BRIEF ORIGIN OF MAGIC AND WITCHCRAFT AND IMPACT ON
RELIGION
BRIEF MASJID
NASIHA – BY BRO. MALLAM ABBA ABANA,
MASJID PLOT 94 ODUDUWA CRESCENT, PHASE 2
SITE 2, KUBWA
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‘‘BRIEF ORIGIN OF MAGIC AND WITCHCRAFT AND IMPACT ON RELIGION’’
Origin - Myths and Legends Of Babylonia And Assyria
Witchcraft is as old as humanity (and older than modern humans). Witchcraft originated as a practical method for dealing with women’s health issues, especially fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth. Over tens of thousands of years, Witchcraft expanded to include male health and most every part of daily human existence.
Witchcraft is as old as humanity (and older than modern humans). Witchcraft originated as a practical method for dealing with women’s health issues, especially fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth. Over tens of thousands of years, Witchcraft expanded to include male health and most every part of daily human existence.
Like other
primitive races the peoples of Chaldea scarcely discriminated at all between
religion and magic. One difference between the priest and the sorcerer was that
the one employed magic for religious purposes whilst the other used it for his
own ends. The literature of Chaldea—especially its religious literature—teems
with references to magic, and in its spells and incantations we see the
prototypes of those employed by the magicians of mediaeval Europe. Indeed so
closely do some of the Assyrian incantations and magical practices resemble
those of the European sorcerers of the Middle Ages and of primitive peoples of
the present day that it is difficult to convince oneself that they are of
independent origin?
That
Chaldean magic was the precursor of European mediaeval magic as apart from
popular sorcery and witchcraft is instanced not only by the similarity between
the systems but by the introduction into mediaeval magic of the names of
Babylonian and Assyrian gods and magicians.
Again
and again is Babylon appealed to even more frequently than Egypt, and we meet
constantly with the names of Beelzebub, Ishtar (as Astarte), Baal, and Moloch,
whilst the names of demons, obviously of Babylonian origin, are encountered in
almost every work on the subject. Frequent allusions are also made to the ‘wise
men’ and necromancers of Babylon, and to the ‘star-gazers’ of Chaldea. The
conclusion is irresistible that ceremonial magic, as practiced in the Middle
Ages, owed much to that of Babylon.
In
these Babylonian magical records we have by far the most complete picture of
the magic of the ancient world. It is a wondrous story that is told by those
bricks and cylinders of stamped clay —the story of civilized man’s first
groupings for light.
There
appears a deeper gloom, a more ominous spirit of the ancient and the obscure in
the magic of old Mesopotamia than in that of any other land. Its mighty
sanctuaries, its sky-aspiring towers, seem founded upon this belief in the
efficacy of the spoken spell, the reiterated invocation. Thousands of spirits
various and grotesque, the parents of the ghosts and goblins of a later day,
haunt the purlieus of the temple, battening upon the remains of sacrifice (the
leavings of the gorged gods), flit through the night-bound streets, and disturb
the rest of the dwellers in houses.
Demons with claw and talon, vampires, ghouls—all are there. Spirits blest and
unblest, jinn, witch-hags, lemures, sorrowing unburied ghosts. No type of
supernatural being appears to have been unknown to the imaginative Semites of
old Chaldea. These must all be ‘ laid/ exorcised, or placated, and it is not to
be marveled at that in such circumstances the trade of the necromancer
flourished exceedingly. The witch or wizard, however, the unprofessional and
detached practitioner with no priestly status, must beware. He or she was
regarded with suspicion, and if one fell sick of a strange wasting or a disease
to which he could not attach a name, the nearest sorcerer, male or female, real
or imaginary, was in all probability brought to book.
Witches of Sumerian and
Babylonia invented an elaborate demonology. They had a belief that the world
was full of spirits and that most of these spirits were hostile. Each person is
supposed to have their own spirit which would protect them from demons and
enemies. These demons can only be fought with the use of magic including
amulets, incantations, and exorcisms. Witches in ancient Egypt would use their
wisdom and knowledge of amulets, spells, formulas, and figures to bend the
cosmic powers to his purpose or that of his clients.
The Greeks have their own form of magic known as "Theurgy" which was close to religion. Another lower form of magic was "mageia" which was close to sorcery. They were individuals who had knowledge and powers to help their clients and harm their clients’ enemies by performing rites or supplying certain formulas.
Imbolc or Imbolg is held on the 2nd February and is one of the "Greater Sabbats" of the Witches year; it celebrates the coming of spring and the recovery of the Earth Goddess after giving birth to the Sun God at Yule.
The Sabbats or Sabbaths take place 4 times a year, February 2, April 30, July 31, and October 31. In ancient days, they were huge get-togethers that involved dancing, singing, and feasting which went on all night. It revolves around the change of seasons and the breeding of animals; they served as thanks for the bounties of earth. Other names given for Imbolc including the Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Lights, and Oimeic.
The Greeks have their own form of magic known as "Theurgy" which was close to religion. Another lower form of magic was "mageia" which was close to sorcery. They were individuals who had knowledge and powers to help their clients and harm their clients’ enemies by performing rites or supplying certain formulas.
Imbolc or Imbolg is held on the 2nd February and is one of the "Greater Sabbats" of the Witches year; it celebrates the coming of spring and the recovery of the Earth Goddess after giving birth to the Sun God at Yule.
The Sabbats or Sabbaths take place 4 times a year, February 2, April 30, July 31, and October 31. In ancient days, they were huge get-togethers that involved dancing, singing, and feasting which went on all night. It revolves around the change of seasons and the breeding of animals; they served as thanks for the bounties of earth. Other names given for Imbolc including the Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Lights, and Oimeic.
What do you know about Witchcraft in
Nigeria?
Through brief history we have sample opinions. Today, great deal
of magic and witchcraft etc. are practiced secretly or publicly in some areas by
so called Mallams, Alfas, Aladura etc. here in
Nigeria where elites of high class are involved for worldly gains particularly
Politicians, Chiefs, Rich Men/Women, Executives in Big Public or Private
Offices etc. where they spend millions of Naira secretly instead of
Sadaqat/charity to poor and needy roaming about on the streets.
In Nigeria, magic and
witchcraft might be in terms of acquiring wealth, peace, prosperity, longevity
and children (ref Awolalu, 1970; Leighton et al., 1963: 35ff). Witchcraft beliefs
are still almost universal among the Yoruba, despite the growth of education
and the spread of the world religions. They are easily
connected with Islamic or Christian belief, and a major attraction of the
Aladura churches is their explicit attention to the problem.
Sometimes, there are
‘medicines’ prescribed by a diviner. There is membership of one of the cults
explicitly opposed to witches such as Oro, Egungun or, in south-western
Yorubaland, Gelede (Beier,1958).
Though there are many
systems of divination used by the Yoruba, the most important is Ifa
(Bascom,1941; 1969b; Morton-Williams, 1966). The babalawo undergoes a long
training, lasting several years. He divines either with palm nuts (ikin) or
with a divining chain (opele).
Yoruba magical techniques
and rites prescribed by the babalawo shade off into Yoruba medical practice,
and the two are often combined (cf. Prince, 1960; 1964; Maclean,1971; Leighton
et al., 1963). The Yoruba word ogun refers to either magic or medicine, and the
babalawo is usually known for his medical skill as well as for his skill in
divination.
Religion and the social
structure are closely linked. The ancestor cult is an
extension of the kinship system, and the descent group is in some contexts a
religious congregation in which the elders have ritual authority. However,
the correlation between kinship and religious affiliation is not perfect, and
cult groups cross-cut descent groups.
In the North, different
kinds of Mallams for different purposes, for forecasting and fortune telling,
were using Jinns, sorcery, etc. These
mallams acquaint themselves and cover under Islam thereby collecting or
defrauding people from their wealth using the following types of magic with or
without Jinns connection:
1) Sihr al-Mahabba (Magic for
Love)
2) Sihr at-Tafreeq (Magic for
Separation)
3) Sihr at-Takhyeel (Magic for
Hallucinations/Illusions or false appearance of objects)
4) Sihr al-Hawaatif (Magic for
haunting voices)
5) Sihr al-Junoon (Magic for
Lunacy)
6) Sihr an-Nazeef (Magic for
excess bleeding)
7) Sihr al-Khumool (Magic for
Lethargy)
8) Sihr al-Maraz (Magic for
sickness or being ill)
9) Sihr of impeding a marriage
(Magic of impending marriages)
The above are sihr
formulae and are haram in accordance with Holy Quran and Sunnah.
Examples of other sihr related/connected with customs and
religion. The ranking of aduas is 1) express approval will
cost you heavily and will be granted shortly 2) second class Adua will take
about a week or so 3) approval will come at later date. Thus
politicians and high class elites will find themselves going to Mallams for express Adua.
We asked few aduas carpeted under religion. The Mallam said, they
recite adua for
express approval. On the other hand they have Surahs of Quran with separate
Khutubas are mixed with Rahawan (specific names of) Jinns of the highest class.
Many undergo either Surahs Fatiha, Taha, Yasin, Mulk or Tabaraka, Rahman, Waqia
etc. having studied these Khutubas. These are practical from Yorubas and
Northern mallams. We found out that names of Jinn.
Where are they getting these data and
approval rating from? May Allah protect us from misguidance.
We gave brief positions to understand in order to keep away from
Kufr as follows:
In the Holy Quran chapter 2: 102; They followed what the evil ones
gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon; the blasphemers were not
Solomon but the evil ones teaching men magic and such things as came down at
Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither
of these taught anyone (such things) without saying: "We are only for
trial so do not blaspheme." They learned from them the means to sow
discord between man and wife.
But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they
learned what harmed them not what profited them. And they knew
that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the
Hereafter. And
vile was the price for which they did sell their souls if they but knew!
Kill every sorcerer male and female. Reported by Abu Dawud.
‘’Whoever
goes to psychic, asks him about something, and believes him, will not have his
prayer accepted for forty days.’’ Reported by Muslim. Aisha (Radillahu anha)
said that she heard the Holy prophet {} say: ‘’The angels
descend into the atmosphere with heavenly orders, talking about something that
has been decreed in heaven, and Satan over-hears this and thereafter
communicates it to the soothsayers, who add a hundred falsehoods
with it themselves (to convey to their clients).’’ Reported by al-Bukhari.
Ibn Abbas relates that the prophet {} said: ‘’A person who
learns about astrology, it is as if he learns magic, and the more he learns
this, the more he learns about magic.’’ Reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah &
Ahmad
The evil deeds that
lead one to hell, Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allah have mercy on him,
was asked ‘’what are the deeds of the people of hell, and what are the deeds of
the people of paradise?’’ he replied, the deeds of the hell are: associating
partners in worship with Allah, disbelieving in His Messengers, Kufr
(ingratitude, disbelief), hasad (malicious envy), lying, treachery, oppression,
and wrong doing (Zulm), promiscuity, back stabbing, cutting off the ties of
kinship, cowardice at the time of Jihad, miserliness, inconstancy between what
is in one’s heart and the face shows to people, despairing of the mercy of
Allah, feeling secure from the plan of Allah,
picking blindly at the time of crisis, pride and extravagance at the time of
plenty, abandoning one’s duties towards Allah,
transgressing His limits, violating His sanctity, fearing a created being
instead of the creator, showing off, going against the Holy Quran and the
sunnat in word and deed, obeying a created being in some act of disobedience to
the creator, blindly supporting falsehood, mocking the signs of Allah ,
rejecting the Truth, withholding knowledge and testimony that should be
revealed, witchcraft and magic, disobeying one’s parents, killing any soul
forbidden by Allah except
for reasons of justice, consuming the wealth of the orphans, riba (usury),
desertion from the battlefield and slandering the reputation of innocent,
chaste, believing women.’’
The
practice of magic included in this is also causing a rift between a husband and
wife by turning his love for her into hatred, or tempting a person to do things
he dislikes by using magical arts. One who engages in such a thing or is
pleased with it is outside the pale of Islam. Allah the Most High says: ‘‘the
two (angels, Harut and Marut) did not teach anyone (magic) without warning
them, indeed, we are a trial; then do not disbelieve.''
REPENTANCE OF A WITCH AND RULING ON MAGIC
- MAJOR SINS
Learning
witchcraft and practicing it constitute kufr (disbelief). Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “They followed what the shayateen
(devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulayman (peace be
upon him). Sulayman (peace be upon him) did not disbelieve, but the shayateen
(devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at
Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut, 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).’” [Holy Quran Chapter 2:102]
A
practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes him an apostate, so he
commits kufr and should be executed for his apostasy. Or he may practice
witchcraft by doing something that does not constitute kufr. In the latter case
there is a difference of scholarly opinion, but the correct view is that he
should also be executed if it is proven that he is a practitioner of
witchcraft. This is what the sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) did and
enjoined others to do. If he is executed, he should not be washed or shrouded
or buried in the Muslim graveyard.
There
should be no hesitation in executing the practitioner of witchcraft, whether we
say that he is a kafir (disbeliever) or not, because this is what is proven
from the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Executing him prevents the spread of evil and serves as a deterrent to his
fellow practitioners of witchcraft.
If a
practitioner of witchcraft repents sincerely to Allah, then Allah will accept
his repentance. This is between him and his Lord, before the matter reaches the
courts. But if the matter reaches the Islamic court, then the qaadi (Muslim
judge) should execute him without asking him to repent, so as to rid society of
his evil. But it is not permissible for any individual to carry out the hadd
(Islamically prescribed) punishment by himself, rather the matter must be
referred to the Islamic authorities.
Some fatwas of the scholars on this
subject matter:
1 –
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If a
practitioner of witchcraft repents sincerely to Allah, that will benefit him
before Allah, for Allah accepts repentance from the mushrikeen (polytheists)
and others, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And He it is Who
accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins.” [Holy Quran Chapter
42:25]. “And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may
be successful.” [Holy Quran Chapter 24:31]
But in
this world it is not accepted. The correct view is that he is to be executed.
If it is proven to the court that he is a practitioner of witchcraft, then he
should be executed, even if he says, “I have repented.” His repentance between
him and Allah is valid, if he is sincere, and that will benefit him before
Allah, but according to the Islamic ruling he is to be executed, just as ‘Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) executed the practitioners of witchcraft,
because their evil is great. They may say, “We have repented,” but they may be
lying, and the people will be harmed and may not be safe from their evil
because of the repentance that they show. So they should be executed, and their
repentance will benefit them before Allah if they are sincere. End
quote. Majmoo’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baz.
2 – The
Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: The correct view according
to the scholars is that the practitioner of witchcraft should be executed
without being asked to repent, because of the seriousness of their evil. Some
scholars are of the view that they should be asked to repent, and that they are
like any other kafirs (non-Muslims) who should be asked to repent. But the
correct scholarly view is that they should not be asked to repent because their
evil is so great, and because they conceal their evil and their kufr; they may
claim to have repented but they are lying, and may cause a great deal of harm
to people as a result. Hence the scholars were of the view that the one who is
known and proven to be a practitioner of witchcraft should be executed even if
he claims that he has repented and that he regrets what he has done; he should
not be believed.
Hence it
is narrated that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to the commanders
of the troops telling them to execute every practitioner of witchcraft they
found, so as to guard against their evil. Abu ‘Uthman al-Nahdi said: “We
executed three practitioners of witchcraft.” This is how it was narrated in
Saheeh al-Bukhari from Bajalah ibn ‘Abdah. [It was also narrated by Abu Dawud
with a saheeh isnad/authentic chain of narrators, and the original report is in
al-Bukhari].
And it
is narrated in a saheeh (authentic) report that Hafsah (may Allah be pleased
with her) executed a slave woman of hers because she found out that she was
engaging in witchcraft. And when the great sahabi (companion) Jundub ibn
‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a practitioner of witchcraft
playing with his head – making the people think that he was cutting off his
head and putting it back – he approached him without him realizing and killed
him, and said: “Now put your head back if you are telling the truth!”
The evil
of the practitioners of witchcraft is great, hence it is obligatory to execute
them. If the authorities know that they are practitioners of witchcraft, and
that is proven with shar’i (legal) evidence, then they have to execute them, so
as to protect society from their evil and corruption. End quote.
3 –The
Shaykh also said: If he is executed, the funeral prayer should not be
offered for him, and he should not be buried in the graveyard of the Muslims;
he should be buried in the graveyard of the kafirs. He should not be buried in
the graveyard of the Muslims, the funeral prayer should not be offered for him,
and he should not be washed or shrouded. We ask Allah to keep us safe and
sound.
4 – He
also said: The ruling on the practitioner of witchcraft who is known to
make people imagine things, or whose actions result in harm for people, such as
causing people to see things that are not there, making a man beloved to his
wife or a wife beloved to her husband, or the opposite, which causes harm to
people, if this is proven by means of evidence in the Islamic court, then this
practitioner of witchcraft must be executed and his repentance should not be
accepted even if he repents.
We have
quoted above the report narrated from ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),
who ordered his commanders to kill the practitioners of witchcraft so as to
prevent their mischief on earth and to stop them disturbing the Muslims and
causing harm to people. As soon as they are found out, then it is obligatory
for the Muslim leaders to execute them even if they say “We have repented”,
because there is no guarantee. If they are sincere in their repentance, that
will benefit them before Allah, because of the general meaning of the verse in
which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And He it is Who
accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you
do.” [Holy Quran Chapter 42:25].
If a
person comes to the authorities without having been found out and tells them
that he has repented, and that in the past he used to do such and such, but he
has repented to Allah and he seems outwardly to be good, then his repentance
should be accepted, because he has come voluntarily, seeking goodness and
announcing his repentance without having been found out and without anyone
making any claims against him. So if he comes in a manner that does not suggest
any kind of trickery, then his repentance should be accepted, because he has come
repenting and expressing regret, like any other kafir who may have a bad past,
then Allah blesses him by enabling him to repent without being forced to do so
by anyone and without anyone making any claims against him. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baz.
5 – The
scholars of the Standing Committee said: If the practitioner of
witchcraft does any act of kufr in his magic, then he is to be executed as a
hadd punishment for his kufr. If it is proven that he killed by means of his
magic someone whose life is protected by sharee’ah, then he should be executed
as a qasas (retribution) punishment. If he did not do any act of kufr or kill
anyone by means of his magic, then there is a difference of scholarly opinion
with regard to executing him for his witchcraft. But the correct view is that
he should be executed as a hadd punishment for his apostasy. This is the view
of Abu Haneefah, Malik and Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them), because his
magic in fact means that he is a kafir, because of the verse (interpretation of
the meaning): “They followed what the shayateen (devils) gave out (falsely of
the magic) in the lifetime of Sulayman (peace be upon him). Sulayman (peace be
upon him) did not disbelieve, but the shayateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men
magic.” [Holy Quran Chapter 2:102].
This
verse indicates that all practitioners of witchcraft are kafirs. And it is
proven in Saheeh al-Bukhari that Bajalah ibn ‘Abdah said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab
(may Allah be pleased with him) wrote saying: Execute every practitioner of
witchcraft, male or female, and we executed three practitioners of witchcraft.
And it was narrated that Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be
pleased with her) ordered that a slave girl of hers who had put a spell on her
be executed, and she was executed. [Maalik in al-Muwatta]. And it is proven
that Jundub said: The punishment for the practitioner of witchcraft is a blow
with the sword. [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi who said: the correct view is that it
is mawqoof – not directly attributed to the Prophet]. Based on this, the
ruling on the practitioner of witchcraft asked about in the question is that he
should be executed according to the correct scholarly view. The one whose job
it is to confirm that witchcraft has taken place and to carry out the
punishment is the ruler who is charge of the Muslims’ affairs, so as to ward
off mischief and close the door to chaos. End quote. Fatawa al-Lajnah
al-Daimah.
6 –
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: Is this execution a hadd (legally prescribed)
punishment or killing him because of his kufr? Both are possible, based
on the details about the kufr of the practitioner of witchcraft that we have
discussed above. But based on the above discussion we say: if a person’s
witchcraft constitutes kufr, then his execution is that of an apostate, but if
his witchcraft does not constitute kufr, then it comes under the heading of
protection against serious harm, and it must be implemented as the ruler sees
fit.
Practitioners
of witchcraft must be executed, whether or not we say that it is because of
their kufr, because they make people sick and may even kill them, they cause
separation between husband and wife, and vice versa, and they may bring about
reconciliation between enemies and thus attain their goals. One of them may
bewitch a person to make him like him and get what he wants from him, such as
if one of them bewitches a woman in order to have his way with her, and because
they spread mischief on earth. So it is obligatory for the authorities to execute
them without asking them to repent, so long as this is done to ward off their
harm and the great damage they may cause. The hadd punishment has nothing to do
with being asked to repent; when the offender is caught, the hadd punishment
must be carried out. End quote. Majmoo’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
This is a commentary on Kitab al-Tawheed.
7 –
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen also said: The view that (practitioners of
witchcraft) should be executed is in accordance with the principles of
sharee’ah, because they spread mischief on earth and their mischief is one of
the greatest forms of mischief. So executing them is obligatory for the ruler,
and it is not permissible for the ruler to fail to execute them, because if
such people are left alone and their actions become widespread, they will cause
mischief in their own land and in the land of others. But if they are executed
the people will be safe from their evil and the people will be deterred from
indulging in witchcraft. End quote. Majmoo’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthyameen. This is a commentary on Kitab al-Tawheed.
SIHR AND ITS TYPES
Sihr is
a serious crime and is one of the kinds of kufr. It is one of things with which
people have been tested, in the past and currently, among the nations of the
past, during the Jaahiliyyah and in this ummah. The more ignorance increases,
the less there is knowledge and awareness of faith, the less attention the
authorities pay to this matter – the more the practitioners of sihr and
trickery increase and spread in the land, to take the people’s wealth and
confuse them and do other things. When knowledge prevails and faith increases,
and the Islamic authorities are powerful, the number of these evil people
shrinks and they move from one land to another, seeking a place where their
falsehood will be accepted and they will be able to engage in their trickery
and corruption.
The
Qur’aan and Sunnah have described the kinds of sihr and the rulings on these
matters.
Sihr is
so called because its means are hidden or secret, and because the practitioners
of sihr deal with things in secret which enable them to perform illusions to
confuse the people and deceive their eyes, and to cause them harm or steal
their money, etc., in a secretive manner so that in most cases nobody realizes
what is happening. Hence the last part of the night is called sahar, because at the
end of the night people are unaware and they do not move about much. And the
lungs are also called sahr,
because they are hidden inside the body.
According
to sharee’ah, the meaning of sihr is what the magicians do to delude and
confuse people, so that the one who is watching thinks that it is real when in
fact it is not. As Allaah said concerning the magicians of Pharaoh
(interpretation of the meaning):“They said: ‘O Moosa!
Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?’ Moosa said: ‘Nay, throw
you (first)!’ Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic,
appeared to him as though they moved fast. So Moosa 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 swallow up that which they have made.
That which they have made is only a magician’s trick, and the magician will
never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.’”[Holy Quran
Chapter Ta-Ha 20:65-69]
Sihr may
involve things that the magician does when tying knots on which he blows, as is
referred to in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):“And from the evil of those
who practise witchcraft when they blow in the knots”[ Holy Quran Chapter
al-Falaq 113:4]
And it
may involve other things which they manage to do through the shayaateen
(devils), so they do things that may affect a man's reason or make him sick;
they may cause division between a man and his wife, resulting in her looking
ugly to him, or by making her hate her husband or be put off by him. This is
blatant kufr as the Qur’aan states. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“They followed what the
Shayaateen (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of
Sulaymaan (Solomon). Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils)
disbelieved, teaching men magic” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:102].
Allaah
informs us that they (the shayaateen) committed kufr by teaching men magic.
Then He says (interpretation of the meaning): “and such things that came
down at Babylon to the two angels, Haaroot and Maaroot, 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).’”[Holy Quran Chapter
al-Baqarah 2:102].
Then
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “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”[ Holy Quran Chapter
al-Baqarah 2:102] .
1. this
magic and any harm that result from it is subject to the prior decree and will
of Allaah, for our Lord cannot be overwhelmed and nothing can happen in His
Dominion against His Will. Nothing happens in this world or in the hereafter
except by His prior decree and His great wisdom, as He wills. So some people
may be tested by sihr, and others may be tested by sickness, or by being
killed…etc. Allaah is All-Wise in all that He wills and decrees, and in
all that He prescribes for His slaves. Hence Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “but they
could not thus harm anyone except by Allaah’s Leave” [Holy Quran Chapter
al-Baqarah 2:102].
2. by
His universal (kawni) will and decree, not by His legislative (shar’i) will
[i.e., He wills that it should happen but He does not enjoin it and He is not
pleased by such actions]. For sharee’ah does not allow such things, indeed it
forbids them, but by His universal leave He already knows and has already
decreed that So and so will do sihr, and that So and so will be affected by
sihr, just as He already knows and has already decreed that So and so will be
killed, or afflicted with a certain sickness, or will die in a certain land,
and will receive such and such provision, or will be rich or poor. All of that
happens by the will and decree of Allaah, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning): “Verily,
We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things
before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees Al‑Lawh Al‑Mahfooz)[
Holy Quran Chapter al-Qamar 54:49].
“No calamity befalls on the
earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al‑Lawh Al‑Mahfooz)
before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allaah”[ Holy Quran
Chapter al-Hadeed 57:22].
The
evils that come at the hands of the magicians or others do not happen because
our Lord is ignorant, for He knows all things and nothing at all is hidden from
Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):“Verily, Allaah is the
All-Knower of everything”[al-Anfaal 8:75].
“that you may know that Allaah has
power over all things, and that Allâh surrounds all things in (His)
Knowledge”[al-Talaaq 65:12] .
So
Allaah knows all things, and nothing happens in His Dominion that He does not
will, but He has perfect wisdom and good aims in whatever He decrees should
happen to people of honour or humiliation, losing or gaining power, sickness or
health, magic and other things.
Everything
that happens to people happens by the will of Allaah and in accordance with His
prior decree. These magicians may perform their illusions, as stated in the
aayah quoted above (interpretation of the meaning): “They said: ‘O Moosa!
Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?’ Moosa said: ‘Nay, throw
you (first)!’ Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic,
appeared to him as though they moved fast. [Holy Quran Chapter Ta-Ha 20:65-66]
It
appeared to the onlooker as if these sticks and ropes were snakes, moving fast
in the valley. They were only sticks and ropes, but the magicians, through what
they had learned, made what they demonstrated before the people look different
in their eyes to what it really was.
Allaah
says (interpretation if the meaning): “by their magic, appeared to
him as though they moved fast” [Holy Quran Chapter Ta-Ha 20:66].
And
in Soorat al-A’raaf Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He [Moosa] said: ‘Throw
you (first).’ So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and
struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic” [Holy Quran Chapter
al-A’raaf 7:116].
But
in fact their sticks and ropes did not change; it was the people’s sight which
changed because of the sihr, so they thought they were snakes, because of the
illusion brought about by the magicians. Some people call this taqmeer, which is when
the magician does things to make a person not sense reality as it really is, so
his eyes do not see what is really there and things may be taken from his shop
or his home without him realizing it, i.e., he does not know what is really
happening. So he may see a rock as a chicken or as an egg, and so on, because
reality has been changed in his eyes because of the confusion wrought by the
magician, and because his eyes have been bewitched. There are things that the
magicians do with certain substances to make people’s eyes not see what is
really happening. This is the kind of magic which Allaah describes as “great”
[i.e. serious, powerful] in Soorat al-A’raaf
(interpretation of the meaning):“… So when they threw, they
bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they
displayed a great magic” [Holy Quran Chapter al-A’raaf 7:116]. From Majmoo’
Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 65.
And
Allah knows best.
Sources
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