Sorcery

 

 

 

Sorcery

 

 

 

 

All praise is due to Allah Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (The One & Only God) and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

 

Fear Allah (The One & Only God) and hold fast unto His Strong Rope and Straight Path and know that the most abominable of things is to disobey Allah. Be also aware that the greatest of all sins is the one greatest in consequence. Perpetrating major sins is tantamount to waging war against Allah (The One God) and his Messenger. Sins differ in their consequences and punishments according to differences in their degree of contradiction of the purpose of creation and contrariness to the truth. In fact, Allah (The One God) created the universe that He alone may be worshipped without associating any partners with Him. He created the Heavens and the Earth in truth and in order to reward each soul for whatever it earned. He has also reformed the Earth by sending Messengers and revealing books. Therefore, whatever runs in contrary to these great aims is an abominable sin before Allah (The One God), for which He has promised a severe punishment in this world and the next.

 

That is why the act of associating partners with Allah (The One & Only God) in acts of worship is regarded to be the greatest of major sins and its punishment is the most severe. Allah says,

“Verily whoever sets up partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him and the fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (Polytheists, and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.” (Holy Quran Al-Maaidah 5:72).

 

 

 

Allah (The One God) will also not accept intercession on behalf of one who associates partners with Him. This is because of the gravity of shirk.

Sorcery is one of the major sins, for it is disbelief in Allah (The One God) and association of partners with Him. Allah has made it forbidden and the Messenger seriously warned against it. Al-Bukharee and Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,

“Keep away from the seven destructive sins!” They said, “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He answered, “Associating partners with Allah; practicing sorcery; taking a life, which Allah has made forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic Law); eating Riba (usury) eating up an orphan’s wealth; fleeing from the battle field at the time of fighting (with the unbelievers); and accusing chaste women, who never think of anything that can touch their chastity and who are good believers, of fornication.”

 

 

 

Sorcery destroys good deeds of the sorcerer because it contains shirk, for one can not become a sorcerer unless he or she has sought nearness to devils by obeying them, slaughtering for them, prostrating for a jinn (Demon), seeking aid from devils, calling unto them, urinating on a copy of the Glorious Qur’aan, eating impure things, or perpetrating some other abominable acts. When he associates partners with Allah (The One & Only God) and obeys Satan, the evil jinn and devils will obey him, serve him and provide him with his need in return for his associating partners with Allah (The One God).

 

 

Further, the sorcerers always tell lies, have dirty minds and commit sins insolently. Allah (The One God) says,

“Shall I inform you, (O people) upon whom the shayatin (devils) descend? They descend on every lying (one who tells lies), sinful person.” (Holy Quran Ash-Shuaraa 26:221-222)

 

 

 

Sorcery creates separation between husband and wife, between a son and his father, brother and friend. It dominates and weakens one’s will power thereby making the bewitched perceive the harmful things as useful and vice-versa. He sees undesirable things in his house and his family but would be unable to correct it because he has been dispossessed of his will power. Sometimes sorcery kills, makes one sick, damages one’s sense of reasoning, brings about delusive imagination, and destructive insinuation. However, all this happens by the permission of Allah (The One God) and His will for nothing happens except by His will. Allah says,

“And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s leave.” (Holy Quran Al-Baqarah 2: 102)

 

 

 

Sorcery is widespread among ignorant women and some despicable and ignorant men who use this vicious means to win undue favour and inflict harm on others. As for the bewitched person, he is regarded as the wronged one and Allah (The One God) will come to his aid. Ibn Abbaas reported that the Messenger of Allah said,

“He is not of us, the one who sees evil omens, or the one the one whose behalf they are seen, or the one who practices soothsaying, or the one on whose behalf it is practiced; or the one who practices sorcery, or the one for whom sorcery is done.” (At-Tabaraanee)

 

 

An-Nesaaee also reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah the Messenger of Allah said,

“Whoever ties a knot and blows into it has practiced sorcery, and whosoever practiced sorcery has associated partners with Allah. “

 

 

Whoever wears anything for protection (i.e. talismans, pendants etc.) will be left in its care. As-Sihr (Sorcery) literally means something that is hidden and its cause is unknown. In terms of religion it means knots and shirk incantations that have impact on the victim’s mind or body. The Islamic rule regarding learning it and teaching it is that it is Kufr (disbelief) and going out of the fold of Islam, according to the authentic view of the scholars. Allah (The One God) says,

“Sulaimaan (Prophet Solomon) did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved teaching men magic.” (Holy Quran Al-Baqarah 2: 102)

 

He also says in the same verse,

“And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the hereafter.”

He also says,

“And the magician will never be successful no matter what amount (of skill) he may attain.” (Holy Quran Taha 20: 69)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorcery according to the scholars does have a real impact with Allah’s (The One God's) leave. That is why Allah (The One God) enjoined seeking refuge against it. As for the legal ruling concerning sorcerers in this world, they should be killed if evidence is established that they practice sorcery. That is the opinion of Abu Haneefah, Maalik, and Ahmed. Imam Ahmad said,

“Capital punishment for the sorcerer has been authentically reported from three companions of the Holy Prophet. It is reported from Umar that he wrote, “Kill every sorcerer and sorceress.” Bujaalah (a sub-narrator) said, “Then we killed three sorceresses.” It is also authentically reported from Hafsah (Holy Prophet’s wife) that she ordered a maid of hers to be killed because she did sorcery on her.” Jundub bin Kaab was also authentically reported that he beheaded a magician who was playing his magic in front of Waleed and said, “Let him use his magic for his own benefit now.”

 

 

 

The Killing of sorcerers is for the purpose of protecting people from their harm and evil, in order to uproot all its manifestations from the society and to preserve the purity of Muslims’ belief, their intellect, and properties. Islam also encourages good and fights evil. Executing sorcerers is therefore the correct opinion of the scholars, even if he shows repentance because the companions did not ask the sorcerers to repent before they killed them.

Further, most sorcerers are liars. If a sorcerer is given a chance to repent, he is unlikely to be truthful. If he is however truthful in his heart his repentance will benefit him before Allah (The One God) but that does not save him from being executed because he has practised a malicious and wicked act.

There are some ignorant people who do not have a clear perception of the lying and deceitful sorcerers and are confused by these devilish acts, like flying in the sky, walking on water, healing the sick, or informing of hidden things and it becomes as said, thereby making these ignorant people believe falsely that the sorcerer is a friend of God. It can even lead to worshipping him besides Allah (The One God) and seeking his benefit and protection. The Islamic Shariah has however distinguished between friends of Allah (The One & Only God) and friends of Shaytaan (Devil). Friends of Allah are those who maintain the limits of Allah (The One God), adhere to his injunctions inwardly and outwardly and observe the prayer. Allah (The One God) says,

“No doubt! Verily, the Awliyaa’ of Allah (i.e. those who believe in the oneness of Allah and fear Allah much; abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden, and love Allah much; perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained.), no fear shall overcome them, nor shall they grieve. (Those who believe in the Oneness of Allah), and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and by doing righteous deeds.” (Holy Quran Yoonus 10: 52-63)

 

 

 

Further, it is not a prerequisite for being God’s friend to perform supernatural acts which the ignorant people regard as miracles while they are satanic works in actual sense with which devils serve them in order to mislead people. Do not therefore be carried away by the feats of these magicians. If you look at their adherence to Islamic injunctions you will find that they do not attend Jumu’ah prayer or congregational prayers; they do not listen to the Holy Qur’aan. They only spread immorality. Allah (The One God) says,

“They are the party of Satan. Verily, it is the party of Satan that will be the losers!” (Holy Quran Al-Mujaadalah 58: 19)

 

 

 

Regard those who perform such a supernatural acts as charlatans / swindlers who are disbelievers in Allah (The One God).
There are others who are considered to be the same as sorcerers. These are soothsayers, fortune-tellers, and astrologers; and those who make writings on the sand. They all claim the knowledge of the unseen, thereby becoming kuffar (disbelievers). Allah (The One God) says,

“Say: None in the heavens and the Earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allah.” (Holy Quran An-Naml 27: 65)

 

 

Therefore, whoever believes them in their claim has also become an unbeliever. The Holy Prophet said,

“Whoever visits a soothsayer and believes in what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.” (Abu Dawood)

 

 

Magical spells can be prevented by having trust & strong faith in Allah (The One & Only God), supplicating to Him, reciting the Holy Qur’aan and authentic azkaar, perfection of Tawheed, keeping away from shirk and waging war against malicious people. Allah (The One God) says,

“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). Verily, he is to you a plain enemy.” (Holy Quran Al-Baqarah 1: 208)

 

 

 

Fear Allah (The One God), and know that Allah (The One God) knows the secret and that which is hidden. He says,

“And obey Allah and the Messenger and beware and fear Allah. Then if you turn away then you should know that it is our Messenger’s duty to convey (the message) in the clearest way.” (Holy Quran Al-Maaidah 5: 92)

 

 

Allah (The One & Only God) says,

“And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him.” (Holy Quran At-Talaaq 65: 3)

 

 

The Holy Prophet said,

“Supplication benefits in things that have happened and things that have not yet happened.”

As a measure of prevention from magical spell, the Holy Prophet enjoins reciting the Holy Qur’aan and doing zikr (rememberance of God) in the morning and evening. He said,

“Recite Sooratul-Baqarah, for recitation of it is blessing and abandonment of it is a loss. The wicked people are incapable of doing anything for those who recite it.”

Magic and sorcery can also be prevented by burning its books and taking their case to the authorities in order to protect people from their evil deeds.

Whenever a magical spell is established, the instruments of that spell should be burnt if they are found, as done by the Holy Prophet when Labeed ibn Al-A’sam, the Jew, did a magic spell on him. The Holy Prophet brought the instrument of the spell out of B’ir dharwaan and burnt it. As regards the cure of magic, it is constant supplication to Allah (The One God). Aa’isha said,

, “When a magical spell was done on the Holy Prophet he supplicated for a long while then said, “O Aa’isha, do you know that Allah has told me of the person who did the magic spell on me and He has healed me.?”

 

 

 

It should however be noted that the kind of magical spell that affected the Holy Prophet did not in any way affect his divine immunity or deliverance of his message. It was just a mere harm done to him from which Allah (The One God) cured him.

Magical spells are also cured by continuous recitation of Sooratul-Faatihah, Sooratul-Falaq, Sooratun-Naas, Sooratul-Ikhlaas, and Aayatul-Kursi of the Holy Quran, for all these Soorahs weaken the effect of the spell whether it is recited by the victim himself or recited on him by a righteous person.
It is unlawful to cure one magical spell with another, for Allah (The One & Only God) does not allow the cure by that which He has forbidden them. Nevertheless, it is permissible to cure oneself of magical spells with lawful medicaments, herbs and the like.

 

 

 

Beware of the evil plans of Satan (Devil)

 

 

 

 

Beware of the evil plans of Satan (Devil)

 

 

 

 

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessing be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his family and his companions.
Fear Allah (The One & Only God) in public and private, seek for the pleasure of the Last Day and do not follow the path of the mischief-makers. Know that every thing has its beginning and end. Be also aware that you are now in the abode of trails and that your final destination is either Paradise or Hell.

The Almighty Allah (The One & Only God), has made Islam the only way that leads to Paradise and He says,

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Holy Quran Aal-’Imraan 3:85)

 

 

 

Allah (The One & Only God) ordains under the shade of Islam, good deeds than can save man from destruction and protect him from evils. He, the Almighty, created inhabitants for Paradise who will do righteous deeds, and those who call unto it such as the Prophets (peace and blessing of God be upon them) and their followers. They are those that Allah (The One God) has favoured, given the highest ranks and made them successful in the race towards good deeds. Allah (The One God) says,

“And whosoever obey Allah and His Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqoon (those followers of the Prophets, who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq) the martyrs and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! Such is the Bounty from Allah and Allah is Sufficient as All-Knower.”(Holy Quran An-Nisaa 40:69-70)

 

 

 

Their conduct is excellent, their private is clean and their deeds are pure. Their reward then was happiness in this world and the next, crowned with everlasting dwelling in Paradise.

Equally, Allah (The One & Only God) Created inhabitants for the Hell-Fire and destined that they shall not do but deeds that will lead them there. Allah (The One God) explains the way that leads to Hell and warns against treading that path. He says,

“And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the Hell-Fire, he shall dwell therein forever.” (Holy Quran Al-Jinn 72:23)

 

 

 

Further, this abode in which Allah (The One God) created different kinds of everlasting torment has those who call unto it. Allah says,

“And we made them leader inviting to the Fire; and to the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped. And We make a curse to follow them in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among those who are prevented from receiving Allah’s Mercy or any good; despised or destroyed.”(Holy Quran Al-Qasas 28: 41-41)

 

 

Callers to Hell encourage man to disobey Allah (The One God) and call him to commit destructive sins. The most wicked and vicious one in this respect evil is Satan (The Devil), the accursed. Allah (The One & Only God) has put people to test by him that He might know the obedient and disobedient ones among His slaves and give the reward or punishment accordingly. He says,

“And indeed Satan did prove his thought about them; and they followed him all except a group of true believers. And he (Satan) had no authority over them, except that We might test him who believes in the hereafter from him who is in doubt about it and your Lord is Watchful over everything.”(Holy Quran Saba’ 34:20-21)

 

 

This extremely malicious creature who calls to every abominable act has been given only a limited power which he can never exceed. Also, Allah (The One God) has given the true believer a weapon by which he can drive away his evil. He gave Satan an ability to cause devilish insinuations in human mind, so that man may think of committing sin, then have the intention to commit it and finally commit of that sin. Allah (The One God) also gave him an ability to present a sin to man in a favourable light. Allah (The One God) says,

“And Satan made fair-seeming to them, that which they used to do.” (Holy Quran Al-An’aam 6:43)

 

 

 

However, Allah (The One & Only God) did not give Satan (Devil) an ability to create the love of something good in man’s mind, for that exclusively belongs to Allah. He says:

“And know that there is the Messenger of Allah among you. If he were to obey you (i.e. follow your opinions and desires) in much of the matter, you would surely be in trouble. But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you. Such are they who are the rightly guided.” (Holy Quran Al-Hujuraat 49:7)

 

 

Also, Allah (The One God) gave this vicious Satan an ability to instigate the disbelievers to commit sins as He gave him ability to drive man into rage and cause him to have devilish thoughts. Allah (The One God) says,

“See you not that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers to push them to do evil.”(Holy Quran Maryam 19:83).

 

 

All these devilish tricks of Satan that Allah (The One God) informed us about are but weak tricks that get weakened and eliminated by Eemaan (faith) and seeking the protection of Allah (The One God). He says,

“Ever feeble indeed is the plan of Satan.” (Holy Quran An-Nisaa 4:76)

 

Allah (The One & Only God) also says of him,

“Verily! He has no power over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord (Allah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan) and those who join partner with Him (Allah)”(Holy Quran An-Nahl 16:99-100)

 

 

He, indeed has no power over the believers who put their trust in Allah (The One God).
This enemy, whom we believe in his existence, whose impacts we feel and the result of whose evil deeds we know has laid in wait for men in ways that lead to good deeds in order to prevent them from doing it. Allah (The One God) says,

“(Satan) said: Because you have sent me astray, surely. I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from their front and rear, their right and left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones.”(Holy Quran Al-A’raaf 7:16-17)

 

 

 

We can not prevent the evils of Satan, or render his plans ineffective or escape from his traps except by seeking Allah’s protection. Allah (The One & Only God) says,

“And whoever holds firm to Allah (i.e. follows Allah’s religion and obeys all that Allah has ordered practically), then He is indeed guided to the right path.”(Holy Quran Aal-’Imraan 3:101)

 

 

Allah (The One God) has explained to us that this avowed enemy leads man to sin and destructive acts and then abandon him. He has made shirk (associating partners to Allah in acts of worship) fair seeming to the peoples of Prophet Noah, ‘Aad, Thamood; made sodomy fair seeming to the people of Prophet Loot and made different kinds of sins fair-seeming to many others, but when the repercussions of their evil deeds came upon them, he disowned and abandoned them.

 

 

 

 

 

Allah (The One & Only God) says,

“(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: ‘Disbelieve in Allah!’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Satan says: ‘I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of all the worlds’. So the end of both will be that, they will be in the Fire abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the wrong-doers” (Holy Quran Al-Hashr 59:16-17)

 

 

As for the Day of the Resurrection, Satan (Devil) will stand on a mountain of fire and deliver a speech to his followers as Allah (The One God) informs:

“Verily, Allah promised you a truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you and you responded to me. So blame me not but blame yourselves. I can not help you nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me as a partner with Allah (by obeying me the satan in the life of the world).’ Verily, there is a painful torment to the wrong-doers.”(Holy Quran Ibraheem 14:22)

 

 

After this speech, nothing more will be heard except sighing in a high and low tone, regret, crying and wailing. Then Allah (The One God) will say:

“Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me.” (Holy Quran Al-Mu’minoon 23:108)

 

Evil of Satan can also be averted by seeking refuge with Allah (The One God) from him. Allah says,

“And if an evil whisper from Satan tries to turn you away (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.”(Holy Quran Fussilat 41:36)

 

 

In the hadeeth (saying of Holy Prophet), it is reported that two men abused each other in the presence of the Messenger of Allah and the face of one of them turned red (out of severe rage). The Messenger of Allah said:

‘I know a word that if this man says it, his anger will go away. It is, ‘A’oodhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir-rajeem.” (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed”.

One can also prevent the evil plan of Satan by observing the prayers in congregation. Allah (The One God) says,

“Verily, As-Salaah (prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and every kind of evil wicked deed)”. (Holy Quran Al-Ankaboot 29:45).

 

 

The Holy Prophet also said:

“whoever observes fajr prayer (morning prayer) in congregation shall remain under Allah’s protection until evening, so, do not let Allah found you wanting in fulfilling His rights upon you”.

Evils of Satan can also be prevented by reading Aayatul-Kursiy (Holy Qur’an 2:255), Sooratul-Ikhlaas (Chapter 112) Al-Mu’awwidhatayn (Chapters 113 and 114) and Sooratul-Ghaafir (Chapter 40) at the end of each prayer. One should also be reciting the Holy Qur’aan frequently, for, the more he recites, the more he protects himself from Satan (Devil).
Likewise is paying Zakaat (obligatory alms), making voluntary charity and spending in the good cause.

 

The Holy Prophet said:

“Charity erases sins as water blows out fire.” When a Muslim is cleansed of all his sins, he is then saved from a great evil.

One can also drive away evil plans of Satan by constantly remembering Allah (The One God) by saying“SubhaanAllah” (glory be to Allah), “Alhamdulillaah” (praise be to Allah) “Allahu Akbar” ( Allah is the Greatest) “Laa ilaaha illa Allah” (There is no god except Allah) e.t.c.

 

 

The Holy Prophet said:

“Whoever says, “La ilaaha illa Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahoo, lahul-mulk, walahul-hamdu wa huwa alaa kulli shay’in qadeer,” ( meaning: There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He is One without any partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and praise and He has power over all things) hundred times a day, that will be enough for him as a protection from Satan for the whole day. it is also as if he has freed a slave and one hundred good deeds will be recorded for him.”

 

 

To struggle in the way of Allah, attending gatherings of knowledge and where good deeds are done, keeping away from gatherings of play which Satan attends and in which he causes enmity, hatred and misery also protect from the evil plans of Satan.
Further, foremost of the things that protect one from the devilish plans of Satan is Tawheed (belief in Islamic monotheism), putting one’s trust in Allah (The One God) and being sincere in worshipping Him. Allah says,

“Certainly, you (Satan) shall have no authority over My slaves except those who follow you and those who go astray (the criminals, polytheisms and evil-doers).”(Holy Quran Al-Hijr 15:42)

 

 

Beware of Satan’s footsteps and evil plans. Allah (The One & Only God) says,

“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Verily, he is to you a plain enemy. Then if you slide back after the clear signs have come to you, then know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”(Holy Quran Al-Baqarah 2:208-209)

 

 

Fear Allah (The One & Only God) as He should be feared and know that Satan calls man to all evil things and prevents him from doing any good deed. The first thing that Satan calls to is disbelief in Allah (The One & Only God). If one responds to him, he has surrendered his affairs to him, Satan (Devil) will then lead him to all evil and destructive things in this world. But if man does not respond to him when he invites him to disbelief, he calls him to bid’ah (innovations in matters of religion), for a person who indulges in bid’ah does not generally repent from it, because he regards that as part of his religion, and this gladdens Satan. If Satan is unable to make him indulge in bid’ah, he invites him to committing major sins, then to minor ones. If he does not succeed in doing that, he distracts him from doing recommendable deeds with indulgence in lawful things and engage him with matters that are of no concern to him.

Satan (Devil) by his nature, searches man’s mind and looks for his preferences in order to approach him through that and make him commit sins through what he has inclinations to. Allah (The One & Only God) says,

“O mankind! Verily! The promise of Allah is true. So let not this present life deceive you and let not the chief deceiver [Satan] deceive you about Allah. Surely, Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his followers that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.”(Holy Quran Faatir 35:6-6)

 

 

Furthermore, Satan (Devil) is pleased by sins that man regards as insignificant, therefore beware of him.