Haqiqat al-Sihr wa Hukmuhu fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunna
- Author died
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- Editions
- Islamic University of Madinah
Haqiqat al-Sihr wa Hukmuhu fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunna (The Reality of Magic and Its Ruling in the Quran and Sunnah) is a contemporary scholarly treatise by Awwad ibn Abd Allah al-Mutiq that examines the theological reality, legal status, and treatment of sorcery in Islamic jurisprudence and scripture. It has also appeared as a research paper published in the journal of the Islamic University of Madinah.
Purpose and Background
The author composed the work in response to the prevalence of charlatans and practitioners of divination and sorcery, particularly in an era marked by widespread psychological distress. The treatise notes that people suffering from such conditions—frequently driven by ignorance or deficiency of faith—turn to fraudulent practitioners who claim healing through occult means. Al-Mutiq aims to present a concise overview of magic, explaining its true nature, the rulings concerning learning, teaching, and practicing it, the prescribed punishment and repentance of the sorcerer, and legitimate therapeutic remedies.
Structure and Contents
The treatise is organized into an introduction, four main chapters (mabahith), and a concluding summary (khatimah):
- First Section: Definition and Types of Magic: Discusses the linguistic meanings of sihr—such as that which is subtle and hidden, eloquence, or deception—and evaluates technical scholarly definitions, including those of Abu Bakr al-Razi and Ibn Qudamah. Al-Mutiq synthesizes these into a comprehensive definition describing magic as any act involving deception or influence over the material world achieved through seeking aid from entities other than Allah, resembling supernatural feats without prophetic challenge, and attainable through study. It categorizes magic into types, including the influence of psychic suggestion, celestial or astral magic associated with the ancient Babylonians and Chaldaeans, talismans, and astrology.
- Second Section: The Reality of Magic: Examines the theological debate over whether magic has genuine reality and tangible impact or consists entirely of illusion (takhyil). Citing Sunni scholars such as al-Nawawi, al-Qurtubi, and Ibn al-Qayyim, the author concludes that blameworthy magic is not purely real nor purely illusory; rather, certain forms possess real physical and psychological effects while others are optical or psychological illusions.
- Third Section: The Rulings on Magic and Sorcerers: Addresses four interrelated topics: the legal ruling on learning and teaching magic, practicing it, the penal sanction (uqubat al-sahir), and the acceptance of the sorcerer's repentance. It details that learning and teaching magic is strictly prohibited according to the Sunni majority, constituting apostasy (kufr) if accompanied by beliefs or actions of disbelief, or severe sinfulness (fisq) otherwise.
- Fourth Section: Treatment of Magic (al-Nushrah): Defines nushrah linguistically and legally as the process of undoing or curing magic through permissible incantations (ruqyah) and lawful remedies, while differentiating legitimate healing from prohibited practices.
The conclusion summarizes the central findings, reaffirming that the existence and effects of magic are substantiated in the Quran and Sunnah, and that its acquisition, instruction, and practice are unlawful under Islamic law.
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