Question Summary:
The reality of Jadu/Sihr (blackmagic) and Jinn in Islām

Question Detail:

What does sharia says about jadu (black magic) and Jinnat, whereby it is prevailing in our society and families are really in deep troubles and strongly trying to follow Taweez from maulanas coming from more specially India/Pakistan etc. They ask us to open a page from Qur’aan shareef, that he will translate and will say something about our problems. Recently a wife was told few very bad things happening to her in the presence of a husband and on hearing all sort of things, a husband was grossly unhappy and they both had hot tempered arguments.
Now I am requesting for more knowledge and guidance over this matter.
Secondly is it permissible to engage such treatment of taawiz for some body in the family without his/her permission and knowledge.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The presence of Jādū/Sihr (black magic) and Jinn is undoubtedly common in the world. It cannot be entirely negated and overlooked because the Qur’ān and Ahādīth also to allude to the different aspects regarding this. Further, the precautionary measures to be adopted against the evils of these aspects and the cure for those who have been afflicted have also been mentioned in the Qur’ān and Ahādīth.
As far as Sihr (black magic) is concerned, Rasulullāh Sallallāhu Alayhi Wa Sallam was also afflicted by this. A Jew by the name of Labīd Ibn A’sam carried out black magic on him by tying eleven knots in a few strands of his sacred hair and placing it under a rock in an unused well. This affected Rasulullāh Sallallāhu Alayhi Wa Sallam in such a way that it created uncertainty in his mind as to whether he had done a certain action or not. Allāh informed him through revelation of this Sihr (black magic).
As far as the Jinn are concerned, they are one of the Divine creations of Allāh. They, like human beings, have a physical form, intellect and senses, but are hidden from the human eye. The existence of Jinn is established by conclusive and incontestable evidence in the Qur'ān and Sunnah.
Allāh says in the Qur’ān:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ صَلْصَالٍ مِنْ حَمَإٍ مَسْنُونٍ.  وَالْجَانَّ خَلَقْنَاهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ مِنْ نَارِ السَّمُومِ [1]
“And certainly We have created mankind from sounding clay made of decayed mud. As for Jinn, We had created them earlier from the fire of the scorching wind.”
The creation of Jinn was well before that of humankind and they had wreaked havoc in the earth right from the beginning. Allāh alludes to this in the Qur’ān:
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ [2]
“Remember when your lord said to the angels, ‘I am going to create a deputy on the earth.’ They said, ‘Will You create there one who will spread disorder on the earth and cause bloodshed, while we proclaim Your purity along with your praise, and sanctify your name?’”
This was after the angels had witnessed the mischief of the Jinn on earth. However, just as humans, Allāh has created Jinn for his obedience and subservience. Allāh says:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُون ِ [3]
“And I have not created Jinn and human beings except that they worship me.”
However, as is the case with humankind, there are those that are obedient to Allāh and those that are disobedient. It is these disobedient ones that cause mischief in on earth. They have the potential of harming humans. However, one should not be fearful of Jinn. It is the fear that people have of them that gives them the courage to cause mischief and harm. The people of Arabia would live in great fear of these Jinn before the advent of Islām. It was customary in the days of ignorance that when people halted in a jungle or valley in the course of a journey, they uttered the following words, believing that the leader of the valley (a Jinn) would protect them:
“I seek refuge in the leader of this valley from the foolish mischief-makers of his nation.”
Allāh discusses this in the Qur’ān:
وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْإِنْسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا [4]
“And some individuals of the humans would seek refuge in some individuals of the Jinn, and thus they (humans) increased their (Jinn’s) mischief.”
Islām distances itself from such a level of fear and belief in the Jinn that they are superior to humans and humans should remain fearful of them. The mischief and evils of Jinn cannot be negated. However, it is inappropriate to attribute every unusual occurrence, illness and difficulty to the Jinn.
Sihr (black magic) and the Jinn are most definitely effective. However, it should be noted that every illness, discomfort and calamity cannot attributed on Sihr (black magic) as is the common practice of people nowadays. It should be born in mind that whilst Sihr (black magic) is effective in nature, it is not as common as people consider it to be. Often people afflicted with medical issues tend to turn towards an Aamil, totally neglecting the medical aspect. It is incumbent that one exhausts all medical treatment before turning towards ascertaining whether it is the effect of Sihr (black magic) or not.
Furthermore, the practice of curing people of the effects of Sihr (black magic) has become a commercial practice and many incompetent Aamils have taken up the practice. Hence, one should be wary of the legitimacy of the Aamils as they tend to untruthfully diagnose people with having effects of Sihr (black magic), in the process accusing others of having carried out the Sihr (black magic). This often causes animosity and disputes amongst close families.
In curing oneself, one is not bound to engage an Aamil to do so. Shari’ah has educated us on a number of practices that one may adopt on his own in trying to alleviate Sihr (black magic).  The following are methods that one may adopt:

These Surahs were revealed as a cure after the Jew, Labīd Ibn A’sam, had bewitched Rasulullāh Sallallāhu Alayhi Wa Sallam.
Hadhrat Ā’isha Radhi Allāhu ‘Anhā narrates that whenever the Rasulullāh Sallallāhu Alayhi Wa Sallam would become ill, he would recite the Mu’awwizat (Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas) and blow over himself. When his illness was aggravated, I used to recite these two Surahs (and blow my breath) over him and make him rub his body with his own hand, for its blessings.” [6]

Allāh Ta’ala says in the Qur'ān:
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَّرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ. [8]
“And We have revealed in the Qur'ān that which is a cure and mercy for the believers.”

بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِيْ لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا فِي السَّماءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ العَلِيْم [9]
Transliteration: “Bismillahi-lladhi La Yadhurru Ma’asmihi Shay’un Fil Ardhi Wa La Fis-Samaa’i Wa Huwas-Samee’-ul-‘Aleem.”
 
Translation: “In the name of Allāh with virtue of whose name nothing in the earth nor the skies can harm. He is the ever-hearing and most knowledgeable.”
 

أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التاَّمَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ [10]
Transliteration: “A’uudhu Bikalimaatillahi-ttammaati Min Sharri Mā Khalaq.”
 
Translation: “I seek protection of Allāh’s perfect words from every evil that He has created.”

أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ. الَّذِي لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهُ. وَبِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ. وَبِأَسْمَاءِ اللهِ الْحُسْنَى كُلِّهَا. مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمُ. مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَبَرَأَ وَذَرَأَ.
Transliteration: “A’uuzu bi wajhillāh al-Adhīm alladhi laysa shay’un a’dhamu minhu wa bi kalimatillāh at-tammaati allati la yujawizuhunna barrun wa la faajir wa bi asmaa-illāh al-husnaa kullihaa ma alimtu minha wa ma lam a’lam min sharri ma khalaqa wa bara’a wa dhara’a.”
Translation: “I seek the protection of Allāh the Great; He, than whom there is nothing greater. And I seek the protection of the perfect words of Allāh which no man, virtuous or evil, can even transcend; and I seek the protection of all the beautiful names of Allāh, those of them which I know and those which I do not know, from the evil of everything He (Allāh) created, to which He has given existence, and which He has spread (over the earth).” [12]

Whilst at times it may be necessary to employ the services of a Aamil, it should be ascertained that he is reliable, competent and he abides to Shari’ah in his practice of curing people. In such times of moral corruption, there are many Aamils who are unconcerned of maintaining Shar’ī practices in their work.
Shari’ah has given permission of engaging in treatment through Ruqyah - which is one of the most common ways Aamils adopt in curing the afflicted. Ruqyah refers to the recitation of verses or words followed by blowing on a person. Ruqyah is permissible with the following conditions:

As far as engaging in the treatment of a family member without his consent is concerned, it is not advisable to do so as it may lead to unwanted problems and quarrels in the family. The concerned family member should be advised, firstly, to undergo medical treatment and if that fails, then he/she should be advised to try any of the abovementioned methods of treatment.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Nabeel Valli
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net