SPELLS AND SORCERY

Those who deny spells and sorcery do so either because they do not believe in anything related to metaphysics or what they suppose to be connected with religion, or because they are unaware of realities beyond the physical realm.

Most of us have heard of or even seen many such cases. As the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, declared that the evil eye is an undeniable fact, sorcery is also an undeniable reality.10 The Qur’an speaks about (and severely condemns) the sorcery practiced to cause a rift between spouses. According to the Qur’an and Islam, sorcery and casting spells are as sinful as unbelief (2:102).

While breaking a spell is a good, meritorious deed, it must not be adopted and practiced as a profession. Although our Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, met with jinn, preached Islam to them, and took their allegiance, he never explained how to contact them or how to cast or break a spell. However, he taught how jinn approach us and seek to control us, how we can protect ourselves against their evil, and how to ward off and be saved from the evil eye.

The safest way to protect ourselves against evil spirits is to have a strong loyalty to God and His Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. This requires following the principles of Islam strictly. In addition, we should never give up praying, for prayer is a weapon against hostility, protects us from harm, and helps us to attain our goals. Prayer does not mean to ignore and neglect material means in attaining goals. Rather, applying them is included in prayer. As we pray for ourselves, we also must request those who we believe to be near to God to pray for us. The Companions frequently asked the Prophet to pray for them.

Some people go to exorcists. Although a few people might know how to drive out evil spirits, such activity is usually quite dangerous, for most exorcists deceive people. Also, an exorcist must be very careful about his or her religious obligations, refrain from sin, and be an upright person who knows how to exorcise somebody.

Believers should not go to those psychiatrists or doctors who restrict themselves to the narrow confines of matter. Materialist psychiatrists who do not believe in the spirit and spirit beings may advise patients suffering from spiritual dissatisfaction or possessed by evil spirits to indulge themselves in pleasure and amusement. This is like advising a thirsty person to quench his or her thirst with salty sea water.

God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, mentioned that special prayers should be recited to protect oneself against the evils of Satan and other unbelieving jinn. The Verse of the Throne (2:255) is one of them. We also read that: If a stimulus from Satan occurs to you, seek refuge in God immediately (41:36). That is, say: “I seek refuge in God from Satan, the accursed.”

As reported by ‘A’isha, the Mother of Believers and one of the Prophet’s wives, God’s Messenger recited Sura al-Falaq and Sura an-Nas three times every morning and evening, and then breathed into his joined palms and rubbed them against the parts of his body he could reach.11 He recited these suras also to be preserved against spells and sorcery.12 He also recited three times every morning and evening: “In the Name of God, Whom nothing on the earth and in the heavens can harm as against His Name. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”13 This recitation and the following one are among the prayers advised for protection against paralysis: “I seek refuge in all of God’s words from all devils and vermin and from all evil eyes.”14 Imam al-Ghazzali advises us to protect ourselves against spells, charms, and evil spirits by reciting: “In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate” once, “God is the Greatest” ten times, The magician will not be successful wherever he appears (20:69), and from the evil of blowers upon knots (113:4). Another imam advises us to recite these two verses nineteen times after each sip of liquid (e.g., water, tea, or soup).15

 

Ünal, Ali. Living in the Shade of Islam. Somerset, NJ: Tughra, 2009.