The word hijaamah (cupping) comes from the word hajm which means sucking, as in the phrase hajama al-sabiy thadya ummihi (the infant suckled his mother’s breast). Al-Hajjaam means the cupper, hijaamah is the profession of cupping, and the word mihjam is used to describe the vessel in which the blood is collected and the lancet used by the cupper.)

In fiqh (Jurisprudence) terminology, the word hijaamah is applied by some scholars to the extraction of blood from the nape of the neck by means of cupping after making an incision with the lancet. Al-Zarqaani stated that cupping is not limited to the nape of the neck, rather it may be done on any part of the body. This was also the view of al-Khattaabi .

In conclusion, hijaam refers to the extraction of blood from the body by means of cupping using a suitable vessel or whatever modern equipment serves the same purpose.

Cupping was known since ancient times. It was known to the Chinese, the Babylonians and the Pharaohs. Their relics and carved images indicate that they used cupping to treat some diseases. At first they used metal cups or bulls’ horns, from which they would remove the air by sucking it out after placing the cup on the skin. Then they used glass cups from which they would remove the air by burning a piece of cotton or wool inside the cup. We will explain further in our subsequent programme in shaa Allah.

Health benefits of Cupping Therapy /Hijaamah

Hijama (blood-letting) has a lot of health benefits of which its stimulating and strengthening effects have been proven to successfully treat the following conditions:

Constipation and Diarrhea, Headaches, Back pain, Arthritis, Period pain, Injuries, Asthma, Cellulite, Fatigue, Anemia, Depression,Emotional problems, Atrophy, Sciatica, Common cold and flu, Skin problems, Weight loss and much more.