In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…
The Permanent Committee of Scholars in Saudi Arabia discussed the issue of sihr (magic) in an official published verdict (fatwaa) signed by:
- Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Manee’
- Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan
- Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee
May Allaah have Mercy on all of them. In this fatwaa, they explained the meaning of illusionary magic and its ruling, saying:
The word sihr (magic) also refers to illusions and tricks done to make someone think that an inanimate object is moving, while it is really not. Such a person is shown the object in a way that changes his perception of its reality, and so he really believes it is like that (moving). An example of this would be what the magicians did in the presence of Moosaa (Moses, peace be upon him) and Fir’own (Pharoah, may Allaah curse him). They threw their ropes and sticks, and the people were made to believe that they were moving about, while they were really still and not moving at all. This (illusion) had no reality to it, rather it was merely trickery and deception. The ropes and sticks did not actually change states, even while the people perceived them as snakes slithering about!
Allaah, the Most High, has said:
يخيل إليه من سحرهم أنها تسعى
( It was made to seem from their magic that they were moving ) [20:66]
سحروا أعين الناس واسترهبوهم
( They put magic on the people’s eyes and sought to frighten them ) [7:116]
This type of magic is haraam (impermissible), due to the trickery, deception, and playing with people’s minds involved in it. It could even be taken as a profession as a magician earns a living from it, conning the people out of their money with falsehood.
It is from the kinds of major kufr (apostasy), and it was the magic of Pharoah’s magicians.
Magic also refers to those who seek nearness to Jinn and ask for their help in benefitting or harming people… [The Committee then goes on to discuss another kind of magic, sihr haqeeqee, which involves the use of Jinn.]
Source: The Permanent Council’s Official Fatwaa Collection (1/545) [Click here for the Arabic source.]
TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING:
Apply the understanding you have gained from the words of the Permanent Committee of Scholars above to the actions of some of the charlatans of (so-called) Islamic da’wah today.
For example, Muhammad Shareef’s Almaghrib Institute has produced an official video trailer used to promote one of their short courses. In this video, the magician, Kamal el-Mekki, performs not one, but three illusionary magic tricks, including levitation, to draw attention to the $145 seminar and lead people into registration and payment.
The same Kamal el-Mekki (may Allaah guide him) boasts openly and without shame that he can teach you ALL the magic tricks of Criss Angel and Dynamo (two famous illusionary magicians of today)!
Source: An interview with Kamal el-Mekki at Green Lane Masjid (transcript)
Disclaimer: We do not advise anyone to seek out the videos of Kamal el-Mekki’s magic tricks, except for those who have decision making roles in Muslim communities and they want to uphold the trust on their shoulders by preventing him from coming to their community and by warning the people from him. In such a case, when verification is needed to prevent the spread of evil, only then should someone watch those videos. Watching magic tricks for mere entertainment is something that can nullify a person’s Islaam (as explained here), so take heed.
And Allaah knows best.
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
I noticed in the Yusuf Estes refutation (p.16) that the date of death of Imam Ahmed is 246. Is this a typo? JazakAllahu khaira for all your efforts. [comment abridged by admin]
Yes, that was a typo. He died in 241. wa jazaak.
UPDATE: The people of Sunnah rejoice as Green Lane Masjid openly takes a stance against magic, in an open clarification (dated Nov. 7) on their masjid’s website. While we want to thank them for the good that is in their clarification (may Allah accept from them), we must be balanced, and so we need to remind them to avoid deceit and outright lies, like what they have said: “We do not believe that the remark made was intended to confuse people nor promote magic, yet since some confusion has arisen, we make this clarification so that there is no doubt left in the issue.”
Muslims who prefer honesty over trickery in matters related to their religion are free to review the “remark”, or what is more truthfully referred to as: remarkS, including blatant promotion and defense of illusionary magic and professional magicians like Criss Angel, a baseless and unprecedented fatwaa declaring it permissible for Muslims to attend magician’s shows, and – last but not least – distasteful mockery of upright Muslim ladies who would try to forbid such an evil!
The Muslims of Green Lane have every right to ask their imam and administration:
* Why are you making light of such a serious issue?
* Why are you lying and covering up what actually happened?
* Why are you insulting our intelligence by announcing that Kamal el-Mekki “didn’t intend to promote magic”?
* Why don’t you warn against Kamal el-Mekki whom you introduced us to a few months ago, asking him to perform a magic trick for us?
salaam alaikum brother moosa,
Who from our early salaf said that the magic which was done in front of pharoah did not involve jinn? I ask this cause the numerous articles (especially the one from Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah)) I read from our brothers in Birmingham (links at the end) gave me the clear impression that they did involve jinn.
http://www.dajjaal.com/liar/categories/magic-and-occult.cfm
http://www.dajjaal.com/liar/articles/hbwcp-ibn-al-qayyim-on-the-nature-of-the-magic-of-the-magicians-of-pharoah.cfm
Furthermore, can it be said, based on all of the above, that this is a matter of legitimate differing?
Wa alaykum Salaam wa rahmatullaah. Yes, some scholars claimed that the magic of Pharoah’s magicians involved jinn. However, the burden of proof is upon the claimant. There is no mention of this in any textual proof (that I know of), and furthermore, the use of jinn seems unlikely given the Quranic description of the events, the sticks and ropes were made to seem as if they were moving [20:66]. Through the use of unseen jinn, the sticks and ropes would actually move about, because a jinn would take hold of them and move them, so the expression matches the concept of an illusion being employed more than actual jinn. And Allaah knows best.
There was a brother who held a wooden pencil in his hand, and swayed it up and down in a manner that caused the pencil to look like it was bending, as if it were made of rubber instead of wood. Would this be considered a haram optical illusion?
Assalamu alaickum
My brother is suffering from Sihr. We have done everything here in India. We are ready to come to Saudia for Umrah. Which is the best ‘RAQEE’ can we go to Insha Allah. Jazakallahu khiran.
Wa ‘alaykum Salaam. The best ‘RAQEE’ is the one who asks Allaah directly, with clear requests of towheed, reading verses of the Quran, with sincerity to Allaah. Any part of the Quran is mercy and healing, and any Muslim who knows any amount of Quran can do ruqyah. Beware of charlatans and magicians who take your money to ‘remove magical spells’. Also beware of lending yourself to a culture which relies on presumed ‘holy people’ to perform ruqyahs, as people in such a culture typically feel incapable of asking Allaah directly for healing, and their hopes remain tied to people, and not the Creator of the people. And Allaah knows best.
We have done “Ruqiya” from best available people who follows thouheed strictly. They reed from quran and supplication from suthentic Hadeeth. Please let us know whom we can approach when we come to Saudia. When Qur-an is read on hime his head twiches in a particular way and appears to be epilepstic. Hes life is a long storey to say… please help us. we are not sufees and we follow ahlussunnah. Jezakumullahu khiran. Muhammed.
Assalamu alaickurm. We are still waiting for your reply.My brother is 43 yrs old, still unmarried. He wanted to get married from the age of 24 yrs. Becuase of some reasons when everything seems to be right we here no news from the girls side. We finally went to a person who is a qualified medical paractioar, a “Raqee”, and a gentle man who follows “Manhaju SSalaf”. When this “Raqee’ reads Qur-an on him, he started twiching the skin on the forehead. When we continued this practice on him for 6 months at different intervels of times, this twichig became more and more stronger. Now he has reached in a situation with so many problems like becoming very angry (He is a mathematics teacher), could not concentrate on ‘salah” and so many problems which I prefer not to explain here. … Jezakallahu khiran. What we do next. Please understand that we have so many limitations here in India.
What is the proof it is major kufr?
In brevity: The magic of Pharaoh’s magicians as mentioned in the Quranic accounts was illusion-based, no mention of involvement of Jinn-based sorcery. For details, read this and related articles mentioned in the comments. Some scholars say: Illusion-based magic (not involving Jinn) does not nullify one’s Religion, while it is still a kind of magic, deception, and behavior that no Muslim who knows his Religion engages in. And Allaah knows best.
I understand pharaoh’s magicians did illusionary magic however where is the specific daleel that it is kufr?, as we have with jinn based magic.
It has been called “sihr” (magic) in the Book of Allaah, which has been identified as kufr (disbelief) in the Book of Allaah, as the Companions understood and applied: Jundub (may Allaah be pleased with him) applied capital punishment to an illusionist magician. Read the article above, or other articles on the topic by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (here) and Shaykh al-Fowzaan (here), and Allaah knows best.
As salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu
Question:
There is a teenage child afflicted by a jinn. Ruqyah has been done and it appeared that the jinn left but the next day it was still with them. The child is making threats and says they want to be good but the jinn keeps whispering to them to do bad things. The child is hostile and unpredictable. They’re uncontrollable and it is a fear that they may harm others in the home. Being placed in a mental facility is being considered. If you have any advice, how would you advise someone dealing with this matter? Baarak Allahu Feeka
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh.
1. Continue reading Quran and ruqyah over the child regularly.
2. Repent personally and rectify your own affairs.
3. Continue asking Allah for relief.
4. Take measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all those living in the house.
5. Protecting all family members from potential harm has a priority over what is best for one child.
6. Consult the reliable elders/community leaders of your local Salafee masjid.
May Allah alleviate your burden and reward you for your struggle.
As salaamu alaykum.
A relative is slandering another relative by accusing them of … I would like to send a fatwa, advice, or something that she could read about the topic – perhaps she will fear Allaah and realize how grave of a sin it was to make such an accusation. Perhaps she will make tawbah, and retract the accusation. May Allaah guide and forgive us all.
I couldn’t find any info from any reliable English website.
If you could please advise/ post something on the topic, it would be much appreciated.
Jazaakumullaahu khairan [comment abridged by admin]
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Refer to p.21 of this PDF: https://www.bakkah.net/en/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/RL5-sample-first4lessons.pdf
And the explanation of that hadeeth is here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/radio1mm/rl5-03b-three-terrible-cases-qe