Ruling on Treating Magic with Magic, Amulets, and Leading Salah by a Magician
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ Ahl al-Ḥadīth
❖ Question
① Is it permissible to treat magic with magic? Is the income earned from it halal or haram? If someone treats people through magic and another person knows about it, can he eat at his home or not? If that person has lawful income apart from magic, is it permissible to deal, eat, and drink with him? If such a person gives a gift (cash or otherwise), can it be accepted?
② If a bewitched woman is given an amulet containing:
- Sūrat al-Fātiḥah
- Sūrat Yūnus, verse 81: ﴿مَاجِئْتُمْ بِه السِّحْرُ ﴾ up to verse 82: ﴿مُجْرِمُوْنَ﴾
- These words: «یَا حَیُّ حِیْنَ لاَ حَیَّ فِیْ دیمومة ملکه وبقائه یاحيُّ»
And she is told to dissolve the amulet in water, drink it, and bathe with it — is this permissible?
③ Is it valid to perform Salah behind a person who treats with magic?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
① Treating Magic with Magic
This is not permissible.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«اِجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ المُوبِقَاتِ»
“Beware of the seven destructive sins.”
The Companions (RA) asked: O Messenger of Allah, what are they? He ﷺ replied:
➊ Associating partners with Allah
➋ Practicing magic
➌ Unlawful killing
➍ Consuming usury
➎ Consuming the wealth of orphans
➏ Turning back on the day of battle
➐ Accusing chaste believing women of adultery
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
Thus, wealth earned through magic is haram.
② Giving Amulets
Even if such an amulet contains Qur’anic verses, dissolving it in water to drink and bathe is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ. Hence, this practice is not permissible.
③ Leading Salah by a Magician
◈ If his practice of magic reaches the level of kufr or shirk, Salah behind him is invalid.
◈ If it does not reach that level, still he must not be appointed as a permanent imam.
