Ruling on Wearing Amulets and the Status of Amulets with Qur’anic Verses
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ Ahl al-Ḥadīth
❖ Question
Is wearing an amulet (taʿwīdh) considered minor shirk (shirk aṣghar)? Is it permissible to wear amulets containing Qur’anic verses?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
◄ If an amulet contains shirkī (polytheistic) words and a person worships it, then this is major shirk (shirk akbar).
◄ If a person believes it to be only a means of protection, then it is minor shirk (shirk aṣghar).
✿ Amulets with Qur’anic Verses
- Some scholars allowed it.
- But the stronger and precautionary opinion is that even these should be avoided, because the prohibiting aḥādīth are general and apply to both Qur’anic and non-Qur’anic amulets.
✿ Aḥādīth of Prohibition
① The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever wears an amulet, Allah will not fulfill his wish.”
(Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah; authenticated by al-Albānī)
② The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk.”
(Aḥmad, al-Ḥākim; authenticated by al-Albānī)
③ ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir (RA) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted the pledge of allegiance from nine men and refrained from one. They asked: O Messenger of Allah, you took from nine and left this one? He ﷺ said: “He has an amulet.” Then he removed it and said: “Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk.”
(Musnad Aḥmad)
④ The Prophet ﷺ saw a brass ring on a man’s hand and asked: What is this? He replied: For al-Wāhinah (a disease). The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Remove it, for it will only increase your weakness. If you die while wearing it, you will never succeed.”
(Aḥmad, al-Ḥākim; authenticated by al-Albānī)
⑤ Saʿīd ibn Jubayr (رحمه الله) said:
“Whoever removes an amulet from a person, it is as if he freed a slave.”
(Ibn Abī Shaybah 7/375)
✿ Summary
◄ Amulets with shirkī words are shirk and must be avoided.
◄ Amulets found in certain books and used by misguided scholars are also to be avoided.
◄ Even amulets with Qur’anic verses are not permissible according to the stronger opinion.
✿ Ruling on Ruqyah (Blowing / Recitation)
◄ If done with Qur’anic verses or authentic supplications from the Prophet ﷺ, it is permissible.
◄ If it contains shirkī words or incomprehensible terms, it is prohibited.
هذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
