during ruqyah sessionsmoroccoworldnews.com. Posing as a pious imam, he coerced female clients into sexual acts, claiming it was part of the cure; he even filmed these encounters for blackmail. (After a video leaked, he was arrested and faced up to 20 years in prisonmoroccoworldnews.com.) Similarly, the OnePath documentary uncovered accounts of molestation: victims testified that some fraudulent healers convinced families that any screams of protest were just “the demon talking,” thus isolating women to abuse themonepathnetwork.comonepathnetwork.com. The ethical breach here is twofold – not only sexual assault, but also the betrayal of religious trust. The video uses these examples to stress the importance of oversight: reputable raqis themselves condemn those who operate behind closed doors with female patients. In Islam, one scholar remarks, “being alone with a woman, or touching her beyond necessity, during ruqyah contravenes Sharia guidelines”onepathnetwork.com. Thus, gender dynamics are a serious ethical aspect: vulnerable women (or even children) have at times been preyed upon by predatory exorcists, exploiting the fear of jinn for their own deviance.
• Financial Exploitation: Another concern raised is the money-making side of the exorcism industry. Traditionally, Islamic healers often did not charge fixed fees – any payment was considered a gift or charity. In the video, Qadhi notes a hadith where the Prophet’s companions accepted a flock of sheep as thanks for a ruqyah, indicating it’s permissible to accept compensation. However, monetizing ruqyah has become rampant and sometimes predatory in modern times. The interviewed expert laments that some so-called healers treat ruqyah as a lucrative business, advertising miracle cures and demanding exorbitant fees. External reports back this up: in the Maldives case, police found some individuals claiming to do ruqyah were charging families the equivalent of $5,000–$7,000 USD for months of “treatment”timesofaddu.com. In the UK, a going rate for a private exorcism session can be £200–£300vice.com, though online “Jinn removers” might charge a more modest £70 per session as noted in one casepulitzercenter.org. The video includes an interview snippet with a Moroccan imam who decries commercialization: “There are those who call themselves raqis and charge people money…50 or 100 dirhams, as if they were doctors. Ruqyah should be done for the sake of God, not sold as a service.”moroccoworldnews.com. The ethical issue is that charlatans exploit the desperation of afflicted individuals, sometimes delivering fake services (e.g. selling talismans or “magic” oils) under the guise of ruqyah. The National Secular Society in the UK even criticized certain Islamic charities for “stoking fear of black magic” to create demand for their ruqyah sessionssecularism.org.uk. All of this calls into question the integrity of those performing exorcisms. The documentary urges viewers to be wary: just because someone wears Islamic attire and uses Quranic phrases does not guarantee their honesty. As one investigative report put it, “the appearance of the spiritual healer… was enough to convince family members he had authority – despite his clear, grievous violations of Islamic law.”onepathnetwork.com.
• Ethical Use of Authority: Finally, the film touches on the responsibility that comes with claiming to heal others spiritually. Exorcists occupy a position of power over fearful clients. Ethically, they should do no harm and not overstep their knowledge. Yet a critique mentioned in the video (and voiced by medical professionals) is that some raqis claim expertise beyond their scope – for example, telling people to abandon medical treatments, or diagnosing every problem as spiritual. There is an implicit ethical danger in an exorcist acting as a pseudo-psychologist or physician without training. The Australian National Imams Council, as cited, released a press statement warning the public against “corrupt spiritual healers feigning religious authority”onepathnetwork.com. This indicates a wider Muslim-community acknowledgment that fraud and malpractice have infiltrated the ruqyah scene, and that reform is needed. In the video, Yasir Qadhi echoes this by advising viewers that ruqyah should complement, not replace, responsible medical care. He also emphasizes that any raqi who engages in un-Islamic practices (for instance, using spells invoking jinn, or instructing unlawful acts) is to be avoided.

In summary, the documentary and supporting cases paint a cautionary picture: while authentic Islamic exorcism is meant to be spiritually healing and benign, there are significant ethical pitfalls. Consent should be clear; no physical or psychological harm should come to the patient; gender ethics and privacy must be respected; and financial conduct should be transparent and fair. Unfortunately, as shown, not all who practice ruqyah uphold these standards. This has led to calls for greater oversight and regulation. In Morocco, we learn, the government in 2018 even arrested 116 fake “imams” tied to ruqyah offensesmoroccoworldnews.com. And in the Maldives, public pressure mounted to formally regulate exorcism services (similar to how Saudi Arabia licenses and monitors its ruqyah practitioners)timesofaddu.com. The video leaves viewers with a clear message: Islamic exorcism, if done, must be done ethically. The moment a healer crosses into abuse or exploitation, they are not only violating human rights but also the very faith they claim to represent.

Psychological Aspects and Mental Health

One of the most critical discussions in the video revolves around the intersection of jinn possession and mental health. Yasir Qadhi poses a direct question to the ruqyah expert: “How do we differentiate someone truly afflicted by jinn from someone experiencing a psychological disorder?” This issue is at the heart of modern debates on exorcism. The film explores both the perspectives of believers – who have witnessed inexplicable phenomena and are convinced some cases are genuine possessions – and the perspectives of skeptics and professionals – who argue that these are manifestations of mental illness or social stress. The psychological dimension of Islamic exorcism is thus complex, touching on diagnosis, placebo effects, and the cultural context of mental health in Muslim communities.

Attribution of Symptoms: In many Muslim cultures, as the documentary notes, there is a tendency to attribute certain symptoms to supernatural causes rather than medical ones. The video shows a few examples: a patient who hears voices telling him strange things (a likely case of auditory hallucination) is assumed by his family to have a jinn whispering to him; a teenager with seizures and fits is brought to an imam because relatives suspect an evil eye or spirit, not epilepsy. Such scenarios are common. Studies have found that Muslims (especially in South Asia and the Middle East) often invoke jinn or “black magic” to explain mental illness or neurological disordersen.wikipedia.orgbpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com. In the film, an academic mentions that “what might be called schizophrenia or bipolar in clinical terms is sometimes explained as possession or sorcery in villages”. This is echoed by a psychologist interviewed, who says, “In countries with heavy stigma on mental illness, many see spiritual healing as the only option – a desperate attempt to seek hope”reuters.com. Indeed, the Reuters footage included in the documentary depicts a psychiatric professional from Pakistan lamenting that due to social stigma and lack of mental health education, families choose shrines and exorcists for conditions like depression or epilepsyreuters.com.

The ruqyah practitioner in the video acknowledges that symptoms of jinn possession often mirror those of mental illnesses: erratic behavior, talking to unseen figures, convulsions, personality changes, etc. What, then, is his method of discernment? He explains that during diagnosis, a ruqyah healer might recite some Quran over the person as a “test.” In genuine spiritual afflictions, it’s believed the patient will have an extreme, involuntary reaction to the Qur’an (screaming, fainting, entering a trance). If nothing at all happens, many healers would suspect the issue is likely medical or psychological rather than jinn-related. In the Glasgow exorcism story alluded to in the film, a journalist was made to undergo such a test – listening to a half-hour of Quranic chants – and since he experienced no adverse reaction, the exorcist concluded he wasn’t possessedvice.comvice.com. The logic is that “Qur’an only harms devils, not a normal person”. However, this method is not foolproof; skeptics point out that a suggestible person might convince themselves to react, or that a real mental health patient might also react due to the emotional power of the verses, not because of a jinn.

Possession vs. Illness – The Debate: The video presents the ruqyah expert’s firm belief that some cases are unequivocally spiritual. He cites instances where the afflicted person suddenly spoke in Arabic (a language they didn’t know) or revealed hidden information during ruqyah – things he contends no psychological condition could explain. From his view, these are proofs of genuine possession. On the other side, the film gives voice (through an on-screen quote and references) to those who argue the opposite. A prominent progressive Muslim commentator is shown stating: “The idea of jinn possession is not just irrational and unscientific, but also anti-Qur’anic”, reasoning that the Qur’an says Satan has no authority over humans, thus jinn cannot literally control peoplereddit.comreddit.com. This viewpoint suggests that what people call possession may actually be mental illness or fraud. Psychiatrists interviewed mention conditions like dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, etc., which throughout history have been misdiagnosed as demonic possessionoamjms.eu. One clinical case study (referenced alongside the video) from Aceh, Indonesia, demonstrated how a patient’s trance and violent behavior – first treated as jinn possession – eventually improved with conventional psychiatric therapyoamjms.eu. The takeaway is that context heavily influences diagnosis: in a conservative religious environment, unusual behavior might be labeled spiritual affliction; in a secular clinical environment, it’s labeled a disorder.

The documentary doesn’t conclusively resolve this debate (it is, after all, produced from a faith-centric angle), but it does stress the need for balance. Yasir Qadhi, while affirming that jinn possession is real in Islamic theology, also tells viewers that Islam encourages seeking medical treatment. He cites that Prophet Muhammad said “Seek treatment, O servants of God, for Allah has not sent a disease without sending a cure for it,” implying that one should not ignore conventional medicine. The ruqyah expert concurs that many cases brought to him turn out not to be spiritual. In fact, he mentions he sometimes collaborates with psychiatrists: if a patient shows no sign of jinn after multiple ruqyah sessions, he encourages the family to pursue medical care. Conversely, a few Muslim psychiatrists (outside the film) have started acknowledging their patients’ spiritual concerns – for example, in London, initiatives have brought imams and mental health professionals together to distinguish when it’s appropriate to perform ruqyah and when to prescribe therapyemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.ukemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.uk. The film briefly notes such efforts, indicating a developing field of Islamic psychology that tries to integrate faith healing with mental healthcare, so that patients are neither neglected spiritually nor medically.

Effects on Mental Health: Another psychological aspect is how undergoing an exorcism might affect a person. The video shares testimonies of people who felt immense relief after a ruqyah session – even if their problem was psychological, the ritual gave them a cathartic release, a feeling that the “darkness” was expelled. This hints at a kind of placebo effect or psychosomatic benefit. Indeed, scholars like Professor Simon Dein (mentioned in related context) have noted that spiritual healing ceremonies can improve psychological well-being through mechanisms akin to hypnosis or placebo, especially when the patient strongly believes in the processemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.ukemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.uk. The video’s footage of patients emerging from trance, appearing calm and grateful, reinforces that for believers, ruqyah works on a subjective level. The mind, in such cases, may find healing through ritual and suggestion.

However, the opposite is also a risk: the film acknowledges that trauma can result from violent or frightening exorcisms. A young man interviewed describes a harrowing experience where he was held down by several people who were shouting prayers at him; he recalls feeling panic and later, confusion over whether what happened was real or just hysteria. Mental health experts caution that labeling someone “possessed” can itself be damaging – it may prevent them from seeking proper care or worsen their self-stigma. There is also the phenomenon of mass hysteria: the video mentions incidents of multiple schoolgirls in a French island apparently “possessed,” which some experts suspect was psychogenic illness amplified by collective beliefyoutube.com. In those cases, ruqyah was performed on all the girls and the situation eventually resolved, but skeptics argue it was the power of suggestion and communal psychology at play.

Throughout this segment, an underlying theme is the importance of not creating false dichotomies. The documentary’s stance is that believing in jinn does not mean rejecting psychology – the two realms address different aspects of the human experience (the spiritual and the mental). One telling quote comes from an Australian imam: “There is no doubt people can be affected by evil spirits… however, by the same token, we do not deny the importance of first evaluating whether one has a medical condition that can explain the sickness.”onepathnetwork.com. This encapsulates the balanced approach advocated in the film and by many contemporary Muslim leaders. The ruqyah expert himself states that he often advises patients to continue therapy or medication in parallel with spiritual treatment, and that ruqyah should complement, not substitute, professional help in prolonged cases of mental distress.

In conclusion, the video portrays Islamic exorcism as walking a fine line between the seen and unseen worlds. Psychologically, belief in jinn and the ritual of ruqyah can be a double-edged sword: it may provide comfort and meaning to some, but can mislead others away from clinical solutions if misapplied. The key, as derived from the documentary and experts, is discernment. Some cases of claimed possession may indeed be culturally coded expressions of mental illness – and the film urges compassion and proper diagnosis for those. Yet, within the believers’ framework, there remains a category of human experience that they feel cannot be explained by illness alone. The ruqyah practitioner closes on a thoughtful note: “We must treat the patient holistically – rūḥ and nafs (spirit and psyche). If we ignore one or the other, we fail to truly heal.” It’s an acknowledgement that healing may need both the Holy Qur’an and the DSM-5, each in its place.

Public Reactions and Responses

Islamic exorcism, as depicted in the video, elicits a wide range of reactions from different segments of society. Public response to these practices is anything but monolithic within Muslim communities, and it is further complicated by secular critique and media portrayal. In this section, we summarize how various groups – devout believers, religious scholars, reformers, secular observers, the media, and authorities – respond to and critique ruqyah and jinn-possession practices.

• Mainstream Muslim Acceptance: For many ordinary Muslims, ruqyah is an accepted part of religious life. The video highlights that in countries like Pakistan, Morocco, or Indonesia, going to an imam or raqi for spiritual problems is commonplace, and those helped by exorcism often become its most ardent advocates. The popularity of the topic is evident online: sensational ruqyah videos (possessed individuals reacting to Quran) garner millions of views on YouTube, shared by fascinated Muslims and even non-Muslimsonepathnetwork.com. This indicates a widespread curiosity and implicit belief in the phenomenon. Within conservative and traditional circles, speaking about jinn and exorcism from the mosque pulpit is not unusual – in fact, prominent imams and daees (preachers) frequently give lectures on the reality of jinn. The video’s host, Yasir Qadhi, is himself an example of a well-known scholar who has delivered extensive talks on jinn, black magic, and the evil eye, reinforcing these concepts for mainstream audiences. For believers, successful exorcism stories (like a child suddenly recovering after ruqyah) are shared as faith-affirming miracles. Public support for ruqyah is also seen when exorcists are perceived as doing good; for instance, the documentary shows community members thanking the featured healer for his work. In summary, a significant portion of Muslim public opinion respects ruqyah as a spiritual healing craft – a continuation of prophetic tradition – and often views skeptics of possession as lacking in faith or knowledge of the unseen.
• Scholarly Perspectives – Supporters vs. Deniers: Within the realm of Islamic scholarship, there is a spectrum of views, which the video touches upon. The majority of orthodox scholars from all four Sunni schools, as well as Shia tradition, affirm the possibility of jinn possession and endorse ruqyah so long as it stays within Islamic guidelines. This majority stance is grounded in classical scholarship and texts: for instance, medieval scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah wrote about expelling jinn, and today’s ulema often cite these precedents. The film cites that “most Muslim scholars believe jinn can physically possess people”en.wikipedia.org, whereas only a minority refute this. That minority view, held by some modernist or rationalist thinkers, interprets jinn narratives metaphorically or attributes them to mental illness. Their argument (as quoted in the video via a critic) is that literal possession doesn’t reconcile with Quranic principles, and that early scholars who denied possession existed tooen.wikipedia.orgreddit.com. However, those voices remain relatively marginal in the global context – often limited to reformist circles. The internal debate sometimes surfaces publicly: for example, a well-known UK-based scholar, Mufti Abu Layth, has openly dismissed belief in jinn possession and was mentioned in the video as having “debunked” evil eye and possession mythsreddit.com. In response, more conservative scholars have doubled down on teaching these topics, arguing that denying jinn is denying part of Islam’s teachings. This scholarly divide influences public reaction: devout followers of traditional scholars tend to accept exorcism as real, whereas followers of reformist scholars may approach such claims with skepticism. The documentary shows footage of a seminar where two Islamic scholars politely disagree on a case, one suggesting the person needed an MRI scan, the other suggesting more ruqyah – illustrating that even among imams, there can be healthy skepticism or caution.
• Progressive Muslim and Secular Critique: On the other end of the spectrum, secular-minded observers – both Muslim and non-Muslim – often criticize Islamic exorcism as superstition or a harmful cultural relic. The video includes a glimpse of commentary from a Muslim progressives’ forum, where one user vents frustration at popular preachers for “spreading superstitious nonsense among Muslims”reddit.com. This reflects a broader sentiment that emphasis on jinn and exorcism keeps communities entrenched in fear and may prevent them from seeking scientific explanations. These critics worry that videos like Qadhi’s, despite any cautionary notes, could encourage vulnerable people to blame jinn for problems and potentially fall prey to exploiters. They often call for demystifying mental health in Muslim societies (for example, campaigns to educate that schizophrenia is an illness, not a spirit). Some go as far as calling possession belief “anti-Quranic”, as mentioned, or an import from pre-Islamic folklore. Secular activists, such as those in the National Secular Society (UK), have also responded by lobbying regulators when exorcism practices cross into public harm. The NSS in 2024 publicly criticized an Islamic charity in Birmingham for “stoking fear of black magic and promoting exorcisms”, arguing that this fosters a climate of fear and abusesecularism.org.uk. They and others have advocated for tighter oversight of faith healing practices, especially where children or unconsenting individuals are involved. The media, including outlets like VICE and BBC, often take an investigative or skeptical tone on this subject. When BBC Newsnight ran a segment on “Britain’s backstreet exorcists,” it highlighted the danger of framing mental illness as possession and featured undercover footage to expose abusive healers. The Vice magazine article about an exorcism in Glasgow (cited alongside the video) presents the practice as an interesting subculture but with an undercurrent of disbelief – the journalist approached it as neither believer nor total debunker, but with healthy skepticism about its effectiveness and concerns about potential charlatanismvice.comvice.com. Overall, secular and progressive reactions range from cautious skepticism to outright condemnation of ruqyah practices, especially when they intersect with fraud or health neglect.
• Media Sensationalism vs. Education: The public’s understanding of Islamic exorcism is also shaped by how media portrays it. The documentary in question is somewhat unique in that it takes a serious, explanatory approach. But many times, media attention comes only when something goes wrong – an exorcism-related death, a court case, etc. This can sensationalize the issue and cast all exorcisms in a negative light. For example, the video references the widely reported case of a young girl in Sri Lanka who died during a ritual beating to expel a demon, which made international headlines and led to arrestsaljazeera.com. Likewise, in 2015 the murder of a UK-based Muslim exorcist by a client’s relative (who was mentally ill) was news that added to the aura of danger around these ritualstribune.com.pk. Such reports contribute to a public perception (especially among non-Muslims) that exorcisms are inherently barbaric or risky. On the flip side, there have been journalistic pieces (like Pulitzer Center’s “Jinnfluencers” article) that aim to inform rather than merely shock. The Pulitzer Center story noted in context examines the rise of online ruqyah healers and the mental health issues in South Asian communities that drive people to thempulitzercenter.orgpulitzercenter.org. It paints a nuanced picture – acknowledging the societal needs filled by these healers but also the lack of psychiatric recourse in those communities. Public reaction to such balanced media can be more understanding, spurring conversations about integrating spiritual care with healthcare. In general, when exorcism is portrayed with empathy (for instance, showing the suffering of the “possessed” individual and the earnest attempt to help them), the public may react with compassion or at least curiosity. But when it’s depicted as abuse or quackery, it can provoke public outcry and demands for action.
• Government and Law Enforcement: Authorities in various countries have started reacting to the issues posed by rogue exorcists. The video, as mentioned earlier, cites Morocco’s Islamic Affairs Minister distinguishing legitimate ruqyah from fraudulent practices and noting the difficulty of eliminating it entirely since it’s rooted in traditionmoroccoworldnews.com. After high-profile abuse cases, there are often calls for legal regulation. In the Maldives case of ruqyah-related sexual abuse, public pressure led the Human Rights Commission and Parliament to investigate and consider regulatory frameworkstimesofaddu.com. Some countries (like Saudi Arabia) have established licensing for ruqyah practitioners under its Ministry of Islamic Affairs, attempting to weed out “sorcerers.” The public in those places may support such regulation, seeing it as a way to preserve the religious practice while curbing misuse. However, in more secular countries, there are debates on whether exorcism should be treated as a safeguarded religious rite or a practice subject to general law. Public opinion can be split – some argue religious freedom covers the right to spiritual healing, while others argue the state must step in when lives are at risk. The documentary itself doesn’t delve deeply into legal debates, but by showing examples of police raids on fake healers (briefly seen in B-roll footage) and mentioning arrests, it implies that law enforcement is increasingly involved where exorcisms cross into criminal behaviortimesofaddu.com. This reflects a growing public consensus that abusive exorcists should face justice, just as any abuser would, rather than hiding behind religion.

In summation, public reactions to Islamic exorcism are highly polarized. There is a sizeable constituency within the Muslim public that views ruqyah as a valuable spiritual service and reacts defensively to criticism of it – they may rally around beloved shaykhs who promote ruqyah and dismiss detractors as having weak faith or Western bias. Concurrently, there is a vocal contingent (including some Muslims, ex-Muslims, and secular organizations) that reacts with alarm or ridicule – they often push for enlightenment values, education, and sometimes ridicule what they see as medieval superstition. In between, many people are simply curious or cautiously observing: the documentary itself is likely to have attracted viewers who don’t necessarily believe in jinn but are intrigued by the cultural phenomenon.

Perhaps the most productive reaction noted is the emerging dialogue between sectors – for instance, mental health advocates working with imams, or moderate scholars calling for internal reform of ruqyah practicesemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.ukemotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.uk. These nuanced approaches often get less public fanfare than the extreme stories, but they represent a segment of the public (often educated urban Muslims) who neither reject ruqyah outright nor accept it uncritically. Instead, they call for keeping what is spiritually meaningful while addressing what is harmful. As one expert aptly put it, “both frameworks – the scientific and the spiritual – can be harmful if unskilfully applied, but both can also help if used together”emotionsblog.history.qmul.ac.uk. Public reaction is slowly moving toward this integrative view, even as sensational headlines and deep-seated beliefs continue to pull it in opposite directions.

Conclusion
By exploring Islamic exorcism through cultural, religious, ethical, psychological, and societal lenses, the video and our analysis reveal a practice that is multifaceted and deeply interwoven with Muslim life. On one hand, ruqyah represents faith in action – a spiritual response to evil and misfortune, rich with historical and cultural resonance. On the other hand, it exists in tension with modern norms of medicine, law, and ethics. The documentary’s thematic journey shows both the power of belief – how reciting sacred words can bring solace and possibly even psychosomatic healing – and the perils when that belief is misused or clashes with reality. Public discourse on “Islamic exorcism” is far from settled, but as awareness grows, one hopes that the emphasis will be on protecting the vulnerable, promoting holistic well-being, and fostering understanding between the seen and unseen in a way that honors both science and spirituality.

Ultimately, “so-called Islamic exorcism” is about more than casting out spirits; it is about a community grappling with unseen fears in an ever-changing world. The video leaves us with much to ponder – inviting us to respect the sincere faith of those who perform ruqyah, even as we critically evaluate the practice to ensure it remains a source of healing, not harm.

Sources: The information above is drawn from the referenced YouTube documentary and a range of supplemental sources, including academic research, news reports, and expert commentary on ruqyah and jinn beliefs. Notable references include Wikipedia’s overview of Exorcism in Islamen.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org, investigative journalism on rogue healers and mental health (Pulitzer Center’s “Jinnfluencers”pulitzercenter.orgpulitzercenter.org), reports of abuse cases (Morocco World Newsmoroccoworldnews.com, Times of Addutimesofaddu.com), and statements from Islamic authorities and organizations (OnePath Network/ANIConepathnetwork.comonepathnetwork.com). These sources, along with the video’s content, provide a comprehensive look at the practice and perception of Islamic exorcism in today’s context.