[
In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful... ]
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The
seventh one: Magic, like as-sarf and al-'atf
[2],
whoever practices it or is pleased with it
has disbelieved. [3]
|
The
seventh kind of apostasy is magic, the practice of magicians.
It is two types: genuine and illusionary.
The
first type, genuine magic, consists of the magician blowing
on tied knots, murmuring phrases and words over them, seeking
assistance from the devils within these words, the hanging
of charms, and writing the names of devils on talismans. This
is what genuine magic is, and it is something that has an
effect on the targeted person, either by him being killed,
becoming sick, or his mind being affected.
The
second type, illusionary magic, is when things are manipulated
in a way that causes someone to think that what he sees is
actually that way, while it is not true. A man is made to
think that the magician has done the following things:
*
He turned a rock turned into an animal;
*
He killed someone and then brought him back to life, by cutting
his head off and then replacing it;
*
He pulled a car along by his hair or teeth;
*
A car ran him over and did not harm him;
* He entered into
a fire;
* He ate fire;
* He stabbed himself
with some piece of iron;
* He stabbed himself
in the eye with an iron skewer;
* Or that he ate
a piece of glass.
All
of these are kinds of fake tricks that have no truth in them,
and they are like the magic of Fir'awn's magicians. Allah,
the Most High, has said:
"He
(Moosaa) was made to believe
from their magic
that they (the magicians' sticks)
were (snakes) moving about."
[4]
And
Allah, the Most High, has said:
"They
put magic on the eyes of the people
and sought to frighten them." [5]
This
is illusionary magic [6]. They call it al-qamrah, a
trick that the magician does to the people's eyes. When the
qamrah wears off, things return to their normal states.
Magic
is disbelief, and the proof is the statement of Allah, the
Most High:
"However,
the devils disbelieved, teaching the people magic." [7]
Both
learning and teaching magic are disbelief in Allah, the Mighty
and Majestic. It is also one of the kinds of apostasy. The
magician is an apostate. If he was first a believer and then
practiced magic, then he has apostated from the Religion of
Islam [8]. He is to be killed without requesting him to repent
according to some of the scholars, since if he repented openly,
he is known as a person who deceives the people, and the knowledge
of magic would still remain in his heart even after he has
repented.
|
The
proof is His Statement: "And they
(the two who taught magic) did not teach
anyone before first saying, 'We are merely
a tribulation, so do not disbelieve.' "
[7]
|
Allah
the Majestic and Exalted sent down two angels from the heavens,
teaching the people magic, as a trial and a test for the people
[9]. When they came to those who desired to learn magic, they
advised them, saying to them:
"We
are merely a tribulation, so do not disbelieve." [7]
Meaning:
"Do not learn magic." So this proves that
learning magic is disbelief.
This
article was taken from BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net)
FOOTNOTES
[1]
From the TROID publication: Things that Nullify One's Islam
by Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Wahhaab, explained by
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan. Click
here for information about ordering the book.
[2]
As-sarf and al-'atf: Two different types of magic
that involve turning people against each other (as-sarf)
and causing them to love each other (al-'atf)
[3]
The words in the box are from Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Wahhaab,
and what follows is Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan's explanation.
[4]
A translation of the meaning of Soorah Taa-Haa (20):66
[5]
A translation of the meaning of Soorah al-A'raaf (7):116
[6]
Even illusionary magic can be considered disbelief in Allah.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, may Allaah preserve him, says in his
book, Duroos fee Sharh Nawaaqidh al-Islam (p.146-147):
Jundub
ibn Ka'b, the Companion, killed a magician in the presence
of one of the governors of Banee Umayyah. He came and found
the magician playing games in front of the governor, pretending
to kill a person and then bring him back to life by cutting
off his head and then replacing it. This is a kind of illusionary
magic. He was trying to convince the people that he was killing
him and then putting his head back upon his shoulders. He
did not actually do anything, he was only tricking the people
with an illusion. So Jundub went up to him and struck him
with his sword until he chopped his head off, and said,
"If he was truthful, then let him bring himself back
to life."
Translator's
note: Ibn 'Abdil-Barr (may Allaah have Mercy on him) mentioned
that the governor was al-Waleed ibn 'Uqbah (may Allaah be pleased
with him), and that he arrested Jundub for this action and wrote
to the khaleefah 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan (may Allaah be
pleased with him) about what happened. 'Uthmaan then ordered
him to be released and he was. (Alistee'aab, p.113)
[7]
A translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2):102
[8]
Shaykh Saalih discusses the impermissibility of using magic
to cure magic and refutes the claim that Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may
Allah have Mercy on him) allowed it. See: Question #32
in Appendix
I: Questions and Answers (of the
published version).
[9]
Shaykh Saalih was asked, "How is it that the angels
taught magic when teaching magic is a form of disbelief?"
For his answer, refer to Question #31 in Appendix
I: Questions and Answers (of the
published version).
TEST
YOUR UNDERSTANDING
What
are the two types of magic? Give examples of each.
According
to some scholars, why is the magician to be killed without being
given a chance to repent?
What
is a qamrah? And is it considered an act of disbelief?
RELATED
ARTICLES
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Importance of Tawheed and the Evil Result of Neglecting
it
Mockery
of the Religion is Disbelief
ARTICLES
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
http://www.fawzan.co.uk
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Lessons
from the Noble Quran
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