Is Hypnotherapy Impermissible?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I am planning on pursuing an integrated clinical hypnotherapy course from EKAA, and I keep hearing that hypnotherapy is haram in Islam. If we go through their course curriculum, we do find that module 4 (total 5 modules) contains past life regression, which is contradictory to our religious belief. So,

1. Is practicing hypnotherapy haram?
2. If it is permissible to learn, can I proceed with modules that have no contradiction to our Islam?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Hypnotherapy, being a means of suggestion to the subconscious mind when one is in a relaxed and receptive state, is – in and of itself – permissible. There are no elements that are forbidden in the approach, intrinsically. It cannot be used to control others and one can have their sessions recorded to remove any concerns.

We know that the concept of past lives and reincarnation is incorrect, so it would not be permissible to suggest this to someone as a form of treatment, but studying the module to understand its working would be permissible.

Therefore, in the absence of any factor that would lead to hypnotherapy to be impermissible, it is permissible with the above proviso. (Sayis, Tafsir Ayat al-Ahkam)

May Allah bless you with the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital, and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.