Sunnah Days For Hijama Cupping

In Islamic medicine, Hijama is considered a Sunnah or prophetic tradition, which means that it was practiced and recommended by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

According to some schools of thought, it is believed there are specific days in the Islamic calendar that are recommended for performing Hijama, known as Sunnah days. In this article, we will explore the importance of Sunnah days for Hijama, which days are considered the best for Hijama, the benefits of Hijama on Sunnah days, tips for preparing and performing Hijama, precautions to take, and recommendations for incorporating Sunnah days for Hijama into your lifestyle.

What are Sunnah Days?

Sunnah days are specific days of the month that are regarded as blessed and recommended for performing certain deeds or acts of worship in Islam. These days hold significant spiritual power and blessings and are known to offer numerous benefits to the human body and soul. These occur on the 17th, 19th and 21st of the Islamic lunar calendar.

In the Islamic calendar, each day begins at Maghrib (sunset) the evening before, not at midnight. This means the 17th of the Hijri month actually starts at Maghrib on the evening before the corresponding Gregorian date. The same applies to the 19th and 21st. Practically, this gives you a 6-day window across the three Sunnah dates to schedule your Hijama session.

Although the majority of the ahadith that confirm these days are weak, there is one hadith authenticated by Sheikh Al-Albani in regards to these days.

Narrated Abu Hurayrah:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If anyone has himself cupped on the 17th, 19th and 21st it will be a remedy for every disease.

Sunan Abi Dawud 3861

Other hadith you may come across are the following:

“Indeed, the best of remedies you have is cupping (Hijama).”

Narrated by Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) – Sahih al-Bukhari 5371

“Whoever wants to perform cupping (Hijama) then let him search for the 17th, 19th and 21st.”

Narrated by Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) – Sunan Ibn Majah 3486

“I did not pass by an angel from the angels on the night journey except that they all said to me: Upon you is cupping (Hijama), O Muhammad.”

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) – Sunan Ibn Majah 3477

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best times to be treated with cupping are the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first [of the month].” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2054; the isnad is da’eef)

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever wants to be treated by cupping, let him do it on the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first, lest the blood flow too copiously and kill him.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 3489; there is some weakness in the report)

Although the ahadith quoted above are from different sources and may be weak to some extent, they give strength to one another.

However, what is also apparent nowadays, there is some scientific research that supports performing Hijama in the latter stages of the month:

Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“These ahadith coincide with what the doctors agree on, that cupping should be done in the second half of the month, and that the third quarter of the month is better than the beginning or the end. But if cupping is done out of necessity it is beneficial at any time, even at the beginning or end of the month. Al-Khallaal said: ‘Ismah ibn ‘Isaam told me: Hanbal told me: Abu ‘Abd-Allah Ahmad ibn Hanbal would be treated with cupping whenever his blood increased, no matter what time it was… They disliked having cupping done on a full stomach, because that could lead to obstruction and grievous diseases, especially if the food was heavy and bad… Choosing the times mentioned above for cupping is an extra precaution, to be on the safe side and to protect one’s health, but when it comes to treating disease, whenever it is necessary it should be used.”

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“According to the doctors, the most efficacious cupping is that which is done at the second or third hour, after having intercourse or taking a bath, etc., and neither on a full nor empty stomach. With regard to specific days for administering cupping, it was reported in a hadeeth narrated from Ibn ‘Umar by Ibn Maajah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Administer cupping, may Allah bless you, on Thursdays, and administer cupping on Mondays and Tuesdays, but avoid cupping on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.’ It was reported with two da’eef isnads, and there is a third version, also da’eef, reported by al-Daaraqutni in al-Afraad. He also reported it with a jayyid isnaad from Ibn ‘Umar but it is mawqoof (the isnad stops at the Sahaabi). Al-Khallaal reported that Ahmad disliked cupping on the days mentioned, even though the hadeeth was not proven. It was said that a man was treated with cupping on a Wednesday and he developed leprosy because he ignored the hadeeth. Abu Dawood reported from Abu Bakr that he disliked cupping on Tuesdays, and said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Tuesday is the day of blood, and on that day there is an hour when blood does not stop.’ The doctors are agreed that cupping in the second half of the month, especially in the third quarter, is more beneficial than cupping at the beginning or end of the month. Al-Muwaffaq al-Baghdaadi said: The body fluids (humours) flow heavily at the beginning of the month and calm down at the end, so the best time to let the blood flow is in the middle of the month.”

It is clear from the above that the ahadith which specify a particular time, when taken as a whole, indicate that there is a basis for this, especially since the words of the doctors are in agreement with it. If the seventeenth or nineteenth or twenty-first of a hijri month happens to be a Thursday, this is the best possible time for cupping, but this is not to say that it is not good to do it at other times. As a form of medical treatment, cupping should not be restricted to any particular time; it should be done as needed by the patient.

What to Expect During Your Session

At our clinic, every Hijama session follows a professional clinical process:

1. Consultation – We discuss your symptoms, goals, and medical history to decide which areas to treat.
2. Cup placement – Cups are placed on specific points based on your assessment. Suction is adjusted to your comfort level.
3. Wet cupping (Hijama) – Small, superficial incisions are made and cups reapplied to draw out stagnant blood. All equipment is 100% sterile and single-use.
4. Aftercare – The treated area is cleaned with antiseptic. You leave with written aftercare guidance and recommendations for follow-up.

Every session is one-to-one in a private clinical setting. No shared rooms, no reused equipment.

Hijama Sessions at Herts Cupping

We also offer Cupping Massage (Deep Tissue and Scraping) sessions from £75 for clients who need deeper muscular work alongside Hijama. We are the only clinic in Hertfordshire combining Hijama with advanced muscle scraping (IASTM) in the same session. Learn more about Cupping Massage.

Check This Month’s Sunnah Days

We maintain a dedicated Sunnah Days page with the latest Gregorian dates for each Hijri month, updated monthly based on the Saudi calendar. Bookmark it to plan your sessions in advance.

References

Fath al-Baari by Ibn Hajar, 10/149.

Sharh al-Zarqaani ‘ala al-Muwatta’, 2/187.

Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudaamah, 1/184.

Zad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 4/60.

You can also see a list of authentic narrations about Hijama Cupping here.