The topic of tatbir and self-cutting has made me question Islam in the past and those feelings are creeping up again. Please help me sheikh.

1) From what I understand, people argue that because the prophet (saw) performed cupping/bloodletting (which is making tiny cuts on the back or head with the intention of medicinal benefits) that makes all self-cutting halal, as long as it does not lead you to the hospital.

A) My first question is, how can it be argued that something so minor, which likely didn’t even leave scars, or if they did they’d fade after a few weeks, can be called halal for greater things, which *can* leave scars (as long as it’s not major enough to be hospitalized).

B) My second question is, how can we say that an action which was intended for a very specific purpose, suddenly means that action is universally halal? And if it is halal, shouldn’t the same limits apply as well? If the Prophet (saw) did cupping, which involved tiny small incisions, does that mean that is the limit of tatbir and doing more is haram? Does saying it’s universally halal also mean self-cutting for depressed people is halal? Is cutting yourself to the point where you have scars which won’t fade all over your body, with the intention of grieving, halal?

If so, how do we know the Prophet (saw) would allow such a thing, when those ***intentions*** never existed within him when he was bloodletting? How can we take one action of a very specific intention and say that action is halal with all intentions? — regardless of it not having solid roots within our religion.

I’ll show where I’m having difficulties with this math by giving an example:

– If eating small quantities of turbah is allowed for medicinal purposes, can I eat small quantities of turbah because I think it’s delicious snack (not believing it has any other benefits) and have it daily? Because otherwise, eating clay is haram, right?

2) Why is it that Shias are saying “no no it’s okay, you can walk on red hot burning charcoal when mourning for Imam Husayn and you can cut yourself as much as you want, just don’t end up in a hospital”

3) I am questioning this not because every single action we do needs to support that, because obviously we’re humans who need to eat, sleep, etc. but questioning this because it’s an action of our deen — not something outside of it. It’s something which is reflecting us, as His creation and as the followers of the Prophet (saw) and the Shia of Ali (as).

by

1) Linking Tatbeer to cupping is a misplaced link, because cupping is a medical treatment, while Tatbir is not. Hence, liking them is an attempt to find a way out of a problem faced by those performing Tatbir.
We can look at the issue in terms of jurisprudence from the point of view of the permissibility of self-injury and the impermissibility of it. The issue is controversial among the jurists, some of them are of the opinion that it is not permissible to inflict absolute harm to the body, and from here they issued a fatwa that Tatbeer is forbidden. While most of the jurists were of the view that it is permissible to inflict simple harm, which does not lead to serious harm to the body or may lead to self-destruction.

Hence, Tatbeer was considered to be of this kind, that is, one that does not inflict great harm on the body, and if a person deliberately inflicts severe harm on himself, he has committed a forbidden act, and he is a sinner.
This is for Tatbeer.

As for the example you gave with regard to eating clay, the example is not correct, because eating clay is absolutely forbidden, and it is permissible to eat a quantity of chickpea from the clay of the grave of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him only, and for the purpose of healing, not any clay.

2) As for the second question, this is a lie, as the Shiites do not say walking on hot coals and fire in the mourning of Imam Hussein, and this is an unacceptable innovation.

3) It is not an action of our deen, It is something outside of it, and after the explanation given, I need to say that S. Sistani says: If such act harms the mathhab, and reflects bad image, then it is forbidden.