Call for faith clinics in UAE to combat sorcery

The FNC is set to question the Minister of Health on faith healing in hospitals.

ABU DHABI // Spiritual support is necessary to help hospital patients, a Federal National Council member will tell the Minister of Health.

At tomorrow’s FNC session, Hamad Al Rahoomi (Dubai) will ask Dr Abdul Rahman Al Owais if faith-healing clinics could be opened to replace the demand for “sorcerers and charlatans”. The clinics would specialise in healing through the Quran and provide moral and spiritual support to seriously ill patients, such as those fighting cancer.

Mr Al Rahoomi said such a move would help those whose conditions could not be treated.

“This would go alongside medical treatment and not replace it,” he said. “This would help give patients the psychological help they need, spiritually, and help give them hope.”

He said curative prayer was practised in other parts of the world.

“Islam told us the Quran can help heal but the treatment comes from the doctor,” Dr Al Rahoomi said.

The clinics’ main purpose would be to help prevent sorcery and keep people from seeking out unofficial and unlicensed practitioners for moral or religious support. Mr Al Rahoomi has asked the Minister of State for FNC Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, to ask the head of the Islamic Authority to lift a ban on imams practising faith healing at mosques.

“These two questions are to fight against a trend in society to need sorcery,” Mr Al Rahoomi said. “Society needs this. This is what led to a market for sorcerers and others alike. They are wanted and have customers. If this is already in religion, why not do this through official channels, under the country’s supervision?”

Mr Al Rahoomi said the drowning of an epileptic blind man during an “exorcism” at Jumeirah Open Beach by a man claiming to be able to rid him of demons proved his point. The man recited the Quran while submerging the victim.

“Now there is healing through yoga, the sun and massage, so there is nothing against healing through faith, but through official channels with conditions,” he said. “If we already gave licences to all of these, so why not through the Quran? There is a need.”

The Minister of Health will also be asked about the rising number of Down syndrome cases by Dr Amal Al Qubaisi (Abu Dhabi).

The Minister of Labour, Saqr Ghobash, is also scheduled to attend the session. Ali Al Nuaimi (Ajman) will ask him about inspections for illegal workers.

Mr Al Nuaimi said people were knocking on doors to ask for work. Since the men are jobless, they may not be in the country with a valid visa. He said he would ask the minister what the Government was doing to supervise workers, particularly in places where they gathered. “They need to check if they are legally here or not,” he said. “This could be done with the help of the Ministry of Interior.”