The Dangers of Magic
Fortune-Tellers
Soothsayers
Astrologers
Casting Spells into Knots
How to Locate the Source of the Magic
How to Cure the Effects of Magic
Ruqyah is a Cure for Afflictions
Supplications to Recite when Sick
Prophetic and Natural Remedies
Magic Explained in the Bible
MAGIC
IN LIGHT OF THE
QURAN & SUNNAH
S A L A F I P U B L I C A T I O N S
ABU KHADEEJAH ABDUL-WAHID ALAM
ABUKHADEEJAH.COM © COPYRIGHT 2020
السحر
MAGIC IN LIGHT OF THE
QUR’ĀN AND SUNNAH
What is Sorcery and Magic?
Types of Magic
Fortune-Tellers
Soothsayers
Astrologers
Casting Spells into Knots
How to Locate the Source of Magic
How to Cure the Effects of Magic
Ruqyah is a Cure for Afflictions
Supplications to Recite when Sick
Prophetic and Natural Remedies
Magic Explained in the Bible
By Abu Khadeejah ‘Abdul-Wāhid Alam
2 |
Table of Contents
Introduction: Magic is Real 5
What has been Reported in the Texts Concerning
Magic (As-Sihr) 8
Explanation: 10
Types of Magic: Unbelief and Less than Unbelief 13
The Two Types of Magic 17
ONE. Illusionary Magic: Sihr At-Takhyeel 17
TWO. Magic that has a Physical Effect: Sihr At-
Ta’thīr 18
Magicians, Jinn, Devils and Fortune-Tellers 25
Explanation 26
Magic is from the Deadliest of Sins 33
Explanation 34
The Ruler Commands with the Execution of the
Magician 36
Explanation 37
Types of Magic: Evil Omens, Astrology,
Rumourmongering and the Power of Eloquent
Speech 46
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Evil Omens, the Flight of Birds and Drawing Lines in
the Ground 47
Explanation 48
Astrology is a Branch of Magic 52
Explanation 52
Blowing into Knots to Cast Magic 53
Explanation 53
Rumourmongering is a Form of Sorcery 57
Explanation 57
Some Speech can be Magic 59
Explanation 59
The Cure for Magic Once Afflicted 62
1. Locate it if you are Able, Tear it Apart and Burn
it to Nullify its Effect 63
2. Magic is Expelled Through Ruqyah Based on
Revelation 65
ONE: Crush Sidr Leaves, Add Water and
Recite 66
TWO: Blow and Wipe with Ruqyah 75
THREE: Supplications and Verses 76
FOUR: More Supplications and Ruqyah 80
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Giving in Sadaqah, Helping Those in Need and the
Poor 87
Hijāmah (Cupping) 87
The Benefits of Hijāmah 88
Prophetic and Natural Remedies 90
Honey 90
Honey and Water as a Remedy 91
Black Seed 92
Eat Seven Dates from Madinah in the Morning 92
Zamzam Water 93
Rainwater 95
Olive Oil 96
Taking Baths, Maintaining Hygiene and Using
Perfume 96
The Jewish and Christian Bible on Magic,
Witchcraft, Fortune-telling and Sorcery 99
Conclusion 103
Introduction: Magic is Real
All praise is due to Allāh, we praise Him, seek
His aid and His forgiveness. We seek refuge
with Allāh from the evil of our souls and from
the evil of our actions. Whosoever Allah guides,
there is none to misguide – and whosoever He
misguides, there is none to guide. I bear witness
that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allāh alone. And I bear witness that Muhammad
is His servant and Messenger.
Indeed, the best of speech is the Speech of
Allāh, the best of guidance is the guidance of
the Prophet Muhammad () and the
worst of all affairs are the newly introduced
matters into the religion (for which there is no
textual proof) for every newly introduced matter
is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance
and every misguidance leads to the
Hellfire.
6 |
Islam teaches that magic is real ― meaning the
fact it exists is true and undeniable. Magic is an
act by which a wretched wicked person draws
close to the devils and seeks their help to alter
realities by using hidden and subtle means. By
doing so, he turns matters away from their realities
to other than them.1 Magic involves using
forms of words (or spells) wherein the magician
glorifies other than Allāh and ascribes power
and control of the creation to the devils.2 Then
there are other types of magic that do not involve
engaging with the devils or soliciting
their help such as the use of potions, chemicals
and drugs.
Almost all religions and societies affirm magic.
The New World Encyclopedia states, “Fundamental
to magic is unseen connections
1 See Lisān Al-‘Arab of Ibn Mandhūr (4/348-349).
2 See Ahkām Al-Qur’ān (1/48) of Ibn Al-‘Arabi.
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whereby things act on one another at a distance
through invisible links. Magic is thus distinguished
both from religion and science:
From religion in that magic invokes spiritual
powers without presuming any personal relationship
with spiritual or divine beings, merely
an ability or power to bring about particular results;
and from science in that magic offers no
empirical justification other than its efficacy, invoking
a symbolic, rather than actual, cause-effect
relationship.”
8 |
What has been Reported in the
Texts Concerning Magic (As-
Sihr)3
The author of Kitāb At-Tawhīd stated:
Allāh () stated in His Book:
“They4 followed that which the devils recited
[of magic] during the reign of Sulaimān.”
“And Sulaimān did not disbelieve but it was
the devils who disbelieved by teaching the
people magic that was revealed to the two
3 Chapter 24, Kitāb At-Tawhīd of Shaikh Al-Islām Muhammad
bin Abdul-Wahhāb ().
4 i.e. the Jews after the time of Mūsā ().
9 |
angels, Hārūt and Mārūt, at Babylon.”
“They did not teach it to anyone until they had
said, ‘Indeed we are but a test, so do not disbelieve
[by learning it].’”
So, they went forth and learned from the angels
the sorcery which causes separation between
a man and his wife.”
“But they cannot harm anyone with it except
by Allāh’s leave, and the evil-doers only learn
that which harms them and does not benefit
them.”
“And verily, they knew that whoever traffics in
magic has no share in the Hereafter. Evil indeed
is the price for which they sold their
souls, if only they knew.”5/6
Explanation:
So magic is real, and it has an effect upon the
lives of the people who are affected. Shaikh
Hāfidh bin Ahmad Al-Hakami () said in
some lines of poetry:
“Magic is real, and it has effects;
However, it only takes effect by the
Will of the Most Able (Allāh);
5 The author () of Kitāb At-Tawhīd only quoted
this portion of the verse, but I have included the
whole verse to provide context to the reader.
6 Sūrah Al-Baqarah: 102.
11 |
Meaning that it occurs by the decree
of what Allāh has already determined
through His Universal Will;
And not that He desires it through His
pure Legislative Will.”
Magic has been decreed by Allāh by His Universal
Will, and He forbade it by His Legislative
Will. This is similar to the Will of Allāh wherein
He has decreed unbelief to occur, yet He forbade
it by His Legislative Will. The Legislative
Will of Allāh is what He has commanded and is
pleased with for His creation. The Universal Will
of Allāh is what He has willed to occur, and it
does occur, though it does not necessitate that
He is pleased with it.
From the Universal Will of Allāh is that sinners
fornicate even though Allāh hates fornication.
From the Legislative Will of Allāh is that He has
commanded the people to worship Him and
pray to Him, yet there are many people who do
not worship Him or pray to Him.
12 |
Al-Qurtubi () stated: “Ahlus-Sunnah wal-
Jamā’ah believe that magic is something truly
established and real. The Prophet ()
said when magic was removed from him, “Indeed,
Allāh has cured me.” And cure only
comes about when an ailment has been removed
and the illness goes away. So, this
proves that magic is real.”7
7 See Ahkām Al-Qur’ān (2/46) of Al-Qurtubi.
13 |
Types of Magic: Unbelief and
Less than Unbelief
Based on what has been discussed so far and
what is to come, then magic in light of the
Qur’ān and Sunnah is prohibited and can be
unbelief that exits a person from the fold of Islam.
Ibn Al-‘Arabi () stated: “From the
types of magic is that which separates a man
from his wife, and from it is that which brings
together a man and his wife. Both types are unbelief
and all of it is prohibited.”8
The great Scholar, Shaikh Muhammad bin Sālih
Al-‘Uthaimīn () said: “Some of the scholars
defined magic as, ‘Casting spells, reciting evil
incantations using tied knots9 which have an effect
on the hearts, minds and bodies of people.
8 See Ahkām Al-Qur’ān (1/48).
9 Magicians gather the hair of their victim and tie it
with thread into knots. Then they blow and spit onto
them, reciting their wicked incantations.
14 |
It takes hold of the mind leading to love and
hate ― it causes separation between a man
and his wife, sickness in the body and it takes
over the thinking of a person.’ Learning magic
is forbidden, rather it is unbelief if it involves engaging
with the devils.
So, learning this type of magic that involves engaging
with the devils is unbelief and to use
this magic is also unbelief, oppression and
transgression against the people. For this reason,
the magician is executed as an apostate
and unbeliever. But if his practice of magic
does not reach the point of unbelief, then he is
executed as a punishment to protect the Muslims
from his evil and harm.”10
Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimīn () also said: “Magic is
of two types:
One: By tying knots and reading incantations,
10 Majmū’ Fatawā of Ibn ‘Uthaimīn (2/174), slightly
abridged.
15 |
i.e. recitations and knotting of threads, which
are used as a means of engaging with the devils
(seeking their assistance) in that which the
magician wants in order to harm his victim.
Two: By the use of potions and drugs that affect
the body of the victim, his mind, his intentions
and his inclinations. This is what they refer to as
‘inclination’ or ‘turning away’. So, a person is inclined
towards his wife or another woman such
that he is becomes like a docile animal and she
leads him around as she wishes. ‘Turning away’
is the opposite of this. It affects the body of the
victim with weakness, slowly but surely, until he
is destroyed or dies. And, in his mind, he may
imagine things in a manner that oppose reality.
The scholars differ regarding the unbelief of
the magician. From them are those who said he
has disbelieved, and others who said he has
not. However, the categorisation of the magician
that we have mentioned above makes
clear the ruling in this matter. So, whoever does
magic using the devils as mediation [to help
16 |
him], then he has disbelieved. As for the one
who performs magic with potions and drugs,
then he has not disbelieved but he is, nevertheless
a sinner.”11
11 Majmū’ Fatawā of Ibn ‘Uthaimīn (2/178), slightly
abridged.
17 |
The Two Types of Magic
ONE. Illusionary Magic: Sihr At-Takhyeel
This is the type which Allāh informed us of in
the Qur’ān regarding the magicians of Pharaoh.
“The magicians said: O Moses, either you
throw first or else we shall throw first. Moses
said: ‘Nay, you throw first.’ Then behold, their
ropes and staffs appeared, by their magic, as
[snakes] moving fast.”12
12 Sūrah Tāhā: 65-66.
18 |
TWO. Magic that has a Physical Effect:
Sihr At-Ta’thīr
There are many examples of this type of magic.
From them is:
a) Keeping a man away from his wife. He is kept
away from her [through magic] such that he
does not desire her, or no longer wishes to do
anything with her. Allāh () said:
“So, they went forth and learned from the angels
the sorcery which causes separation between
a man and his wife.”
“But they cannot harm anyone with it except
by Allāh’s leave, and the evil-doers only learn
that which harms them and does not benefit
19 |
them.”13
b) That which afflicts many people ― and it
even afflicted the Prophet () when
Labīd bin A’sam Al-Yahūdī performed magic
on the Messenger (). So, the angel
Jibrīl () made ruqyah14 upon him with the
last two Soorahs of the Qur’ān. And he informed
the Prophet () where the articles
of magic could be found.
‘Ā’ishah () said: Magic was worked on the
Prophet () so that he began to think
that he had done something though he had
not. One day, while he was with me, he made a
lengthy supplication to Allāh () and then
said: “O Ā’ishah, do you know what Allāh has
instructed me about what I asked him?” I said:
“What is it, O Allāh’s Messenger?” He explained:
“Two men came to me, one of them
13 Al-Baqarah 2:102.
14 Supplications and recitations of cure.
20 |
sat at my head, and the other at my feet. Then
one said to the other: ‘What is the illness of this
man?’ The other said: ‘Magic.’ He then asked:
‘Who did the magic?’ The other replied: ‘Labīd
bin Al-A’sam Al-Yahūdi from the tribe of
Zuraiq.’ He asked: ‘With what did he make
magic?’ He replied: ‘With hair wrapped
around a comb and a skin of pollen of a male
date palm tree.’ He asked: ‘Where is it now?’
He answered: ‘In the well of Dhī Arwān.’”
After that, Allāh’s Messenger () went
with some of his Companions to the well. When
he reached it, he saw that it was surrounded by
date-palm trees.
Then he returned to Ā’ishah () and said to
her: “By Allāh, its water was red as if infused
by henna leaves, and its date palms were like
the heads of devils.” Ā’ishah asked: “O Allāh’s
Messenger, did you take it out?”
He replied: “No. As for me, Allāh has already
cured me, healed me and given me well-being.
But I feared that evil would come upon the
21 |
Muslims from it.” Then he ordered that the well
be filled up with earth, and so it was done.15
A point of benefit that some people fail to recognise
is that this hadīth proves that cure from
magic can be achieved through ruqyah alone
without locating the source of the magic and
destroying it, due to the statement of the
Prophet (): “As for me, Allāh has already
cured me, healed me and given me wellbeing.
And I feared that evil would come upon
the Muslims from it.” Then he ordered that the
well be filled to safeguard the rest of the Muslims
from its evil. However, if one can locate the
object of magic in order to destroy it, then that
is also a legislated means of ending the magic.
So, magic in its various forms is unbelief. Allāh
() said:
15 Bukhari (5766) and Muslim (2189).
22 |
“They followed that which the devils recited
[of magic] during the reign of Sulaimān.”
“And Sulaimān did not disbelieve but it was
the devils who disbelieved by teaching the
people magic that was revealed to the two angels,
Hārūt and Mārūt, at Babylon.”
“They did not teach it to anyone until they had
said, ‘Indeed we are but a test, so do not disbelieve
[by learning it].’”
“So, they went forth and learned from the angels
the sorcery which causes separation between
a man and his wife.”
“But they cannot harm anyone with it except
by Allāh’s leave, and the evil-doers only learn
that which harms them and does not benefit
them.”
“And verily, they knew that whoever traffics in
magic has no share in the Hereafter. Evil indeed
is the price for which they sold their
souls, if only they knew.”16
From this verse, we ascertain the following benefits
and rulings:
1. Allāh () informs us that it was the devils
who disbelieved due to their teaching the people
magic ― and they fabricated a lie upon the
16 Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:102.
24 |
Prophet Sulaimān () in claiming that he
disbelieved.
2. Allāh informs us that the two angels at Babylon
did not teach anyone until they had said,
“Indeed, we are but a test, so do not disbelieve
by learning it.”
3. Allāh () stated:
“And verily, they knew that whoever traffics in
magic has no share in the Hereafter.” Meaning
that whoever exchanges his faith for magic,
then he has no share in the Hereafter ― no
share of happiness and no Paradise.
25 |
Magicians, Jinn, Devils and Fortune-
Tellers
The author continued:
Allāh () stated:
“Have you not seen those who were given a
portion of the Scripture? They believe in Jibt
(Magic) and Tāghūt (Devils) and say to the disbelievers
that they are better guided as regards
the straight path than the believers.”17
‘Umar () stated: “Al-Jibt is magic and At-
17 Sūrah An-Nisā: 51. The Jews who practiced magic
would say to the idolaters that they (the idolaters) are
better guided than the Muslims.
26 |
Tāghūt are the devils.”18
Jābir () said: “The Tawāghīt 19 are the
soothsayers upon who the devils descend
[with false information]. And in every district,
there is one [of these soothsayers].”20
Explanation
Whoever studies the state of affairs in the times
of pre-Islamic ignorance (Jāhiliyyah) and what
18 Al-Bukhāri (2/45) in disconnected form. Ibn Hajr
stated in Fathul-Bāri (8/252), “’Abd bin Humayd connected
its chain in his Tafseer, and Musaddad in his
Musnad and Abdur-Rahmān bin Rastah in Kitāb Al-
Imān ― and its chain of transmission is strong (i.e.
authentic.”
19 Tawāghīt is the plural of Taghūt ― these are objects
and beings people devote themselves to instead
of Allāh.
20 Al-Bukhāri 6/45, in disconnected form; and declared
hasan (authentic) by Muqbil Al-Wādi’i in his
checking of the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, 2/402.
27 |
the people were involved in, knows these affairs
of visiting soothsayers well. The Tawāghīt
are the fortune-tellers or soothsayers upon
whom the devils descend. And in every district,
there was one whom the people would fear.
The devils would come to the soothsayer or fortuneteller
with murmurings which they heard
from the angels. However, after the sending of
the Prophet Muhammad () the devils
were prevented from listening in.
The devils from the jinn in the time of the
Prophet () said:
“And we have sought to reach the heaven but
found it filled with stern guards and flaming
fires (shooting stars and meteors).”
“And we used to sit there in stations to listen
28 |
in. But anyone who listens in now will find a
flaming fire waiting on him in ambush.”
“And we know not whether evil is intended for
those on earth or whether their Lord intended
for them a right path.”21
‘Ā’ishah () said:
21 Al-Jinn: 8-10.
29 |
Some people asked the Messenger of Allāh
() about the soothsayers and fortunetellers.
So, the Prophet replied, “They are
upon nothing.”
They said, “O Messenger of Allāh, sometimes
they speak about things that come true.” So,
the Prophet () explained, “Those are
the words snatched by a jinni, who whispers it
into the ear of his companion (soothsayer),
and it is mixed with more than one hundred
lies.”22
The Prophet () also said: “An eavesdropper
[from the jinn] hears a word which he
will convey to one who is below him, and then
the second will convey it to the one below him,
until the last of them will convey it to the
tongue of the magician. Sometimes a shooting
star may strike the devil before he can convey
it, and sometimes he may convey it before the
22 Al-Bukhāri (5859), Muslim (2228).
30 |
shooting star strikes him ― whereupon the
magician adds to it a hundred lies. Then it is
said, ‘Did he not tell us such-and-such a thing
on such-and-such a day?’ So, they are believed
due to that statement that was heard from the
heaven.”23
The Prophet () said: “Whoever goes to
a soothsayer or fortune-teller and believes in
what he says has disbelieved in that which was
revealed to Muhammad ().”24
And Allah commanded His Messenger to say:
“Say: I possess no power of benefit or hurt to
myself except as Allah wills. If I had the
23 Al-Bukhāri (4701).
24 Abu Dāwūd (3914), sahīh.
31 |
knowledge of the unseen, I should have secured
for myself an abundance of wealth, and
no evil should have touched me. I am but a
warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people
who believe.”25
From these verses in Sūrah Al-Jinn, several
matters become clear:
1. The devils from the Jinn used to be seated in
stations in the sky for the purpose of listening
in to the speech of the angels and then to use
that information to misguide the people by
claiming knowledge of the unseen.
2. Then they were prevented from that after the
sending of the Prophet (). So, they
were no longer able to listen in. And the skies
are defended and guarded by shooting stars
that are thrown at the devils (among the jinn)
that set them ablaze.
25 Sūrah Al-A’rāf: 188.
32 |
3. This verse proves that the jinn know nothing
of the unseen and that is why they stated: “And
we know not whether evil is intended for those
on earth or whether their Lord intended for
them a right path.”
4. The devils (shayātīn) believe in their Lord yet
that does not enter them into Islam. And that is
the same for the unbelievers from the humans
who believe in their Lord (Allāh), but that does
not enter them into Islam ― that is because
they refuse to submit to Him and worship Him
alone.
As for the term Tāghūt, then it is derived
from tughān which is to transgress and go beyond
bounds in disobedience. And what is apparent
is the “tā” ( ت) at the end indicates an increase.
Meaning that they are Tāghūt because
they are excessive and commit many transgressions.
At-Tughyān is to increase in a matter that
causes one to exceed and go beyond bounds.
33 |
Magic is from the Deadliest of
Sins
The author continued:
Abu Hurairah () narrated that Allāh’s Messenger
() said: “Keep away from the
seven deadly sins.”
They asked him: “What are they, O Allāh’s Messenger?”
He replied: “Associating partners with Allāh in
worship, magic, killing a person whom Allāh
has made impermissible to kill, consuming
usury (interest), taking the wealth of the orphan,
to turn away on the day of battle, to
falsely accuse a chaste believing woman (or
man) of fornication.” 26
It is reported from Jundub () and ascribed
to the Prophet () that he said: “The
punishment of the magician is to strike him
26 Al-Bukhāri (2767), Muslim (89).
34 |
with the sword.” Reported by At-Tirmidhi who
said: “What is correct is that it is the saying of
the Companion.”27
Explanation
The hadīth of Abu Hurairah () proves that
magic is from the gravest of sins, and it is mentioned
after idolatry, and before murder. That
is because magic constitutes unbelief whereas
killing a person is a major sin, but it does not
exit a Muslim from Islam.
The Companion is Jundub Al-Khair () who
watched the activities of a magician who cut off
the head of a boy and then returned it back. So,
then Jundub came with his sheathed sword
and when the magician started his tricks once
more, Jundub removed the magician’s head
and it fell to the ground. He then said: “If he
27 At-Tirmidhi (1460) and it was graded as weak in its
ascription to the Messenger () by Al-Albāni
in Ad-Da’īfah (1446).
35 |
was truthful, he will return his own head
back.”
Then he said, “The legislated punishment for
the magician is a strike with a sword.” 28
The legal punishments can only be carried out
by those in authority, and Jundub () had
that authority.
28 Al-Bukhāri in At-Tārīkh Al-Kabīr (2/222) in his biography
of Jundub entitled, “Jundub Ibn Ka’b, the executor
of the magician.” He narrated with a connected
chain of narration to Abu ‘Uthmān, “In the
presence of Walīd bin ‘Uqbah, there was a magician
who would behead a man and separate his head
from his body. Then he returned his head back to
his body, so we were amazed. Then Jundub came
along and killed the magician.” Reported by Al-
Bayhaqi in Al-Kubrā, 8136.
36 |
The Ruler Commands with the Execution
of the Magician
The author continued:
It is reported in Sahīh Al-Bukhāri from Bajālah
bin ‘Abdah who said: “’Umar bin Al-Khattāb
() wrote: ‘Execute every male and female
magician.’
So, we executed [upon his command] three
magicians.”29
It is reported authentically from the wife of the
Prophet (), Hafsah () that she
commanded that a female servant of hers
should be executed because she performed
magic on Hafsah (), so she was executed.
30 A similar narration has been reported
29 Al-Bukhāri (3156), this wording is reported by Abu
Dāwūd (3043).
30 This was after the servant confessed as reported
by Mālik in Al-Muwatta (no. 14), Al-Bayhaqi in Al37
|
from Jundub ().31
Imām Ahmad () stated: “This has been reported
from three Companions of the
Prophet ().”
Explanation
So, these texts prove that the magician or sorcerer
is an unbeliever and magic itself is unbelief.
And the one who is found guilty of magic is
to be executed by the strike of the sword
through the Islamic legislation by the law of the
land.32 So, the magician should repent from his
Kubrā (8/136 no. 16941).
31 Jundub Al-Bajali () executed a magician that
was in front of Walīd bin ‘Uqbah. See Ad-Dāruqutni
in his As-Sunan (3/114, no. 113). Al-Albāni stated
that the chain of narration is sahīh as a statement of
Jundub (i.e. it is mawqūf). See Ad-Da’īfah (1446).
32 In Islam, the law is dispensed through courts established
by the those in authority, through a legal
38 |
conduct and renew his testimony of Islam (i.e.
by uttering the Shahādah).
So, if it is the case that magic and sorcery were
being practised in the time of ‘Umar (),
then what about today?!
Magic in the time of ‘Umar was a remnant from
the days of Jāhiliyyah. In today’s world, magic
is practised and revered, and given an elevated
station in literature, film and art. It is important
that Muslims and all right-minded people keep
away from these irreligious and satanic practices,
and especially important is to steer children
well-away from these harmful matters.
The practice of magic as described above nullifies
Tawhīd and exits a Muslim from Islam.
That is because magic cannot be practiced except
by way of seeking help from the devils,
and due the verses:
process, and not by individual citizens.
39 |
“But it was the devils who disbelieved by
teaching the people magic…” And regarding
the two angels at Babylon, Allāh () stated:
“They did not teach it to anyone until they had
said, ‘Indeed we are but a test, so do not disbelieve.’”
To teach, learn and practice magic is disbelief.
Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibrāhīm () said:
“The magician will not complete his magic, and
the devils will not give him information regarding
the unseen, and they will not help him to kill
a person unless he offers worship to other than
Allāh by drawing close to the devils with what
they love such as sacrificing something for
them and so on. This may go as far as some
devils performing lewd acts with the magician
― and this is their using one another for mutual
benefit that is mentioned in the verse: “The Day
40 |
when Allāh will gather them together, ‘O company
of jinn, you have misled many people.’
And their allies for the people will say, ‘Our
Lord, some of us made use of others, and we
have now reached our term, which you appointed
for us.’ Allāh will say: The Fire is your
residence, wherein you will abide eternally.”33
So, magic is unbelief (kufr).”34
The Permanent Committee for Academic Research
and Fatwā with Imām Ibn Bāz () at
the head, was asked: “A woman has been afflicted
by magic. The magic was performed by
a magician to harm her marriage. She has now
become insane. One of the officers of the court
in Madinah apprehended the magician, and he
confessed after questioning that the accusation
against him was true. So, what is the correct
33 Sūrah Al-An’ām: 128.
34 See Al-Fatāwa of Shaikh Muhammad bin Ibrāhīm
Aalush-Shaikh (1/163).
41 |
punishment for him?”
Answer: “If the magician performs magic that
involves kufr, then he is executed for his apostasy.
If it is established that he killed someone
through his magic, then he is executed as retribution.
If he performed magic that did not involve
kufr35 and no one died as a result of it,
then the scholars differ concerning him. The
correct position is that he is executed as a prescribed
punishment upon him for his apostasy.
36 This was the saying of Abu Hanīfah,
Mālik and Ahmad (may Allāh’s mercy be upon
them), due to the fact that he is an unbeliever
based on his magic in line with the saying of
Allāh:
35 That is because some magicians claim they do not
engage in kufr (unbelief).
36 Meaning: by performing magic, he has committed
kufr which has led him to apostate.
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“They followed that which the devils recited
[of magic] during the reign of Sulaimān.”
“And Sulaimān did not disbelieve but it was
the devils who disbelieved by teaching the
people magic...”
Showing that the unbelief of the magician is
general. And due to the narration established
in Sahīh Al-Bukhāri from Bajālah bin ‘Abdah
who said: “Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb ()
wrote: ‘Execute every male and female magician.’
So, we executed three magicians.”37
And due to what is authentically established
37 Bukhāri (3156), this wording is recorded by Abu
Dāwūd (3043).
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from Hafsah, the mother of the believers
(), ‘She commanded the execution of a female
servant of hers who had confessed to performing
magic on her. So, she was executed.’
This was reported by Mālik in his Al-Muwatta.
And likewise, it is established from Jundub
(). So, this is what is correct concerning
the questioner who sought a fatwā: the magician
is executed according to the most correct
saying of the scholars.”38
As for non-Muslims who practice magic, then
likewise, the sin is that of unbelief. However,
the punishment is not execution since they are
already unbelievers.
Imām Ahmad bin Hanbal (died 241H. )
was asked about the magician (male or female)
who ascribe themselves to Islam. Should they
be executed? He replied, “Yes, if that is proven
38 Fatāwa Al-Lajnah Ad-Dā’imah (1/369).
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and known.39” Then he was asked, “What if the
magician is from the People of the Book40, a
magician from the non-Muslims?” He replied,
“That which he possesses of unbelief is greater
than magic.” When he was asked about a Jewish
magician, he said, “Their unbelief is greater
[than the magic].” And he would not sanction
their execution on the grounds of magic. 41
Meaning, they are not to be executed since
what they possess of other beliefs is even
greater kufr. In a narration he said, “The Muslim
magician is to be executed, but not a magician
39 So, a person is not accused based upon tales and
rumours without clear evidence or a willing, uncoerced
confession.
40 Jew or Christian.
41 Ahkām Ahlil-Milal of Al-Khallāl, Chapter on
Apostacy and the Ruling on the Magicians (p. 466-
467, no. 1359).
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among the polytheists.”42
42 Ahkām Ahlil-Milal of Al-Khallāl, (p. 468).
46 |
Types of Magic: Evil
Omens, Astrology, Rumourmongering
and the
Power of Eloquent
Speech
47 |
Evil Omens, the Flight of Birds
and Drawing Lines in the Ground
The author () said:
Imām Ahmad bin Hanbal stated: Muhammad
Ibn Ja’far narrated to us saying: ‘Awf narrated
to us from Hayyān bin Al-‘Alā who said:
Qatan bin Qabeesah narrated from his father
() that he heard Allāh’s Messenger
() say: “The releasing of birds for superstition
(‘Iyāfah), the drawing of lines on the
ground (Tarq) for superstition and believing
in evil omens (Tiyarah) are all from the types of
magic (Jibt).”
In explanation, ‘Awf said: “Al-‘Iyāfah is the releasing
of birds. At–Tarq is the drawing of lines
in the ground. As for Al-Jibt, then Hasan stated:
‘It is the noise of Shaytān.’”43
43 Also recorded by Abu Dāwūd, An-Nasā’i and Ibn
Hibbān in his Sahīh with a connected chain.
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