FATAWAS ON SIHR AND JINN

1. Proof of The Jinn Entering a Person's Body

Question: Is there any proof that supports the claim that jinn can possess human beings?

Answer:

Yes, there is proof in the Book and the Sunnah that jinn enter humans. In the Qur'aan, Allaah Almighty Says:

Those who eat Riba (usury and interest) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan leading him to insanity [Al-Baqarah 2:275]

IbnKathir, may Allaah have mercy upon him, commented: "They will rise from their graves like a person rises who is possessed by the Shaytaan."

Regarding proof from the Sunnah, the Messenger of Allaah ﷺsaid, "Indeed, Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam like the flow of his blood." Sahih Al-Bukhari 2039 and Muslim 2175

In ManqalatAhl As-Sunnahwal-Jamma'ah, Al-Ash'ari said that they -meaning AhlAs-Sunnah- say that the jinn enter into the body of the possessed as proven by the preceding ayath.

'Abdullaah, Imaam Ahmad's son, said, "I said to my father that a group of people claimed that jinn don't enter into the bodies of human beings. He said, 'O my son, they are lying; don't you see that it is they who are speaking upon their tongues."

In a number of Hadiths from the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ, recorded by Imaam Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqi, it is reported that he met a boy who was possessed. So the Prophet ﷺ began saying, "Come out, O enemy of Allaah. Come out, O enemy of Allaah." Sunan IbnMajah no.3548

In some versions he said, Come out, O enemy of Allaah. Come out, O enemy of Allaah." Ahmad 4/171, 172

Then the boy healed and became normal.

Here we have mentioned one proof from the Qur'aan and two from the Sunnah; what people witness everyday serves as tangible evidence, not to mention that this is the view of Ahl As-Sunnahwal-Jama'ah. Nevertheless, we do not deny that some people are insane due to some other defect in their mind.

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen

FatawaIslamiyah, vol.8, P.322 DARUSSALAM

2. Jinn and the Evil Eye

Question: Can jinn harm human beings and vice versa? And what effect does the jealous person have over the envied person?

Answer:

Yes, jinn can harm man and vice versa, and yes, the envious eye can bring harm to its victim. This occurs and is well known. But all of this happens by the universal will of Allaah, not because of His legislative permission. Regarding the envious eye and its effects, it is confirmed that this happens in an authentic narration, the Prophet said, The eye is a reality, were there something that preceded the Decree, it would have been the eye. Sahih Muslim 2186  And the Messenger of Allaah said, There is no Ruqya except for the eye or for the sting of a scorpion. Sahih Al-Bukhari 5705 and Muslim 1450 There are many Hadiths that further support this, and we ask Allaah Almighty to protect us and to make us firm upon the truth.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts

FatawaIslamiyah Vol. 8 Page 320

3. Modern medicine treats disease with physical medicine only. Is this sufficient, or should we use ruqyah? Which of them is better?

Answer - There is no doubt that man suffers psychological diseases, such as anxiety about the future and grief for the past. Psychological diseases may have a greater impact on the body than physical diseases. Treating these diseases by means of something prescribed in sharee’ah – i.e., ruqyah – is more successful than treating them by means of physical medicines, as is well known.

Among the means of treating them: the saheeh hadeeth narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him): “There is no believer who is stricken by anxiety, distress or grief, and he says, ‘Allaahumma inni ‘abduka ibnu ‘abdika ibnu amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw asta’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘indaka an taj’ala al-Qur’aan al-‘azeem rabee’a qalbi wa noora sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi wa ghammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or taught to any of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You make the Holy Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety and distress)’, but Allaah will relieve him.” This is one of the medicines prescribed in sharee’ah.

Similarly, one may say, “Laa ilaaha illa anta, subhaanaka, inni kuntu min al-zaalimeen (none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah), Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers)” [cf. al-Anbiyaa’ 21:87]

If you want to know more, please refer to the writings of the scholars on the topic of adhkaar (dhikr, remembering Allaah), such as al-Waabil al-Sayyib by Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Kalim al-Tayyib by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Adhkaar by al-Nawawi, and Zaad al-Ma’aad, by Ibn al-Qayyim.

But when faith grows weak, the soul’s acceptance of remedies prescribed in sharee’ah also grows weak. People nowadays have begun to rely on physical medicines more than on the spiritual remedies prescribed in Islam. But when faith is strong, the spiritual remedies prescribed in Islam have a more complete effect; their effect may be faster than that of physical medicines. We are all aware of the story of the man whom the Messenger ﷺsent on a campaign. He camped near some Arabs, but those people near whom he camped did not show him any hospitality. Allaah willed that their chief should be stung by a snake, and they said to one another, “Go to those people who are camped (near us), maybe you will find a raaqi (one who recites ruqyah, i.e., incantations or prayers for healing) with them.” The Sahaabah said to them, “We will not recite ruqyah for your chief until you give us such and such number of sheep.” They said, “We agree.” Then one of the Sahaabah went and recited over the one who had been stung; he recited Soorat al-Faatihah only, then that person who had been stung got up as if he was released from a chain. 

This recitation of al-Faatihah had such an effect in this man because it came from a heart that was filled with faith. When they came back, the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “How did you know that it is a ruqyah?”

But in our own times there is this weakness of religious commitment and faith, and people have started to rely on outward physical matters, and this is causing them further suffering.

On the other hand there are those who cheat people and deceive them,  claiming to be pious reciters of Qur’aan, but they consume people’s wealth unlawfully. People are of two extremes, one which thinks that recitation of Qur’aan has no effect at all, and the other extreme composed of cheaters who deceive people by reciting devious recitations, and some are moderate.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/465, 466

But as there is no contradiction between using permissible physical medicines as prescribed by doctors and using spiritual medicines such as ruqyah and seeking refuge with Allaah and other du’aa’s that are proven in sound reports, the two may be combined, as the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did. It was proven that he used both kinds of treatment, and he said, “Strive to pursue that which will benefit you and seek refuge with Allaah, and do not feel helpless.” And he said: “Seek treatment, O slaves of Allaah, but do not seek treatment with things which are haraam.” 

4. The cure for Satanic thoughts or Waswasas

Question:Sometimes dangerous notions and ideas come into my mind and i fear that they may remove me from the pale of my religion; what can i do about them?

Answer:

These notions and thoughts are from Shaytan, who whispers into the hearts of mankind in order to cause confusion to the Muslims; so when you feel any such thing, seek refuge in Allah and stop thinking about matters of the unseen, matters of (Allah's) Attributes and creation, so that your conviction is not weakened.

FatawaIslamiyah Darussalam Vol:1 page no.224

5. Did the Prophet meet the jinn?

Question: Is it authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺmet the Jinn?

Answer:

Yes, it is authentically reported that the Prophet-ﷺ- told this to the Companions and showed them their tracks. Read what IbnKatheer wrote in his Tafsir in his comment on Surah Al-Ahqaf: And remember when We sent to you a party of the Jinn to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an Al-Ahqaf 46:29. In Surah Ar-Rahman and Surah Al-Jinn, you will find the answer in detail.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts

FatawaIslamiyah Darussalam Vol:1 page no.82

6. The Ruling Concerning Posing Questions to the Fortune-tellers and Soothsayers.

Question:My father suffered from a psychological disease. This disease stayed with him for some time. There were visits to the hospital during that time. Some of our relatives advised us to visit a specific women as they said that she knew a cure for that kind of disease. They also said all you need to do is give her his name and she will tell you what is afflicting him and will give you a cure. Is it allowed for us to visit that women? Help us, may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:

It is not allowed to either put questions to or to believe in that women or any other like her. This is because she is from the fortune-tellers and soothsayers, who claim to have knowledge of the unseen and who seek the help of the jinn for their cures and their information about people. It has been authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

"If a person goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”

Muslim recorded this in his Sahih. It is authentically narrated that he said,"Whoever goes to a fortune-teller or a soothsayer and believes in what he says, he has then disbelieved in what has been revealed to Muhammed (ﷺ).” [1]

There are many Ahadith with that meaning. Therefore, it is a must to stop such people and those who visit them. They should not be questioned nor should they be believed. They should be taken to the people in authority in order to receive the punishment they deserve. Allowing them to be present and not taking them to the authorities harms society as a whole. Leaving them would also help them in deceiving the ignorant people, who will ask them questions and believe in them. [2]

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

"If anyone of you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand. If he is not able to, then he should do so with his tongue. And if he still not able to, then with his heart and that is the weakest of faith.”

This was recorded by Muslim in his Sahih. There is no doubt that taking them to the authorities, such as the mayor of the city, the people whose job it is to enforce right and eradicate evil, and the courts, is part of the general concept of removing them by one’s tongue. It is also part of helping another in righteousness and piety. May Allah support all the Muslims in that which is best for them and protect them from every evil.

________________________

[1] Recorded by Ahmed. It seems that the correct version in Sahih Muslim is without the words "and believes in what he says.” Allah Knows Best.

[2] The ruling in this question also applies to all of the other forms of predicting the future that have become commonplace in the West, such as astrologers and psychic networks. Muslims must avoid them completely and must not believe in their statements.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz

Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women - Darussalam Pg.30-32

7. The Effects of Jinn on Humans, and Seeking Protection From Them

Question: Can jinn harm man? How do we protect ourselves from them?

Answer:

No doubt, jinn can do things to harm man, sometimes things that lead to his death. Both the Sunnah and observed phenomena support this. During a battle, the Messenger of Allaah ﷺgave permission to one of his Companions to return to his family; that Companion was young and recently married. When he returned to his home, he saw his wife standing at their door, and he reproached her for that. She told him to go inside, and when he entered, he saw a snake on their blanket. He had a spear with him, and he pierced it into the body of the snake until it died. However, the man died at the same time, so that no one knew who died first: He or the snake. When the news of the incident reached the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ, he forbade the killing of small snakes found in the house, with the exception of the short tailed snake, and those with two black stripes on the back.

This proves that jinn may attack human beings. Sometimes a person will go into a secluded place, where he sees no one, but he will hear voices and sounds, or he will hear stones being thrown. When this happens, it can very possibly be jinn. Jinn can even enter the body of a human being - because they are in love with him, or for any other reason. Allaah Almighty says:Those who eat Riba (usury and interest) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan leading him to insanity [Al-Baqarah 2:275]

To protect ourselves from evil jinn, we should read those invocations that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺtaught us to read, such as Ayat Al-Kursi, for when a person reads this verse during the night, he is protected, and Shaytaan does not come near him until the morning - and Allaah Almighty is the One who protects us.

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen

FatawaIslamiyah, vol. 8, p.319-320, DARUSSALAM.

8. How the Shaytaan Finds His Way into Somebody's Heart

Question: Through what avenues does the Shaytaan find a way to make suggestions to man?

Answer:

There are many avenues; he might try to incite someone to fornicate, for example. He first incites his victim to be alone with women, then to look at them, then to talk to them, then perhaps to listen to them sing, and so on until he achieves his end: when his victim fornicates. Shaytaan may attack a person through his stomach, by tempting him into eating what is unlawful, into drinking alcohol, or even into taking drugs. Shaytaan may find that a person has an inordinate love for owning things, so he beguiles him into gaining wealth through unlawful means: stealing, swindling, practicing usury, usurping, cheating. He may find that a person has a great deal of pride, so he will encourage him to belittle others, to be haughty with those inferior to him in society, and the list of Shaytaan's tricks is endless.

May Allaah send peace and blessings on Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts

FataawaIslamiyah, vol. 8, p314

9. Do the jinn help humans in some ways?

Answer:  Praise be to Allaah. 

The shayaateen are from among the jinn; they are the rebellious ones and the most evil among them, just as the devils among mankind are the rebellious ones and the most evil among them. There are among the jinn, as is the case among mankind, devils who are the rebellious ones and the most evil, kaafirs and evildoers. There are also Muslims among them who are righteous and good. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies — Shayaateen (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their fabrications”[al-‘An’aam 6:112]

The Shaytaan is the father of the jinn according to many scholars. He is the one who disobeyed his Lord and was too proud to prostrate to Adam, so Allaah expelled him and banished him. Other scholars say that the Shaytaan was one of a group of angels who were called al-jinn; he was too proud to prostrate, so Allaah expelled him and banished him. He became the leader of every evildoer and wicked one, every kaafir and wrongdoer. Every person has a shaytaan and an angel with him, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“There is no one among you but he has with him a constant companion (qareen) from among the jinn and a constant companion from among the angels.” They said, “You too, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Me too, but Allaah has helped me against him (the devil-companion) and he has become Muslim.”

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that the Shaytaan inspires man to evil and calls man to evil. There are times when he has control over man's heart and can find out, by Allaah’s decree, what a person intends to do of good or evil. There are also times when the angel has control over a person’s heart. He makes him incline towards good and calls him to good. These are things that Allaah has enabled them to do, i.e., He has enabled the two companions, the jinn-companion and the angel-companion, to do these things. Even the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a shaytaan with him, his constant companion (qareen) from among the jinn, as stated above, in the hadeeth which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“There is no one among you but he has with him a constant companion (qareen) from among the jinn and a constant companion from among the angels.” They said, “You too, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Me too, but Allaah has helped me against him (the devil-companion) and he has become Muslim.”

The point is that every man has with him a companion from among the angels and a companion from among the shayateen. The believer suppresses his shaytaan by obeying Allaah and adhering steadfastly to His religion, so he humiliates his shaytaan until he becomes weak and unable to stop the believer doing good or make him fall into evil, except what Allaah wills. The sinner, by his disobedience and evil actions, gives his shaytaan the strength to make him do evil and encourageshim to do evil, and discourage him from doing good.  The believer has to fear Allaah and strive against his shaytaan by obeying Allaah and His Messenger, and seeking refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan. And he should strive to help his angel by obeying Allaah and His Messenger and heeding the commands of Allaah.

The Muslims help their brothers among the jinn to obey Allaah and His Messenger just as they help their human brothers. Humans may help them in some matters without realizing it. They may help them to obey Allaah and His Messenger by teaching and reminding other humans, for the jinn may attend the lessons of humans in the mosques and elsewhere and benefit from them. Humans may also hear some things from the jinn which benefit them; they may wake them up to pray or draw their attention to things which may benefit them or harm them. All of this happens even though the jinn do not make themselves visible to humans. A jinn may make himself visible to some people when pointing them towards something good or something evil. This may happen, although it is rare. Usually they do not appear to humans, although their voices may be heard on some occasions when they wake a person for prayer or tell him of some things. In conclusion, the believing jinn help the believers even though the believers may not realize it, and they love everything good for them. Similarly, believing humans love everything good for their believing brethren among the jinn, and they ask Allaah to give them everything good. They may attend lessons, and they love to listen to the Qur’aan and knowledge, as stated above. The believers among the jinn attend the lessons of humans, at some times and in some lands, and they benefit from the lessons of humans. All of this happens and is well known. This has been clearly stated by many of the scholars whom the jinn contacted and asked about some issues; they told them that they had attended their lessons. All of this is well-known, and Allaah is the One Whose help we seek.

Allaah has told us that the jinn listened to the Qur’aan from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). At the end of Soorat al-Ahqaaf, He says (interpretation of the meaning):“And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur’aan. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: ‘Listen in silence!’ And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners.

They said: ‘O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to the Straight Path (i.e. Islam)”[al-Ahqaaf 46:29-30]

And Allaah revealed other aayahs in a separate soorah, where He says:“Say (O Muhammad): “It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur’aan). They said: ‘Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur’aan)!” [al-Jinn 72:1]  

Many books have been written on this matter. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned a great deal on this topic in his books. There is also a book by one of the scholars entitled al-Marjaan fi BayaanAhkaam al-Jaan, by al-Shibli, which is a useful book. There are other books written on this topic as well. You can look for them and ask for them in any bookstore. You could also read the books of Tafseer and learn from the commentary on Soorat al-Jinn and the other aayahs from Soorat al-Ahqaaf and elsewhere which speak of the jinn. You can learn a lot from what the mufassireen (may Allaah have mercy on them) said about the jinn, both the good and the bad among them. 

KitaabMajmoo’ FataawawaMaqaalaatMutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeezibn ‘Abd-AllaahibnBaaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 9, p. 373

10. What are the signs of sorcerers, fortunetellers and soothsayers? How can we tell who they are?

Answer: Praise be to Allaah.

The sorcerer and charlatan may be recognized by a number of things, among the most important of which is: his claim to know the unseen; even if he does not state that clearly, you will find that he speaks of matters of the unseen which may all be lies and falsehood. Some of what he says may come true but most of it will be lies, but the lies will be overlooked because of the few things that come true. Similarly, there will be a lack of righteousness, for you will not find them to be keen to worship. They are often exposed, especially in their lies, and in matters that have to do with women. It often comes to light that they have committed haraam actions involving women, such as being alone with them, or touching women using the excuse of healing.   

ShaykhSa’d al-Humayd. 

Another sign of the fortunetellers, sorcerers and soothsayers is that they will ask for the name of the person who has come to them; they often use bukhoor (incense) and strange materials; they may write Qur’aan with impure substances and menstrual blood; they may ask a person to offer a sacrifice to someone other than Allaah; they use large rings; they may not do ghusl after janaabah (impurity following sexual activity); they may mutter strange and mysterious words; they may use secret signs and charms; they may pretend to recite Qur’aan in the beginning to deceive the person who has come to them. 

We ask Allaah to protect us from their tricks, for He is the Best of protectors and the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

11. Effects of Jinn on Urinary Incontinence

Answer:Praise be to Allah

Urinary incontinence and similar conditions where liquid etc, is passed involuntarily and one cannot control it, should not be given any attention, rather the person should pray according to his situation, even if that liquid etc. is emitted during prayer, because it is too difficult to avoid it. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.” [22:78]

But if he fears that his body or clothes may become contaminated, he should wrap it (i.e. the private part) with a cloth or something similar, and pray after doing wudhu, and he should not pay attention to anything that comes out that he cannot control. This is an ordinary kind of sickness, which is very common, and it is not caused by the jinn. Taharah (purity) is essential so you have to renew it (i.e., renew wudhu) for each obligatory prayer.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr.

12 .Ruqyah (Incantation) or D’awah (Propagation)

Answer:Praise be to Allah.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked this question and he said: 

Calling people to Allah (d’awah) is a communal obligation (fardkifayah); if sufficient people undertake to do it, the rest are then absolved of the obligation. If a person finds that he has to do it and no one else can take his place, then it takes priority over reading Quran over one who is affected by the jinn. That is because the results of d’awah are certain whereas the results of reading Quran over one who is affected by the jinn may not be certain. How many people have had Quran recited over them and have not benefited. 

So if this man realizes that he has to do d’awah and no one else can take his place, then he must do d’awah even if it means he does not recite Quran over one who is affected by the jinn. 

But if it is the matter of fardkifayah, then you should look and decide what is in people’s best interests. If it is possible to combine the two – which seems to be the case – by devoting a day for one and a day for the other whilst continuing to engage in d’awah, that is better, so that he may benefit his Muslim brothers who are suffering from this affliction and so that the work of calling people to Allah may continue at the same time. 

With regard to the correct treatment of those who are affected by the jinn, this varies from one case to another, but the best is to recite Quran over the person, such as the words (interpretation of the meaning): “O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allah)!

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?

There will be sent against you both, smokeless flames of fire and (molten) brass, and you will not be able to defend yourselves.

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?”
[55:33-36] 

Because this reminds them [the jinn] that they cannot flee from Allah. You should also recite al-Mu’awwadhatayn [the last two Surahs of the Quran] and QulHuwaAllahuAhad [112] and ayat al-Kursiy [2:255]. You may also preach to them as Shaykh al-Islam IbnTaymiyah used to do, telling them, “It is haram for you to harm the Muslims or to beat them,” etc. 

With regard to accepting payment for this: if he does not take money it is better, but if he takes it without stipulating payment beforehand that is acceptable. If those for whom he is reading do not carry out their duties towards the reader and he insists that he will only read for them if he is given something in return, there is nothing wrong with that, as this is what the people of the raiding party sent out by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did. It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “A group of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey and traveled until they stopped in (the land of) one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to welcome them. The chief of this tribe was stung by a scorpion and they tried everything but nothing helped them. Some of them said, ‘Why don’t you go to those people who are camped (near us), maybe you will find something with them.’ So they went to them and said, ‘O people, our chief has been stung by a scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of you do anything?’ One of them said, ‘Yes, by Allah, I will recite ruqyah (incantation) for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not welcome us, so I will not recite ruqyah for you until you give us something in return.’ Then they agreed upon a flock of sheep. Then he went and spat drily and recited over him Al-hamduLillahiRabbil-‘alameen [Surat al-Fatihah]. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a chain and started walking, and there were no signs of sickness on him. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the ruqyah said, ‘Do not divide them until we go to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and see what he tells us to do.’ So they went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, ‘How did you know that it (al-Fatihah) is a ruqyah?’ Then he added, ‘You have done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share too.’ And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) smiled.”  (al-Bukhari, Muslim).

See Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 44.

13. Interacting With Jinn

Answer:Praise be to Allah

1 – Seeking the help of the jinn or turning to them to fulfill one’s desires to cause harm or bring benefit is shirk or associating others in worship with Allah, because it is a kind of mutual benefitting whereby the jinn responds to the human’s requests and fulfills his needs in return for the human’s veneration of the jinn, turning to him and asking for his help to do what he wants.

Allah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And on the Day when He will gather them (all) together (and say): ‘O you assembly of jinn! Many did you mislead of men,’ and their awliya (friends and helpers) amongst men will say: ‘Our Lord! We benefited one from the other, but now we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us.’ He will say: ‘The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell therein forever, except as Allah may will. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.’

And thus We do make the Zaalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers) awliya (supporters and helpers) of one another (in committing crimes), because of that which they used to earn.” [6:128]

“And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn, but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression.” [72:6]

If a human seeks the help of a jinn to cause harm to another person, or seeks his help for protection from the evil of a person whose evil he fears, all of this is shirk.

Whoever is like this, his prayer and his fasting are both invalid, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely, (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.”

[39:65]

If a person is known for doing this, then the funeral prayer is not to be offered for him if he dies, his funeral is not to be attended, and he is not to be buried in the Muslim graveyard. 

2 – The Standing Committee was asked a similar question, which said: 

I would like to inform you that in Zambia there is a Muslim man who claims that he has jinn with him, and the people go to him and ask him to heal their diseases, and this jinn prescribes medicine for them. Is this permissible? 

The answer is:

It is not permissible for this man to use the services of the jinn, and it is not permissible for the people to go to him, seeking treatment for their diseases through advice from the jinn, or to fulfill any needs in this manner.

Treating disease by means of human doctors and by using permissible medicines means that there is no need for that. This should be enough to free us from the control of these charlatans.

It was narrated in a saheehhadeeth (authentic narration) that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.” [Muslim]

The four authors of al-Sunan, and al-Hakim in a saheehhadeeth, narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to a fortuneteller and believes what he said has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad.”

This man and his companions from among the jinn are to be regarded as fortunetellers and soothsayers. It is not permissible to ask them anything or to believe them.

And Allah knows best.

14. Every person has a constant companion from among the jinn

Answer:Praise be to Allaah.  

Yes, there is something which is called the qareen, which Allaah has caused to accompany every human being. This qareen pushes a person to do evil things and to disobey Allaah, with the exception of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as will be explained below. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“His companion (qareen) will say: ‘Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression, (in disbelief, oppression, and evil deeds), but he was himself in error far astray.’

Allaah will say: ‘Dispute not in front of Me, I had already in advance sent you the threat.

The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I am not unjust  to the slaves’”

[Qaaf 50:27-29] 

IbnKatheer said: “ ‘His companion (qareen) will say’ – Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), Mujaahid, Qutaadah and others said: this refers to the devil who is appointed to accompany him. ‘Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression’ means, he will disown that person on the Day of Judgement, and will say, ‘Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression’ meaning, I did not lead him astray. 

‘but he was himself in error far astray’ means, he was misguided in himself, receptive to falsehood and resistant to the truth – as Allaah says elsewhere (interpretation of the meaning): 

‘And Shaytaan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allaah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allaah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).”’

[Ibraaheem 14:22] 

The phrase ‘Dispute not in front of Me’ refers to what Allaah will say to the human and his companion from among the jinn, when they dispute before Him, and the human says, ‘O Lord, this one led me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me’ and the devil will say, ‘Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression, (in disbelief, oppression, and evil deeds), but he was himself in error far astray’ – i.e., from the path of truth. 

Allaah will say, ‘Dispute not in front of Me’ meaning, in My presence. ‘I had already in advance sent you the threat’ means, I sent the warning on the lips of the Messengers, and I sent down the Books, so proof and evidence was established against you. 

‘The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed’ – Mujaahid said, this means I have passed My judgement. 

‘and I am not unjust  to the slaves’ means, I do not punish anyone for the sin of another, and I only punish a person for his sin after proof has been established against him.” 

TafseerIbnKatheer, 4/227 

It was narrated that ‘Abd-AllaahibnMas’ood said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no one among you but a companion from among the jinn has been assigned to him.” They said, “Even you, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, “Even me, but Allaah helped me with him and he became Muslim (or: and I am safe from him), so he only enjoins me to do that which is good.” 

According to another report, “… There is assigned to him a companion from among the jinn and a companion from among the angels.” 

Narrated by Muslim, 2814 

Al-Nawawi included this in a chapter which he called: BaabTahreesh al-ShaytaanwaBa’thihiSaraayaahu li Fitnatil-Naas waannama’akulliinsaaninQareen(Chapter on the evil of the Shaytaan and his sending his troops to tempt the people, and the fact that there is a jinn-companion with every human being). 

Al-Nawawi said: 

“Faaslamu (and I am safe from him) or faaslama (and he became Muslim). These are two well known versions. One means ‘and I am safe from his evil and his temptation.’ The other means that ‘the qareen became Muslim and became a believer, so he does not tell me to do anything but good’.  

There was some scholarly dispute as to the form of the word. Al-Khattaabi said that the word was Faaslamu (and I am safe from him); al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said that it wasfaaslama (and he became Muslim), which is more correct, because the hadeeth says, ‘so he only enjoins me to do that which is good’.  

They also disputed as to the meaning of the word faaslama.  Some said that it meant that he (the qareen) submitted and surrendered, as it was narrated elsewhere than in Saheeh Muslim, faastaslama [he gave up and surrendered]. It was also suggested that it means that he became a Muslim and a believer. The latter is the apparent meaning. Al-Qaadi said: Note that the ummah is unanimously agreed that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was protected from the Shaytaan in physically, mentally and with regard what he said. This hadeeth contains a warning against the temptation of the qareen and his whispers and temptations. We know that he is with us so we should beware of him as much as possible. 

Sharh Muslim, 17/157, 158 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaahibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If anyone of you is praying, he should not let anyone pass in front of him; if that person insists then he should fight him for there is a qareen with him.” 

Narrated by Muslim, 506. 

Al-Shawkaani said: 

“The phrase ‘for there is a qareen with him’—according to al-Qaamoos [an Arabic-language dictionary] the word qareen refers to a companion; the Shaytaan always accompanies man and never leaves him. This is what is referred to here.”

 Nayl al-Awtaar, 3/7

 And Allaah knows best.

15. Is epilepsy caused by the jinn?

Answer:Praise be to Allaah.  

Epilepsy in most cases is caused by the jinn, and in some cases by some defect in the body, brain or nerves, or mood swings, or some weakness in the physical structure. All of these may cause loss of consciousness or unbalanced behaviour. The black woman’s epilepsy may have been caused by the jinn, but there was no need to mention the cause, which is why the narrators only mentioned what needs to be done when epilepsy occurs, for whatever reason, of making du’aa’ and performing ruqyah, or bearing it with patience and seeking the reward from Allaah.

 Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr

 The hadeeth about the black woman is narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5652) andSaheeh Muslim (2576). In some versions of the hadeeth there is an indication that her epilepsy was caused by the jinn. For example, in a version narrated by al-Bazzaar, she said, “I am afraid that the evil one may cause me to become uncovered.” Al-HaafizIbnHajar said: “It may be understood from some of the different versions of the hadeeth that what Umm Zafar was suffering from was the kind of epilepsy caused by the jinn and not that which results from dysfunction in the brain.”

Fath al-Baari, hadeeth no. 5652.

16. Jinni in House

Answer:Praise be to Allah

These noises and actions may come from the jinn. The jinn are part of the creation of Allah whose existence we must believe in, because Allah mentions them in many aayaath of the Quran, and there is even a Surah named after them, namely Surah al-Jinn. Their existence is a matter upon which there is consensus.

Shaykh al-Islam IbnTaymiyah said:

All nations believe in the jinn and they have had many encounters with them, which it would take too long to describe. No one denies the existence of the jinn except for a very few ignorant philosophers and doctors and the like. [Majmoo’ al-Fatawa]

Their powers are greater than those of man, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“An ‘Ifreet (strong one) from the jinn said: “I will bring it [the throne of the Queen of Saba] to you before you rise from your place.” [27:39]

There was a great distance between Sulayman (peace be upon him) and the Queen of Saba (Sheba).

Allah has enabled the jinn to change shape and to fly, etc, but despite their great powers they have no control over the righteous slaves of Allah. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):“Verily, My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) — you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.” [17:65]

“And he (Satan) had no authority over them, except that We might test him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt about it.” [34:21]

Even the shaytan acknowledged this and said:“[Iblees] said: ‘O my Lord! Because You misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all.

Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them.’” [15:39-40 – interpretation of the meaning]

Rather he has control over those people who agree with his kufr (disbelief) and follow him willingly, as Allah tells us (interpretation of the meaning):

“Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghawun (those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evildoers).” [15:42]

Allah may give them [the jinn] power over believers because of their sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah is with the qadhi (judge) so long as he is not unjust; if he is unjust then Allah has nothing to do with him and will cause the shaytan to stay with him.” [al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi].

The Muslim must, above all else, arm himself with the weapon of faith and righteous deeds, for these are the best provision he may have and the best means of foiling the plots of the devils among mankind and the jinn.

You have to strengthen your relationship with Allah, for He is the One on Whom you should depend. Remember Allah a great deal in all situations, and strive to keep your tongue busy constantly with dhikr (remembrance of Allah). No one can find any better protection against the shaytan than the remembrance of Allah. It was narrated in a saheeh (authentic) report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that Allah enjoined five things upon Yahya ibn Zakariyya, which he was to do and to command the Children of Israel to do, one of which was: “I command you to remember Allah, for the likeness of that is that of a man whose enemy comes after him, until he comes to a strong fortress where he protects himself from him. Similarly, a person cannot protect himself against the shaytan except by remembering Allah.” [Saheeh al-Tirmidhi].

Constantly recite the dhikrs narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), such as the dhikr when entering the toilet, when having intercourse, when hearing the braying of a donkey, when entering the house, in the morning and the evening, when going to sleep, and in other circumstances and at other times for which a specific dhikr has been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

These dhikrs have been compiled in books such as al-Adhkar by al-Nawawi, al-Kalim al-Tayyib by IbnTaymiyah, and Hisn al-Muslim by al-Qahtani [the latter is available with English transliteration and translation under the title “Fortress of the Muslim – Invocations from the Quran and Sunnah”, published by Darussalam, Riyadh – Translator].

You should also read a lot of Quran in the house, especially Surah al-Baqarah. Ahmad and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses (like) graveyards, for the shaytan flees from a house in which Surah al-Baqarah is read.”

You should also purify your house of everything in which there is disobedience towards Allah, such as keeping images and dogs. Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” [al-Bukhari, Muslim].

If there are no angels in the house, it will become a dwelling for the devils.

With regard to reading Surah al-Muzzammil and al-Mulk when going to sleep, there are reports that indicate that it is mustahabb (recommended) to recite Surah al-Mulk before sleeping. Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used not to sleep until he had recited Alif-Lam-MeemTanzeel (al-Sajdah) and Tabarakalladhi bi yadihi’l-mulk (Surah al-Mulk). [Saheeh al-Tirmidhi].

With regard to Surah al-Muzzammil, there is no report to indicate that it is mustahabb to recite it when going to sleep.

And Allah knows best.

17. How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

Answer:Praise be to Allaah. 

Whoever is affected by sihr should not treat it with sihr, because evil cannot be removed by evil, and kufr cannot be removed by kufr. Evil is removed by good. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about al-nushrah (treating sihr with sihr), he said: “This is the work of the Shaytaan.” Nushrah means removing sihr from a person who has been affected by it by using more sihr. But if it is treated by means of the Qur’aan and permissible medicines or good ruqyahs, there is nothing wrong with that, but treating it with sihr is not permitted, as previously stated, because sihr means worshipping the shayaateen (devils). The saahir (magician, practitioner of witchcraft) does sihr or learns sihr only after worshipping and serving the shayaateen, and drawing close to them by means of the things that they like. After that, they teach him the means of sihr. But, praise be to Allaah, there is no reason why the person who has been affected by sihr should not be treated by means of reciting Qur’aan and the prayers for refuge with Allaah that are prescribed in sharee’ah, and permissible medicines, just as patients with all kinds of sicknesses are treated by doctors. The patient does not necessarily recover, because not every sick person does recover. A sick patient might be treated and then recover if his appointed time (of death) has not yet arrived, or he may not recover and may die from this sickness, even though he may be been seen by the most skilled physicians and knowledgeable doctors. When the appointed time of death comes, no medicine or treatment will be of any avail, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Allaah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes”

[al-Munaafiqoon 63:11] 

Medical treatment is of benefit when the appointed time has not yet come, and Allaah decrees that His slave should be healed. The same applies in the case of one who has been affected by sihr; Allaah may decree that he should recover, or He may not decree that, as a test and a trial, or for other reasons which are known to Allaah. Among those reasons may be the fact that the one who is treating him does not have the right treatment for this problem. It was narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For every disease there is a medicine, and if that medicine is applied to the disease, he will recover by Allaah’s Leave.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has not sent down any disease but He has also sent down the cure; the one who knows it knows it and the one who does not know it does not know it.” 

Among the treatments prescribed in sharee’ah is the treatment of sihr with recitation of the Qur’aan. The greatest soorah in the Qur’aan, which is al-Faatihah, should be recited over the person who has been affected by sihr. This should be repeated several times. If it is recited by a believing, righteous reader who knows that everything is subject to the will and decree of Allaah, that Allaah is in control of all things, that when He says to a thing ‘Be!’ it is, if the reciting is based on faith, taqwa and sincerity, and is repeated several times, then the sihr may be removed and the person may recover by Allaah’s Leave. Some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) passed by some Bedouins whose shaykh, i.e., their leader, had been bitten. They had done everything they could but he had not gotten better. They said to one of the Sahaabah, “Is there any raaqi (one who performs ruqyah) among you?” They said, “Yes.” So one of them recited Soorat al-Faatihah over him, and he immediately got up full of energy as if nothing had happened; Allaah healed him of the ill-effects of that snakebite. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not involve shirk.” He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed ruqyah and had it performed for him. There is a lot of good in ruqyah, and a great deal of benefit. Al-Faatihah, Aayat al-Kursiy, “QulHuwaAllaahuAhad”, al-Mi’wadhataynand other aayahs may be recited over the person who has been affected by sihr, as well as good du’aa’s narrated in the ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as the du’aa’ he said when he performed ruqyah for a sick person and said, “Allaahumma Rabb al-naas, adhhibil-ba’s, washfi anta al-Shaafilaashifaa’aillashifaa’ukashifaa’anlaayughaadirsaqaman (O Allaah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal him, for You are the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing which does not leave any disease behind).” This may be repeated three times or more. And it was also narrated from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that Jibreel (peace be upon him) performed ruqyah for him and said three times: “Bismillaaharqeeka min kullishay’inyu’dheeka, wa min sharrikullinafsin aw ‘ayninhaasidAllaahyashfeek, bismillaaharqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you).” This is a great ruqyah which was narrated in a saheehhadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is prescribed to perform ruqyah for the one who has been bitten or stung, and the one who has been affected by sihr, and the one who is sick. There is nothing wrong with performing ruqyah for one who is sick or has been affected by sihr or bitten or stung, by reciting good du’aa’s, even if they were not transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so long as they do not contain anything that is haraam, because of the general meaning of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not involveshirk.” 

Allaah may heal the sick person and the person affected by sihr, and others, without any ruqyah and without any action on the part of other people, because He is Able to do all things, and He is Wise in all that He does. Allaah says in His Holy Book:

“Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is!”[Yaa-Seen 36:82]

To Him be praise and thanks for all that He wills and decrees, for He is wise in all that He does. 

The sick person may not be healed if his appointed time has come and it is decreed that he should die from this disease. Among the things that may be used in ruqyah are the verses which speak of sihr, which may be recited into water. These are the verses about sihr in Soorat al-A’raaf, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We revealed to Moosa (saying): ‘Throw your stick,’ and behold! It swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed.

Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect

.

So they were defeated there and returned disgraced

[al-A’raaf 7:117-119]

And in SooratYoonus (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Pharaoh said: ‘Bring me every well-versed sorcerer.’

And when the sorcerers came, Moosa said to them: ‘Cast down what you want to cast!’

Then when they had cast down, Moosa said: ‘What you have brought is sorcery, Allaah will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allaah does not set right the work of Al-Mufsidoon.

And Allaah will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words, however much the Mujrimoon may hate (it).’”

[Yoonus 10:79-82]

And in Soorat Ta-Ha (interpretation of the meaning):

“They said: ‘O Moosa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?’

Moosa said: ‘Nay, throw you (first)!’ Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast.

So Moosa conceived fear in himself.

We (Allaah) said: ‘Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand.

And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician’s trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.’”

[Ta-Ha 20:65-69]

These aayahs are among the things by which Allaah causes the ruqyah against sihr to be beneficial. If the qaari’ (reader) recites these verses into water, and also reads Soorat al-Faatiha, Aayat al-Kursiy, “QulHuwaAllaahuAhad”, and al-Mi’wadhatayn into the water, then pours it over the person who he thinks has been affected by sihr or is being prevented by magic from having intercourse with his wife, then he will be healed by Allaah’s Leave. If seven lotus leaves are ground up and added to the water as well, this is appropriate, as was mentioned by Shaykh ‘Abd al-RahmaanibnHasan (may Allaah have mercy on him) in Fath al-Majeed, quoting from some of the scholars in the chapter entitled Ma jaa’afi’l-Nushrah. It is mustahabb to recite the three soorahs, namely QulHuwa AllaahuAhad, QulA’oodhu bi RabbilFalaq and QulA’oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas. The point is that these and similar treatments which are used to treat this problem of sihr, may also be used to treat the one who is prevented by magic from having intercourse with his wife. This has been tried a great deal and Allaah caused it to yield results. A person may be treated with al-Faatihah alone and be healed, or with Qul HuwaAllaahuAhad and al-Mi’wadhatayn on their own, and be healed. It is very important that the person performing this treatment and the person who is being treated should both have sincere faith and trust in Allaah; they should know that He is control of all things and that when He wills a thing it happens, and when He does not will a thing it does not happen. The matter is in His hand, whatever He wills happens and whatever He does not will does not happen. When both the reader and the one who is read over have faith and are sincere towards Allaah, the sickness will disappear quickly by Allaah’s Leave, and both physical and spiritual medicine will be beneficial. We ask Allaah to help us all to please Him, for He is All-Hearing and is ever Near.

 Majmoo’ FataawawaMaqaalaatMutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘AzeezibnBaaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 70

18. Spiritual paths

Answer:Praise be to Allaah. 

If what is meant is summoning the spirits of jinn or others, this is not permitted, because it can only be achieved by means of shirk. If what is meant is nourishing the soul by believing in Allaah, His Messengers, His angels, His Books, the Last Day and in the divine decree, both good and bad, then this is what Islam requires of every Muslim and asks him to nourish this belief. And Allaah knows best.

19. Is it possible to talk to the jinn and use them?

Answer:Praise be to Allaah. 

It is possible to talk to the jinn, but finding about unseen matters and what is in people’s hearts is haraam.  Usually those who use words and phrases of the Qur’aan in order to gain control over the jinn use ways that are not Islamic. Using the jinn is a power that was given only to Sulaymaan (peace be upon him). Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to tie up a jinn whom he had overcome during his prayer, he remembered the du’aa’ of Sulayman and did not do that.

So you should try to advise these people and if they respond, all well and good; otherwise the safest thing to do is to leave them alone and not speak to them.

Ahl al-Kitaab (the People of the Book) are the Jews and Christians.

It is OK to speak with the jinn if this happens without you seeking it, and in fact it is mustahabb to call them to the religion of Allaah and to adhere to His sharee’ah, just as you call people. It is not advisable to read books or to recite Qur’aan for this purpose, because the Qur’aan was not revealed for such things; it was revealed to be a light and a guide in the life of the Muslim, so that the Muslim can follow it, obeying its commandments and avoiding that which it forbids.

With regard to the angels, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and other prophets saw them, and some of the awliyaa’ (close friends of Allaah) spoke with them, as it was reported from ‘ImraanibnHusayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the angels used to greet him with salaam until he started to use branding (cauterization for medical purposes), then they stopped. When he stopped using branding, they started to greet him again. And Allaah knows best.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr

20. Jinn dwelling in humans

Answer:Can a jinn enter the body of a human?

Praise be to Allaah. 

ImaamShaykh al-Islam said in his Fataawa after some introductory comments:

… For this reason, a group of the Mu’tazilah, such as al-Jabbaa’i, Abu Bakr al-Raazi and others, denied that the jinn enter the body of the epileptic, although they do not deny the existence of the jinn, because that is not as clearly mentioned in the reports narrated from the Messenger   (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as their existence is mentioned. They were mistaken in this matter. Hence al-Ash’ari mentioned in MaqaalaatAhl al-Sunnahwa’l-Jamaa’ah that they [Ahl al-Sunnah] believe that the jinn may enter the body of the epileptic, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘Those who eat Riba will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to insanity…’

[al-Baqarah 2:275]

 ‘Abd-Allaahibn al-Imaam Ahmad 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. (Majmoo’ FataawaShaykh al-Islam IbnTaymiyah, 19/12). He also said (may Allaah have mercy on him), in vol. 24 of his Fataawa (p. 276, 277):

“The existence of the jinn is proven by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and by the consensus of the salaf and scholars of this ummah. Similarly, the fact that the jinn can enter human bodies is also proven by the consensus of the imaams of Ahl al-Sunnahwa’l-Jamaa’ah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘Those who eat Riba will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to insanity…’

[al-Baqarah 2:275]

In al-Saheeh it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam as his blood flows…

There is no one among the imaams of the Muslims who denies that the jinn enter the body of the epileptic. Whoever denies that and claims that Islam denies that is telling lies about the sharee’ah, for there is no evidence in sharee’ah to say that this is not the case…”

 From Majmoo’ FataawawaMaqaalaatMutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘AzeezibnBaaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 60

21. Black Magic and Satanic Possession

Question: My brother after returning from a trip starting acting very strange. He would say weird things and now doesn't talk to anyone at all. He has been sitting outside for 2 months now. He has even spit on our mother. At first we thought there was something psychologically wrong with him. However when we took him to a mental doctor he talks as if he is fine. We think he is either possessed by a Jinn or some magic was done to him. 
How can you tell if someone is possessed or if magic was done to them? 
How do you remove it? My mother is getting very sick over this.

Answer: Praise be to Allaah

People who have had experience with such situations have related that the following are among the signs of a person who is possessed by jinn (or Satan):

Strong repulsion when hearing Qur’aan or Aathaan (call for prayers).

Episodes of losing consciousness and/or epileptic attacks, especially when Qur’aan is recited for the possessed person.

Frequent nightmares during sleep.

Tendency to avoid people accompanied by out-of-the-norm behavior.

The jinn who possesses him might speak when Qur’aan is recited for the possessed person.

Madness, as stated in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): "Those who devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom Satan by his touch hath driven to [epileptic] madness…"2:275

As for a person struck by magic he might experience the following:

Dislike of one’s spouse, as indicated in the Qur’aan by the following verse (interpretation of the meaning): "And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife..." (Al-Baqarah, 2:102)

.

Different attitude in the house from that which is outside the house. For example, a person will feel that he is missing his family when is outside the house but when he goes home, love changes quickly to extreme hatred.

Inability to have sexual intercourse with one’s spouse.

Frequent miscarriage for pregnant women.

Sudden change in behavior without obvious reason.

Complete loss of appetite for food.

Thinking or imagining one has done something when in reality one has not.

Sudden obedience and/or love for a particular person.

It should be noted that if a person experiences some of the above symptoms this does not necessarily mean that he is either possessed by a jinn or struck by black magic. It might be due to physiological or psychological reasons.

As for curing this condition the following steps are recommended:

Putting one’s trust in Allah with sincere belief that He is the only cure for everything.

Reading Qur’aan and known supplications expressing seeking refuge, the most important and effective of which is sura 113 and 114, Al-Falaq and Al-Naas, which were used to cure the Prophet himself. Surah 112, Al-Ikhlaas, is recommended along with them, as well as the opening chapter of the Qur’aan, Al-Fatihah. To cure black magic some have successfully used seven lotus-tree leaves. The leaves should be crushed, then mixed them with water enough for taking a bath. The following verses from the Qur’aan are then recited: verse Al-Kursi (2:255), surah Al-Kafiroon (109), surah 112, 113, 114; the verses which mention magic, which are: in surah Al-Baqarah (2:102), Al-A’raaf (7:117-119), Yunus (10:79-82), and Taha (20:65-69). The possessed person drinks some of the water, and the rest is used to give him a bath.

Removing the elements of magic as was done by the Prophet when he was struck by black magic by a Jewish man called Lubaid Ben Al-‘Aasim.

Eating seven Aa’liya Al-Barniy dates (among the dates of Al-Madinah) first thing in the morning; if not possible, any dates will suffice, by the will of Allaah.

Cupping--removing excess blood.

Supplications.

And we ask Allaah to cure your brother and ease your hardship and his, as He is the One who cures and there is no one else who can cure.

22 .Can sihr (witchcraft, magic) kill?

Question: I would like information on majic (jadoo) what are the consequences and can people use it to kill people.

Answer:Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, there is sihr that can kill. When discussing different forms of murder the scholars have mentioned that the person who kills another by means of a kind ofsihr that usually kills should be executed (qisaas – retaliation), because he has killed by means of something that usually kills. IbnQudaamah said in al-Mughni(9/330): “The sixth kind: if he killed him by means of a kind of sihr that usually kills, then he has to be executed, because he has killed by means of something that usually kills, like killing by use of a knife. If he killed by means of something that does not usually kill or something that sometimes kills and sometimes does not, then he has to pay diyah (blood-money), but qisaas is not required, because he intended to do harm, and it is akin to beating someone with a stick (which may or may not kill).”

The ruling concerning the saahir (practitioner of sihr) in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah(24/267) says that in the case where he killed a person by means of his sihr… the majority say that killing by means of sihr may be done deliberately, in which caseqisaas is required. According to the Maalikis, evidence or a confession is required. According to the Shaafi’is, if the person whom the practitioner of sihr killed was his equal , then qisaas is required if the killing was deliberate, which may be proven by a confession on the part of the saahir, such as his saying “I killed him by means of my sihr”, or “I killed him with this type of thing”, supported by the testimony of two reliable witnesses who have practised sihr in the past but have now repented, who can confirm that this kind of sihr usually kills. If it is a type that does not usually kill, then the matter is more akin to manslaughter.

And Allaah knows best.

See also: Ruqyah; Jinn; Magic; Evil eye

References

1. http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=sc&sc=64&c=1
2. http://islamqa.info/en/cat/228
3. http://islamqa.info/en/157606
4. http://islamqa.info/en/112754
5. http://islamqa.info/en/170811