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In like manner, Islâm condemns magic and those who practice it. Concerning those who learn magic the
Qur‘ân says:... “They learned (only) what harmed them and what did not benefit them.... ” (2:103)
The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) counted the practice of magic among those major deadly sins which destroy nations
before destroying individuals and which degrade those who practice them in this world prior to the Hereafter.
He said, ‘Avoid the seven destroyers.’ The listeners asked, ‘O Messenger of Allâh, what are they? ’ He said,
‘Associating (partners) with Allâh (shirk), magic, taking a life which Allâh has made sacred except in the
course of justice, devouring usury, appropriating the property of the orphan, fleeing from the battlefield, and
slandering virtuous believing women who are indiscreet.’ (Compiled by al-Bukhâri and Muslim.)
Some jurists consider magic as unbelief (kufr) or as leading toward unbelief, and some have even advocated
that those who practice it should be put to death in order to purify the society of their evil. The Qur‘ân has
taught us to seek refuge in Allâh from the evil of the practitioners of magic: (Magic should be understood to
denote witchcraft, sorcery, and all related practices.)...From the evil of those who blow on knots.... (113:4),
since blowing on knots is one of the methods which such employ. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “Whoever
blows on knots practices magic, and whoever practices magic is a mushrik (polytheist).” (Reported by al-
Tabarani through two chains of transmitters, one of which is reliable.)
Just as it is haram for the Muslim to consult with diviners or fortune-tellers concerning the secrets of the
Unseen, it is likewise haram for him to seek the help of magic, or those who practice it, to cure an illor to
remove a difficulty. Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) disowned such persons, saying He is not of us who seeks
an omen or for whom an omen is sought, who divines or for whom divination is made, who practices magic
or asks someone to practice magic for him. (Reported by al-Bazzar on good authority.)
Says ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood, Anyone who goes to a diviner, a practitioner of magic or a soothsayer, asking
something and believing in what he says, denies what was revealed to Muhammad. (Reported by al-Bazzar
and Abû Y`ala on good authority.)
And the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “The alcoholic, the believer in magic, and the one who breaks the ties of
kinship will not enter the Garden.” (Reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.)
The sin of such things is not limited to the practitioner of magic alone but includes those who believe in his
magic, encourage him, and trust in what he says. The sin becomes greater and more flagrant if the magic is
used for purposes which are haram in themselves, such as sowing discord between a husband and wife,
inflicting bodily injury, and other evil uses, which are popular among those who practice magic.
Charms and Amulets
In the same category is the hanging of charms, seashells and the like in the belief that they will bring about
the cure of a disease or act as a protection from it. There are still some people in the twentieth century who
hang a horseshoe on the door. Moreover, we still find today charlatans in various countries who exploit the
ignorance of simple people by writing amulets and charms for them, drawing lines and talismans and reciting
strange incantations, with the claim that these practices will protect the bearer from the aggression of evil
spirits, the influence of demons, the evil eye, envy, and so on.
As far as the prevention and treatment of disease are concerned, Islâm has prescribed measures which are
well known, condemning those who turn away from them to the deceitful methods of swindlers. The Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) said, “Seek the remedy, for He Who created illness also created its cure.” (Reported by Ahmad.)
He also said, “There is a remedy in three things: a drink of honey, bleeding by a cupper, and cauterization by
fire.” (Compiled by al-Bukhâri and Muslim.)
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In our time these three types of cures include, by analogy and extension, all medicines which are taken by
mouth, surgical intervention, and therapies utilizing heat or electricity.
As for wearing beads, seashells, charms and amulets, or reciting certain incantations to treat or prevent
illness, such practices are sheer ignorance and error, are contrary to the laws of Allâh Ta‘ala, and constitute
a denial of tauheed.
‘Uqba bin ‘Amir narrated that he came to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in a group of ten persons. The Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) accepted the oath of allegiance (bay‘ah) from nine of them, withholding himself from the tenth.
“What about him?” they asked There is an amulet on his arm,” the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied. The man
tore off the amulet and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) then accepted his oath, saying, “The one who wears it is a
polytheist.” (Reported by Ahmad and al-Hakim; the words are from al-Hakim. Ahmad’s transmitters are
reliable)
The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) also said, May Allâh not fulfill the hopes of the one who wears a charm; may Allâh not
protect the one who hangs seashells. (Reported by Ahmad, by Abû Y‘ala with good transmitters, and by al-
Hakim, who classified it as sound.)
‘Umran bin Hasin narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) saw a man wearing a brass bracelet on his arm and he
said to him “Woe to you, what is this?” He replied, “To protect me from weakness.” The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
said, Indeed, this only increases your weakness. Throw it away, for if you die wearing it, you will never attain
success. (Reported by Ahmad, by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and by Ibn Mâjah without “Throw it away” to the
end.)
These teachings of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) penetrated the minds of his companions, and they rejected such
erroneous and false practices, neither accepting nor believing in them. ‘Isa bin Hamzah narrated, “I visited
‘Abdullah bin Hakim who had a fever. I said, ‘Why do you not wear a charm?‘ He replied, ‘I seek refuge in
Allâh from that.’ ” In another version he said, “Death is preferable to that.” Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
said, “Whoever wears a charm will be left to rely on it.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhî)
‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood once saw his wife wearing a knotted thread around her neck. He pulled at it and
broke it, saying, “The family of ‘Abdullah is free of associating anything with Allâh for which He has sent no
authority.” Then he said, “I heard Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) say, ‘Incantations, amulets and spells are
shirk.’
Someone once said to him, “Abû ‘Abdur-Rahman (as he was commonly called), we are familiar with
incantations and amulets, but what are spells?” He said, “Something which women employ to make their
husbands love them.’‘ (Reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. Al-Hakim has a shorter version, and he says it
has sound transmitters.) Accordingly, a spell denotes a kind of magical practice.
Scholars say that if incantations are in a foreign language so that one does not know what is being said, they
are prohibited out of fear of their being mixed with unbelief and magic. However, if what is being said can be
understood and there is mention of Allâh in it, it is commendable because it is then a supplication to Allâh
and is not meant to be a cure or a medicine. The incantations of jahiliyyah were intermixed with magical
formulae, polytheistic phrases, and nonsensical utterances.
It is reported that ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood forbade his wife to utter such jahili incantations. She told him, “I
went out one day and saw such and such person. One of my eyes then began to water (meaning that it was
the effect of his evil eye and envy). But when I recited an incantation it stopped watering, and when I left off
reciting it, the eye started watering again.” Ibn Mas‘ood said, “That is Satan. When you obey him he leaves
you alone, but when you disobey him he stabs your eye with his finger. But if you do as the Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) did, it will be better for you and will most probably cure your eye. Bathe your eye with water and
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