✦ The Consequences of Mocking Religion and Practicing Magic ✦
– “Whoever mocks any part of the religion of the Messenger ﷺ, or its reward or punishment, has committed disbelief (kufr).”
– Mocking any aspect of Islam—including its rulings, rewards, or punishments—is kufr, even if done jokingly or unseriously.
According to the consensus of the Ummah, mocking any part of the religion is an act of disbelief.
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنه):
During the expedition of Tabuk, a man in a gathering mocked the companions, saying:
“I have never seen people more greedy for food, more dishonest in speech, or more cowardly in battle than these Qur’an reciters.”
Another man replied, “You lie! You are a hypocrite! I will inform the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
When the Prophet ﷺ was informed, the following verses were revealed:
“قُلْ أَبِاللَّـهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ”
(At-Tawbah: 65-66)
“Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.”
(Ibn Jarir: 10/172 – Declared authentic by Shaykh Sulaiman Al-Alwan)
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
“From this verse, we learn that those who mocked Islam and the Muslims did not believe such actions to be kufr. They knew it was haram, but they did not realize that it was also disbelief.”
(Kitāb al-Īmān, p. 273)
Mocking any revealed command of the religion, such as:
– Salah (prayer)
– Keeping the beard
– Wearing trousers above the ankles
– Observing the Shar’i veil
– Abstaining from interest
– Talking about Paradise or Hell
All such mockery constitutes kufr.
– Mocking the companions is equivalent to mocking Allah, His verses, and His Messenger, as clarified in the mentioned verse.
He categorized mockery into two types:
① Clear and Explicit Mockery:
– For example: “These Qur’an reciters are liars, cowards, and gluttons.”
– The aforementioned verse was revealed about such people.
② Subtle and Implicit Mockery:
– Through gestures, smirking, or facial expressions mocking the Qur’an or Sunnah.
– Such actions also lead to apostasy.
(Hukm al-Murtad, p. 105)
The Qur’an gives a clear directive:
“وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا”
(An-Nisa: 140)
“Indeed, Allah has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the signs of Allah being denied or mocked, do not sit with them until they engage in a different topic. Otherwise, you are like them. Verily, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell altogether.”
– Some people make jokes about Paradise, Hell, angels—even about Allah Himself.
– Phrases like “Just for fun,” or “It’s just an idea to amuse the heart” fall under kufr.
– Mocking any aspect of the religion, whether for humor or entertainment, is clear disbelief.
– A person who remains silent and does not show religious jealousy in such gatherings shares the same ruling as the mocker.
السحر، فمن فعلہ أو رضي بہ کفر
Whoever practices magic or is pleased with it has committed disbelief.
“وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“They [the two angels] would not teach anyone unless they said: 'We are a trial, so do not disbelieve.'”
– Ṣarf (Turning away): Creating hatred toward something beloved (e.g., a husband developing hatred toward his wife).
– ʿAṭf (Attraction): Inducing affection toward something disliked.
“وَلَـٰكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“But the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic.”
– Magic is real, and Allah commanded seeking refuge from it:
“وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ”
(Al-Falaq: 4)
“From the evil of those who blow on knots.”
– Magic can cause separation between spouses:
“فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“They learn from them what causes separation between a man and his wife.”
– Pharaoh used major sorcery:
“وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ”
(Al-A’raf: 116)
“They came with great magic.”
– A Jew named Labeed ibn al-Aʿṣam performed magic on the Prophet ﷺ, making him imagine doing things he hadn’t done.
(Bukhari: 5763, Muslim: 2189)
– Surah Al-Falaq was revealed about this, and the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, Allah has cured me.”
Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) commanded:
“Kill every magician.”
(Musnad Ahmad 1/190)
– Three female magicians were executed in a single day.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Magic is one of the seven destructive sins.”
(Bukhari: 2766)
– Treating magic with magic
– This is a satanic act, often involving shirk, incantations, and talismans.
When asked about such methods (nushrah), the Prophet ﷺ said:
“It is from the work of Satan.”
(Abu Dawood: 3868 – Authenticated)
– Treating magic through duʿā’, ruqyah, lawful amulets, and medicine.
Saeed ibn al-Musayyib (رحمه الله) said:
“Ruqyah for reform is permissible. Beneficial remedies are not forbidden.”
(Bukhari – Muʿallaq in Kitāb al-Ṭibb)
“Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks him anything, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”
(Muslim: 2230)
“Whoever visits a fortune-teller or a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.”
(Musnad al-Bazzar 2/443)
– Today’s magicians disguise themselves as professors, spiritualists, or pious individuals.
– They exploit the public with black magic, astrology, and talismans, falsely presenting them as Qur’anic remedies.
– Titles like “Your Week Ahead” spread satanic lies.
– Visiting or believing in them is an act of apostasy.
❖ Compiled by: Tawheed.com – Link to the Full Book
❀ Mocking Religion and Its Consequences
◈ Mocking the Religion, Rewards, and Punishments: An Explicit Act of Disbelief
– “Whoever mocks any part of the religion of the Messenger ﷺ, or its reward or punishment, has committed disbelief (kufr).”
– Mocking any aspect of Islam—including its rulings, rewards, or punishments—is kufr, even if done jokingly or unseriously.
According to the consensus of the Ummah, mocking any part of the religion is an act of disbelief.
❀ Historical Incident: The Consequence of Mockery During the Battle of Tabuk
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنه):
During the expedition of Tabuk, a man in a gathering mocked the companions, saying:
“I have never seen people more greedy for food, more dishonest in speech, or more cowardly in battle than these Qur’an reciters.”
Another man replied, “You lie! You are a hypocrite! I will inform the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
When the Prophet ﷺ was informed, the following verses were revealed:
Qur’anic Evidence:
“قُلْ أَبِاللَّـهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ”
(At-Tawbah: 65-66)
“Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.”
(Ibn Jarir: 10/172 – Declared authentic by Shaykh Sulaiman Al-Alwan)
❀ Explanation by Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله)
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
“From this verse, we learn that those who mocked Islam and the Muslims did not believe such actions to be kufr. They knew it was haram, but they did not realize that it was also disbelief.”
(Kitāb al-Īmān, p. 273)
❀ Examples of Religious Mockery
Mocking any revealed command of the religion, such as:
– Salah (prayer)
– Keeping the beard
– Wearing trousers above the ankles
– Observing the Shar’i veil
– Abstaining from interest
– Talking about Paradise or Hell
All such mockery constitutes kufr.
❀ Mockery of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم)
– Mocking the companions is equivalent to mocking Allah, His verses, and His Messenger, as clarified in the mentioned verse.
❀ Classification by Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (رحمه الله)
He categorized mockery into two types:
① Clear and Explicit Mockery:
– For example: “These Qur’an reciters are liars, cowards, and gluttons.”
– The aforementioned verse was revealed about such people.
② Subtle and Implicit Mockery:
– Through gestures, smirking, or facial expressions mocking the Qur’an or Sunnah.
– Such actions also lead to apostasy.
(Hukm al-Murtad, p. 105)
❀ Ruling on Attending Such Gatherings
The Qur’an gives a clear directive:
Qur’anic Evidence:
“وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا”
(An-Nisa: 140)
“Indeed, Allah has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the signs of Allah being denied or mocked, do not sit with them until they engage in a different topic. Otherwise, you are like them. Verily, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell altogether.”
❀ Mockery in Jokes and Humor
– Some people make jokes about Paradise, Hell, angels—even about Allah Himself.
– Phrases like “Just for fun,” or “It’s just an idea to amuse the heart” fall under kufr.
– Mocking any aspect of the religion, whether for humor or entertainment, is clear disbelief.
– A person who remains silent and does not show religious jealousy in such gatherings shares the same ruling as the mocker.
❀ Magic and Its Ruling in Islam
◈ Performing Magic or Approving of It = Disbelief
السحر، فمن فعلہ أو رضي بہ کفر
Whoever practices magic or is pleased with it has committed disbelief.
Qur’anic Evidence:
“وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“They [the two angels] would not teach anyone unless they said: 'We are a trial, so do not disbelieve.'”
❀ Types of Magic
– Ṣarf (Turning away): Creating hatred toward something beloved (e.g., a husband developing hatred toward his wife).
– ʿAṭf (Attraction): Inducing affection toward something disliked.
❀ Magic: A Satanic Knowledge
“وَلَـٰكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“But the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic.”
– Magic is real, and Allah commanded seeking refuge from it:
“وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ”
(Al-Falaq: 4)
“From the evil of those who blow on knots.”
❀ Effects of Magic
– Magic can cause separation between spouses:
“فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ”
(Al-Baqarah: 102)
“They learn from them what causes separation between a man and his wife.”
– Pharaoh used major sorcery:
“وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ”
(Al-A’raf: 116)
“They came with great magic.”
– A Jew named Labeed ibn al-Aʿṣam performed magic on the Prophet ﷺ, making him imagine doing things he hadn’t done.
(Bukhari: 5763, Muslim: 2189)
– Surah Al-Falaq was revealed about this, and the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, Allah has cured me.”
❀ Punishment for Magicians
Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) commanded:
“Kill every magician.”
(Musnad Ahmad 1/190)
– Three female magicians were executed in a single day.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Magic is one of the seven destructive sins.”
(Bukhari: 2766)
❀ Islamic Ways of Nullifying Magic
① Prohibited Method:
– Treating magic with magic
– This is a satanic act, often involving shirk, incantations, and talismans.
When asked about such methods (nushrah), the Prophet ﷺ said:
“It is from the work of Satan.”
(Abu Dawood: 3868 – Authenticated)
② Permissible Method:
– Treating magic through duʿā’, ruqyah, lawful amulets, and medicine.
Saeed ibn al-Musayyib (رحمه الله) said:
“Ruqyah for reform is permissible. Beneficial remedies are not forbidden.”
(Bukhari – Muʿallaq in Kitāb al-Ṭibb)
❀ Visiting Magicians, Sorcerers, and Fortune-tellers
“Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks him anything, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”
(Muslim: 2230)
“Whoever visits a fortune-teller or a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.”
(Musnad al-Bazzar 2/443)
❀ Deception of Modern-Day Sorcerers and Astrologers
– Today’s magicians disguise themselves as professors, spiritualists, or pious individuals.
– They exploit the public with black magic, astrology, and talismans, falsely presenting them as Qur’anic remedies.
– Titles like “Your Week Ahead” spread satanic lies.
– Visiting or believing in them is an act of apostasy.
