PART 2 – WITCHCRAFT AND SOOTHSAYING
4. Slaughtering & Using Silver Rings for Treatment
Question:
There are those who provide treatment by slaughtering some sheep or chickens on the chest or head of the patient, and by putting silver rings, a piece of cloth or a handful of dust in his hand. I guess they tell patients that the cloth is taken from the garment of a righteous relative of his, and the dust is from his grave.
What is the validity of such treatment? Should we believe what they tell us?
Answer:
To offer a sacrifice to someone other than Allah is forbidden. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم condemns this as an act of Shirk and curses those who do it. Allah commands, “Say: Lo! My worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).’’ (Op. Cit.) Also Allah‘s Messenger says, “May the curse of Allah fall on whoever slaughters (a sacrifice) to other than Allah.’’ (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Adhahi (Book of Sacrifices), Hadith No. 1978.)
As for the treatment mentioned in the question, it is reprehensible and must not be done, even if the sacrifice is offered to Allah – glory and praise be to Him. You must not believe what they tell you, for they are sorcerers and charlatans. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says, “If one visits a soothsayer to enquire about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.’’ (Op. Cit.) He also says “If one consults a soothsayer and believes him, one disbelieves in what has been revealed to Muhammad.’’ (Op. Cit.) & (Ifta’s Permanent Committee, Islamic Research Journal, Issue 28, p. 85-86. )
5. Slaughtering a Sacrifice For Treating Azzar
Question:
My wife is suffering from a disease called Azzar, a type of epilepsy, which she caught as a result of her befriending some people who have it. If those people love or befriend a person, the person catches the disease, but is not healed until one of those people undertakes the treatment. The problem is that my wife wants me to slaughter a lamb as a sacrifice to Allah so as to cure her of her illness, but I am not sure if it is really meant for Allah‘s sake, or for one of those people. Therefore, I have refused to do what my wife wants. Nonetheless, she has mortgaged her jewels in order to have the sacrifice done.
Is this allowed? What do I have to do? Please, give us the answer. May Allah reward you!
Answer:
Offering sacrifices to other than Allah is considered an act of major Shirk. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم cursed those who did it. Therefore, you must not offer that sacrifice for your wife‘s treatment. The appropriate treatment is by means of allowed medications, Shar‘i Ruqyas, Qur‘anic readings and established prayers. You have to advise your wife to abandon the sacrifice to someone other than Allah and to seek, instead, legitimate means of treatment. May Allah bring about an easy healing, and may He guide her. (Ifta’s Permanent Committee, Islamic Research Journal, Issue 28, p. 86. )
6. Writing Satan’s Names and Allah’s Fairest Names for Body Protection
Question:
Is it right for a Muslim to write names of Jinn and angels, Allah‘s fairest names or any incantations and amulets, such as those done by spiritual `specialists‘ in order to protect the body from the evil of Jinn, Satan and witchcraft?
Answer:
Seeking aid from Jinn or angels to remove harm, to make gains or to protect oneself from the evil of Jinn is an act of major Shirk. This drives one out of Islam regardless of the way the aid is sought, be it by invoking them, by writing their names in amulets to be hung or on things to be washed with water, which is, then, drunk, etc. The danger lies in the belief that it is not Allah, but the amulet or the wash that brings about benefit or removes evil.
As for writing Allah‘s names and hanging them in the form of amulets, some of the Salaf have licensed it. Others have not because of the general ban on amulets and the likelihood of hanging Shirk ones if the ban is lifted; besides, hanging Allah‘s names may expose them to degrading situations. All these reasons justify the banning verdict as being the right one. (Ifta’s Permanent Committee, Islamic Research Journal, Issue 28, p. 57. )
7. Slaughtering Certain Animals with Specific Descriptions for Treating Illnesses
Question:
There are some people that are popularly known as Bedouin practitioners (Arabic singular: Tabeeb Arabi, a practitioner without academic qualifications), who administer treatment of various cases, such as possessed patients, etc. When treating some cases, the Tabeeb sometimes prescribes the slaughter of a specific type of chicken (e.g. a cock, black or white in colour), the blood of which is to be put on the patient, sometimes without mentioning the name of Allah.
What is the legality of such prescriptions?
Answer:
Slaughtering sacrifices to other than Allah is an act of major Shirk. Allah says, “Say: Lo! My worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).’’ (Al-An’am Sura, Ayahs 162-163.) The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has cursed those who offer sacrifices to other than Allah. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Adhahi (Book of Sacrifices), Hadith No. 1978.)
Such sorcerers and soothsayers, who perform acts of Shirk, must not be approached for treatment, nor must they be consulted or believed. (Ifta’a Permanent Committee, Islamic Research Journal, Issue 28, pp. 91-92. )
8. Devil-Possession and Male Rabt (Causing Sexual Impotence) Are Real
Question:
Some people fall ill, and they start saying strange things, hence they are described as possessed by the Jinn. Is this possible? That patient is treated by a Qur‘an reciter, who does Quranic recitations unto him until he recovers.
It is also said that on a couple‘s wedding day, a certain magic spell can be deliberately executed to make the groom unable to have sexual intercourse. Is this possible?
Answer:
Firstly, the Jinn are a type of Allah‘s creatures. They are mentioned in the Qur‘an and the Sunnah. They are accountable for their own deeds. According to the judgement of their beliefs and deeds, the believers among them will go to Heaven, while the disbelievers (devils) go to Hell.
That humans can be possessed by the Jinn is known to be real. For treating possession cases, Shar‘i methods are to be used, such as Quranic recitations unto the patient and established prayers.
Secondly, the spell done on a couple‘s wedding night to make the groom get no erection and no intercourse is a type of sorcery, which is forbidden by the Qur‘an and the Sunnah. In fact, a sorcerer‘s punishment is execution. (Ifta’s Permanent Committee, Fatwas on Treatment Using the Qur’an and the Sunnah, Ruqyas and Related Issues, by Ibn-Baz and Ibn-Uthaimeen, p. 73.)
9. Driving Out Devils and Taking Their Pledge Not to Approach a Human
Question:
What is the ruling regarding those who do Quranic recitations unto patients?
What is the ruling regarding those who bring out Jinn and take their pledge not to interfere with the person they are reciting?
Answer:
It is allowed for a Muslim to do Qur‘anic recitations unto a fellow Muslim. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has permitted Ruqyas provided they are void of Shirk. Also, it is not allowed to utilize the Jinn or take their pledge not to interfere with or harm the patient on whom Quranic verses are being recited. (Ifta’s Permanent Committee, Islamic Research Journal, Issue 27, p. 61.)
By Khaled al-Jeraisy
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