Sunnah & science
Rooted in the Sunnah, supported by research
Cupping is one of the oldest therapies still practised — recommended by the Prophet ﷺ fourteen centuries ago and studied in clinics today. Here is what the narrations say, what the body does under the cups, and what the evidence does and doesn't support.
- Authentic narrations
- 6
- Sunnah days
- 17 · 19 · 21
- Practising since
- 2018
In the words of the Prophet ﷺ
What the narrations say about cupping
Translations of six authentic narrations, with the collection and number so you can read them in full. Ruby is a therapist, not a scholar — for rulings, please ask your local imam.
“Indeed in cupping there is a cure.”
Narrated by Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh
Sahih Muslim 2205 (Dar-us-Salam no. 5706)Sahih
Jābir said this while urging a sick friend to be cupped — the words Ruby chose as the anchor of her practice.
“Healing is in three things: a gulp of honey, the incision of the cupper, and cauterising with fire — and I forbid my nation from cauterisation.”
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās
Sahih al-Bukhari 5680Sahih
Of the three, cupping is the one the Prophet ﷺ himself used repeatedly.
“The best medicines you may treat yourselves with are cupping and sea incense.”
Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik
Sahih al-Bukhari 5696Sahih
Sea incense (al-qust al-bahri) is costus root, a traditional remedy.
“I did not pass by any group of angels on the night I was taken on the Night Journey, except that they said to me: O Muhammad, tell your nation to use cupping.”
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās
Sunan Ibn Majah 3477 · also Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2053Sahih
Graded sahih by al-Albani through its supporting chains; the Tirmidhi narration is from Ibn Masʿūd.
“Whoever has himself cupped on the seventeenth, nineteenth or twenty-first, it will be a cure for every disease.”
Narrated by Abu Hurairah
Sunan Abi Dawud 3861Hasan
The days are counted in the Islamic (lunar) month — the origin of the “Sunnah days” clients ask Ruby to book around.
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to be cupped on the two veins at the sides of the neck and on the upper back, and he would be cupped on the seventeenth, nineteenth and twenty-first.”
Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2051Hasan
Al-akhdaʿayn (either side of the neck) and al-kāhil (between the shoulder blades) remain the classic Sunnah points.
Numbering follows the Dar-us-Salam editions used by sunnah.com. “Sahih” and “Hasan” are the gradings of the compilers or of Shaykh al-Albani.
Sunnah days & points
The 17th, 19th and 21st of the lunar month
Many women plan their Hijama around the dates named in the narrations. Ruby keeps these days free where she can and will always tell you honestly if a date is already taken.
- The 17th, 19th and 21st of each Islamic month are the dates named in the narrations above.
- Some scholars also favour Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and discourage other weekdays, based on narrations most graders consider weak — so Ruby honours the dates first and helps you plan the day.
- Dates follow the lunar calendar, so they move about eleven days earlier each year; local moon-sighting can shift a date by a day.
- Come lightly fed and well hydrated: a heavy meal in the two to three hours beforehand is the one thing to avoid.
The classic Sunnah points
Al-Kāhil
Between the shoulder blades — the point the Prophet ﷺ was most often cupped.
Al-Akhdaʿayn
Either side of the neck, below the hairline — worked gently and never together with force.
Al-Hāmah
The crown of the head — reserved for clients who ask for it, after consultation.
Next Sunnah days
The Sunnah dates are the 17th, 19th and 21st of each Islamic month.
Gregorian dates are worked out using the Umm al-Qura calendar; local moon sighting can move a date by a day.
Book a Sunnah-day visit →Under the cups
What cupping does in the body
Four things happen when a cup goes on — and they explain most of what women feel afterwards.
Blood flow
Gentle suction draws blood into the skin and the muscle beneath it. Studies using laser Doppler have measured circulation in the treated area staying raised for some time after the cups come off.
Muscle & fascia
Instead of pressing tissue down, cups lift it. That decompresses tight muscle and the connective tissue around it, which is why clients often feel looser and move more freely afterwards.
The nervous system
A quiet room, warm hands and unhurried cups invite the body's rest-and-digest response — the calm and deeper sleep women describe after a session.
Wet cupping (Hijama)
Tiny superficial incisions let a small amount of blood and tissue fluid leave the body. Classical medicine describes this as clearing stagnation; modern studies have looked at changes in certain blood markers after treatment.
What the research suggests
Honest about the evidence
Cupping has been studied more than most people expect, but the quality of that research varies. Here is a fair summary — with the strength of the evidence shown for each area.
Neck, shoulder & back pain
Reviews pooling randomised trials report short-term reductions in chronic neck and low-back pain after cupping compared with usual care or no treatment, and improvements in how far people can move. Reviewers also note that many trials are small, so more rigorous studies are needed.
Headache & migraine
A handful of studies of wet cupping in people with tension-type headache and migraine reported fewer and milder headaches over the following months. Promising, but early — the trials were small and not all had control groups.
Sleep, stress & wellbeing
Better sleep and a lighter mood are the benefits Ruby hears about most, echoed in her reviews. A relaxation response is a plausible explanation, though it has not been formally trialled.
Blood markers
A small number of studies have observed changes in cholesterol, uric acid and inflammatory markers after courses of wet cupping. Results vary and the mechanisms are still debated, so no firm conclusions can be drawn yet.
Skin & nerve pain
Trials from China and the Middle East have explored cupping for acne and for the pain that follows shingles. Reviews rate this evidence as low quality, and it is not a reason to delay medical treatment.
Recovery & mobility
Cupping's visibility on athletes' shoulders reflects its use for muscle recovery and range of motion. Small studies suggest a modest benefit; larger comparisons are still lacking.
Who should take extra care
Sometimes the right answer is not today
Every first visit begins with a consultation and written consent. Ruby will adapt the therapy, postpone, or refer you to your GP if any of the following apply.
- Pregnancy — wet cupping is not offered; dry and moving cupping only after consultation
- Blood-thinning medication, bleeding disorders or anaemia
- Diabetes, especially where wounds heal slowly
- Eczema, psoriasis, infection or broken skin over the treatment area
- Fever, acute illness, or recent surgery
- Very low blood pressure, fainting history, or a heavy meal in the last two hours
Common questions
Sunnah, science and sessions
No. Hijama is rooted in the Sunnah and many of Ruby's clients book on Sunnah days, but the therapy itself — and dry and moving cupping — is for any woman aged 18 or over who wants it. Ruby welcomes clients of every background and faith.
Further reading
- 1.Cao H, Li X, Liu J. An updated review of the efficacy of cupping therapy. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(2):e31793.
- 2.Kim JI, Lee MS, Lee DH, Boddy K, Ernst E. Cupping for treating pain: a systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;2011:467014.
- 3.Moura CC, et al. Cupping therapy and chronic back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 2018;26:e3094.
- 4.Lauche R, et al. The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain — a randomised controlled pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;11:63.
- 5.Ahmadi A, Schwebel DC, Rezaei M. The efficacy of wet-cupping in the treatment of tension and migraine headache. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2008;36(1):37–44.
- 6.Al-Bedah AMN, et al. The medical perspective of cupping therapy: effects and mechanisms of action. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2019;9(2):90–97.
- 7.Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya. Zād al-Maʿād — the chapters on prophetic medicine (At-Tibb an-Nabawī), on cupping and its timing.
When you're ready
A Sunnah practised with modern care.
Book a female-only home visit — on a Sunnah day if you wish — and Ruby will confirm the date personally.
Female only · Home visits only · C.H.P