Chapter Five (Spiritual Ailments )

The Magician and Signs of His Magic

It is extremely important to learn about the various means and methods used by magicians to achieve their own goals. They often use legal methods to hide their magic and thus the Moslem needs to differentiate between the magician or the quack or the diviner and the therapist using legitimate incantation (Ruqya). Following are a number of criteria that can be used to tell this difference:
1- Asking for the names of the patient and his mother: Sheikhh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Baz was asked about a group of people who claim to use folk medicine, or Allah’s words in their treatment. They often ask for the names of the patient and his mother and ask him to check back the following day where he is told of his ailment. Sheikhh bin Baz answered that these methods indicate that they use the jinn in treatment and claim to know the super naturals. One should not seek treatment with those people nor go to their places as Allah’s Messenger (PGBUH) said:” The prayers of one who goes to a foreteller will not be accepted for 40 nights” (Sahih Al-Jami -5940).Mentioned in (Fatawi Sheikhh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Baz-1/22).
2- Asking for a patient’s trace such as his hair, or a piece of his clothes, or his picture, and the like. ”The Permanent Fatwa Committee”, under the presidency of Sheikhh bin Baz, was asked about what some people do where they send a garment or shirt to some people who claim to have knowledge to diagnose ailments and prescribe treatment. The committee’s reply was that it is forbidden to send traces or go to people who claim to have a supernatural knowledge as the prophet(PGBUH) himself said (Fatawi Al-Lajnah Al-Daimah / Fatwa 9807/Fatawi Al-Ulmaa, p.160).
3- Using strange signs, unknown words and other unfamiliar methods.
4- Giving different amulets, written on them numbers, letters, shapes, unknown words and names of jinn like Kashmahir and Hamshush, Quranic verses with missing parts or letters that could also be written upside down or include drawings of snakes and scorpions, especially what is called ”The Seven Solomon Testaments”.
5- Blowing into the water or other with unknown word and signs.
6- Using thread and rope knots on which they blow strange words.
7-Using frankincense to call for the devils or hearing strange sounds such as bird wings or knocking.
8- Dirtiness of the place used by the magician who is generally filthy himself.
9- Retreating to a dark room to talk with the devils that help him with his evil doings.
10- Asking for blaspheme acts such as slaughtering black chicken and sheep without mentioning Allah’s Name.
11- Using the patients by asking them for large sums of money, and I heard of people who paid them enormous amounts of money.
12-Privacy with women regardless of any religious laws or morals, and which might lead to adultery, God Forbid. There are many incidents where such things actually took place.
13- Asking for acts that the prophet (PGBUH) has forbidden such as cutting of the Sidr tree or killing the hoopoe or the frog.
14- Using a pot or container for the amulets and blaspheme sayings and also seeking the help of jinn and devils whom they claim aid them in undoing the magic. They also claim that there are servants for the Samadeya and Ahdeya and similar claims of the false Sufism.
15- Doing strange acts such as using the rope measurement, as they claim that if the rope lengthens then the victim is afflicted with an evil eye and if it shortens, then the patient is under the effect of magic. Similar strange behaviors are done regarding other issues or matters.
16- Using dirtiness such as urine and menstruation blood and give it to men or women in the form of food or drink, or writing verses from the Quran on such dirty substances. Some of the diviners enter the bathroom and steps on the Quran or urinate on it or do other acts of blaspheme to please the devils.
17- They advise patients to seclude for a certain period of time in a room into which no sun enters.
18- They ask patients not to touch the water for a period that could last for 40 days.
19- They ask the patient to burry some things in the ground, or sprinkle certain liquids, or place rotten egg on the threshold of doors. In such cases, the magician has blown magic spells with his evil breath into these things.
20- They might give the patient some papers to burn and to incense with it.
21- He could write unclear words on paper and ask the patient to dissolve it in water and then drink it.
22-Tell the patient real facts and information about his private life and his relationship with people around him, which he got from the jinn and devils.
23- The magicians show signs of blaspheme such as shaving the beard, wearing long gowns; grow his mustache, and laziness in performing the Friday prayer, in addition to other things.

Sheikhh Jibreen was asked about the possibility of identifying the magician among other people, for there are those who claim to perform the legitimate incantation (Ruqya) and there is nothing that indicates his true nature.
He answered that the magician is the one who performs actions that are beyond the capability of a normal human being such as knowing the supernatural, and telling the places of lost items and is inside one’s mind. He succeeds in doing that with the help of jinn and devils whom he seeks their approval by committing prohibited things, renouncing worship, eating what is forbidden, touching dirtiness, and the like. The magician can also be able to perform witchcraft before people or quickly draw lines on earth to know good and bad luck. Or pebble throwing as when someone comes to consult them so they throw him with a handful of pebbles and then go and count their number. They are optimistic with the even number and pessimistic with the odd or vice versa. Some can know things by looking into the stars or blowing into knots or by collecting dirty things, like hair or pieces of metal from the garbage. Magicians often have their own books and leaders who teach them magic usually through the devils. Some of the magicians deceive people by pretending to pray, or supplicate, or paying charity. Naïve people thus think that they can cure them with incantation (Ruqya) from the Quran which is not true.
Undoubtedly, magic is a science by itself, with its own laws, arts, tactics, and devilish agreements. The above mentioned points are not enough to judge a person without a complicated study of this devilish world. The basis of the magician’s work is the knowledge which he gained from the many books of magic in most Islamic countries. In addition, the magician has a practical experience in practicing magic with the help of the jinn and devils except in a few countries which Allah protects. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of these countries which apply the legislation of Allah and Islam in its life whether on the public or governmental levels. It is important to note here that people need to be cautious not to confuse between real therapists who treat with the Quran, and those who use magic and witchcraft.