- The Quran affirms that magic exists, and that it harms no one except by Allah’s permission (2:102).
- Your protection is faith, prayer and the daily adhkar: Ayat al-Kursi, the three Quls, and the dua “Bismillahilladhi la yadurru…”.
- Do not visit fortune-tellers, diviners or practitioners (Sahih Muslim 2230), and do not wear taweez, amulets or charms.
- Learning or practising sihr is a major sin (Sahih al-Bukhari 2766).
- Illness needs a doctor first. Most hardships are not magic, and nobody can tell you otherwise from a symptom.
Most hardship in life, including illness, anxiety, family arguments and failed plans, has ordinary causes. If you are suffering, see a doctor or a qualified counsellor first. This guide is about building protection with Allah’s words. It is not a way to diagnose yourself, and nothing here replaces medical care.
What the Quran says about magic
The longest passage on magic in the Quran is a single ayah in Surah Al-Baqarah. It is worth reading slowly, because it explains where magic came from, what it can and cannot do, and what its price is.
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَٰقٍۢ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon 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 practicing 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.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:102Take it in parts.
- Its source. The devils taught it to people. Sulayman, peace be upon him, was a prophet and was never a magician, and Allah clears his name.
- The trial. Harut and Marut were two angels in Babylon who taught nothing without first saying, “We are a trial, so do not disbelieve.” Magic was a test, and people who persisted chose disbelief.
- Its limit. “They do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah.” This clause is the most important in the ayah. It does not give the magician any power of his own.
- Its price. It harms those who learn it and does not benefit them. The one who buys it has no share in the Hereafter.
The same surah that carries this ayah also contains Ayat al-Kursi and the last two ayat, which is one reason why scholars recommend reciting Al-Baqarah in the home. We come back to it below.
Is magic real?
Yes, with qualifications. The Quran treats magic as a real phenomenon, and also speaks of illusion. In the story of Musa, peace be upon him, the magicians of Pharaoh threw their ropes and staffs, and the people saw something that was not there.
قَالَ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا۟ سَحَرُوٓا۟ أَعْيُنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَآءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.
Quran, Surah Al-Araf 7:116قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ ﴿66﴾ فَأَوْجَسَ فِى نَفْسِهِۦ خِيفَةًۭ مُّوسَىٰ ﴿67﴾ قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿68﴾ وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوٓا۟ ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا۟ كَيْدُ سَٰحِرٍۢ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ ﴿69﴾
(66) He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes]. (67) And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses. (68) Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior. (69) And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
Quran, Surah Ta-Ha 20:66-69Notice the wording: the ropes “seemed” to move, and the ayah ends with the verdict, “the magician will not succeed wherever he is.” Whatever magic can do, it ends in failure in front of the truth. And what happened when Musa threw his staff?
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ﴿117﴾ فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿118﴾ فَغُلِبُوا۟ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ صَٰغِرِينَ ﴿119﴾ وَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ ﴿120﴾ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿121﴾ رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ ﴿122﴾
(117) And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying. (118) So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing. (119) And Pharaoh and his people were overcome right there and became debased. (120) And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allah]. (121) They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds, (122) The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
Quran, Surah Al-Araf 7:117-122Look at who prostrated: the magicians themselves. They knew magic better than anyone, and so they recognised that what Musa had was not magic. They did not become afraid. They became believers. The ayah then gives the reassurance to the believer facing magic:
فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا۟ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحْرُ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿81﴾ وَيُحِقُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿82﴾
(81) And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters. (82) And Allah will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."
Quran, Surah Yunus 10:81-82Magic and the Prophet
It is reported in the authentic collections that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was affected by magic done by a man named Labid ibn al-A’sam, to the point that he felt he had done something that he had not done. Allah then informed him of it, it was dealt with, and he recovered (Sahih al-Bukhari 5763, Sahih Muslim 2189).
Two lessons come from it. The first is that magic can touch even the best of creation, and so its reality should not be denied. The second is far greater: the Prophet’s message, his prophethood and his revelation were not touched at all. Allah protected what mattered, and the effect on him was limited to a bodily and personal matter. And the remedy was in Allah’s hand, not a practitioner’s.
The ruling on sihr
Practising magic is a grave matter. The Prophet, peace be upon him, listed it among the seven destructive sins: “Associating anything with Allah, sihr, killing a soul that Allah has forbidden except by right...” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2766, Sahih Muslim 89). The Quran says that those who learn it have knowingly bought their loss.
A closely related matter is going to fortune-tellers, diviners and astrologers who claim knowledge of the unseen. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever goes to a diviner and asks him about anything, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights” (Sahih Muslim 2230). That is the least severe warning. There are others, which speak of the one who believes what the diviner says. The reason is plain. The unseen belongs to Allah, and anyone who claims it is claiming something that is not theirs.
People who profit from magic claim to find it, break it, or reveal who did it. Many ask for photographs, hair, a mother’s name, clothing, a large payment, or the use of strange words and smoke. This is the same trade under a different label, and it exploits people in distress. Do not go.
Protection starts with faith
The strongest protection against magic is not a recitation you say in an emergency. It is the way of life that gives Shaytan and the sorcerer no entry. The Quran states the principle:
إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿99﴾ إِنَّمَا سُلْطَٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ ﴿100﴾
(99) Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. (100) His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah.
Quran, Surah An-Nahl 16:99-100إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَٰنٌ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَاوِينَ
Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.
Quran, Surah Al-Hijr 15:42In practice, this means a few simple things.
- Pray the five prayers on time. The Quran says, “Seek help through patience and prayer” (2:153).
- Keep away from sin, especially anything that touches shirk, such as consulting astrologers, reading horoscopes “just for fun”, or believing in lucky and unlucky charms.
- Hold to the Quran. Recite a portion daily and keep it alive in the home.
- Trust Allah. Anything that happens does so by His permission, and He is enough for you.
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
But if they turn away, [O Muhammad], say, "Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne."
Quran, Surah At-Tawbah 9:129Notice how the Quran describes the plans of Shaytan: “Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak” (4:76). Magic is among those plots. It can cause distress, but it is not the end of the story.
The daily adhkar
These are the authentic protections that the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught. Together they take about five minutes, and you can learn them over a few weeks. The wider set of remembrances for the start and end of the day is in the full list of morning and evening adhkar.
Ayat al-Kursi
After every prayer and before sleep, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught Abu Hurayrah: whoever recites it at night, a guardian from Allah stays with him and Shaytan does not come near him until morning (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010).
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255The last two ayat of Al-Baqarah
Whoever recites them at night, they will suffice him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009, Sahih Muslim 807).
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿285﴾ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿286﴾
āmana l-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wal-mu'minūna kullun āmana bil-lahi wamalāikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadin min rusulihi waqālū samiʿ'nā wa-aṭaʿnā ghuf'rānaka rabbanā wa-ilayka l-maṣīru · lā yukallifu l-lahu nafsan illā wus'ʿahā lahā mā kasabat waʿalayhā mā ik'tasabat rabbanā lā tuākhidh'nā in nasīnā aw akhṭanā rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣ'ran kamā ḥamaltahu ʿalā alladhīna min qablinā rabbanā walā tuḥammil'nā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bihi wa-uʿ'fu ʿannā wa-igh'fir lanā wa-ir'ḥamnā anta mawlānā fa-unṣur'nā ʿalā l-qawmi l-kāfirīna
(285) The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (286) Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:285-286Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas
The Prophet, peace be upon him, told a companion that whoever recites them in the morning and evening, three times each, they will suffice him in all things (Abu Dawud 5082). Surah Al-Falaq asks specifically for refuge from the evil of “the blowers in knots”, a reference to those who practise magic.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ ﴿1﴾ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ﴿2﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ﴿3﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ﴿4﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿5﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-falaqi · min sharri mā khalaqa · wamin sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqaba · wamin sharri l-nafāthāti fī l-ʿuqadi · wamin sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasada
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak (2) From the evil of that which He created (3) And from the evil of darkness when it settles (4) And from the evil of the blowers in knots (5) And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Quran, Surah Al-Falaq 113:1-5بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿1﴾ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿2﴾ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿3﴾ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ﴿4﴾ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿5﴾ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ ﴿6﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-nāsi · maliki l-nāsi · ilāhi l-nāsi · min sharri l-waswāsi l-khanāsi · alladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri l-nāsi · mina l-jinati wal-nāsi
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, (2) The Sovereign of mankind. (3) The God of mankind, (4) From the evil of the retreating whisperer - (5) Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - (6) From among the jinn and mankind."
Quran, Surah An-Nas 114:1-6The morning and evening dua
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever says this three times in the morning and three times in the evening, nothing will harm him (Abu Dawud 5088, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3388).
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahilladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’i wa huwas-sami’ul-‘alim.
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Abu Dawud 5088, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3388When you stop at a new place
Khawla bint Hakim, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever stops at a place and says this, nothing will harm him until he leaves (Sahih Muslim 2708). It is useful in a hotel, on a journey, or in a new house.
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
A’udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.
Sahih Muslim 2708Surah Al-Baqarah in the home
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that Shaytan flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited (Sahih Muslim 780). He also described Al-Baqarah as something to hold on to, since taking it is blessing, leaving it is regret, and the magicians cannot confront it (Sahih Muslim 804). Scholars explain “the magicians cannot” as meaning that its recitation protects from them. Play it in your home if you cannot recite it yourself, and learn to recite it in portions over time.
All of these are explained with the Arabic and the way to blow and wipe in our guide to ruqyah on yourself.
Ajwa dates
One optional Sunnah is specific to this topic. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever eats seven ajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or sihr (Sahih al-Bukhari 5445, Sahih Muslim 2047). Ajwa dates are a variety grown in Madinah. If you can get them, it is a lovely habit. If you cannot, the adhkar remain your main protection, and nothing else is required.
What to avoid
- Fortune-tellers, astrologers and diviners. This includes the apps and websites that offer them. Even asking “just to see” is warned against (Sahih Muslim 2230).
- Practitioners who claim to find or break magic. If a person says that they can see who did it, find the object, or cast out what is on you, they are claiming knowledge of the unseen.
- Taweez, amulets, charms and talismans, including those that carry Quranic words and those worn by children. The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned about hanging them (Musnad Ahmad).
- Strange scripts, symbols, numbers and written “squares”, as well as burning, burying or dissolving paper.
- Spiritual dramatics: hitting, shouting at, or choking a person to “drive out” a spirit. This is harmful, and it is not ruqyah.
- Accusations. Blaming a relative, neighbour or colleague for magic is a serious wrong unless there is clear proof, and it destroys families.
If you want to read about what a lawful ruqyah is, and the three conditions that make it valid, see what ruqyah is and how it is performed.
If you think you are affected
Imagine someone who has been low for months, sleeps poorly, argues with their spouse and feels that nothing goes right. They have heard that this is what magic looks like. What should they do?
- Stay calm. Fear is the first thing magic hopes for, and the last thing that helps you.
- See a doctor. Sleep disorders, thyroid problems, depression and anxiety explain many such cases and have treatment.
- Recite for yourself. Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah and the three Quls, blowing and wiping. Do it every day.
- Keep the five prayers and the adhkar, even when you do not feel anything.
- Tell one trusted person, perhaps a parent, spouse or teacher, and consider speaking to a scholar who is known to you.
- Do not go searching. No objects, no practitioners, no names.
Allah’s help is not far from the one who calls Him. The ayah gives us the model: a servant under pressure who still says, “Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.”
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَٰنًۭا وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ
Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs."
Quran, Surah Al-Imran 3:173Living without fear
It would be a failure of this guide if it made you afraid. The aim is the opposite. Think of a person who locks the door of the house at night: not terrified, simply taking the usual measure. The adhkar are the same. Say them, then rest.
The believer’s position is expressed in the Quran by a simple statement that you can say any time you feel uneasy:
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely.
Quran, Surah At-Tawbah 9:51If you would like to recite these passages with correct pronunciation, or to teach them to your children, our teachers do this daily. You can book a free 30-minute class, and read our guide to the evil eye next.
Protection from sihr: your questions answered
Yes, the Quran affirms that it exists, and also that it harms no one except by Allah’s permission (2:102). The Prophet, peace be upon him, was himself affected by magic, and Allah healed him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5763, Sahih Muslim 2189). Belief in its reality does not mean it should be feared, because Allah’s protection is greater.
It says that the devils taught people magic, that Harut and Marut were a trial and warned people not to disbelieve, that people learned what separates a man from his wife, that none can harm anyone except by Allah’s permission, and that the one who buys magic has no share in the Hereafter. It is the main ayah on the subject and is worth reading slowly with a translation.
Keep the five prayers, recite Ayat al-Kursi, Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas morning and evening, recite Surah Al-Baqarah in the home, and say the dua taught by the Prophet, peace be upon him: “Bismillahilladhi la yadurru ma’a ismihi shay’un…” three times (Abu Dawud 5088). Avoid sins and avoid the people and places that deal with magic.
There is no reliable list of signs. Many ordinary conditions, such as stress, depression, sleep problems, marital difficulty and physical illness, can look like what people imagine magic to be. If you are suffering, speak to a doctor first and then make the adhkar part of your life. Do not accept anyone’s claim to identify it.
Reciting Quran over someone is permissible, but visiting people who claim to find or break magic is a risk. The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned about those who consult diviners (Sahih Muslim 2230), and many “healers” work through the same methods as the sorcerers. Recite for yourself or ask a trusted family member, and speak to a scholar if you are unsure.
No. Hanging an amulet or charm for protection ties the heart to something other than Allah, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, warned against it. This includes pieces of paper with writing inside, beads, strings and pendants. If a charm contains Quranic verses, scholars differ, and the safer position is to avoid it to close the door. Use the Quran by reciting it.
No. Searching for hidden objects, following a “spirit’s” instructions, or acting on a practitioner’s claim to have found something is not part of the Sunnah. The remedies taught by the Prophet, peace be upon him, are the Quran, supplication, prayer and trust in Allah. Practices beyond that are invented, and often exploit people’s fear.
Do not panic and do not accuse. First, see a doctor to rule out a medical cause. Then recite Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah and the three Quls, blow and wipe your body, and make dua. Stay regular in prayer. If you feel the situation is serious, speak to a scholar you trust. Allah’s help is real and close.
Yes. Learning and practising sihr is a major sin, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, listed it among the seven destructive sins (Sahih al-Bukhari 2766, Sahih Muslim 89). The Quran speaks of the one who buys it as having no share in the Hereafter (2:102). Reading fortune-telling horoscopes or consulting astrologers also falls on the wrong side.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever eats seven ajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or sihr (Sahih al-Bukhari 5445, Sahih Muslim 2047). It is an authentic hadith, so it is a good habit to take up if you can, without treating it as a guarantee or as a substitute for the adhkar.
Sources
This guide is educational and was written by the teachers of Virtual Quran Center from the sources below. It is not a fatwa or medical advice. For personal questions, speak to a trusted scholar and a doctor.
- Quran: 2:102, 2:153, 2:255, 2:285-286, 4:76, 7:116-122, 10:81-82, 15:42, 16:99-100, 20:66-69, 112, 113, 114.
- Sahih al-Bukhari: 2766, 5010, 5445, 5763.
- Sahih Muslim: 89, 780, 804, 2047, 2189, 2230, 2708.
- Other collections: Abu Dawud 5082, 5088; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3388.
