❀ Incident of the Polytheists Accusing the Prophet ﷺ of Being Under Magic ❀
✿ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (حفظه الله)
❖ Question:
Did the polytheists accuse the Prophet ﷺ of being affected by magic?
❖ Answer:
Yes.
Allah the Exalted says:
نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَىٰ إِذْ يَقُولُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا ﴿٤٧﴾
“We are most knowing of how they listen to you, when they listen to you, and when they are in private conversation, when the wrongdoers say: ‘You follow none but a man affected by magic.’”
[Al-Isrā’: 47]
In this verse, Allah informs His Prophet ﷺ of the secret whisperings of the leaders of Quraysh, who came discreetly to listen to the recitation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They said: "This man is under the influence of magic."
If "مَّسْحُورًا" is interpreted as derived from "سِحر" (magic), then it would mean: “You follow Muhammad ﷺ who is just a man affected by magic.”
Among them, some said: “He is a soothsayer.”
Others said: “He is mad.”
Some claimed: “He is a magician.”
In response to the statement of the wrongdoers:
إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا
Allah said:
انظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُوا لَكَ الْأَمْثَالَ فَضَلُّوا فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلًا ﴿٩﴾
"See what kinds of examples they strike for you; so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a way."
[Al-Furqān: 9]
That is, they accuse you ﷺ of being a magician, one under magic, insane, a liar, and a poet, and they deny your Prophethood. All their claims are false, and anyone with even minimal understanding will immediately recognize their lies and slanders.
Allah further says:
وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا فِي قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٧﴾
"And if We had sent down to you a written scripture on parchment, so they could touch it with their hands, the disbelievers would still say: ‘This is nothing but clear magic.’"
[Al-Anʿām: 7]
In this verse, Allah informs about the arrogance of the polytheists toward the truth, even after witnessing and perceiving it. Their rejection was rooted in pride and stubborn denial, and they declared:
إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
("This is nothing but clear magic.")
This highlights their arrogance even in the face of tangible evidences.
Likewise, Allah says:
أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كِذِبًا أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۗ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ ﴿٨﴾
"Has he invented a lie about Allah, or is he mad? Rather, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are in punishment and far astray."
[Saba’: 8]
In this verse, Allah refutes the false notions of the polytheists and clarifies that the matter is not as they claimed. Rather, Muhammad ﷺ is truthful, righteous, and rightly guided in the truth he brought, while the disbelievers are liars, ignorant, foolish, and far removed from the truth.
✿ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (حفظه الله)
❖ Question:
Did the polytheists accuse the Prophet ﷺ of being affected by magic?
❖ Answer:
Yes.
Allah the Exalted says:
نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَىٰ إِذْ يَقُولُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا ﴿٤٧﴾
“We are most knowing of how they listen to you, when they listen to you, and when they are in private conversation, when the wrongdoers say: ‘You follow none but a man affected by magic.’”
[Al-Isrā’: 47]
In this verse, Allah informs His Prophet ﷺ of the secret whisperings of the leaders of Quraysh, who came discreetly to listen to the recitation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They said: "This man is under the influence of magic."
If "مَّسْحُورًا" is interpreted as derived from "سِحر" (magic), then it would mean: “You follow Muhammad ﷺ who is just a man affected by magic.”
Among them, some said: “He is a soothsayer.”
Others said: “He is mad.”
Some claimed: “He is a magician.”
In response to the statement of the wrongdoers:
إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا
Allah said:
انظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُوا لَكَ الْأَمْثَالَ فَضَلُّوا فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلًا ﴿٩﴾
"See what kinds of examples they strike for you; so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a way."
[Al-Furqān: 9]
That is, they accuse you ﷺ of being a magician, one under magic, insane, a liar, and a poet, and they deny your Prophethood. All their claims are false, and anyone with even minimal understanding will immediately recognize their lies and slanders.
Allah further says:
وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا فِي قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٧﴾
"And if We had sent down to you a written scripture on parchment, so they could touch it with their hands, the disbelievers would still say: ‘This is nothing but clear magic.’"
[Al-Anʿām: 7]
In this verse, Allah informs about the arrogance of the polytheists toward the truth, even after witnessing and perceiving it. Their rejection was rooted in pride and stubborn denial, and they declared:
إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
("This is nothing but clear magic.")
This highlights their arrogance even in the face of tangible evidences.
Likewise, Allah says:
أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كِذِبًا أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۗ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ ﴿٨﴾
"Has he invented a lie about Allah, or is he mad? Rather, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are in punishment and far astray."
[Saba’: 8]
In this verse, Allah refutes the false notions of the polytheists and clarifies that the matter is not as they claimed. Rather, Muhammad ﷺ is truthful, righteous, and rightly guided in the truth he brought, while the disbelievers are liars, ignorant, foolish, and far removed from the truth.
