TINJAUAN SYARIAH DALAM PENGGUNAAN GARAM SEBAGAI MEDIA PENGOBATAN ISLAMI DAN IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP NILAI-NILAI AKIDAH UMAT (Studi Kasus di Kabupaten Tanggamus, Provinsi Lampung)

Abstract

Islamic healing practices within Indonesian society often reflect a dialectical interaction between religious teachings and local traditions. One phenomenon that continues to develop is the use of salt as a medium in Islamic healing practices such as ruqyah, as observed in Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province. This study aims to analyze the forms of salt usage in Islamic healing practices, examine these practices from a sharīʿah perspective, and explore their implications for Islamic creed (ʿaqīdah). This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study method. Data were collected through interviews with ruqyah practitioners, religious scholars, officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and community members directly involved in these practices. The study is also supported by a literature review of classical and contemporary works on ʿaqīdah, fiqh, ḥadīth, as well as relevant classical and modern medical studies concerning the use of salt. Data analysis was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method grounded in the perspective of Islamic creed and the Manhaj al-Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ. The findings indicate that the use of salt in Tanggamus Regency takes various forms, ranging from its use as a medium accompanying supplications in ruqyah, a means of spiritual purification of homes, to its incorporation into traditional rituals combined with religious recitations. Some community members perceive salt merely as an intermediary tool for supplication. In this regard, salt cannot be classified as an Islamic healing method, as there is no authentic textual evidence supporting such practice. Nevertheless, salt may be utilized as an alternative health remedy insofar as its therapeutic benefits are empirically proven. The study also identifies practices that potentially deviate from Islamic teachings, such as beliefs attributing supernatural powers to salt, including the ability to repel jinn or ward off misfortune. Such beliefs pose implications for Islamic creed when salt is positioned as a metaphysical entity, potentially leading to superstition and shirk. Therefore, the study underscores the necessity of tawḥīd-based education and the purification of ruqyah sharʿiyyah practices to ensure that Islamic healing remains aligned with authentic Islamic teachings.