Nasai

(1) These narrations, apart from the suspended (mu‘allaq) statement, are weak, but for understanding the issue, some necessary clarifications are as follows. “Whoever tied a knot”—magicians usually perform magic by tying knots, hence the mention of the knot. Otherwise, if magic is performed by any other means, it is still magic. If help is not sought from jinn or devils, and such words are not used whose meanings and implications are unknown, then that is not magic, even if a knot is tied.

(2) “Whoever practices magic has committed shirk (associating partners with Allah),” because in magic, help is necessarily sought from other than Allah, such as jinn and devils. They are invoked. Therefore, magic entails shirk.

(3) “Whoever hangs something”—in that era, soothsayers would recite something and blow over an object, then give it to someone to hang around their neck, claiming it would be beneficial. Since soothsayers were polytheists and would recite polytheistic words, this was prohibited. Such incantations (ruqyah) are also forbidden, as is such hanging (ta‘liq). But is it permissible to use the Qur’an, supplications, or good words for treatment or not? Certainly, it is permissible. It is established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that he used the Qur’an and good words as treatment for himself and others, but in the form of ruqyah (incantation). As for the issue of writing amulets (ta‘widh) or hanging them, composed of supplications based on the Qur’an and hadith, whether that is also Sunnah—the answer is that it is not established from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to write amulets. However, the position of the researchers among the Ahl al-Hadith and jurists is that just as ruqyah is permissible with the words of Allah, transmitted supplications, and non-polytheistic words, likewise, writing amulets with them is also permissible. But there remains this difference between the two: performing ruqyah is Sunnah, while writing amulets is not Sunnah. Therefore, excess or negligence in this matter is not correct. Neither should it be said absolutely that hanging amulets containing Qur’anic verses is forbidden and shirk, nor should amulets be written containing unknown or dubious phrases or words invoking other than Allah. Therefore, while performing ruqyah is a Sunnah act, and writing amulets with Qur’anic verses and transmitted supplications is conditionally permissible, the most cautious and closest to the truth is to avoid writing and hanging amulets. And Allah knows best.