Stories from Quran ✔

The Story of Haaroot and Maaroot - II

Magic is a reality and not mere illusion; some people consider tricks of the hand or deceptions of the eye to be magic, but magic is much more than that; it is a reality, and could lead one to hate what he used to love, such as the case which Allah informs us of in the previously mentioned verse where it can separate man from his wife. Indeed the goal that the devil strives hardest to achieve is to separate man from his wife, as in the narration of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, who stated that the Prophet  said:

“Satan places his throne on the water, then he sends his troops to people; the closest devil in position to him is the one who causes the most mischief and trials amongst people. One of them (i.e., from his troops) comes to him and says: 'I continued to whisper to so and so until he committed such and such a sin.' Satan responds: 'I swear by Allah! You have not done much.' (This process continues) until one (devil) comes and says: 'I continued to whisper to him until I made him separate from his wife.' Thereupon, Satan brings him close to him and hugs him, saying: 'Yes! You are the one.'” [Muslim]

Meaning, that he is the one who has achieved the greatest accomplishment. This separation is caused by either magic or by any other means.

Some magicians use magic to bewitch the eyes of people and make them believe that they are seeing something that they are not, as Allah says regarding the magicians of Pharaoh what means:

“…And they presented a great [feat] of magic.” [Quran 7: 116]

People thought, as a result of their magic, that they were seeing snakes instead of ropes and sticks.

Some people claim that there is a prophetic narration that is as follows: "Learn magic but do not teach it to others." This is a fabrication; such words were never uttered by the Prophet .

The Islamic ruling regarding the magician is that he is to be beheaded, as the Prophet  said:

“The punishment for the magician is that he must be beheaded.” [At-Tirmithi & Al-Haakim]

This is because such a person is an apostate, even if he fasts, prays and claims that he is a Muslim, because his practice of magic invalidates any good deeds he may perform.

There are two ways of being relieved from the effects of magic:

• The incorrect way is to go to magicians for this purpose; this is prohibited because the Prophet  said:

“He who approaches a magician and believes what he says will have his prayers rejected for forty days.” [Muslim]

Thus, it is prohibited to approach them or to seek their assistance in removing the effect of magic done on one by others.

• The correct way is by reciting the legislated Ruqyah (i.e. the Quran and certain prophetic supplications). Examples of this would be the Chapters Al-Faatihah, Al-Ikhlaas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas and the Verse of the Throne, or Ayat Al-Kursi, which is the two-hundred and fifty fifth verse of Chapter Al-Baqarah. An example of a prophetic supplication that is useful in this regard is:

"Allahumma Rabban-naas, athhibil-ba's, wash'fi, Antash-Shaafi, laa shifaa'a illaa shifaa'uka, shifaa’n laa yughaadiru saqama [O Allah! The Lord of mankind! Remove this disease and cure (him or her). You are the Great Curer. There is no cure but through You, which leaves behind no disease].'' [Al-Bukhari]

One may also recite Quranic verses in water and add to it seven dried and crushed Lote-tree leaves. This method is confirmed to have been practiced by some of the Salaf such as Wahb ibn Munabbih .