Magic in Islam

Practice and learning magic is forbidden in Islam. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “The punishment of the magician is to strike him with the sword (i.e, execute him)” When Hafsah Umm al-Mu’mineen found out that a slave woman of hers was dealing with sihr, she killed her. Islam says, Sihr is a serious crime and is one of the kinds of kufr.

The word “sihr” has been mentioned almost 60 times in the Quran, explaining how the non-believers attributed the miracles of Allah’s prophets with black magic. These verses have been stated to clear that Allah’s messengers can never be like the worldly magicians. The existence of magic can not be denied and even Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) was affected in a way that often thoughts turned up that I have done this work etc though it was not.

A Jew by the name of Labid ibn Asim who outwardly posed to be a believer (munafiq) carried out black magic on the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He took the hair of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and made eleven knots and placed it under a rock in a well called Zarwan. The effect of this was that it created uncertainty in the mind of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as to whether he had done or not done certain things (although this had no effect on his religious and prophetic obligations). At times the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) felt he had accomplished something yet he had not done so and vice versa.

He addressed Hazrat Aisha (RA) saying that He saw 2 persons in dream – one sitting near head and the other near feet. One said to the other what has happened to this person? The other replied he has been victimized with magic. The first person asked who did the magic and the answer was Lubain, son of Asaam. The first asked how? The reply was on the hairs fallen from comb and male date cone and is placed in the well of Zarwan, near Zuraiq tribal area. After this, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) set out for that well and upon return He said to Hazrat Aisha (RA) that the water of the well was so red that it seemed as if Henna leaves are dipped in there and the atmosphere near about was so ominous as if heads of demons were standing in the form of trees. He then took out the magical wand placed, and then the well was permanently closed.

According to Islamic law, the penalty that awaits every sorcerer is death. The Prophet Muhammad, (saw) said: 'Kill every sorcerer, for this is the punishment ordained by Allah.' Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) sent messages to his viceroys in those countries under Islamic rule ordering them to kill all sorcerers. This was later confirmed by Usman Ibn Affan (ra), Hafsah Bint Umar, Abdullah Ibn Umar, and Jundub Ibn Abdullah, (ra).

Black magic basically involves the worship of Satan and evil spirits to gain demonic powers and harm the innocent people of Allah. Worshipping anything other than The Allah is considered “kufr” in Islam and thus these magicians are practicing the art of Infidelity (kufr) which is totally prohibited in Islam. The basic motive of black magic practitioners is to harm and mislead others by delusion, which is again outside the boundaries of Islam.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah, (ra) related that 'The Prophet, Muhammad (saw) said: 'Avoid seven most dangerous things.' The Companions asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! What are these things' He, Muhammad (saw) answered: 'Making anyone or any thing a partner of Allah; practicing magic; killing a living being whose life has been declared sacred by Allah without justification; practicing usury; misappropriating the property of an orphan; running away from the infidels in a battle; and slandering chaste, innocent, believing women.' (Bukhari & Muslim)

One more thing observed in black magicians is that they start believing the world is in their hands and they can do whatever they want, forgetting that the supreme creator of the entire living and non living things is alone Allah. They even exploit innocent people into believing the same. In order to prevent the human generation from falling into the offence of “shirk”, Allah has forbidden black magic.