All Praise is due to Allaah, the Forgiver of
Sins, the Acceptor of Repentance; may He send
salutations and exalt the mention of the seal of
all Prophets and Messengers, our Prophet
Muhammad, his family and all his companions.
Due to the increase in the number of
magicians and fortunetellers lately, those who
claim the ability to cure people by the use of
magic and fortunetelling, and due to their spread
in some of the Muslim countries and the way
they take advantage of some simple-minded,
ignorant people, it became necessary for me to
clarify the great danger of these people on
Muslims and Islaam, for it entails becoming
attached to other than Allaah and disobeying His
commands and the command of the Prophet (pbuh).
It is permissible to seek treatment of any
sickness, and a Muslim may go to a physician
for diagnosis for any type of disease and use the
required Islamically lawful treatment prescribed
for that. This is a means which does not
contradict reliance on Allaah, and Allaah is The
One Who created sicknesses as well as their
cures. He granted the knowledge of these cures
to whomever He willed, and He did not place
cures in anything which He prohibited.
Therefore, it is not permissible for a sick person
to seek the help of fortunetellers who claim the
knowledge of Unseen. It is also prohibited to
believe anything they tell him, for they only
conjecture or use the Jinn to help them in their
fortunetelling and magic. These people are
disbelievers and misguided if they claim this
knowledge of the Unseen.
Abu Hurayrah () narrated that the Prophet
() said: "Whoever goes to a magician or a
fortuneteller and believes in what he tells him
disbelieves in what has been revealed to
Muhammad." (Ahmad) The Prophet () also
said : "Whoever goes to a soothsayer or a
fortuneteller and consults him, his prayer will
not be accepted for forty days." (Muslim)
‘Imraan Ibn Husayn () narrated that the
Prophet () said: "He is not one of us who
believes in evil omens or talismans, who goes to
a fortuneteller, or goes to a sorcerer. Whoever
goes to a fortuneteller and believes in what he
says has disbelieved in what has been revealed
upon Muhammad ( )." (Al-Bazzaar)
These narrations warn against going to
fortunetellers, soothsayers or magicians, asking
them or believing what they say. One should not
be deceived by fact that some of what they say is
true, nor should they be deceived when they see
the large number of people who seek their help.
These masses are ignorant and should not be an
example to imitate. The Prophet () forbade
going to them or believing their words due to the
great evil resulting from these people, and
because they are liars.
The narrations also indicate the disbelief of
fortunetellers and magicians because they claim
the knowledge of the Unseen, and this is a clear
act of disbelief. These people cannot achieve
their objectives without the help of the Jinn
whom they worship besides Allaah, and the one
who believes them in their claim of knowing the
Unseen is exactly like them, and the Prophet ()
disowns him. A Muslim should not submit to
what they claim to be his treatment, such as the
humming sounds they make and the words they
use which are like riddles, and other things they
do; anyone who accepts what they do is in fact
aiding them in their falsehood and disbelief.
It is also prohibited for any Muslim to go to
them inquiring about the one whom his son or
relative should marry, or whether or not they
will be a happy couple, because such things are
the Unseen which only Allaah knows. Magic is
a prohibited act of disbelief, as Allaah says
regarding the two angels what means, "But
neither of these two (angels) taught anyone
(such things) till they had said, We are for trial,
so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from
us). And from these (angels) people learn that
by which they cause separation between man
and his wife, but they could not thus harm
anyone except by Allaah's Leave. And they
learn that which harms them and profits them
not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it
(magic) would have no share in the Hereafter.
And how bad indeed was that for which they
sold their ownselves, if they but knew." (Al-Baqarah:
102)
This verse proves that magic is an act of
disbelief, and that magicians separate a man
from his wife. It also proves that magic has no
real effect and that Allaah is the only One Who
causes harm and can benefit people.
Unfortunately, the harm of magicians, who
inherited this knowledge from the polytheists,
has increased and they were able to trick the
weak-minded people.
The verse also proves that those who learn
magic actually learn that which harms them and
does not benefit them, and that they will have no
share (in reward) with Allaah on the Day of
Resurrection. This is indeed a terrifying
warning which indicates the great loss in this life
and the Hereafter, and that these people sold
themselves for the cheapest price. That is why
Allaah dispraised them, saying what means,
"And how bad indeed was that for which they
sold their ownselves, if they but knew." (Al-Baqarah:
102)
Allaah legislated for His slaves things by
which they can protect themselves against magic
before it happens. He also clarified how they
can treat themselves, out of His Mercy and
Kindness, and as a way of completing His
Bounties. The following are some of these ways
of protection against magic before it happens, as
well as the cure for magic after it afflicts people
using Islamicaly lawful ways.
One of the most important ways to prevent
magic before happening is protecting oneself
with Qur’aan and the prophetic supplication,
like reciting the verse of the throne (Aayat ul-Kursi)
where Allaah says what means, "Allaah!
Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be
worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the
Ever Living, the One Who sustains and
protects all that exists). Neither slumber nor
sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever
is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
Who is he that can intercede with Him except
with His Permission He knows what happens
to them (His creatures) in this world, and what
will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they
will never encompass anything of His
Knowledge except that which He wills. His
Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them. And He is the Most High, the
Most Great." (Al-Baqarah:255) This verse
should be recited after each obligatory prayer
after the regular recommended supplications,
and also at bedtime. This verse is the greatest
verse in the entire Qur’aan.
Also, reciting "Say (O Muhammad ): He
is Allaah, (the) One. Allaah [As-Samad] the
Self- Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures
need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. He begets
not, nor was He begotten," (Al-Ikhlaas:1-4)
"Say: I seek refuge with (Allaah), the Lord of
the daybreak. From the evil of what He has
created. And from the evil of the darkening
(night) as it comes with its darkness (or the
moon as it sets or goes away). And from the
evil of those who practice witchcraft when they
blow in the knots," (Al-Falaq:1-5) and "Say: I
seek refuge with (Allaah) the Lord of mankind.
The King of mankind The Ilaah (God) of
mankind. From the evil of the whisperer (devil
who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who
withdraws (from his whispering in one's heart
after one remembers Allaah). Who whispers in
the breasts of mankind. Of jinn and men," (An-
Naas:1-6) once after each obligatory prayer, but
thrice after the dawn and sunset prayer.
Moreover, one should recite the last two
verses of Al-Baqarah, where Allaah says what
means, "The Messenger (Muhammad )
believes in what has been sent down to him
from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each
one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books,
and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no
distinction between one another of His
Messengers’and they say, ‘We hear, and we
obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord,
and to You is the return (of all).’ Allaah
burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets
reward for that (good) which he has earned,
and he is punished for that (evil) which he has
earned. ‘Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget
or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a
burden like that which You did lay on those
before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put
not on us a burden greater than we have
strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us
forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our
Mawlaa (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and
give us victory over the disbelieving people.’ "
(Al-Baqarah:285-286)
The Prophet ()said, "He who recites the
Aayat ul-Kursi (the verse of the throne) at
night will continue to be guarded by Allaah,
and Satan will not come close to him." He ()
also said, "It is sufficient (as a protection from
all evil) for a person to recite the last two verses
of chapter Al-Baqarah at night."
Also, exerting extra efforts in taking refuge
in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil He
has created during daytime or night time, or
when he arrives into a new place (during travel)
whether by land, air or sea, as the Prophet ()
said, "He who arrives into a place (to rest
during traveling) and says, ‘A'oodhu bi
Kalimaat-illaah-it-Taamaat min sharri maa
khalaq (I take refuge in the perfect words of
Allaah from the evil that He has created),’ will
not be harmed until he departs that place."
The Prophet () encouraged us to say three
times in the early part of the day (before sunrise)
and in the evening, "Bismillaah-illadhi laa
yaduru ma' ismihi shayun fil-ardi wa laa fis-samawaati
wa huwas-Samee'-ul-'Aleem (By the
name of Allaah with whose name nothing is
harmed on earth nor in the heavens, and He is
The All-Hearing All-Knowing)." and said that
these words will protect him from all evil.
Supplications and Qur’aan are the best way
to prevent the evil of magic and other evils,
provided that one regularly adheres to saying
them with sincerity and truly relies on Allaah
and depends on Him. They are also a great
weapon to remove magic spells after they
happen, in addition to humbling oneself to
Allaah asking Him to remove the evil and harm
from you.
There are authentic supplications said by the
Prophet () to cure from magic and sickness in
general, such as the one he used with his
companion, "Allahaahumma Rabb-an-Naas.
Adh-hib il-ba’s. washfi antash-Shaafi, laa
shifaa’a illa shifaa’uk, shifaa’an laa
yughaadiru saqaman (O Allaah! The Lord of all
people, take away the harm; cure (from the
sickness) You are the Only One Who can bringcure, there is no cure but Your cure, a cure
which does not leave out any sickness; by the
name of Allaah I seek to treat you)." One
should say this three times.
Also, the supplication with which Jibreel
used to treat the Prophet (), "Bismillahi
arqeeka min kulli shay’in yu'dheek, wa min
sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasidin Allahu
yashfeek, bismillahi arqeek (By the name of
Allaah I seek to treat you from all that harms
you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye
Allaah cures you; in the name of Allaah I seek to
treat you)." One should say this three times.
The from the cures for magic after it
happens, which is also a beneficial cure for a
man who feels that he cannot touch his wife in a
sexual relation, is that one takes seven green
Sidr (lote-tree) leaves, crushes them with a
stone, places them in a plate, puts water on
them, and recites on the plate the following,
1. ‘Aayat-ul-Kursi’: Al-Baqarah:255
2. Surah Al-Ikhlaas:1-4
3. Al-Falaq:1-54. An-Naas:1-6
…in addition to the verses of magic,
1. "And We revealed to Musaa (Moses)
(saying): Throw your stick, and behold!
It swallowed up straight away all the
falsehood which they showed. Thus
truth was confirmed, and all that they
did was made of no effect. So they were
defeated there and returned disgraced."
(Al-A’raaf:117-119)
2. "And Fir`aun (Pharaoh) said: ‘Bring me
every well-versed sorcerer.’ And when
the sorcerers came, Musaa (Moses) said
to them: ‘Cast down what you want to
cast!’ Then when they had cast down,
Musaa (Moses) said: ‘What you have
brought is sorcery; Allaah will surely
make it of no effect. Verily, Allaah does
not set right the work of Al-Mufsidoon
(the evildoers and corrupters). And
Allaah will establish and make apparent
the truth by His Words, however much
the Mujrimoon (criminals, disbelievers,polytheists and sinners) may hate (it).’ "
(Yunus:79-82)
3. "They said: ‘O Musaa (Moses)! Either
you throw first or we be the first to
throw.’ [Musaa] said: ‘Nay, throw you
(first)!’ Then behold! their ropes and
their sticks, by their magic, appeared to
him as though they moved fast. So
Musaa conceived fear in himself. We
(Allaah) said: Fear not! Surely, you will
have the upper hand. And throw that
which is in your right hand! It will swal-low
up that which they have made. That
which they have made is only a magi-cian's
trick, and the magician will never
be successful, to whatever amount (of
skill) he may attain." (Taa Haa: 65-69)
After reciting this on the water, he should
drink from it three times and bathe with the rest.
By doing so, Allaah willing, all harm will
disappear, and there is no harm in repeating this
two or more times until he is cured.
One of the best ways to treat magic spells isto know the place where the material used in the
spell is hidden, whether in a mountain, the sea or
elsewhere, because once this is known, it can be
removed and spoiled, and by this the effect of
the magic spill will disappear.
These were some of the ways to protect and
treat oneself against magic.
Some magicians defuse the effect of magic
by offering sacrifices to Jinn and slaughtering
using their names, and this act is prohibited
because it is from the work of Satan, and it is a
major great act of Shirk (associating with
Allaah), so one must beware of this. It is also
prohibited to ask a magician, soothsayer or a
fortuneteller to cure you or do what they
command you to do, because they are
disbelievers, liars and sinners who claim to
know the Unseen, and they confuse people. The
Prophet () warned against going to them,
asking them, or believing what they say, as we
mentioned in the beginning of this booklet.
Once the Prophet () was asked about An-Nushrah
(which is seeking the aid of magiciansto get rid of a magic spill by the use of another
magic spill), so he replied, "It is an act from
Satan." (Ahmad & Abu Daawood) On the other
hand, it is permitted for someone to cure people
from magic spells by the use of Qur’aan and
authentic supplication from the Sunnah, as many
scholars said, such as Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, and others.
