The Methods of Healing (as a Karāmat) in the Mystical Prose Texts

Karāmat (Divine grace), as an extra-ordinary event, is used by awliya Allah (saints of God) and has a special place in Islamic mysticism. Karāmat is divided into three main species: 1. Predictions of the future, 2. Interpretation of the secrets of hearts 3. Miraculous happenings in the corporeal world (or breaking of the natural order of things) Each of them has several subtypes. One of the subtypes of the third kind is healing patients that occur during the lifetime or after the death of the possessor of karāmat. The diseases usually include congenital and chronic illnesses that all the doctors are unable to cure them. Sometimes, the disease is caused by the curse of a spiritual person (sheikh). The treatment methods are very diverse, among which are the following: reading Surah al-Hamd, praying, hand touching, blowing, rubbing saliva, reading a poem, hugging patient, repenting patient, touching and using the personal belongings of the possessor of karāmat such as clothes, shoes, hat and toothpick. In most of these cases, the patient is treated in such a way that he/she won't catch the disease until the end of his/her life. By using descriptive-analytical method, in the present article, the attempt is made to categorize and analyze the methods of healing as mentioned in the early mystical prose texts.