Book 39: The Book of Greetings

Abu Sa'id Khudri reported that some persons amongst the Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) set out on a journey and they happened to pass by a tribe from the tribes of Arabia. They demanded hospitality from the members of that tribe, but they did not extend any hospitality to them. They said to them: Is there any invocator amongst you, at the chief of the tribe has bgen stung by a scorpion? A person amongst us said: 'Yes. So he came to him and he practised invocation with the help of Sura al-Fatiha and the person became all right. He was given a flock of sheep (as recompense), but he refused to accept that, saying: I shall make a mention of it to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and if he approves of it. then I shall accept it. So we came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him and he (that person) said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) by Allah, I did not practice invocation but with the help of Sura al-Fatiha of the Holy Book. He (the Holy Prophet) smiled and said: How did you come to know that it can be used (as invocation)? - and then said: Take out of that and allocate a share for me along with your share.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Bishr with the same the same chain of transmitters (with these words): That he recited Umm-ul-Qur'an (Sura Fatiha), and he collected his spittle and he applied that and the person became all right.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: We landed at a place where a woman came to us and said: A scorpion has bitten the chief of the tribe. Is there any invocator amongst you? A person amongst us stood up (and went with her). We had no idea that he had been a good invocator but he practiced invocation with the help of Sura al-Fatiha and the (the chief) was all right. They gave him a flock of sheep and served us milk. We said (to him): Are you a good invocator. Thereupon he said: I did not do it but by the help of Sura al-Fatiha. He said: Do not drive (these goats) until we go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and find out (whether it is permissible to accept (this reward of invocation). So we came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and made a mention of that to him, whereupon he said: How did you come to know that this (Sura al-Fatiha) could be used as an invocation? So distribute them (amongst those who had been present there with him) and allocate a share of mine also.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters and he said: There stood up with her a person amongst us whom we did not know before as an invocator.