Hanging Amulets: Shirk in Light of Authentic Hadith
Compiled by: Abu Hamzah SalafiThe people of falsehood attempt to mislead the masses in various ways. Among these issues is the practice of hanging amulets (taʿwīdh), which even today many people consider a permissible and blessed act. Some innovators propagate on social media that:
“Ahl al-Hadith (Ghair Muqallidīn) declare every type of amulet to be shirk, whereas Qur’anic amulets are permissible.”
In this article, we shall demonstrate in detail that:
① Authentic and explicit Hadith prohibit every type of amulet.
② The righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn) and the majority of Hadith scholars declared amulets to be shirk.
③ There is no evidence from the Qur’an, Sunnah, or the practice of the Companions for hanging amulets around the neck.
④ Innovators have attempted to prove permissibility based on weak and fabricated narrations, which hold no scholarly weight.
Therefore, this article clarifies that hanging an amulet—whether Qur’anic or non-Qur’anic—is impermissible in light of explicit Hadith and opens the door to shirk.
① Objection of the People of Innovation
They say: Ahl al-Hadith declare all types of amulets—whether Qur’anic or otherwise—to be shirk. Their primary proof is the Hadith:Translation: “Whoever hangs an amulet (tamīmah) has committed shirk.”
✦ Response: Fatwa of Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz رحمه الله
Ahl al-Hadith scholars have clarified this issue with explicit proofs. Among them is Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz رحمه الله, the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. He divided amulets into two types:◈ First Type: Non-Qur’anic and Polytheistic Amulets
Translation:
This type consists of names of devils, bones, beads, nails, talismans, and similar items. This type is unquestionably ḥarām due to abundant proofs indicating its prohibition. It constitutes minor shirk, and if one believes it independently protects or removes harm without Allah’s permission, it becomes major shirk.
◈ Second Type: Amulets Containing Qur’anic Verses or Supplications
Translation:
This type includes Qur’anic verses or prophetic supplications. The scholars differed regarding it:
✔ Some permitted it, considering it similar to permissible ruqyah.
✖ Others prohibited it, arguing that the Hadith prohibiting amulets are general, and there is no specific evidence exempting Qur’anic amulets.
Conclusion:
- Non-Qur’anic amulets = Minor shirk (and major shirk if corrupt belief is involved).
- Qur’anic amulets = Some permitted, but the evidence for prohibition is stronger.
- The general wording of Hadith includes all types of amulets.
② Objection: Difference Between Tamā’im and Taʿwīdh
They claim tamā’im (amulets of bones, beads, etc.) are shirk, but Qur’anic taʿwīdh are permissible.Response
This is pure deception.✔ Shirk is not based on bone or paper but on belief and intention.
If someone hangs a cat’s bone believing it protects → this is shirk.
If someone hangs the Qur’an believing it independently protects → this is also shirk.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
The wording is general and includes every type.
Example:
Just as changing the name of alcohol (wine, whiskey, brandy) does not change its reality, similarly renaming it “Qur’anic amulet” does not change the ruling.
Conclusion
Separating tamā’im and taʿwīdh is an innovative confusion.The Hadith is general—every amulet is shirk.
③ Objection: Ruqyah Was Also Called Shirk
They argue that since ruqyah (incantation) was mentioned alongside amulets in this Hadith:Translation: “Indeed ruqyah, amulets, and tiwalah are shirk.”
But later ruqyah was permitted:
Translation: “Present your ruqyah to me; there is no harm in ruqyah so long as it contains no shirk.”
✔ Meaning:
Ruqyah was specifically exempted by another Hadith.
But no such exemption exists for amulets.Therefore, ruqyah is permissible with conditions, but amulets remain prohibited.
Weak Narrations Used by Innovators
Several narrations are presented in support of amulets, but they are weak due to unreliable narrators such as:① Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq ibn Yasār – Declared weak and a mudallis.
② Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam – Declared abandoned and even a liar by scholars.
③ Ibn Jurayj – A mudallis; his narration here is defective due to ʿanʿanah.
④ Thuwayr ibn Abī Fākhitah – Weak.
⑤ Yūnus ibn Khabbāb – Accused of fabrication.
Therefore, these reports are not proof.Statements of Major Scholars
① Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (728 AH):Translation: The Prophet ﷺ prohibited hanging charms and amulets and said: “Whoever hangs an amulet has committed shirk.”
② Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (751 AH):
Translation: Amulets are things hung on children to repel the evil eye, but they are from shirk because they attempt to repel what Allah has decreed.
③ Imām al-Nawawī (676 AH):
Translation: The scholars agreed upon the prohibition of all amulets, whether from the Qur’an or otherwise.
④ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (852 AH):
Translation: Many scholars declared amulets disliked, even if from the Qur’an.
⑤ Shaykh Ibn Bāz (1420 AH):
Translation: Hanging Qur’anic verses around the neck has no basis; the Companions did not do it. Leaving it is obligatory to block the means to shirk.
⑥ Shaykh al-Albānī (1420 AH):
Translation: Every amulet hung on children is false, whether from the Qur’an or otherwise.
Position of Ahl al-Hadith
✔ All amulets—Qur’anic or non-Qur’anic—are shirk when hung.✔ The Prophet ﷺ said generally:
✔ Ruqyah was exempted by evidence; amulets were not.
Therefore, the methodology of Ahl al-Hadith is in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Final Conclusion
◈ Innovators have deceived people by differentiating between Qur’anic and non-Qur’anic amulets.◈ Authentic Hadith clearly declare all amulets to be shirk.
◈ No authentic narration proves the permissibility of hanging amulets.
◈ The statements of major Imams confirm their prohibition.
Hanging amulets is shirk—whether Qur’anic or otherwise.
