Fatwa n° 529

Category:Fatwas about Creed- Monotheism and What Contradicts it- Divinity and Worship

Concerning the manner of treating
a woman who practices witchcraft

Question:

How could be the treatment of a woman who harms all the members of the family with evil and her use of witchcraft though the members of the family are peaceful? Benefit us and may Allah reward you.

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers until the Day of Resurrection:

If the persons who live with her are sure that she practices witchcraft and she makes corruption with it, they should complain her to the governor [the person in authority] in order to punish her with what she deserves as a chastisement for her deed. Indeed, it is the duty of the governor to save the society from the corruption of the sorcerers in order to secure people from their evil. Otherwise, they (the members of the family) must avoid her and her evil as much as possible and Allah is the One Sought for help. This, because witchcraft is forbidden in the Holy Book (Qur’ân), in the Sunnah and the Consensus. Allah  عزّ وجلّ said:

﴿وَٱتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتۡلُواْ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلۡكِ سُلَيۡمَٰنَۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيۡمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحۡرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَكَيۡنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ فِتۡنَةٞ فَلَا تَكۡفُرۡۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنۡهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَزَوۡجِهِۦۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمۡۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ ٱشۡتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَٰقٖۚ وَلَبِئۡسَ مَا شَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمۡۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ١٠٢﴾ [البقرة: 102.[

The meaning of the verse:

﴾ 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 witchcraft and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Hârût and Mârût. But they [i.e., the two angels] do not teach anyone unless they say, “We are a trial. So do not disbelieve [by practicing witchcraft]”. 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 the permission of Allah. And they [i.e., people] learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But they [i.e., the children of Israel] certainly knew that whoever purchased it [i.e., witchcraft] would not have in the hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if only they knew﴿[Al-Baqara: 102].

He عزّ وجلّ said also:

﴿وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ ٦٩﴾ [طه: 69].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾ And the sorcerer will never succeed wherever he may be ﴿ [Tâha: 69].

Allah عزّ وجلّ said about Moses with the sorcerers of Pharaoh:

﴿فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئۡتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحۡرُۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبۡطِلُهُۥٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصۡلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ٨١﴾ [يونس: 81].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾ And when they had thrown, Moses said, “What you have brought is [only] witchcraft. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters ﴿ [Yûnus: 69].

In addition to the Hadith of the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وآله وسلَّم: “Avoid the seven destroyers”. They asked: “Ô Messenger of Allah, what are they?” He answered: “To associate partners with Allah, and witchcraft…” ⁽¹⁾.

Al-Imâm An-Nawawî mentioned the consensus of scholars about the prohibition of witchcraft. This being said, if her witchcraft is practiced through devils, then she disbelieves, but if it is practiced by using medicines, then she does not disbelieve, but she is a disobedient.

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ; and our last prayer is all the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers of Allah are to Muhammad and his Family, Companions and Brothers until the Day of Resurrection.

Algiers on: Rajab 22^nd, 1427 H
Corresponding to August the 16^th, 2006 G.