Sihr (magic/jadoo), ayn (evil eye/Nazar) and jinn (spirit) possession are all spiritual issues, the existence of which, are undeniable facts in Islam. However, this does NOT mean that we can blame all our problems in life on magic/evil eye/jinn. Before considering Rohani ilaaj (spiritual treatment), you should explore other causes for life problems and you MUST seek any medical advice and treatment from a trained, qualified and licensed medical health professional.

 

An important point to note is that magic/evil eye/jinn CANNOT affect us WITHOUT ALLAH’S WILL. If Allah wills for someone to be affected by magic/evil eye/jinn, then surely it is a TEST for the person affected. Allah tests all his Muslims with trials and tribulations in this life in order to validate the sincerity of our imaan. The stronger the imaan of a Muslim, the harder they are tested. Every Muslim will be tested differently and if one is tested by being afflicted with magic/evil eye/jinn, then keeping faith in Allah, praying to Him and seeking treatment in an ISLAMIC way is the correct method of overcoming the test. Allah will never put us through a trial we cannot bear.

 

When the Prophet (SAW) was asked who suffered the greatest affliction, he answered: “The prophets, then those who come next to them, then those who come next to them. A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him, and it continues like that till he walks on the earth having no sin.” [Al-Tirmidhi]

 

“On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear.” [Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Baqarah [2:153]]

 

WHAT IS SIHR?

 

• “Sihr” is the Arabic word for “magic”, it is called “jadoo” in Urdu.

• A person who practises sihr is referred to as a “saahir” in Arabic. In English, that would be a “magician” and, in Urdu, the word “jaadugar” is used to describe such a person.

• Practising sihr is kufr. Those who learn or practise any form of magic and those who go to such magicians for help are committing major sin and risk leaving the fold of Islam.

 

“Sihr” is mentioned 60 times in the Quran. In Surat al-Baqarah, Allah tells us of the prevalence of magic during the time of Prophet Sulaiman (AS). Prophet Sulaiman (AS) had instructed for everything related to magic to be collected and hidden away safely from the people. It is understood that it was hidden, instead of being destroyed, in the hope that there may have been information on breaking magic. Unfortunately the information was stolen and leaked out, resulting in the spread of magic once again. Prophet Sulaiman (AS) was accused of being a magician, hence the first line of the ayah below “it was not Sulaiman who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic”, referring to evil people or evil jinn that taught and spread magic. Harut and Marut were two angels sent down as a trial from Allah. They taught magic but warned against the practice of magic. However, people proceeded to utilise the knowledge from Harut and Marut for evil purposes, failing the trial.

 

“And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Sulaiman. It was not Sulaiman who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, “We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practising magic].” And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.” [Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Baqarah [2:102]]

 

In a hadith classed as saheeh, we are told how the Prophet (SAW) became a victim of magic performed on their hair by a Jewish man, Labeed ibn al-Asam. Aisha (RA) said: “A spell was put on the Prophet (SAW) until he imagined that he had done a thing when he had not done it. One day he made dua, then he said: “Do you know that Allah has shown me in what lies my cure? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them said to the other, “What is ailing the man?” He said: “He has been bewitched.” He said: “Who has bewitched him?” He said: “Labeed ibn al-Asam.” He said, “With what?” He said: “With a comb, the hair that is stuck to it, and the skin of pollen of a male date palm.” He said: “Where is it?” He said: “In the well of Dharwaan.”” The Prophet (SAW) went out to the well, then he came back and said: “Its date palms are like the heads of devils.” I said: “Did you take it out?” He said: “No. Allah has healed me, and I feared that it might bring evil upon the people.” Then the well was filled in.” [Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim]

 

The Prophet (SAW) told us that: “Allah has not sent down any disease but He has also sent down a cure for it.” [Ibn Abdul Barr] The “Roohani Ilaaj” section of this website highlights various preventative and self-treatment methods for magic/evil eye/jinn possession that are recommended in Islam, and explains how roohani ilaaj is carried out at Patriata Shareef.

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WHAT IS AYN?

 

• “Ayn” is the Arabic word for “eye”. In the context of spiritual problems, it means “evil eye”, which is known as “nazar” in Urdu.

 

The evil eye is best described as an affliction of the soul. Commonly, a person affected by the evil eye is in ownership of an admirable quality (e.g. beauty, intelligence, wealth). Upon seeing or hearing of this quality, the evil eye can be transmitted from the soul of a person to the victim, resulting in negative consequences. The evil eye may be transmitted intentionally from the soul of a jealous person envious of your qualities; or it may be transmitted unintentionally from a person who loves you whilst admiring your qualities; and it may even come from a jinn or yourself whilst admiring your own qualities.  It is therefore important, when admiring anything, to say “masha’Allah” or “Allahuma baarik” and protecting yourself with the Quran.

 

And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say,”Indeed, he is mad.”

But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.

[Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Qalam [68:51 to 68:52]]

 

Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak

From the evil of that which He created

And from the evil of darkness when it settles

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

And from the evil of an envier when he envies.”

[Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Falaq [113]]

 

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “The evil eye is real, if anything were to overtake al-Qadar it would be the evil eye.” [Sahih Muslim]

 

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also said: “Whoever among you sees something in himself or in his possessions or in his brother that he likes, let him pray for blessing for it, because the evil eye is real.” [Ibn al-Sunni, al-Haakim, al-Albaani]

 

Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf said that his father told him: “The Prophet (SAW) went out and they travelled with him towards Makkah until they reached Shib al-Khazzaar in al-Jahfah. Sahl ibn Hunayf washed himself, he was a white man with a handsome body and skin. Aamir ibn Rabeeah looked at him when he was washing and said: “I have never seen anything like this, not even the skin of a virgin in seclusion!” Then Sahl fell to the ground and suffered a seizure. He was brought to the Prophet (SAW) and it was said: “O Messenger of Allah, do you know what has happened to Sahl? By Allah, he cannot raise his head and he will not wake up.” The Prophet (SAW) said: “Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?” They said: “Aamir ibn Rabeeah looked at him.” So the Prophet (SAW) called Aamir and spoke angrily with him saying: “Would any of you like to kill his brother? If you see something that you like, why do you not pray for blessing for it?” Then he said to Aamir: “Do ghusl for him.” So he washed his face, hands, elbows, the soles of his feet and inside his izaar from a vessel, then that water was poured over Sahl, then Sahl went on with the people and there was nothing wrong with him. [Al-Albaani]

 

WHAT ARE JINN?

 

“Jinn”, in simple terms, may be referred to as “spirits” in English, however the word “spirit” does not accurately represent what Islam teaches us about this creation of Allah.

 

Jinn are one of the 3 sentient beings (alongside angels and mankind) created by Allah to worship Him. Unlike angels, Allah gave mankind and and jinn free will. Therefore, similar to humans, jinn can be Muslim or kafir and will be held accountable for their deeds on the Day of Judgement alongside us. Kafir jinn may be referred to as followers of Shaytaan, as their purpose is to misguide Muslims.

 

Allah tells us: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat adh-Dhariyat [51:56]]

 

In Surat al-Jinn, we are told of how, upon hearing recitation of the Quran, the jinn accepted Islam and became Muslim: “Say, [O Muhammad], “It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, “Indeed, we have heard an amazing Quran. It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.”” [Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Jinn [72:1 to 72:2]]

 

Jinn were created by Allah from smokeless fire and are thus invisible to the human eye. However, they exist around us living their lives as we do, mostly in areas unoccupied by humans, although it is not unknown for them to venture into areas inhabited by humans. Allah has forbidden them from harming or possessing humans, they would be sinning were they to indulge in this type of behaviour. Unfortunately, just as some humans disobey Allah, so too can jinn and that is one of the causes of jinn possession.

 

Jinn may possess or harm humans due to:

• jinn falling in love with a human

• jinn seeking revenge for the actions of a human who has unknowingly harmed the jinn or it’s family (e.g. unknowingly spitting on a jinn on the street, unknowingly urinating on a jinn under a tree, unknowingly driving over and injuring jinn on a road)

• shayateen (evil jinn) trying to misguide Muslims from siraat-ul-mustaqeem (the straight path)

• shayateen (evil jinn) assisting magicians

• (Muslim or kafir) jinn imprisoned, tortured and forced to obey a magicians requests against the jinn’s wishes

 

“Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Shaytaan into insanity.” [Al-Quran al-Kareem, Surat al-Baqarah [2:275]]

 

The Prophet (SAW) said: “Verily, the Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam like blood.” [Sahih Muslim]

 

Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “I told my father that some people claim that the jinn do not enter the body of a human, He said: “O my son, they are lying, for a jinn may speak with the  tongue of a person who is lying on his sick bed.”” [Ibn Taymiyyah]

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WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MAGIC AND JINN?

 

As mentioned previously, practicing any form of magic and seeking help from magicians is a major sin. Magicians commit shirk and indulge in unimaginably immoral behaviors that please Shaytaan in exchange for assistance from shayateen (evil jinn) to carry out magic upon unsuspecting individuals. With the assistance of shayateen (evil jinn), magicians may gather up and imprison innocent Muslim jinn as well as kafir jinn and force them to carry out the magician’s requests. In many cases, these jinns are tortured or have their families held hostage by the magician and are pressured into harming or possessing humans. A significant number of these jinns are victims of magic themselves and are bound by taweedh (amulets) written by magicians, that have been placed in inaccessible places (e.g. inside graves) rendering the jinn unable to escape, forcing them to obey the magician against their wishes. The magician may perform magic to block the mind of the jinn, blind its eyes or silence it’s the tongue, in order to have full control of it and to ensure the jinn is unable to reveal any details in the event of the human victim seeking treatment.