Source: Excerpt from Shaykh Abu Hudhayfah Muhammad Javed Salafi’s book "Āʾīnah Tawḥīd wa Sunnat – A Response to 'What is Shirk?' along with the Reality of Bidʿah"
One of the manifestations of corrupt beliefs widespread in society is the custom of wearing amulets and charms. In this regard, people are caught between two extremes. Therefore, I have deemed it necessary to address this topic to guide our simple-minded Muslims towards the correct path in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and to clarify the correct Islamic perspective.
Today, in almost every town, street, and village, ignorant individuals are engaged in this business. Some of them can’t even write names properly, yet present themselves as spiritual leaders (pīrs) and sell amulets. These individuals deceive innocent Muslims and plunder their wealth, faith, and honor.
Sadly, no one holds these oppressors accountable. If someone speaks on the basis of Qur'an and Sunnah, they are immediately labeled as “Wahhabi”. The state of ignorance among people is such that they can't even distinguish between friend and foe.
A common superstition is that if someone experiences a headache, they are told, “Someone has cast an amulet upon you.” This suggestion worsens their anxiety and leads them to believe they are ill. They then search for a so-called spiritual healer. Upon visiting, they are told, “You have been afflicted by a very powerful spell,” and are asked for money to be cured. This is how people are deceived — and they believe it.
It is the duty of every Muslim to adhere to the correct teachings of Islam, and also the obligation of the scholars and knowledgeable individuals to guide the masses and point out these errors.
The wearer of the amulet believes that the amulet will protect them from all harm and disease. They believe it will relieve bodily pain or protect against the evil eye. They believe it will remove any existing illness or curse.
Amulets are even tied to fever patients with the belief that they will cure them. However, this entire reliance should be upon Allah alone. Everything lies within His control.
Why do those who use amulets not consider:
Does the one giving the amulet serve as a barrier between them and Allah?
Can he possess an amulet that increases or decreases the creation of beings?
Is there an amulet that can override Allah’s decree?
Naʿūdhu billāh! Can an amulet cause what Allah did not will to be created?
Rather, no one can cure whom Allah has willed to remain ill. No one can impoverish whom Allah wishes to enrich. No one can grant sustenance from Allah’s treasures if He has withheld it. The true believer should rely solely upon Allah.
1. Surah al-Anʿām 6:17
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him. And if He intends good for you, none can withhold His bounty. He is over all things competent.”
2. Surah Yūnus 10:107
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“If Allah afflicts you with hardship, none can remove it but He. And if He wills good for you, none can withhold His bounty. He grants it to whom He wills among His servants. He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
3. Surah al-Naḥl 16:53-54
وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْأَرُونَ
ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْكُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him alone you cry for help. But when He removes the adversity, behold, a group among you associates others with their Lord.”
These verses clearly demonstrate that no one besides Allah is the true Helper. Only He is sought in times of need, with or without means.
Islam recognizes two types of causes or means:
① Sharʿī (Legislated)
② Fiṭrī (Natural)
These are those prescribed by the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah, such as duʿāʾ, ruqyah (permissible healing incantations free from shirk). Their effect is through Allah’s permission, not from themselves.
One who adopts these methods is in fact turning to Allah, not to the means themselves. The trust remains solely upon Allah.
These are naturally known causes — such as water quenching thirst or medicine healing illness. Islam encourages their use, as their properties have been created by Allah. Yet Allah alone can nullify even these, as He did by making fire cool for Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
As for man-made amulets sold by various vendors — made of beads, shells, numbers — they have no real effect, neither Sharʿī nor natural.
Just ponder: what relation do soapnut shells or beads have with removing illness?
These are ignorant practices, with no connection to healing. Trusting in such things is foolishness.
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
(Surah al-Māʾidah 5:23)
“Put your trust in Allah, if you are truly believers.”
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنتُم بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا
(Surah Yūnus 10:84)
Mūsā عليه السلام said to his people: ‘If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him.’
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
(Surah Ibrāhīm 14:12)
“Let those who rely, rely upon Allah.”
Dear readers,
A weak trust in Allah leads to weak īmān (faith). Allah has connected tawakkul with ʿibādah, īmān, taqwā, Islam, and guidance — showing that it is the root of all Islamic actions.
People who lack this rely on strings and threads — e.g., tying red threads (as seen in Indo-Pak cultures), black threads for fevers, or “Imām Zāmin” bracelets for protection — all these are false beliefs.
Think! If those Imāms in whose name these bracelets are worn could not save themselves from martyrdom, how can these objects save us?
Hadith 1:
Narrated by ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ saw a man wearing a copper ring. He asked, “What is this?”
He replied: “For relief from illness.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Remove it! It will only increase your illness. And if you die while wearing it, you will never succeed.”
Hadith 2:
Narrated by ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever wears a charm, may Allah never fulfill his need. Whoever wears a shell, may Allah never grant him peace.”
Hadith 3:
A group of ten men came to the Prophet ﷺ. He accepted the allegiance from nine, but not the tenth. When asked why, he said:
“He is wearing a charm.”
The man cut it off, then the Prophet ﷺ took his pledge and said:
“Whoever wears a charm has committed shirk.”
Hadith 4:
From the wife of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, Zaynab رضي الله عنها:
She once wore a thread for healing. Upon seeing it, Ibn Masʿūd cut it and said:
“The family of Ibn Masʿūd has no need for shirk. I heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
‘Verily, ruqyah, amulets, and love-spells are all shirk.’”
Hadith 5:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever hangs anything (for protection), he will be left to it.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”
Also:
“Whoever believes what a soothsayer says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.”
➤ Hanging amulets is a form of shirk.
➤ Belief in amulets contradicts tawḥīd and weakens faith.
➤ True reliance should be solely on Allah.
➤ All means — whether natural or religious — only work by Allah’s will.
➤ Using meaningless objects like beads, shells, or threads for healing is ignorance.
❖ The Reality of Amulets (Taʿwīdh)
One of the manifestations of corrupt beliefs widespread in society is the custom of wearing amulets and charms. In this regard, people are caught between two extremes. Therefore, I have deemed it necessary to address this topic to guide our simple-minded Muslims towards the correct path in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and to clarify the correct Islamic perspective.
Today, in almost every town, street, and village, ignorant individuals are engaged in this business. Some of them can’t even write names properly, yet present themselves as spiritual leaders (pīrs) and sell amulets. These individuals deceive innocent Muslims and plunder their wealth, faith, and honor.
Sadly, no one holds these oppressors accountable. If someone speaks on the basis of Qur'an and Sunnah, they are immediately labeled as “Wahhabi”. The state of ignorance among people is such that they can't even distinguish between friend and foe.
A common superstition is that if someone experiences a headache, they are told, “Someone has cast an amulet upon you.” This suggestion worsens their anxiety and leads them to believe they are ill. They then search for a so-called spiritual healer. Upon visiting, they are told, “You have been afflicted by a very powerful spell,” and are asked for money to be cured. This is how people are deceived — and they believe it.
It is the duty of every Muslim to adhere to the correct teachings of Islam, and also the obligation of the scholars and knowledgeable individuals to guide the masses and point out these errors.
❖ The Belief of the Amulet-Wearer
The wearer of the amulet believes that the amulet will protect them from all harm and disease. They believe it will relieve bodily pain or protect against the evil eye. They believe it will remove any existing illness or curse.
Amulets are even tied to fever patients with the belief that they will cure them. However, this entire reliance should be upon Allah alone. Everything lies within His control.
Why do those who use amulets not consider:
Does the one giving the amulet serve as a barrier between them and Allah?
Can he possess an amulet that increases or decreases the creation of beings?
Is there an amulet that can override Allah’s decree?
Naʿūdhu billāh! Can an amulet cause what Allah did not will to be created?
Rather, no one can cure whom Allah has willed to remain ill. No one can impoverish whom Allah wishes to enrich. No one can grant sustenance from Allah’s treasures if He has withheld it. The true believer should rely solely upon Allah.
❖ Qur'anic Verses Proving Tawḥīd and Reliance on Allah
1. Surah al-Anʿām 6:17
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him. And if He intends good for you, none can withhold His bounty. He is over all things competent.”
2. Surah Yūnus 10:107
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“If Allah afflicts you with hardship, none can remove it but He. And if He wills good for you, none can withhold His bounty. He grants it to whom He wills among His servants. He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
3. Surah al-Naḥl 16:53-54
وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْأَرُونَ
ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْكُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him alone you cry for help. But when He removes the adversity, behold, a group among you associates others with their Lord.”
These verses clearly demonstrate that no one besides Allah is the true Helper. Only He is sought in times of need, with or without means.
❖ Types of Means
Islam recognizes two types of causes or means:
① Sharʿī (Legislated)
② Fiṭrī (Natural)
✔ Sharʿī Means:
These are those prescribed by the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah, such as duʿāʾ, ruqyah (permissible healing incantations free from shirk). Their effect is through Allah’s permission, not from themselves.
One who adopts these methods is in fact turning to Allah, not to the means themselves. The trust remains solely upon Allah.
✔ Fiṭrī (Natural) Means:
These are naturally known causes — such as water quenching thirst or medicine healing illness. Islam encourages their use, as their properties have been created by Allah. Yet Allah alone can nullify even these, as He did by making fire cool for Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.
❖ Meaninglessness of Physical Amulets
As for man-made amulets sold by various vendors — made of beads, shells, numbers — they have no real effect, neither Sharʿī nor natural.
Just ponder: what relation do soapnut shells or beads have with removing illness?
These are ignorant practices, with no connection to healing. Trusting in such things is foolishness.
❖ Complete Reliance Should Be Upon Allah
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
(Surah al-Māʾidah 5:23)
“Put your trust in Allah, if you are truly believers.”
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنتُم بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا
(Surah Yūnus 10:84)
Mūsā عليه السلام said to his people: ‘If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him.’
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
(Surah Ibrāhīm 14:12)
“Let those who rely, rely upon Allah.”
❖ Weakening of Tawakkul (Reliance)
Dear readers,
A weak trust in Allah leads to weak īmān (faith). Allah has connected tawakkul with ʿibādah, īmān, taqwā, Islam, and guidance — showing that it is the root of all Islamic actions.
People who lack this rely on strings and threads — e.g., tying red threads (as seen in Indo-Pak cultures), black threads for fevers, or “Imām Zāmin” bracelets for protection — all these are false beliefs.
Think! If those Imāms in whose name these bracelets are worn could not save themselves from martyrdom, how can these objects save us?
❖ Sayings of the Prophet ﷺ
Hadith 1:
Narrated by ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ saw a man wearing a copper ring. He asked, “What is this?”
He replied: “For relief from illness.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Remove it! It will only increase your illness. And if you die while wearing it, you will never succeed.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 4/445, Ḥākim 4/216
Hadith 2:
Narrated by ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever wears a charm, may Allah never fulfill his need. Whoever wears a shell, may Allah never grant him peace.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 4/154, Ḥākim 4/216
Hadith 3:
A group of ten men came to the Prophet ﷺ. He accepted the allegiance from nine, but not the tenth. When asked why, he said:
“He is wearing a charm.”
The man cut it off, then the Prophet ﷺ took his pledge and said:
“Whoever wears a charm has committed shirk.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 4/156, Ḥākim 4/219, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Albānī: 492
Hadith 4:
From the wife of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, Zaynab رضي الله عنها:
She once wore a thread for healing. Upon seeing it, Ibn Masʿūd cut it and said:
“The family of Ibn Masʿūd has no need for shirk. I heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
‘Verily, ruqyah, amulets, and love-spells are all shirk.’”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 1/281, Ibn Mājah 3530
Hadith 5:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever hangs anything (for protection), he will be left to it.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad 4/210, Tirmidhī, Albānī: 2/208
❖ Verdict on Fortune Tellers and Soothsayers
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2230
Also:
“Whoever believes what a soothsayer says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr: 5939
❖ Conclusion
➤ Hanging amulets is a form of shirk.
➤ Belief in amulets contradicts tawḥīd and weakens faith.
➤ True reliance should be solely on Allah.
➤ All means — whether natural or religious — only work by Allah’s will.
➤ Using meaningless objects like beads, shells, or threads for healing is ignorance.
