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.


 Reciting Qur’aan, for it has a great effect in removing (the effects of) sihr.The Qur’aan and Sunnah have described the kinds of sihr and the rulings on these matters.

Surah Al-Bakarah verse no 102,

And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah . And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.

Surah Al-Anam verse no 7,

And even if We had sent down to you, [O Muhammad], a written scripture on a page and they touched it with their hands, the disbelievers would say, "This is not but obvious magic."

Surah Al-Araf verse no 109,

Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."

Surah Al-Araf verse no 116,

He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.

Surah Yunus verse no 77,

Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed."

Surah Yunus verse no 81,
And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupter's

Surah Taha verse no 57,

He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

Surah Taha verse no 58,

Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned."

Surah Taha verse no 63, 
They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way.

Surah Taha verse no 66,
He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].

Surah Taha verse no 69,

And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."

Surah Taha verse no 70,

So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."

Surah Taha verse no 71,

[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."

Surah Taha verse no 73,

Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring."

Surah Saba verse no 12,

And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind - its morning [journey was that of] a month - and its afternoon [journey was that of] a month, and We made flow for him a spring of [liquid] copper. And among the jinn were those who worked for him by the permission of his Lord. And whoever deviated among them from Our command - We will make him taste of the punishment of the Blaze.

Surah Saba verse no 14,

And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.

Surah Saba verse no 41,

They will say, "Exalted are You! You, [O Allah ], are our benefactor not them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them were believers in them."

Surah Adh-Dhariyat verse no 56,

And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).

Surah Al-Rehman verse no 15,
And the jinns did He create from a smokeless flame of fire.

Surah Al-Rehman verse no 33,

Assembly of jinns and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allah)!

Surah Al-Jinn verse no 06,

'And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief.