The Reality of Magic

Magic includes knots, incantations, talismanic formulas, and hidden practices intended to influence people or create illusions. Some forms involve seeking help from devils and drawing near to them through shirk. Not all magic is merely optical deception: some involves illusion, and some affects a person by Allah's permission.

Allah the Exalted says:

وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُمْ بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

{And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Sulayman. Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and what was revealed to the two angels in Babylon, Harut and Marut. Yet the two taught no one without first saying, "We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve." They learned from them what could separate a man from his wife, but they could not harm anyone through it except by Allah's permission. They learned what harmed them and did not benefit them. They certainly knew that whoever acquired it would have no share in the Hereafter. How evil was that for which they sold themselves, if only they knew.} [Al-Baqarah: 102].

Allah's permission here refers to His universal will and decree: no harm occurs outside His will. It does not mean that Allah loves or approves of magic. He has forbidden it and condemned those who practice it. Neither a sorcerer nor a devil possesses power independent of Allah, just as ruqyah and medicine benefit a person only by His permission.

قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى

Regarding the magic of Pharaoh's people, Allah the Exalted says: {He said, "Rather, you throw." Then their ropes and staffs appeared to him, through their magic, to be moving.} [Ta-Ha: 66]. Believing in the reality of magic does not mean believing every story attributed to it, or denying the established fact that some of it involves illusion.

The Danger of Magic

Learning, teaching, and practicing magic are forbidden. Whatever involves worshipping devils, invoking them, or sacrificing to them is major shirk and disbelief in Allah, not merely a minor violation. This must not be equated with every trick or deception when judging the person involved. Fraud is forbidden, but a judgment of disbelief is not based on suspicion or a label alone.

اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ المُوبِقَاتِ

الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ اليَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ المُحْصَنَاتِ المُؤْمِنَاتِ الغَافِلَاتِ

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, counted magic among the seven destructive sins, saying: "Avoid the seven destructive sins." They asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what are they?" He said: "Associating partners with Allah, magic, killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed except by right, consuming riba, consuming an orphan's wealth, fleeing on the day of battle, and falsely accusing chaste, believing women who are unaware of such wrongdoing."

Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 2766.

Despite the danger of magic, accusing a person of it or declaring a particular individual a disbeliever is not based on a rumor or a practitioner's statement. Judgments concerning individuals require knowledge and verification, and punishments are a matter for a competent court. No one may assault an accused person or take it upon themselves to punish them.

Is It Permissible to Go to a Magician to Undo Magic?

It is not permissible to treat magic with magic, or to consult sorcerers, soothsayers, and diviners for treatment or knowledge of the unseen. Undoing magic is called nushrah. If it uses the Quran, supplication, and permissible means, it is lawful treatment. If it uses magic or forbidden assistance from devils, it is prohibited. Do not use severe illness or delayed recovery as an excuse to go to a sorcerer.

مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever goes to a diviner and asks him about anything will not have a prayer accepted for forty nights."

Reported by Muslim, no. 2230.

This is a severe warning, not permission to abandon prayer. The person must repent and perform the prayers on time. An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, explained that the warning concerns reward. It does not remove the obligation to pray or require repeating valid prayers that have already been performed.

قُلْ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ

An accusation against someone is not established because a practitioner claims that jinn told him the person's name, or because their image came into the patient's mind. Allah the Exalted says: {Say, "None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah, and they do not know when they will be resurrected."} [An-Naml: 65]. See The Difference Between Islamic Ruqyah and Sorcery.

Repentance and Correcting Tawhid

Maintain your tawheed and prayer, repent to Allah for the sins you know you have committed, and ask Him for healing. But do not treat a believer's illness as evidence of corrupt belief or weak faith. Trials may afflict the righteous, and healing is not in the practitioner's hands.

Islamic Ruqyah

اعْرِضُوا عَلَيَّ رُقَاكُمْ، لَا بَأْسَ بِالرُّقَى مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ شِرْكٌ

You can perform ruqyah on yourself, or a Muslim who knows permissible ruqyah and observes its guidelines may recite over you. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Present your ruqyahs to me. There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it contains no shirk." Reported by Muslim, no. 2200.

Recite Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas, and whatever else of the Quran you are able to recite, and ask Allah for healing. You may recite the verses in which Allah mentions nullifying magic, including:

Verses for Nullifying Magic

فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا قَالَ مُوسَى مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

{When they had thrown, Musa said, "What you have brought is magic. Allah will surely nullify it. Indeed, Allah does not set right the work of those who spread corruption."} [Yunus: 81].

وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

{And Allah establishes the truth through His words, even if the criminals dislike it.} [Yunus: 82].

وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى

{And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow what they have made. What they have made is only a sorcerer's trick, and the sorcerer does not succeed wherever he goes.} [Ta-Ha: 69].

Supplication for Healing and Reciting Over Water

Among the authentically reported supplications for a sick person is what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would say when seeking protection for some of his family:

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا

"O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the affliction. Heal him, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness behind."

Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 5743.

Scholars have permitted reciting over clean water for a sick person to drink or wash with. It must not be mixed with anything unknown or harmful, and no medicine or herb should be given without knowing whether it is suitable for the patient. Reciting the verses concerning magic is treatment with the Quran. There is no evidence that, for this purpose, they have a required number of repetitions or a specific Prophetic program guaranteeing recovery within days. For general steps, read How to Perform Ruqyah on Yourself.

Destroying the Magic If It Is Found in a Lawful Way

If the existence and location of something made for magic are established, nullifying and destroying it through permissible means is among the forms of treatment mentioned by scholars. This does not mean searching people's homes or damaging their property to find something imagined, or judging every knot or paper with unknown content to be magic.

Ask a trustworthy scholar when unsure. If the contents of an object are unknown or it may pose a danger, do not open or burn it yourself. Seek help from the appropriate authorities if hazardous materials or suspected wrongdoing are involved. Finding an object does not by itself prove that a particular person placed it there.

Preserving the Adhkar

Maintain the adhkar of morning, evening, sleep, entering, and leaving. Established bedtime recitations include Ayat al-Kursi, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 2311, and Al-Ikhlas and the two surahs of refuge, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5017. Reciting Surah Al-Baqarah in the home is also prescribed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

لَا تَجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ مَقَابِرَ، إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْفِرُ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي تُقْرَأُ فِيهِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ

"Do not make your homes graveyards. Indeed, the devil flees from the home in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited."

Reported by Muslim, no. 780. Recite the last two verses of Al-Baqarah at night, as reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5009, without inventing a ritual or duration upon which healing is said to depend.

Seven Ajwa Dates

Among the reported means of protection is the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

مَنْ تَصَبَّحَ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ سَمٌّ وَلَا سِحْرٌ

"Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or magic."

Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 5769. The wording of this narration concerns seven Ajwa dates in the morning. The Prophetic promise is believed as it was reported, but it must not be used as a justification for consuming a poisonous substance or failing to seek emergency help for someone exposed to one.

Adhkar are prescribed means through which a Muslim places trust in Allah, not words that bring benefit independently or amulets to wear. To distinguish this subject from related matters, read Evil Eye and Envy in Islam.