Hajjam

The Hijama, also known as cupping are an ethnic group in India known for practicing cupping therapy. The word Hijama has been derived from the Arabic word Al Hajm, means "sucking", referring to this therapy. A practitioner was called a Hijama in Arab countries, and the name was used in India as well. Communities of Arab campaigned in Persia, Egypt to propagate the message of Islam during the Caliphate power of some companions of Muhammad. Then the Persians ran to conquer India. In this way, Hijama came from Arab to Persia, and then to India. In India, they practiced their occupation and included multi practices with Hijama like pulling of teeth, hairdressing, sheep shearing, treating of abscesses, etc. Because of different multi practices besides Hijama, they were named Hijama as they were already called in their original countries. They are now an ethnic group found in North India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, they are established in Sindh and Punjab provinces. They are deemed underdeveloped communities in India, but in North India. They are also found in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan. They are also known as the Khalifa in Uttar Pradesh as the Salmani. Satat of West Bengal known as khalifa a There are broadly two types of Hijamah: hijamat-bil-shurt and hijamat-bilashurt Wet cupping (Hijamat-bil-shurt): Cupping with scarification from the letting of blood, i.e., a glass cup is applied to the skin and a partial vacuum is created inside the cup. After a few minutes, a few superficial incisions are made to the skin, and bloodletting is induced through replacement of the cup with a vacuum. Hijamat-bil-shurt works on the principle of tanqiya-e-mavad, i.e. evacuation of morbid matters from the affected area. Dry cupping (Hijamat-bila-shurt): Cupping without bloodletting, i.e., cups are placed without making incisions or pricks on the skin of the affected area. The vacuum is created either by suction or by using fire. Hijamat-bila-shurt works on the principle of imala-e-mavaad, which is the diversion of morbid tumors from one site to another (Ibn Sina, 1995; Baghdadi, 2005; Kabiruddin, 1955).