What Is Ruqyah Bath? The Complete Guide to the Al-Roumi Golden Recipe

By Noor East | Health & Wellness Blog

The ruqyah bath is a traditional practice used in some Muslim communities in the UK and beyond. It combines three ingredients — sidr (ground lote tree leaves), rock salt and alum — dissolved in water and used for an external wash. This guide describes the practice as it is commonly passed on; it does not diagnose or treat any condition.

The most widely known formulation is the Al-Roumi Golden Recipe (الوصفة الذهبية), recorded by Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Roumi, a well-known dream interpreter based in Riyadh, who described it in detail on an audio recording entitled "Al-Ruya al-Kharjiyya" (The External Visions). Sheikh Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Jibreen commented on the recipe in a written fatwa; the relevant excerpt is quoted in the scholars section below.

This guide explains what the Al-Roumi ruqyah bath is, the exact ingredients and quantities, the correct method step by step, who should and should not use it, and the scholarly basis for its permissibility.

Who Is Sheikh al-Roumi and What Is the Golden Recipe?

Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Roumi is a well-known Islamic dream interpreter (معبر الأحلام) based in Riyadh. He recorded the Golden Recipe on audio in a tape titled "Al-Ruya al-Kharjiyya" (The External Visions), from around the 35-minute mark onward. He named it "الوصفة الذهبية" — The Golden Recipe.

The recipe has since circulated widely across the Muslim world, particularly in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Gulf communities in the UK. It is based on three ingredients — sidr, salt and alum — that appear in traditional Arab bathing and cleansing practices.

Is the Ruqyah Bath a Treatment?

No. It is a traditional and religious practice as described by some people. Low mood, anxiety, sleep problems, pain or difficulty conceiving can have many medical or psychological causes — please speak to a GP or qualified professional, and do not stop or replace any prescribed treatment.

Who Should NOT Use the Ruqyah Bath?

• Pregnant women — the recipe should not be used during pregnancy
• Anyone with open wounds or visible cuts on the body — the salt and alum in the mixture will cause irritation and pain on broken skin

Exact Ingredients and Quantities

• 1 kg white alum (شب أبيض / شبة), ground
• 1 kg rock salt (ملح خشن), ground
• 1 kg sidr (سدر / lote tree leaves), ground

Mix all three thoroughly after grinding. Then divide the total mixture equally into seven bags, one for each day of the course.

How to Do the Ruqyah Bath: Step by Step

1. Prepare your daily bag. Pour one bag into a container. Add 3 to 5 litres of clean water. Mix well.
2. Go to your shower or bathroom. Fill a large bowl or bucket to pour from.
3. Wash your entire body from head to toe. No Quranic recitation is required during the washing itself.
4. Rinse immediately with plain water. Do not leave the mixture sitting on your skin.
5. Give charity on the same day. Even a very small amount counts.
6. Repeat for 7 consecutive days. If you miss a day, restart from day one.

The Conditions: Charity and a Clean Home

Sheikh al-Roumi recommended removing the following from the home during the seven days:

• Statues and three-dimensional figurines
• Hung photographs and portraits

What Scholars Say: Sheikh al-Jibreen's Fatwa