Chapter Four (The Quranic Incantation )

Incantation is Legal if it is not Polytheism

In the book of Sahih Muslim, Anas Ibn Malek said:” The prophet (PGBUH) allowed incantations against evil eye, poison, and wounds”. Al-Nawawi stated that: ” ‘wounds’ are those which appear on the side of the body, and that ‘poison’ refers to anything with poison”. Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Aouf Al-Ashgai said: ”The prophet (PGBUH) said ‘ tell me about your incantations, which are legitimate if it is not polytheism’ ”. Muslim also narrated that Abu Said Al-Khudri related: ”Some of the Companions of the Prophet came across a tribe amongst the tribes of the Arabs, and the tribe did not entertain them. While they were in that side, the chief of the tribe was bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion). They said (to the Companions of the Prophet) ”Have you got any medicine with you or anybody who can treat with Ruqya? The Prophet Companions said,” You refused to entertain us, so we will not treat (your chief) unless you pay us for it” so they agreed to pay them a flock of sheep. One of them (the Prophet’s Companions) started reciting Surat al-Fatiha and gathering his saliva and spitting it (at the snake-bite). The patient got cured and his people presented the sheep to them but they said ”We will not take it unless we ask the Prophet ( whether it is lawful). When they asked him, he smiled and said ”How do you know the Surat al-Fatiha is a Ruqya? Take it (flock of sheep) and assign a share for me.”

The above mentioned legitimate incantations indicate the fact that it is religious and one should believe in. Legitimate incantation is a cure from the ailments of the body and soul as the prophet (PGBUH) said” Incantation is lawful if it is not polytheism”.