Section 2: Magic, Divination and Fortune-Telling

All these are prohibited devilish works, which impair or invalidate the correct 'Aqidah because they are not achieved except via polytheistic means. (Sihr) Refers to something whose cause is hidden and intricate. It has been so named because it does not occur except via hidden means which are not perceptible to the eyes. They are spells, incantations, or words, which are uttered, or medicines, or incense, which have a true effect. Some of them have effects in the hearts and the body and thus cause illnesses, kill and disunite a man and his wife. Their effect is by the pre-ordained universal leave of Allah. They are from the activities of the devils. Most of these cannot be achieved, except by means of polytheism and seeking closeness to evil spirits with what they love, and seeking their services by associating them in worship with Allah. This is why the Law Giver closely associated it with Shirk whence the Prophet said: ‘Avoid the seven destructive sins. ’ They (the companions) said: ‘What are they? ’ He said: 'Associatingpartners with Allah, and Magic... ’2 It is part of polytheism from two perspectives:

1. Due to what it involves of seeking the services of the devils, relying on them and seeking closeness to them with what they love in order that they may serve the magician. Magic is amongst the teachings of the devils. Allah - the Most High - said: 2 Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim “...But the Shayafin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic...”
2. Due to what it involves of claiming knowledge of the unseen and claiming partnership with Allah therein. This is disbelief and misguidance. Allah - the Most High - said:..And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter... ” (Qur ’an 2:102) That is, no portion. If this is the situation, then there is no doubt it is disbelief and polytheism; it invalidates the correct 'Aqidah and makes obligatory the killing of the one who engages therein, just as the companions of the Prophet had killed some of such people. People have trivialized the matter of the magician and magic, they may even consider it one of the fields of endeavor, which one should be proud of, and they bestow prizes and encouragement upon its performer. They organize assemblies, celebrations and competitions for magic, and thousands of spectators and fans attend it and call it a Circus. This is nothing but ignorance about the religion, and a trivialization of the issue of 'Aqidah and a strengthening of frivolous [B] Divination and Fortune-telling These two refer to the claim to have knowledge of the unseen and knowledge of absent things, such as what will soon happen on earth, or what will be achieved, or the location of a missing thing. This is achieved through the employment of the devils who stealthily listen in the heavens as Allah - the Most High - has said: “Shall I inform you (O people!) Upon whom the Shayaffn (devils) descend? They descend upon every lying (one who lies), sinful person. Who gives ear (to the devils and they pour what they may have heard of the unseen from the angels), and most of them are This is because the devils steal from the utterances of the angels and say them to the ears of the diviner, and the diviner attaches to this, hundreds of lies. So, the people believe him as a result of that single truth which was heard from the heavens. Allah is the Sole Possessor of knowledge of the unseen and whoever claims association with Him in such, by means of divination and so on, has set up a partner with Allah in one of His peculiarities. The fortuneteller is never free of association of partners in worship with Allah, because it involves seeking closeness to the devils with whatever they love. This is polytheism in Rububiyyah (Lordship) because it is a claim to partner Allah in His Knowledge. And also, it is polytheism in Uluhiyyah (Worship) from the perspective that it involves seeking closeness to other than Allah with a form of worship. Abu Hurayrah 4® narrated that the Prophet k said: ‘Whoever approaches a fortune-teller and believes what he says, has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad k- ’1 Amongst that which is necessary to call attention to is that magicians, diviners and fortune-tellers toy with the beliefs of people by appearing to them as healers. They order the sick to make sacrifices to other than Allah, such as slaughtering a goat with some specific characteristics, or a hen, or writing some polytheistic and devilish amulets as protection, which they hang around their necks, or place in their boxes, or in their houses. 3 Reported by Abu Dawud Some others appear as informers about unseen things or knowers of the locations of missing things, such that ignorant people approach them inquiring about the locations of missing things. So, he informs them about it or conjures it to his presence with the aid of his employees amongst the devils. Some of them appear as pious friends of Allah or as some master, who possess some wonders and miracles, such as entering into fire without being burned, striking himself with a sword, or throwing himself under the wheels of a car and not being affected, or other strange things which are in reality magic worked by the devils and made to occur at the hands of these people as a trial, or mere tricks which have no reality. Rather, they are intricate illusions, which they perform in front of spectators, like that performed by the magicians of Fir 'aun (Pharaoh) with the ropes and staffs. Shaykh al-Islam said during his debate with the Batd’hiyah ar-Rafa'Iyah al- ‘The magician said and raised his voice: “We have such-and-such conditions (we can do such-and-such), ” and he mentioned some extra­ ordinary things such as (entering) the fire and others and that it is peculiar to them and that they have the ability to transform themselves for that purpose. ’ Shaykh al-Islam said: “I said and raised my voice in anger: 7 address every Ahmadi from the east to the west: what have they done in the fire? I will perform the like of what you have and the vanquished is the one who gets burnt - or he said: ‘upon him be the curse of Allah, but it must be after we have bathed our bodies in vinegar and hot water. ’ So, the leaders and people asked me about that and I said: "This is because they have a trick for entering the fire; they prepare it from the fat offrogs, the peels of bitter orange and talcum. ” The people raised a hue at that and he (the magician) began to manifest his ability to do this. He said: “You and I, we shall roll our bodies in earth after coating our bodies with Sulphur. " So, I ‘Get up, ’ and I kept repeating to him that he should do so. So, he stretched forth his hand trying to remove his shirt, so I said: “No, not until you bath with hot water and vinegar. ” Then he pretended not to understand as is their habit and said: “Whoever loves the Amir (Ruler) let him go get a log (of wood), ” - or he said: “a bundle of wood. ” So, I said: “This is delay tactics and an attempt to disperse the gathering, and the objective will not be achieved thereby. Rather, let a lantern be lit and you and I put our fingers therein after washing them (with hot water and vinegar). Whoever gets his finger burnt, upon him be the curse of Allah, " - or I said: "he is defeated. ” When I said that, he blushed and was humbled. A The intent here is that these fraudsters lie to people with these sort of hidden tricks, such as moving a car with a hair-strand, or throwing himself under its wheels, or thrusting metal pins into his eyes, and other weird devilish feats. 4 Majmu' al-Fatawa, v. 11, pg. 335 - 446