The Reality of Magic in the Light of the Quran

Work In Progress

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

In the world of cause and effect (Dar ul-Asbaab), believing that magic etc. - that is to say, without material and solid reasons and means - could benefit or harm is false. This can only be understood when certain foundational matters become present in the heart and mind; otherwise, freeing the mind from the illusions of magic (that is, believing that without material means benefit or harm can occur) becomes extremely difficult.

(1) Oath – Promise / Agreement

(إِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ)
When your Lord took the covenant from the children of Adam - (“No doubt, You alone are our Lord; we all are witnesses”)
(Surah Al-A‘raaf 172)

We were created in this world to prove the truth of this covenant through our actions. And the world has been made a place of cause and effect, where - according to physical (natural) laws — without adopting and using material means, even the smallest need or requirement cannot possibly be fulfilled.

This permanent (determined) system of cause and effect has been explained repeatedly in different ways. On the contrary, deep reflection on this system of causes and means has been commanded. To give certainty about its unchangeable nature, it has been said:

(2)

Does a human being obtain his desire (need or requirement) without adopting means and without taking action? (An-Najm 24)

(3)

If someone stretches both hands toward water and keeps saying
(reciting a wazifa or chanting a mantra):
“O water, come to my mouth” -  (it will never come) (Ar-Ra‘d 14)

(4)

And if there were a Quran (or a book of mantras) whose recitation (or chanting) could cause mountains to move, or the earth to shrink instantly, or the dead to speak — even then they would not believe.
The reality is that all such things are acts of Allah’s power.
(Because in the world of cause and effect, without material means, nothing occurs) (Ar-Ra‘d 31)

Satan’s Challenge

Satan challenged Allah:
“I will surely take a portion of Your servants.” (An-Nisa 118)

And how he will take a portion of them has also been explained:
“I will mislead them, give them false hopes, and command them to slit the ears of cattle and to change Allah’s creation.” (An-Nisa 119)

(5)

Satan said:
“Since You have led me astray, I will sit in ambush for them on Your straight path.
Then I will come at them from the front, from behind, from their right, and from their left — and You will find most of them ungrateful.” (Al-A‘raaf 17)

(6)

Satan said:
“My Lord, because You have led me astray, I will make the world seem attractive to them, and I will mislead them all.” (Al-Hijr 39)

Divine Guidance

To protect His servants from satanic deceptions and whispers, Allah has given the knowledge of reality through the Quran and His Messenger ﷺ:

This worldly life is only a short test, and the Hereafter is better and everlasting.
Therefore, compared to the Hereafter, the reality of worldly life is nothing but play and amusement.
(Al-Hadid 20)

For the nourishment of creation, solid and material means have been created and provided. Not only are we able to see them with our eyes, but we are repeatedly commanded to reflect upon them.

And we are warned: Whoever opposes this system and falls into satanic illusions will be thrown into Hell along with Satan. (Al-A‘raaf 18)

Condition of Muslims Today

Despite such clear explanations in the Quran, except for a few, most Muslims believe in:

• magic

• sorcery

• demonic shadows or evil spirits

• the evil eye

• amulets and incantations

• knotted threads

• exorcism or ritual healing

It also includes believing that gain or loss can be derived not only from deceased individuals but also from their:

• graves

• shrines

• spiritual abodes (آستانوں)

• the 40-day retreat or the sacred site where it happened (چھلوں)

• sacred relics (آثار)

Consequently, when:

• a child exhibits sleep starts  (Hypnic jerks)

• suffers from indigestion

• someone falls ill

• a business faces losses

• a person starts talking incoherently / running out of the house / behaving abnormally / having nightmares

which in reality are physical, psychological, and mental illnesses, people, instead of consulting a doctor, turn to:

• fortune-tellers

• those who claim to summon spirits/jinns

• practitioners of occult spells

• spiritual guides (مرشد)

These practitioners, through their eloquent talk and trickery, mislabel these illnesses as magic, evil shadows, sorcery, a curse, or the influence of stars.

They extort money from the public through threads, amulets, incantations, ritual lamps/wicks (فلیتے ), knotted strings, bangles/bracelets, and rings. Furthermore, by narrating false and fabricated tales of the saints' blessings, they trap people in a cycle of visiting shrines and spiritual abodes, and performing forty-day seclusion rituals.

Why People Fall Into These Filths

1. Childhood exposure to fictional stories of jinns, fairies, black magic, etc.

2. Most religions are built on superstition, so people grow up with similar mindset.

3. Those who earn money from these beliefs actively promote them through tricks, marketing and fear.

Root Cause Among Muslims

The fundamental reason Muslims fall into these impurities is Lack of fear of the Hereafter.

This comes from:

• ignorance of Quran

• blind following of tradition

• misinterpretation of verses

• explanations written under cultural influence rather than Quranic clarity

Human Psychology

Humans are psychological beings. Their minds are influenced by what they see and hear. This is why Allah commands believing men and women to: lower their gaze and guard their modesty.  (Surah An‑Nur: 30-31)

Refutation of Evil Eye

Millions of men watch Miss India and Miss World. The contestants do not fall sick, faint, or get harmed. If “evil eye” truly harmed women, they would not need a command to observe modesty. They would automatically hide themselves.

This proves that “Evil eye” is nothing but a satanic illusion.

Protection from Imaginary Harm

Instead of fearing from women who blow on knots or people who express envy, Allah instructs us to seek refuge in Him from these "imagined" harms.
(Surah Al‑Falaq: 4-5). Both “knots” and “blowing” refer to satanic whispers, not real magical forces. (Sahih Muslim: The Book of Prayer - Travelers , Sunan Abi Dawud: The Book of Prayer )

(7)

It is universally accepted that the entire creation, even if it works together, cannot create anything.
(Surah Al‑Hajj: 73)

Therefore, through لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ the reality has been taught that:

• Allah alone created this universe

• Allah alone sustains it

• Allah alone is the Provider, Helper, and Controller of all creation

It is also universally accepted that magic cannot turn a staff or rope into a real snake.
Only Allah, by His power, can turn a staff into a snake.

In this world, nothing can occur against the natural, physical laws unless Allah Himself commands it.

For example:  The fire becoming cool and safe for Ibrahim (AS) happened only by Allah’s command (Surah Al-Anbiya: 69) .

This is why Allah says: All miracles of the prophets occurred only by Allah’s permission  (Surah Ar‑Ra’d: 38) .

No prophet had even the slightest independent power to produce a miracle on his own  (Surah Ibrahim: 11) .

When the disciples of Isa (AS) asked for a ready-made feast to descend from the sky, Allah warned: “If you disobey after it is sent, I will punish you with a punishment that no one in the world has ever received.”

This severe warning was given because:

Their request violated the natural laws of the world of causes

In this world, nothing can be obtained without adopting firm, material means

No 'wazifa', 'mantra' or chanting can produce physical results without real causes  (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 112–115)

(8)

Mankind was created in this world for the purpose of being tested through their actions. And an extensive and robust system of material and tangible means and resources has been established for their sustenance and fulfillment of needs.

The Quran says: Even even if fourteen oceans were turned into ink to write down its details, the ink would be exhausted but the description of the provisions for sustenance would still remain incomplete.
(Surah Ibrahim: 34, Surah An‑Nahl: 18, Surah Al‑Kahf: 109, Surah Luqman: 27)

Misunderstanding About “Scientific Research” in the Quran

Some people claim, “The real invitation of the Quran is to research the universe.”

They present Western scientific achievements (steam, electricity, inventions) as proof. If this was true, all prophets would have been scientists and inventors. The Quran does not forbid reflection or research into the causes and mechanisms of the universe.  Allah knows humans will continue inventing to meet their growing needs.

But the primary purpose of the Quran’s revelation  and the primary mission of all prophets  is to warn humanity of the eternal punishment of the Hereafter and guide them to salvation. Because:

• The Hereafter is entirely unseen and in the future

• All preparation for it must be done in this world, which is the place of Deeds

• The Hereafter is the place of reward and consequence

Why Does the Quran Mention Magic (سحر)?

People argue: “Magic must be real because the Quran mentions it.” 

This argument arises from ignorance of the Quran’s purpose:

• The Quran is a book of clear guidance

• To guide, it must also identify falsehoods and deceptions

• Without knowing what misguidance is, one cannot remain on guidance

The divine law is even the slightest misguidance destroys all worship and all good deeds, and leads to eternal Hell. (Surah Al‑An’am: 88, Surah Az‑Zumar: 65)

What the Quran Actually Says About Magic

The Quran mentions سحر (magic) 60 times, in different contexts, to explain its true nature:

Magic is nothing but a deception of the eyes (Surah Al‑A’raf: 116).

The Quran also explains:

• Who teaches magic

• Who practices it

• What their fate is

Surah Al‑Baqarah (2:101–102) states:

• Those who abandon the Book of Allah become like ignorant people

• They follow what the devils recited

• Sulaiman (AS) did not commit disbelief

• The devils committed disbelief

• They taught people magic

• Those who learn magic know they will have no share in the Hereafter

Conclusion From These Verses

• Teaching magic is the work of devils

• Practicing magic, amulets, charms, rituals, exorcism or ritual healing, etc. is a denial of Allah’s system of material causes

• Denying Allah’s system is the work of Satan

Meaning of سحر

The Quran defines سحر as “the art of deceiving the eyes” (Surah Al‑A’raf: 116).

When the eyes are deceived, the mind forms false impressions (Surah Taha: 66–67).

It is proven from the Quran that in every era the reality of La ilaha illa Allah is that Allah alone, without any partner, is the Sustainer, the Fulfiller of needs, the Redresser of grievances, and the Solver of all problems for the entire creation and the fact that every soul will be resurrected after death to be recompensed for its own deeds, was presented through the signs of the universe and the requirements of intellect and human nature.

When no room remained to deny the factual reality of Allah being the sole Disposer of affairs, the deniers would label these truths as 'magic' (Sihr—an optical illusion) and call those who conveyed these messages (the Prophets) as ‘magicians' (Sahir) (Az-Zariyat: 39, 52; Ta-Ha: 63).

Furthermore, when their demands for things contrary to natural laws were fulfilled by Allah through miracles by His power, they would not merely call them magic, but 'clear magic' (Sihr-um-mubeen - an open deception of the sight).

Accordingly, the miracles of Jesus (Al-Ma'idah: 110; As-Saff: 6), the miracles of Moses (Yunus: 76; An-Naml: 13), the Quran itself (Al-An’am: 7), and the news of resurrection after death and the eternal life of the Hereafter (Hud: 7; Saba: 43; As-Saffat: 15; Al-Ahqaf: 7) were all labelled by them as ‘clear magic’.

Even the disbelievers understood that: Magic is only an illusion of the eyes

To confirm this, Allah says:

“Even if We opened a gate in the sky and they ascended through it, they would say:
‘Our eyes have been dazzled; we have been bewitched.’”
(Surah Al‑Hijr: 14–15)

And Allah Himself calls mere visual deception “magic”:

“This is the Fire you used to deny.
Is this magic, or do you not see?”
(Surah At‑Tur: 14–15)

People usually present the verse about magic causing separation between man and wife (Surah Al‑Baqarah 2:102) as proof that magic has real power.
But the Quranic text says something very different.

The verse states:

“And they followed what was revealed to the two angels, Harut and Marut, in Babylon.
But the two angels would not teach anyone until they had warned them:
‘We are only a trial, so do not commit disbelief.’
Even after this warning, people learned from them that which caused separation between a man and his wife.
But they could not harm anyone through it except by Allah’s permission.
They learned what harmed them and did not benefit them.
And they surely knew that whoever purchased this (practice) would have no share in the Hereafter.
How wretched is what they sold their souls for — if only they knew.”

In this verse, the phrase “except by Allah’s permission” (إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ) is of fundamental importance.

Two Possible Meanings of “By Allah’s Permission (إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ)”

1. If “permission” means Allah’s command

Then the meaning becomes: Only that magician’s act will have an effect (i. e., separation will occur) whom Allah commands to have an effect.

But this would imply:

• Allah is the One who commands the separation

• Allah is the One who activates the magic

This is impossible and unacceptable, because:

• It makes Allah the direct cause of the magician’s act

• It makes Allah the One who “executes” magic

• It contradicts the entire Quranic system of causes and moral responsibility

Therefore, the above meaning of (إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ) is invalid.

2. If “permission” means Allah’s law

Then the meaning becomes:

Separation between man and wife can only occur according to Allah’s established law, such as: 

• Talaq - divorce initiated by the husband 

• Khula - divorce initiated by the wife

• Death

Therefore:

Amulets, charms, spells, rituals, and magical practices cannot cause separation.

This meaning is fully consistent with:

• the Quran

• the system of causes

• the laws of marriage and divorce

• the moral responsibility of human actions

The Beginning of the Verse Also Clarifies the Issue

The opening words of 2:102 show:

• People who are ignorant of the Book of Allah

• People who abandon the Book

• People who do not act according to the Book

fall to the lowest level of moral and intellectual corruption.

The purpose of this verse is:

**To warn believers not to remain ignorant of the Quran, otherwise they will fall into the same condition as those described in Surah An‑Nisa 4:51:**

“Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Book, yet they believe in Jibt and Taghut?”

Meaning of Jibt

The original meaning of Jibt is:

• something baseless

• something without reality

• something without benefit

In Islamic terminology, Jibt refers to:

• magic

• soothsaying

• astrology

• fortune‑telling

• omens

• superstitions

• rituals

• charms

• talismans

• all imaginary, baseless beliefs

(Reference: Tafheem‑ul‑Quran, Vol. 1, Surah An‑Nisa, Note 81)

Religion Is for People of Reason

For people of intellect, the Quran presents clear examples to understand the reality of magic.

Example 1: The Magicians of Pharaoh

When Musa (AS) allowed the magicians to perform first, they:

• threw their ropes and staffs

• used their skill and tricks

• created an illusion

• deceived the eyes of the people

• frightened the crowd with a powerful visual deception

(Surah Al‑A’raf: 116)

Example 2: Musa (AS) Himself Saw the Illusion

When the magicians threw their ropes and staffs:

• Musa (AS) saw them moving

• but this movement was only an illusion

• created by their skill and technique

(Surah Taha: 66)

Conclusion From These Verses

• Magicians only deceive the eyes, not reality

• The mind is affected after the eyes are deceived

• This is a natural psychological process

• It is not supernatural power

• It is not real transformation

• It is not a break in physical laws