Authored by: Saudi Fatwa Committee
Question:
In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah ﷻ says:
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ
[Al-Baqarah: 79]
“So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”
What does this verse mean? Does it apply to those who write amulets and charge money for them?
Answer:
This verse refers to those who falsely attribute their writings to Allah ﷻ in order to gain worldly benefits, such as wealth or social status. These individuals are warned by Allah for both their false writings and the earnings they derive from them.
Regarding those who write amulets (taʿwīdhāt) to be worn by patients for healing or protection from illness, the ruling depends on the content of the amulet:
✔ If the contents are unknown or contain forbidden elements, such as the names of devils or jinn, then wearing such amulets is strictly impermissible.
✔ If the amulets contain Qur’anic verses or authentic Hadith, then there are two scholarly opinions regarding their permissibility. The stronger and more correct view is that they should not be used.
This is because worshipping Allah through innovative means is a bid‘ah (innovation). Additionally, believing in the effectiveness of something as a cause which Allah has not made a cause is considered a form of shirk (polytheism).
Based on this, the sound and preferred opinion is that nothing should be hung upon the sick, whether it contains Qur’anic text or not. Similarly, placing such amulets under the pillow or near the patient is also not allowed.
[Ibn ʿUthaymīn: Nūr ʿalā al-Darb: 13/231]
❖ Writing and Wearing Amulets
Question:
In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah ﷻ says:
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ
[Al-Baqarah: 79]
“So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”
What does this verse mean? Does it apply to those who write amulets and charge money for them?
Answer:
This verse refers to those who falsely attribute their writings to Allah ﷻ in order to gain worldly benefits, such as wealth or social status. These individuals are warned by Allah for both their false writings and the earnings they derive from them.
Regarding those who write amulets (taʿwīdhāt) to be worn by patients for healing or protection from illness, the ruling depends on the content of the amulet:
✔ If the contents are unknown or contain forbidden elements, such as the names of devils or jinn, then wearing such amulets is strictly impermissible.
✔ If the amulets contain Qur’anic verses or authentic Hadith, then there are two scholarly opinions regarding their permissibility. The stronger and more correct view is that they should not be used.
This is because worshipping Allah through innovative means is a bid‘ah (innovation). Additionally, believing in the effectiveness of something as a cause which Allah has not made a cause is considered a form of shirk (polytheism).
Based on this, the sound and preferred opinion is that nothing should be hung upon the sick, whether it contains Qur’anic text or not. Similarly, placing such amulets under the pillow or near the patient is also not allowed.
[Ibn ʿUthaymīn: Nūr ʿalā al-Darb: 13/231]
