[Article] Death and life predestined by Allah

Fatwa no. 3384

Q: Some Yemeni tribes believe that if an elderly lady who is stricken in years looks at any young man or woman, or even a male or female child, she will capture their soul, and if she wills, she can bring them back to life. Is this belief based on any evidence from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him), or any of the Messenger's Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet)? Moreover, any lady accused of this will be cast out by her children or providers and will be left in the open under the scorching sun. There is a man who is said to find out if an elderly lady is really a "soul taker" or just a normal lady. Kindly answer our question. May Allah reward you! 

A: We know no solid proof concerning the two kinds of men and women mentioned above

(Part No. 1; Page No. 549)

from the sanctified Shari`ah; it is not permissible even to think of the existence of such things. Death and life are predestined by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), and none save Allah knows the Ghayb (the Unseen), as Allah (Glorified be He) says, Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allâh, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected." Assuming that anything of the kind may happen, it should be nothing more than optically illusive magic that makes people see ghosts and bodies contrary to what they really are. All of this is prohibited by the Ijma` (consensus) of Muslim scholars, and it should not be acknowledged, but rather denied and warned against. These acts are forbidden as they lead to Kufr (disbelief) and resemble the sorcery practiced by the sorcerers of the Pharaoh in the past.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'

Member Member Deputy Chairman Chairman `Abdullah ibn Qa`ud `Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan `Abdul-Razzaq `Afify `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz

Source: Fatwas of the Permanent Committee

[Article] Ruling on using superstitions to find lost objects

Fatwas of Ibn Baz

83- The ruling on using superstition to find lost objects

(Part No. 28; Page No. 349)

 Q: Is it permissible when someone loses something or a person is killed to go to Al-Mulawwith or Al-Mulahhis who asks the accused to lick a heated metal bar, claiming that tongue of a lying person will be burnt while that of a truthful person will not. Is it permissible to use this method to detect criminals compared to the use police dogs to identify criminals? 

A: Undoubtedly, this act is Batil (null and void) and Munkar (unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect). It is a way to burn the tongues and cause harm to Muslims. It has no basis in Shari`ah (Islamic Law) as far as we know. Rather, it is superstitious and an act of charlatans who want to consume people's wealth unlawfully. It is thus prohibited, and is in no way comparable to the use of police dogs.

 (Part No. 28; Page No. 350)

If a person loses something, they may follow the tracking methods used by the Arabs and approved by the Shari`ah to find lost objects, runaway slaves or the like. As for murders in which criminals are unknown, an investigation should be run to identify them, asking those having information about the related crimes, those surrounding the crime scenes and so on and so forth. As for the use of heated bars that are applied to the tongues of suspects, such method is not permissible because it is invalid and baseless. It is never analogous to the use of police dogs, because dogs have the powerful identify criminals through smell.

Source: Chapter on Sihr

[Article] Sihr that causes separation between spouses and how to undo it

Fatwas of Ibn Baz

(Part No. 28; Page No. 345)

A chapter on issues related to witchcraft

81- Witchcraft intended to separate between husbands and wives and how to undo its effect 

Q: Dear Shaykh, I hope that you supplicate to Allah for me and my wife because both of us have been subjected to sorcery that caused me to hate her and refuse to have sexual intercourse with her, whereas if she is away, I miss her so much. May Allah protect you from every evil and bless you!

 A: May Allah cure you and all Muslims! I recommend you to recite Surah Al-Fatihah, Ayat-ul-Kursy (the Qur’anic Verse of Allah’s Chair, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255) and Al-Mu`awwidhatayn (Surahs Al-Falaq and Al-Nas) on water and breathe in the water while reciting, knowing that it is better to add to the water seven milled leaves of Sidr (lote tree/ lotus jujube), and then take a bath using this water. For, this will be helpful in removing the magic effect. It suffices to recite these Surahs on the water without applying Sidr leaves, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to (blow into his hands and) recite Surah Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu`awwidhatayn three times and then wipe his hands over his face, chest

 (Part No. 28; Page No. 346)

 and head. Then, the pain will be removed, in sha’a-Allah. You should do so when going to sleep; recite Ayat-ul-Kursy, Al-Iklas and Al-Mu`awwidhatayn three times, blowing into one's hands, and then wipe one's hand over the head and face three times, and then the pain will be removed, in sha’a-Allah. It is permissible to recite this on some water and wash your body with it. It is also recommendable to add seven leaves of Sidr to the water, as some Salaf (righteous predecessors) used to do, and recite Ayat-ul-Kursy, Al-Iklas and Al-Mu`awwidhatayn and some Ayahs (verses from the Qur'an) on removing the magic effect, from Surah Al-A`raf, Surah Yunus and Surah Ta-Ha, on the water by yourself or by aid of anyone else and this will be helpful, in sha'a Allah.

Source: Chapter on Sihr 

[Audio] The Ruling on Magic, Sorcery and Soothsaying / by Shaykh Ahmad `Aloosh al-Madkhalee

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