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'Ruqyah': The mainstream business of Islamic exorcism
Ruqyah, a type of faith healing or Islamic exorcism, is a business for many amid its continuing popularity since the early 2000s, when it emerged in mainstream Indonesian culture with the advent of religious conservatism and political Islam.
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Ustadz Ahmad Junaidi (left) provides group 'ruqyah' therapy at a mosque in Manggar, East Belitung, Bangka Belitung Islands province. 'Ruqyah' is a form of faith healing in Indonesia, often referred to as "Islamic exorcism". (Ahmad Junaidi/Courtesy of Ahmad Junaidi)
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ewlywed Kiki was feeling down from the endless quarrels he and his wife were having during their first few days as a married couple. He had heard rumors that their new home was haunted by an evil, apelike jinn that was causing the constant arguments.
According to a reported account, the rumors were true. One day, the jinn possessed Kiki’s wife as she prayed. Fortunately, Kiki and three Muslim ustaz, or experts, came to cast out the evil jinn by performing ruqyah, an Islamic exorcism.
The term means to cast spells and provide protection from evil.
This scene appears in an episode of the TV series Astagfirullah, which originally aired in 2005. The ruqyah is one of many similar rituals employed in the series, and quickly became its trademark.
According to Ustadz Ahmad Junaidi, who is an actual ustaz, the series was significant in bringing ruqyah into the mainstream, and particularly so for people already in the business, as well as those looking to get into it.
"[Ruqyah] experienced great progress with the help of that series," said the 48-year-old, who heads the editorial team at Majalah Ghoib (supernatural magazine).
Ahmad and his team are one of the country’s most popular “ruqyah therapists”, and he claims to be the inspiration for shows like Astagfirullah.
