Excerpt from Shaykh Shakhbūt bin Ṣāliḥ bin ʿAbd al-Hādī al-Marrī’s book: “How to Perform Ruqyah on Yourself (Protection from Evil Eye, Magic, and Possession)”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ، وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا
Translation:
“In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Keep us away from Satan, and keep Satan away from whatever You grant us.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
If a child is destined for them after this act, Satan will never harm that child.
[al-Bukhārī: 3371; Muslim: 1434]
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would seek protection for al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn with these words:
Arabic:
أَعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
Translation:
“I seek refuge for you both in the Perfect Words of Allah from every devil, every poisonous creature, and every harmful eye.”
[al-Bukhārī: 3371]
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When any one of you sees something in his brother, himself, or his wealth that pleases him, he should supplicate for blessing,
because the evil eye is real.”
[Aḥmad 4/447; Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 2828]
Arabic:
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
[al-Kahf: 39]
Translation:
“And when you entered your garden, why did you not say: ‘What Allah has willed; there is no power except with Allah’?”
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When one of you yawns, let him place his hand over his mouth,
for Satan enters when the mouth remains open.”
[Muslim: 2995]
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not clean yourselves with dung or bones,
for they are the food of your brothers among the jinn.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 29]
Another narration states:
“No one should perform istinjā’ with a bone, dung, or baked clay.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 582]
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“None of you should urinate into holes.”
When Qatādah رضي الله عنه was asked why, he replied:
“Because they are the dwelling places of the jinn.”
[Musnad Aḥmad 5/82 — authentic]
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“In Madinah, a group of jinn have embraced Islam.
If anyone sees one of the household snakes, he should warn it three times.
If it appears again after that, let him kill it, for it is a devil.”
[Muslim: 2236; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 18; Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 29]
A Companion once killed such a snake and it caused his death.
(See full story: Muslim: 2236)
The Prophet ﷺ ordered their killing without warning.
[al-Bukhārī: 3297; Muslim: 2233]
✔ Short-tailed: extremely small tail, almost invisible
✔ Two-striped: long snake with two black lines along its back
They should be warned for three days. If they leave, good.
If they return, they may be killed — for they are not jinn.
(Explanation from Ibn ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله — Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 4/269)
They may be killed without warning, including snakes found inside mosques.
Imām Mālik رحمه الله said:
“Snakes found in mosques should be killed.”
(Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 4/269)
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not pray in camel pens,
for they are the dwelling places of devils.”
[Aḥmad 3/419; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah 5/299; Aḥmad 4/352; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 7351]
❀ ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Khunbash رضي الله عنه reported:
Shayāṭīn came to the Prophet ﷺ in a valley and tried to crush him with stones and burn him with flames.
He felt fear, then Jibrīl عليه السلام came and taught him this dua:
Arabic:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأَ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ، يَا رَحْمَانُ
Translation:
“I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah—
which no righteous or wicked person can surpass—
from the evil of what He created,
what He brought into existence,
what descends from the sky,
what ascends into it,
what He has created on the earth,
what emerges from it,
from the trials of night and day,
and from every visitor of the night,
except the one who comes with good,
O Most Merciful.”
[Aḥmad 3/419; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah 5/299]
After this dua, the devils were defeated and their fire was extinguished.
① Dua Before Approaching One’s Wife
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ، وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا
Translation:
“In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Keep us away from Satan, and keep Satan away from whatever You grant us.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
If a child is destined for them after this act, Satan will never harm that child.
[al-Bukhārī: 3371; Muslim: 1434]② The Prophet’s Protection for al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would seek protection for al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn with these words:
Arabic:أَعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
Translation:
“I seek refuge for you both in the Perfect Words of Allah from every devil, every poisonous creature, and every harmful eye.”
[al-Bukhārī: 3371]③ Dua for Barakah When Admiring Something
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When any one of you sees something in his brother, himself, or his wealth that pleases him, he should supplicate for blessing,
because the evil eye is real.”
[Aḥmad 4/447; Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 2828]④ The Quranic Instruction for Protection from Envy
Arabic:وَلَوْلَا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
[al-Kahf: 39]Translation:
“And when you entered your garden, why did you not say: ‘What Allah has willed; there is no power except with Allah’?”
⑤ Resisting Yawning — A Protection from Satan
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When one of you yawns, let him place his hand over his mouth,
for Satan enters when the mouth remains open.”
[Muslim: 2995]⑥ Prohibition of Using Dung and Bones for Istinjā’
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not clean yourselves with dung or bones,
for they are the food of your brothers among the jinn.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 29]Another narration states:
“No one should perform istinjā’ with a bone, dung, or baked clay.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 582]⑦ Prohibition of Urinating into Holes
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“None of you should urinate into holes.”
When Qatādah رضي الله عنه was asked why, he replied:
“Because they are the dwelling places of the jinn.”
[Musnad Aḥmad 5/82 — authentic]⑧ Warning About Killing Household Snakes
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“In Madinah, a group of jinn have embraced Islam.
If anyone sees one of the household snakes, he should warn it three times.
If it appears again after that, let him kill it, for it is a devil.”
[Muslim: 2236; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 18; Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 29]A Companion once killed such a snake and it caused his death.
(See full story: Muslim: 2236)
✦ Exception: Two Types of Snakes Must Be Killed Immediately
- The short-tailed snake (الْأَبْتَر)
- The snake with two dark stripes (ذُو الطُّفْيَتَيْن)
The Prophet ﷺ ordered their killing without warning.
[al-Bukhārī: 3297; Muslim: 2233]Scholars describe them as:
✔ Short-tailed: extremely small tail, almost invisible
✔ Two-striped: long snake with two black lines along its back
Other household snakes:
They should be warned for three days. If they leave, good.
If they return, they may be killed — for they are not jinn.
(Explanation from Ibn ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله — Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 4/269)
⑨ Snakes Found Outside Homes or in Mosques
They may be killed without warning, including snakes found inside mosques.
Imām Mālik رحمه الله said:
“Snakes found in mosques should be killed.”
(Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 4/269)⑩ Prohibition of Praying in Camel Pens
❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not pray in camel pens,
for they are the dwelling places of devils.”
[Aḥmad 3/419; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah 5/299; Aḥmad 4/352; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 7351]⑪ A Powerful Dua for Protection from Harm of Devils
❀ ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Khunbash رضي الله عنه reported:
Shayāṭīn came to the Prophet ﷺ in a valley and tried to crush him with stones and burn him with flames.
He felt fear, then Jibrīl عليه السلام came and taught him this dua:
Arabic:أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأَ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ، يَا رَحْمَانُ
Translation:
“I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah—
which no righteous or wicked person can surpass—
from the evil of what He created,
what He brought into existence,
what descends from the sky,
what ascends into it,
what He has created on the earth,
what emerges from it,
from the trials of night and day,
and from every visitor of the night,
except the one who comes with good,
O Most Merciful.”
[Aḥmad 3/419; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah 5/299]After this dua, the devils were defeated and their fire was extinguished.
