PART 4 – AMULETS
20. Wearing Strings Made from Animal Hair Around the Neck
Question:
Some people wear around their necks or arms coloured bracelets or strings made from animal hair or other materials, and they claim that such things are a means to protection from the harm done by the Jinn as well as others. Is this practice allowed?
How would you advise those involved in this practice?
Answer:
It is an act of major Shirk to hang or wear bracelets and to tie strings made from animal hair or any other material in the belief that they remove or prevent harm befalling the wearer.
This Shirk leads one to forsake Islam because one believes such things can bring benefit or remove harm, which none but Allah can do. Even if one believes that only Allah is the One Who brings about benefit and harm, while such things are only a means, wearing such things is still forbidden as minor Shirk. Minor Shirk may lead to major Shirk because of believing in causal qualities of something that Allah has not created with such qualities. Indeed the materials they wear are not meant for healing. Allah has put the healing qualities in the beneficial allowed medications and in Legal Ruqyas, not in such things.
In his book, Attawheed, Mohammad Ibn-Abdul Wahhab devotes a whole chapter to that subject. He says, “It is an act of Shirk to wear rings, strings or other similar things for the sake of removing or preventing ailment.’’ This is supported by evidence, such as the Hadith reported by Ibn-Hussayn: “The Prophet saw a man wearing a brass ring around his wrist, he asked him, “What (are you wearing it) for?’’ The man replied, “For weakness.’’ The Prophet said, “Take it off, for it will do nothing but add to your weakness; if you die wearing it, you will have no success whatsoever.’’ (Op. Cit.) According to Hudhaifah, when the Prophet saw a man wearing a string around his wrist to remove fever, he cut it off reciting this Qur‘anic verse: “ And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners (unto Him).’’ (Yusuf Sura, Ayah 106.) If the man believed the string would prevent the harm of Jinn, he was mistaken, for none can protect from Jinn but Allah, Who says, “And if a whisper from the devil reach thee (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم (then seek refuge in Allah. Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.’’ (Fussilat Surah, Ayah 36.) & (Al-Fawzan’s Selected Fatwas, Vol.2, pp.29-30.)
21. Hanging Quranic Amulets Around Kids’ Necks
Question:
What is the ruling on the amulets which kids and others wear around their necks and which are made from Qur‘anic verses, the Prophet‘s prayers and other legal supplications?
Answer:
Of what the Ulama say on amulets, we consider the verdict banning them to be the right one for several reasons:
1. There is no evidence to allowing amulets, and the ban is inclusive of all amulets according to the Prophet‘s saying, “If one wears an amulet, may Allah not grant his wish.’’ (Op. Cit.)
2. Licensing amulets opens the door for Shirk and forbidden ones.
3. Wearing amulets is likely to put Qur‘anic verses in degrading conditions, such as dirty places, etc.
Instead, the right thing for treating those patients is the direct Ruqya using the Qur‘an. Praise be to Allah. (Al-Fawzan‘s Selected Fatwas, pp. 37-38.)
22. Psychological Disturbance Cannot be Treated by Means of Amulets
Question:
I am psychologically disturbed. Is it right for me to wear an amulet?
Answer:
Amulets are not allowed, for there are statements banning them. Allowed treatment is by Ruqyas using the Qur‘an, established prayers and supplications, remembrance of Allah a lot and seeking refuge in Allah from Satan. Also, one should do as much good as one can and must shun sins and sinful company. All these bring about comfort, security and happiness with Allah‘s permission. (Al-Jibree’s Al-Kinz Ath-Thameen (The Precious Treasure), Vol. 1, pp.191 -192.)
23. The legality of Metal Amulets with Quranic Verses
Allah‘s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
This is in response to your letter in which you ask about the legality of the metal amulets seen by the Jaizan Hay‘ah (Organization for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice) in the shape of crescents and other things for sale and wear as protection from the evil eye, loneliness and other purposes.
As narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad, on the authority of Uqbah Ibn-Amer, the Prophet says, “If one wears an amulet, may Allah not grant him his wish; if one wears a shell, may Allah grant him no peace.’’ In another Hadith “Some people came to give their covenant. He took the covenant of nine, but left one. They said, `O Messenger of Allah, you have taken the covenant of nine, but left that one.‘ He replied, `He is wearing an amulet.‘ The man cut it off, then the Prophet took his covenant and said, ‘Whoever wears an amulet has committed an act of Shirk.‘
Amulets are what people wear around their necks for protection from the evil eye. They can bear inscriptions from the Qur‘an or Allah‘s names and attributes, or from other sources. There is unanimity among the Ulama that amulets not made from the Qur‘an and related sources are forbidden as acts of Shirk.
Some Salaf Ulama allow amulets made from the Qur‘an and related sources, while others do not. Those who allow such amulets refer to Abdullah Ibn-Amr Ibn-il-Aas‘s precedent, their understanding of what Aisha is reported to have narrated and one of Imam Ahmad‘s two sayings. They interpret the Hadiths concerned with amulets as to ban Ofli the Shirk amulets, as is the case of licensing non-Shirk Ruqyas.
Of those advocating the ban are Ibn-Mas‘ud, Ibn-Abbas, Hudhaifah (as understood), Uqbah Ibn-Amir and Ibn-Akeem. According to Ibn-Al Nakhi, they hated all amulets, Qur‘anic as well as non-Qur‘anic. As explained by Ibraheem and others, ‘to be hated‘ in the Salafs terms means ‘to be prohibited‘. This position, banning amulets, as expressed by Imam Ahmad and adopted by some of his companions and confirmed by some Mutaakhirin, is the right one for a variety of reasons:
1. The ban on amulets is general as stated by the Prophet in these Hadiths:
“Ruqyas, amulets and love charms are acts of Shirk.’’ (Op. Cit.)
“If one hangs (an amulet), he will be entrusted to it.’’ (Sunan An-Nasa‘i, Kitab Attabreem, (Book of Prohibition), Hadith No.7/112.)
“Whoever wears an amulet has committed an act of Shirk.’’ (Op. Cit.) As narrated by Ahmad and others, Zainab, Ibn-Masud’s wife, said: When Ibn-Mas‘ud saw around my neck a piece of string, he asked, “What is this?’’ I replied, “A Ruqya string.’’ He took it off me and cut it into pieces, then said, “You, the family of Abdullah, are in no need of Shirk; haven‘t you heard Allah‘s Messenger say, `Ruqyas, amulets and love charms are acts of Shirk‘?’’ I said, “Why are you saying this? My eye was aching, but when so-and-so, the Jew, did a Ruqya, the pain subsided.’’ Abdullah said, “This is Satan‘s work; he irritates your eye, but once the Ruqya is done, Satan stops the irritation he had started. It would have been sufficient to say what the Prophet used to say, `O Allah! Lord of humankind, I beg You to remove the suffering. As you are the Healer, and there is no healing but Yours, I beg You to bring about a healing that leaves behind no ailment.’’ (Sunan Abu-dawood, Kitab Attib (Book of Medicine), Hadith No. 3883.)
As narrated by Abu-Dawood, Eesa Ibn-Hamzah said: When we visited Abdullah Ibn-Akeem, we saw he had had Humrah (redness symptomatic of inflammation). Therefore, I said to him, “Why don‘t you wear an amulet?’’ He replied, “We seek refuge in Allah from it! The Prophet says, `If one wears an amulet, he will be entrusted to it.‘ ‘’ (Sunan Attirmidhi, Kitab Attib (Book of Medicine), Hadith No. 207.) Wakee‘ reported that Ibn-Abbas said, “Do Nafth with AI-Falaq and Annas Suras, but do not wear amulets.’’
To the general ban discussed above there are no exceptions allowing any types of amulet at all.
2. To license one type of amulet, though non-Shirk, can be taken as a license to other types; Shari‘ah always gives priority to prevention of Shirk by blocking Shirk avenues.
3. Those who wear amulets have to be in places unworthy of Allah‘s names, attributes and Qur‘an. Carrying these sacred things into such places is a violation of Sharia.
4. “Amulet’’ is the name of the thing hung, such as a piece of leather, cloth or other similar material, but not the name of the written content. Therefore, to compare licensing the amulet to licensing the Ruqya is not valid. In his book, Tayseer Al Azeez Al-Hameed, Sharh Kitab Attawheed (Simplified Explanation of the Book on Allah‘s Oneness), Sulaiman says:
It is the difference between Ruqyas and amulets that makes comparison invalid. How can something that is meant to be hung and that requires leather, paper, etc. be compared to something that does not require such things?! Amulets as such are more like Ruqyas with true and false statements.
Thus, the sale of those metal amulets has to be stopped, people must not use them and whichever are on display in the market must be confiscated.
Allah‘s peace be upon you. (Muhammad Ibn-Ibraheem Al-Sheikh, Fatwas and Messages, VoI.1, pp. 95-98.)
24. Extracting Hidden Amulets
Question:
What is the legality of extracting hidden amulets? Last year, my family went to a woman who claims to do that, and to bring out their contents. In return, she charges a lot of money.
Are we to be punished for having dealt with that woman? What is the Shariah ruling on this matter? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
It seems that the meaning of amulets is not clear to you. Amulets are papers on which are written prayers and Qur‘anic verses, and they are worn around the neck and hang on the chest. They are claimed to protect the wearer from evil and devils. Sometimes people wear them when they fall ill believing that Allah will bring about healing through them. This is the meaning of amulets as we know them.
Obviously, you are not asking about amulets in the sense we have mentioned above, but you are asking about Annashrah, i.e., treating Sihr by means of Sihr. As for Nashrah, it is prohibited. When asked about it, the Prophet said, “It is devil‘s work.’’ (Sunan Abu-dawood, Kitab Attib (Book of Medicine), Hadith No. 3868.) However, there are certain cases which have to be investigated separately and judged accordingly. (Sunan Abu-dawood, Kitab Attib (Book of Medicine), Hadith No. 3868.)
25. The Ruling on Writings to Scare Birds and Protect Crops
Question:
There is someone who does some writings on a piece of paper to be used by farmers to scare birds and protect their farms. What is the legality of such writings?
Answer:
Such writings are not legally allowed, for a piece of paper cannot scare birds away from farms. Neither by perception nor by Shar‘i knowledge can that piece of paper be claimed to do that. That which cannot be reached by means of perception or Shari‘ah is prohibited, and so farmers must not resort to those writings. Instead of getting involved with matters that have no basis in perception or Shari‘ah, they should scare birds away from their crops by the relevant means known to people. (Ibn-Uthaymeen’s Fatwa ibn-Uthaymeen, Vol.1, p. 146.)
By Khaled al-Jeraisy
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