We were returning from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when we came upon a tribe of Arabs. They said, "We have been told that you have come from this man with something good. Do you have any medicine or healing incantation? We have a man here who has lost his mind, kept in chains."We said, "Yes."So they brought the madman in his chains. I recited over him the Opening of the Book for three days, morning and evening. Each time I finished reciting it, I would gather my saliva and spit. It was as if he had been released from a binding rope.They gave me a payment, but I said, "No, not until I ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."He said, "Eat. By my life, whoever eats from a false incantation, you have eaten from a true one."
حدثنا عبيد الله بن معاذ حدثنا أبي ح و حدثنا ابن بشار حدثنا محمد بن جعفر قال حدثنا شعبة عن عبد الله بن أبي السفر عن الشعبي
أقبلنا من عند رسول الله ﷺ فأتينا على حي من العرب فقالوا إنا أنبئنا أنكم قد جئتم من عند هذا الرجل بخير فهل عندكم من دواء أو رقية فإن عندنا معتوها في القيود قال فقلنا نعم قال فجاءوا بمعتوه في القيود قال فقرأت عليه فاتحة الكتاب ثلاثة أيام غدوة وعشية كلما ختمتها أجمع بزاقي ثم أتفل فكأنما نشط من عقال قال فأعطوني جعلا فقلت لا حتى أسأل رسول الله ﷺ فقال كل فلعمري من أكل برقية باطل لقد أكلت برقية حق
[Hasan] Previously mentioned: 3420, 3897. Ahmad also narrated it, 5/211, no. 22180, from Muhammad bin Jafar through the same chain, and Nasai narrated it in Kubra, no. 10871, and in Amal al-Yawm wal-Layla, no. 1032.