Hijama

Herodotus (c485- c425BC) wrote that Egyptians used both wet cupping and dry cupping for numerous diseases, and Hippocrates described it in his treatise Guide to Clinical Treatment. Later wet cupping has also being a part of Arab traditional medicine. The word “hijama” means “drawing out” or “sucking” in Arabic. The act of performing Hijama is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (570 C.E.) who used it himself and recommended as one of the best remedies to his followers. The therapy is strongly emphasised in a number of narrations and forms an integral part of Islamic Medicine. (Islamic Info Portal, 2014).

Wet cupping was a common practice among European and American physicians up to 19th century. Today it is practiced in China and Middle East as well as Korea, Saudi Arabia, Marocco, Algeria, Uzbekistan and many other Muslim countries. On a smaller scale it is practised today in USA and Europe, including the UK.