What is the reality of magic, including what occurred to the Prophet ﷺ?
2026-09-21
F31 · Selected fatwas
Shaykh Ibn Bāz
الشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Original Q&A · Full displayed answer
Complete published question and answer, including the Shaykh’s distinction between the domestic effect described and the Prophet’s intellect and conveying of revelation.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
ما هو السحر؟ وهل سحر رسول الله ﷺ؟
الجواب
السحر أنواع كثيرة، منها: ما يكون بالعقد، والنفث، كما قال -جل وعلا-: ومن شر النفاثات في العقد [الفلق:4].
ومنها: ما يكون بالأدوية مخصوصة، وأعمال مخصوصة يعقدها، ويفعلها الساحر حتى يتم ما أراد -بإذن الله- عز وجل كما قال سبحانه: وما هم بضارين به من أحد إلا بإذن الله [البقرة:102].
فطرق السحرة فيما يفعلون من العقد، والشر الذي يريدون إيقاعه للمسحور لهم طرق كثيرة، قد يقع بسحرهم -بإذن الله وقدره- وقد لا يقع، فهو تحت إذن الله، ومشيئته -جل وعلا-.
وقد وقع السحر للنبي ﷺ سحره لبيد بن الأعصم من اليهود، سحر النبي ﷺ حتى يخيل إليه أنه فعل الشيء في بيته، وهو لم يفعله، لكنه لم يؤثر على عقله، ولا على بلاغه، ورسالته -عليه الصلاة والسلام- إنما أثر شيئا يسيرا فيما يتعلق في بيته، وأهله، ونحو ذلك، هذا هو الصواب، وقد ثبت هذا عن النبي ﷺ في أحاديث صحيحة، وأقره أهل العلم، ومن أنكره من بعض الكتاب؛ فقد غلط، وقع، ولكن الله -جل وعلا- رفعه عنه، وأزاله عنه، وأطلعه على أسبابه حتى قضى عليه.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited complete published Arabic transcript; not an official translation.
Original question
What is magic? And was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ affected by magic?
Answer
Magic has many kinds. Some involve knots and blowing, as He, majestic and exalted, says, ‘And from the evil of those who blow into knots’ [al-Falaq 113:4].
Some involve particular substances and particular practices which the magician binds and performs until what he intends takes place, by the permission of Allah, mighty and exalted. As He says, ‘They do not harm anyone through it except by Allah’s permission’ [al-Baqarah 2:102].
The magicians have many methods in the knots they tie and the harm they intend to inflict upon the person affected by magic. What they intend may occur through their magic, by Allah’s permission and decree, or it may not occur. It is subject to Allah’s permission and will, majestic and exalted is He.
The Prophet ﷺ was affected by magic. Labid ibn al-Asam, a Jew, worked magic against the Prophet ﷺ, so that he imagined that he had done something in his home when he had not done it. But it did not affect his intellect, his conveying the message or his mission, peace and blessings be upon him. It had only a slight effect concerning his home, his family and the like. This is the correct view. It is established concerning the Prophet ﷺ in authentic hadiths, and the scholars have acknowledged it. Those writers who have denied it are mistaken. It happened, but Allah, majestic and exalted, lifted it from him, removed it from him and showed him its causes, until it was brought to an end.
Source and editorial notes
Official Ibn Bāz website fatwa 1542
الموقع الرسمي للشيخ عبد العزيز بن باز
Official website of Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz
Complete published question and answer restored from the official Arabic source. Arabic diacritics removed for display; honorific glyphs expanded. Source transcript gaps are retained where present. English checked clause by clause against the Arabic; editorial and hadith notes remain separate.