Today, here, there, almost everywhere, there are numerous fortune-tellers who entitle themselves with some seemingly innocent or modern names and then do their jobs.
If we said: There exists no other way that exploits human feelings as much as fortune telling, we would not be exaggerating.
Our Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) demonstrated the matter by means of one statement: Fortune-tellers are nothing. (Muslim, Salam 123) That is to say, the words of those who claim to foresee the future are ineffective, insignificant and meaningless.
In terms of belief, fortune telling and believing the fortune-tellers are so superstitious and perilous that –Allah forbid- they could lead people to unbelief in the end.
In many Hadiths concerning the matter, the Prophet (PBUH) said the following about people who believe in fortune telling and similar things: Those people are regarded as denying what had been revealed to Muhammad (PBUH); they will not enter Paradise; the prayers of those who do not believe such things but do them will not be accepted for forty days.
Although these Hadiths tell about an absolute danger, how grievous and distressing it is that devoted people esteem fortune-tellers and seek help from them.
Fortune-tellers attempt to speak with authority about the unseen and future, mans personality and expectations. However, the Owner of the future is only Allah. Only and only Allah knows the future. The Quran commands on this matter as follows:
With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knows but He (The Cattle (Al-Anàam), 6:59)
Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden (The Ants (An-Naml), 27:65)
"Say: "I tell you not that with me are the Treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me..." (The Cattle (Al-Anàam), 6:50)
When the Angel Gabriel (Upon whom be peace) asked: When will the Doomsday occur? Prophet (PBUH) replied: The answerer does not know more than the questioner on this topic. He (PBUH) gave an exact answer by that response about the Doomsday, which is the biggest future. (Bukhari, Eeman 37)
Since the information about the unseen and the future belong to Allah and even Allahs Messenger cannot know if he is informed, and none of the scholars of Islam can comment on this matter; O reader! What is the position of the fortune-tellers in your opinion? Could you trust what they say?
Some say: Sometimes what the fortune tellers tell comes true!
One of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) expressed the same phrase and Prophet (PBUH) gave him the following nice answer:
This word belongs to Jinn. Jinn capture the information and cackle to the ears of their friends as hen cackles. Moreover, they add more than a hundred lies into this information. (Muslim, Salam 123)
Do all of the fortune tellers have relations with jinn or not is another matter, but it is certain that fortune telling is contrary to the religion and belief since the Prophet (PBUH) rejected this act completely, fortune telling has connections with devils.
Since the devil is also a jinni, the fortune-tellers who claim to foresee the future and to attempt to tell from the unseen fall into the hands of devil as playthings.
The glorious Hadith teaches a common criterion. No matter what name they use, all clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, mediums or people reading tarots and signs are in the same category if they talk about and decree on what the religion prohibited to talk. Even though what they tell sometimes appears to be true, it is only one truth out a hundred lies. Actually regarding it as a true is suspicious. It drives the faiths of its doers, requestors and believers toward danger.
Although Islam prohibits fortune-telling that is illogical and superstitious, mankind has not been able to be liberated from it throughout history, both in the East and in the West, almost anywhere in the world.
There were some fortune-telling types in the era of ignorance before Islam. A type which was applied by drawing lines on the sand and then telling about the fortune was called as hatturraml. In addition, telling fortunes by means of words, names, dice, besides such fortune-telling types as astrological fortune telling, fortune telling by means of bones of sheep, meat of slaughter, water, inspecting the grounds remaining in one's coffee or tea cup, throwing beans or casting lead, salt, wax and palm reading were used.
Scientist also state that fortune telling causes anxiousness. Particularly, it causes arguments in the family and starts conflictions between close relatives.
For example psychiatrist Prof. Dr. İlhan Yargıç says:
Fortune tellers generally use the same word phrases. A woman may have some problems with her husband; actually, they can be solved if they talk. However, the fortune teller says that somebody has used witchcraft on her. In this case woman has hostility against all of the family members. Although, such a thing does not exist in reality, prediction fulfils itself and family relations are severed.
Moreover, the following confession made by a medium is interesting; he says,
After mediums became famous, those who started it as a hobby turned to merchandise it. Good or evil is not important. Mental health of the community is under threat because most of the people themselves who visit fortune -tellers to seek help have problems. Most of the people who are engaged with this business are mentally unhealthy.
Basing on superstitious religions and beliefs, fortune-telling does not have any relations and connections with religion, belief, the Quran and Islam at all.
A devoted person should not risk his mind, heart and belief by such superstitious fabrications, contrarily; he should believe that everything is under the command of Allah. He should trust his Lord; he should ask him through supplications, he should keep his belief of Divine determining sound.
FAQ in the category of Magic - Fortunetelling - Soothsaying
Events that will happen in the future have always engaged people’s minds. In the stressful times in which social agitations are severe, people have recourse to several ways in order to predict what will happen in the future. Superstitions such as estimating fortune according to zodiac, soothsaying, and several fortune-telling games are only some of them.
Besides many superstitions, soothsaying was also in vogue among Arabians before Islam. Apart from people who claimed that they were in touch with jinn and they took news from jinn, there were also some others who claimed they could predict events that would happen in the future from some signs. Besides some soothsayers who said they knew who had taken some stolen or lost things and where they were, there were also some soothsayers who believed that they knew who would do what and what kinds of events would happen in the future.
Although the soothsayers among them who make judgments relying on the news jinn bring are correct in some issues, they are generally very distant from the truth.
The Noble Qur’an refuses soothsaying by declaring that nobody can know what will happen in the future by those verses:
“And with Him are the keys of the unseen. None knows them but He.”1 “No one knows what he shall earn on the morrow.”2 “Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah.”3
The Noble Prophet, who had prohibited all kinds of soothsaying, also prohibited listening to soothsayers and approving them.
According to Aisha’s narration, some Companions come near the Prophet and ask his idea about soothsayers. The Prophet says,
“Soothsayers are not anything.” When some among them ask again, “O, Messenger of Allah, they sometimes say something and it turns out to be right”; the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following:
“That word belongs to jinn. A jinni catches the news and clucks to his friend’s ear as a chicken clucks. He mixes more than one hundred lies in his words in that way.”4
Dissolute jinn’s, that are also deemed as devils, coming and whispering to the ear of humans that are their friends is expressed through a simile, which can be comprehended by everyone easily, as clucking of a chicken. While jinn are telling news to the ears of soothsayers, other devils who are present there also hear them. It is compared to a chicken’s informing to its other friends through clucking when it has found a grain…
The Prophet, who disapproved going to soothsayers and asking them news about the future, prohibited applying to them after the following question of Mu’awiya. One day, when Mu’awiya (may Allah be pleased with him) said “O, Messenger of Allah, we used to do some things in the age of Ignorance. We used to go to soothsayers”, the Noble Prophet stated: “Do not go to soothsayers anymore.”5
Acting upon the hadith 6 stating that someone will take a serious religious responsibility such as becoming an unbeliever if he approves what soothsayers tell, scholars state that going to soothsayers and believing them damage a person’s belief. Since most of the words of a soothsayer are fictitious and untrue, if a person believing him arranges his acts and his future in accordance with his hearings, he will either be deceived by inane hopes and make his imagination and thoughts busy with useless things or he will give way to despair and pessimism because of the bad news he is told. That will damage that person’s spiritual life and even his family life.
In our age, in which science and technology has reached the highest degrees, those kinds of customs of Ignorance are practiced in different ways and manners and the curiosity of people is exploited. Horoscopes taking place in daily newspapers and magazines and books published about that subject are right before our eyes. Unfortunately, many people attach importance to them and they set their hopes and future on fictitious soothsaying.
Furthermore, supposedly telling news from the unseen and the future by looking at palms of hands, playing cards, coffee cups or bowls of water are other kinds of soothsaying. Most of the persons deeming that act as their jobs are miserable people that mislead pure and chaste Muslims. Despite their prestige in their appearance, they are ordinary and discredited persons of the community. To what extent can one rely on the words and the news of the ones who can not improve their own unfriendly behaviors and livelihoods and can not get rid of their illegitimate lives?
The verses and hadiths we presented above are also valid for those kinds of fortune-telling. Fortune-telling, asking someone for fortune- telling and believing sootsaying are behaviors that do not behoove to believers. They should not be esteemed.
Footnotes:
1. Qur’an, The Cattle (Al-An’am); 59 (6: 59).
2. Qur’an, Luqman; 34 (31: 34)
3. Qur’an, The Ants (An-Naml); 65 (27:65)
4. Muslim, Salam: 123
5. Muslim, Salam: 121
6. Ibn Maja, Tahara: 122
Mehmed Paksu
It is not appropriate to apply or to have it applied because of the strike of the evil eye or of other sicknesses.
There are certain phenomena that affect people and make them ill, for which medicine has not found a definite diagnosis. It cannot give clear information as regards their real causes. One of those phenomena is 'nazar' (the evil eye). It is a known and accepted truth that nazar is a reality and that it may cause the affected person to become ill and even to die.
Prophet Muhammad, who said that nazar is real and that it has a close relationship with the fate of man, said:
“Nazar is real; if there were something that would competed with the fate, the phenomenon of nazar would compete with it and surpass it (would change the fate).” 1
Though nazar has some relation with the fate, it is again God Almighty Who creates its effect. Otherwise, it is not the person who performs nazar himself/herself that creates the phenomenon. When a person with a sharp look (nazar) looks at something, God Almighty creates harm in that thing because Allah alone is the creator of the good and the evil. Nothing takes place outside of His will.
We learn from Prophet Muhammad the effects of nazar such as causing death and destruction. In a hadith narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah, the following is stated:
“The harming of the eye is real. It puts the camel into the cauldron and man into the grave.” 2
Thus, just as the camel affected by nazar dies and its flesh is put into caudron, so too may the person to whom nazar is applied lose his/her life and may enter the grave. It is understood from the hadith that the effect of nazar is not peculiar to humans, rather, it may damage all living beings and even anything that attracts one's attention.
It is possible to draw detailed information from an event of nazar that passed in the Era of Bliss (the time of the Prophet) about how a believer should act in the face of something that s/he likes, and what s/he should say, and it can be understood that applying nazar is counted as killing one's friend of faith, and about what the person who is affected and the one who applies nazar should do.
Amr bin Rabia, one of the Companions, sees Sahl bin Hunayf having a bath and his nazar affects him. Sahl falls down as if he has been struck. They take him to the presence of the Prophet. The Prophet, who learns about the situation, asks: “Whom do you suspect of?” The Companions name Amr bin Rabia. Thereupon, the Prophet admonishes Amr and says: “Why does one among you kill one's brother? When one of you sees something that s/he likes in his/her brother, let him/her pray for it to be blessed. (Let him/her say words like 'Mashallah', 'Barakallah'.”
Then the Prophet asks for some water and commands Amr, whose nazar affected his friend, to take ablution. 3
Scholars of Islamic Jurisprudence describe this action, which is a kind of ablution, as follows: Some water is poured into a cup. The one whose nazar has affected another takes a handful thereof, rinses his/her mouth and sprays it into the cup. And then takes from the same water and washes his/her face; then taking water with the left hand, washes the right hand, and taking water with the right washes the left hand up to the wrist. Afterwards, s/he washes the right and the left elbows, then, washes the part between the elbow and the shoulder. After that, s/he washes the feet, the right and the left knees. While washing hands and feet, s/he does not wash the arm and the part below the knee. Thereafter, s/he washes the right flank downwards. After washing all those organs, s/he collects the water in the same cup. After the person whose nazar has affected completes those actions, s/he takes the water cup and, standing behind the person s/he affected, pours the water onto his/her head. 4 That water used is not accepted as dirty. We understand it from the practice of the Prophet himself.
Of course, that washing, which is described by the Prophet shortly and which is explained by scholars in detail, has many wisdoms unknown to us. At least, in order to remove the apprehension of nazar that sunnah (practice of the Prophet) needs to be done. That washing and pouring water was also performed by the Companions occasionally.
After it is done, if the one whose nazar has affected prays for Barakah (blessing) and says “Mashallah, La quwwata illa billah.” it is narrated that Allah will prevent the possible damage to be received. Indeed, that washing action that is carried out is a kind of active prayer. Effect and cure must be expected from Allah alone.
One should seek refuge in God from nazar and the evil that may come from it. As we learn from Aisha (one of the wives of the Prophet), the Prophet asked her to perform ruqya (to pray) against the evil eye. 5
In another hadith, the following is stated: “Seek refuge in Allah from nazar.”6 and it is recommended that we ask for the cure from Allah.
Abu Said al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, explains which prayers the Prophet recited against the evil eye and what he did:
“Allah's Messenger (PBUH) would seek refuge in Allah from Jinn' s nazar and then from humans' nazar with such prayers as 'I seek refuge in Allah from the nazar of the Jinn and humans'. Afterwards, when Muawwizatan (Surahs of Falaq and Nas, the Qur'an) were revealed, he kept reading those chapters (of Qur'an). He abandoned other prayers.” 7
So, it is not only humans who affect by nazar and cause harm. Jinn, too, affect by nazar and cause harm to humans. Some scholars, who say “The nazar (look) of the Jinn surpasses the arrow.”, understand the evil eye effect also as the striking of the Jinn and their nazar.
It is not appropriate for a believer to apply other ways and search for cure other than the spiritual remedies practiced and recommended by the Prophet. In the Age of Ignorance, the Arabs would wear various tools and beads around their necks and arms because of certain illnesses. They would expect the cure and recovery from those things they wore. The Prophet, who strongly forbade such deeds which reminds idolatry and which are not appropriate for Islamic belief, said: “Whoever wears something, all his/her deeds are entrusted to that thing which s/he wears.” 8
Thus, it is understood that the thing worn does not benefit in the least and that by attaching all one's hopes to it, one will damage his faith.
To write and use certain amulets whose meaning is unknown or to wear 'beads of nazar' in order to avoid nazar are superstitions incompatible with Islamic belief. It is neither permitted for somebody to wear such things, nor is it allowed to hang them on an animal or some article. Among certain things that the Prophet counted forbidden is also wearing articles supposedly preventive of nazar. 9
It is necessary not to resort to such nonsensical actions as melting candles, pouring lead or burning herbs and positioning them above the patient's head because Allah also created the legal cure for every kind of trouble that He ordains. The believer must take the Sunnah (practice of the Prophet) as a criterion and try not to deviate from that criterion. Guidance is possible only this way.
1. Muslim, Salam: 42; Ibn Majah, Tib: 3.
2. Kashfu’l-Khafa, 2: 76 (narrated by Abu Naim).
3. Ibn Majah, Tib: 32, Musnad, 3: 447.
4. Nawawi, Sharh-u Sahih-i Muslim, 14: 172-173.
5. Ibn Majah, Tib: 34.
6. Ibid. Tib: 32.
7. Ibid. Tib: 34.
8. Tirmidhi, Tib: 24.
9. Nasai, Zinat: 17.
Mehmed Paksu: Halal – Haram
It is not appropriate to apply to anyone regarding the issue. One can act in accordance with the recommendations of scholars whose knowledge and taqwa (fear of Allah) are trusted and who help people only for the sake of Allah without expecting any material interests.
There is no drawback to an authorized person trying to break the spell (magic) on a person exposed to magic. If some expenses are needed, it is permissible for the exposed person to pay for them. However, it is obvious that those who do it to earn money and especially those who bargain about it have other aims than the content of Allah. It is not permissible to do something like that.
If a person takes refuge in Allah, if he is careful about belief and worshipping, and if he does not heed the temptations of the devil that is effective in magic, the effect of the devil on him is decreased and he is protected from the effect of magic. What the devil does is to terrify through inculcation, to cast doubts, to produce delusions and groundless apprehensions and to make ineffective promises. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran: "Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but Satan's promises are nothing but deception." (an-Nisa, 120)
The terms “making promises” and “creating false desires” mentioned in the verse are general terms. However, it may be related to the issue because man hopes many things. Sometimes he is so much obsessed with his hopes and expectations that he fascinates himself and applies to magicians for the things that he wants them to happen. It takes place because he tries to do it although he knows it is wrong and because the devil makes him promises. It is usually related to haram acts. That is, man thinks that he is under spell and that some people are involved with it and he invites the illness. However, the truth may not be as he thinks.
As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the verses, "No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is over those only who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.” (an-Nahl, 99-100) As for domination, man needs to have sincerity as well as belief. It is stated that the devil cannot have domination over sincere people and that Allah will protect those people. However the devil is allowed “to seduce people who do not have sincerity and trust in Allah if he can among them with his (seductive) voice, to make assaults on them with his cavalry and his infantry, to mutually share with them wealth and children and to make promises to them. (al-İsra, 63-65) It originates from the fact that the life we live is a test for us; the devil is not given full authority. Besides, the devil can only inculcate man delusions.
What is clearly understood is that the people that the devil influences and disturbs are those who pave the way for him to approach them and who facilitates it. The devil cannot have an absolute influence on the sincere slaves of Allah. Even if the devil tries to influence them, they will cope with him by praying, worshipping and reading the book of Allah. Besides, the following is stated at the end of the verse that was sent down regarding magic and magicians: ”But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission." (al-Baqara, 102)
When it is accepted that magic is true, it is indisputable that it can influence everybody. However, there are some people that it influences more. They are the people who give importance to the delusions and apprehensions of the devil and who are open to those kinds of things. Those kinds of people set themselves like a clock and make themselves ill because the devil only apprehends them and tries to show them what is wrong as right. In fact, those who assume that they see and hear different sounds or visions that are not present are those who are apprehensive, who have weak belief, who do not pray or worship, who do not give importance to their duties towards Allah and who neglect their worship. As a matter of fact, they are mentioned in the verses 52-55 of the chapter al-Hajj.
Apart from those that we mentioned above, there are some people who have taqwa but are influenced by magic. However, the influence of magic can be prevented by surrendering to and trusting in Allah fully, reciting daily prayers, performing daily prayers carefully, reading some pages from the Quran and reading the chapters and prayers from the Quran that Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) advised. Although people with evil intentions do magic, Allah has absolute power over everybody and everything; His power is superior to the power of all of the magicians and the jinn and devils that help them. It is Allah Who created those who claim that they have power. Nothing will happen if He does not will. As a matter of fact, God Almighty sent down the chapters al-Falaq and an-Nas regarding the magic done to Hazrat Prophet and wanted him to read them and to take refuge in Him. Hazrat Prophet did so and recovered. Thus, our Prophet caused the attempts of the magicians to become abortive and disappointed them.
As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse: "Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, bring Allah to remembrance, when lo! they see (aright)!" (al-Araf, 201) As it is pointed out in the verse, the first thing someone who has been influenced by Satan should do is to take refuge in Allah. What Allah orders His slaves is to be careful about harams and halals, to pay attention to their prayers and worshipping, and to turn to Allah in spiritually and materially clean feelings and thoughts, having good intentions. Satan will say on the Day of Judgment that what he promised was deception and what he showed to be true was a lie; he will reproach and leave the magicians and those who followed them helpless. (İbrahim, 14:22)
What is understood from verse 102 of chapter al-Baqara is that the greatest influence of magic is on spirits; it distorts thoughts, dissuades hearts, destroys ethics and upsets the community. Then, one should not deceive himself by saying there is nothing like magic and should beware of such magicians.
However, those who do magic cannot harm anyone if Allah does not permit them because the real influence is not in the hands of magic, magicians, nature, spirit, the earth, the sky, the devil or angels. The real influence is in the hands of Allah. Anything that can harm or benefit people can only take place by the permission of Allah. Therefore, one should fear Allah at first, and take refuge in Allah; he should act in accordance with the book of Allah to be able to resist them.
RECITING THE CHAPTER AN-NÂS AGAINST DARK POWERS AND MAGIC
"Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King (or Ruler) of Mankind― The Allah (or Judge) of Mankind― From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper)― (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind― Among Jinn and among Men.." (an-Nas, 1-6.)
The last three chapters of the Quran that are read against the seen and known, and unseen and unknown secret enemies and that are regarded as prayers through which one can take refuge in Allah and named as “muawwidhat”, that is the chapters of “al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas” are remedies for all kinds of troubles; so to speak, they are the aspirins of the drugstore of the Quran. Therefore, one should take refuge in Allah through them and should be protected from the darkness of the night, and from the evil of the devils, jinn, magicians and the whisperers of evil.
As it is known, the influence of the magic is closely connected with the psychological mood of the person, pessimism, apprehensions and doubts. In the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas, those points are emphasized people are asked to take refuge only in Allah both in normal situations and when something like that happens to them. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran, "Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,― evil ones men and Jinn, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception." (al-Anam, 112.)
According to the verse above, we can see that man is open to all kinds of dangers, that man can be deceived easily by the enemies from jinn and people through nice and fascinating words that he hears or through fiction in books whose real intentions are not known. We also understand that man should listen to people in the name of Allah and start something in the name of Him by saying audhu…basmala… read the books that he reads in the name of Him and by saying audhu…basmala… with the intention of receiving messages related to the truth. Satan cannot work comfortably in the actions that is started and finished in the name of Allah. The evil intentions of the magicians and some literature men and philosophers that aim to deceive people can only be overcome by doing so. Otherwise, they can deceive people and fascinate their readers and listeners by enchanting them in the course of the issue. Besides, most of the people who are corrupted are corrupted like that. Therefore, in those three chapters, people are asked to start with the belief of oneness reading the chapter of al-Ikhlas and then take refuge in Allah by reading the chapters al-Falaq and an-Nas.
As a matter of fact, Yazır interpreted that chapter in detail and reported a hadith that Qurtubi reported from Abu Zar while interpreting that chapter. In that hadith, Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) attracted attention to the devils among men and said, “Did you not take refuge in Allah from the devils among men?” (Hak Dini Kuran Dili, X. 191 )
In short, if we give importance to our prayers and worshipping in our daily life, take refuge in Allah through our prayers and be close to Him as it is necessary, we will be under His protection and be protected from magic, and magicians and evil spirits that can do magic.
While I was doing this research about magic, I met a medium whom I was wondering about. As a result of the insistence of my friends, I asked him to search for me. He looked in the water and called the jinn and asked them whether there was a spell on me. Then, he looked in the water and then at me a few times and asked me, “How do you protect yourself?” I said , “What do you mean?” He asked, “What do you read every day?” I asked what happened. He said, “They tried to do magic on you several times but they could not manage to do it. If they had done it to a normal person who was not protected by a special prayer, he would have been finished by now.” I told him that I read Jawshan al-Kabir (a prayer book) every day and that I read my prayers and tasbihat (glorification of Allah) in accordance with sunnah after performing prayers.
In the case of magic, instead of applying to magicians whom we know to be in contact with evil spirits and to do wrong things, we should apply to doctors and medicine in order to be treated. In the treatment with prayers, we should apply to the prayers that the Messenger of Allah advised and the prayers from the Quran that we mentioned above. It would be the best to follow the following recommendations that Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported and our Prophet (pbuh) himself did; "When Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) went to bed, he blew his breath into his hands and read the muawwidhatayn (chapters al-Falaq and an-Nas) and al-Ikhlas, then he rubbed his hands on his face and body; he repeated it three times. When he was ill, he asked me to do the same thing to him." (Bukhari, Fadail-ul Quran, 14, Tibb,39)
Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) did not send the people with an illness to magicians for treatment. He sent them either to doctors or to the drugstore of the Quran and the Sunnah. Thus, he wanted people to benefit from universal standards. Besides, Allah, the Exalted, stated that the Quran was a mercy and healing for believers (al-İsra,82) and showed us the Quran as a reference for our spiritual troubles.
Arif ARSLAN, Büyü Fal Ve Kehanet (Fortunetelling, Magic and Prophecy)
Your personality is like your psychological skin...
If you play with it, you will be injured seriously. No personality is superior to other kinds of personality.
When its time and place come, any kind of personality can present the best personality.
Besides our personality, there is also our “character”. Our character is our psychological dress.
For this reason, that dress should be clean and fine. In the course of time, that dress becomes worn out and dirty.
The ethics of the Qur’an presents that dress. It is such a fine and clean dress that it fits and suits any personality.
So, you should not focus on your personality, but should focus on your character which is the dress of it.
If the personality structure of the people around you is opposite to yours, you should establish a relationship with people whose personality can understand you.
If they are so close to you that you are unable to break the relationship with them, we advise you to be “patient”.
And you should remind them that what is important is neither to be extrovert, nor introvert, neither to be cheerful nor to be calm; but what is important is the virtues such as not to misappropriate or deceive, to be straightforward and to be chaste...
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) used to embrace those who treated him negatively with his matchless compassion. In addition, he used to pray for their salvation.
Dreams can be interpreted. It is an ability bestowed by God. Not everybody can interpret dreams. Reason and logic are not enough for this. A dream should be told to a merciful person who is able to give good advice. It should not be told to the ones who cannot interpret properly. In a hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) says: “A dream does not come true as long as the dreamer keeps it to himself. If revealed, it comes true. Therefore, tell your dreams only, to the ones who are wise, who loves you and who can give advice to you.” (related by Tirmizi)
Once, Imam Malik was asked “Can everybody interpret dreams?”, and he responded “Is Prophethood to be trifled with?” (namely, is it so an unserious issue? ) And he added: “The interpreter must always say good things. If they see good things, they should say good things. If they see bad things, they should keep quiet.”
He was asked “Even if they see bad things, should they still interpret in a good way?” where he responded “No, dreams are part of the Prophethood, Prophethood is nothing to be trifled with”
Dreams are mainly divided into two parts
First part: The right and fair ones. Such dreams come true in the real world. These are the dreams seen by the prophets and by their true pious followers. Sometimes, not pious men may have such dreams, too.
Such dreams are divided into three:
1- The ones that do not need any interpretation, they come true as they are very clear. Like the Prophet Abraham’s dream.
2- Requires a partial interpretation. Like the Prophet Joseph’s dream.
3- Requires a thorough interpretation. Like the dream seen by the Ruler of Egypt.
Second part: Some complicated and meaningless dreams which are called “Adğas”. These dreams, also, are divided into several subparts.
a- Satan plays with the dreamer and makes him/her upset. For example, the person dreams that he/she was beheaded and he/she runs after the head. Or sees that he/she falls into a dangerous situation and nobody comes to save him/her.
b- The person dreams that the angels permit him to do unlawful deeds, or they suggest him to do unlawful things. Such happenings are illogical and impossible.
c- The person dreams about something that he spoke about while awake, or wishes something to come true or something that he adopted as a habit in normal life.
Thus, the dreams, apparently, are three types:
a- Divine dreams which are a glad tiding from God.
b- Anything that preoccupies the mind in the daily life, may affect one’s dreams
c- A dream in which the Satan scares the dreamer. This is called a satanic dream
What is incumbent on a Muslim to do, if he/she had a bad dream?
He/she seeks refuge in God three times, from the evil of Satan. Says: “O, God, I seek refuge in you from the evil of Satan who is deprived of your mercy” Prays to God to turn it into goodness. Never tells it to anyone.
A Muslim thanks God when he has a good dream. Rejoices and takes it as a glad tiding. Tells it to someone he loves, not to the ones he doesn’t like.
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Fortunetelling, which is definitely forbidden by our religion, is a kind of giving news about ghayb (what is unknown/unseen/hidden). In fact, the Quran states clearly that nobody but Allah can know ghayb and that neither prophets nor angels can give news about ghayb unless it is revealed to them by Allah.
"Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden." (an-Naml, 27/65)
"Say: "I tell you not that with me are the Treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden..." (al-An'am, 6/50),
"…If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good..." (al-A'raf, 7/188)
The verses above are evidence for it.
The Prophet condemned those who went to the fortunetellers called "arraf" or "soothsayer", whobelieved in them and who supported them; he even described them as unbelievers.
"If a person goes to an arraf and asks him/her something, his prayers of forty nights will not be accepted." (Muslim, Salam, 125)
A hadith mentioned in Abu Dawud is as follows:
"If a person goes to a soothsayer and confirms what he/she says, he/she will definitely be regarded to have denied what was sent down to Muhammad." (Abu Dawud, Tibb, hadith no: 3904).
The Prophet (pbuh) summarized the issue in one sentence:
“Soothsayers are not anything.” (Muslim, Salam 123)
That is, the words of those who claim to know the future are nonsense; they have no value and significance.
Sorcery and magic are forbidden in all true religions. It is seen that sorcery and magic, which are forbidden in original Judaism, are also forbidden in the Torah that exists today. Sorcery, magic, soothsaying and astrology are forbidden and regarded as equal to idolatry. (Exodus, 22/18; Leviticus, 19/26, 31, 20/27; Isaiah, 47/8-14; Leviticus, 20/6; see also Mishna..)
There is information about the lives of many prophets, what they did, how they served, their worshipping and piety in the Quran. This news is called "qissa (story)". In almost all of those stories, the hardships the prophets faced, the cruel kings who opposed them, who declared themselves as deities instead of believing in Allah or who continued worshipping Allah, and evil people are mentioned. Those cruel kings who did not want to believe in the truths brought by the Prophets and the evil people wanted the prophets to prove that they were prophets by asking them some extraordinary things, which they thought were impossible to do. Allah, who chose His prophets among people by supporting them, helped them do many of the things they wanted. These extraordinary things realized by them are called “miracles”. Miracles are divine evidence given to prophets to prove their prophethood. However, a prophet cannot and will not show miracles whenever and wherever he wishes. He can show miracles if Allah wishes.
If a prophet is forced to show a miracle and if those who want it say, “It is magic; this is the work of a magician” and still do not believe, this state will “anger Allah” and they are generally destroyed after it through a penalty. However, God Almighty usually allows miracles to be shown in order to enable those who really want to believe to believe and to silence the insolent and cruel unbelievers who despise prophets. If those who want miracles still do not believe, Allah destroys that nation. Some Sons of Israel, the nations of Ad, Thamud and Lut (Lot) are among them.
MAGIC DURING THE TIME OF HZ. MUSA (MOSES)
In the Quran, the first part of the incident between Hz. Musa and the magicians takes part in the palace of the Pharaoh. Then, it goes on in open areas. What causes it is the duty of conveying the message of Allah to the Pharaoh, who oppressed his people and who regarded all kinds of injustice, oppression and force permissible for him, and eliminating him. Hz. Musa, who was a prophet sent to Sons of Israel, wanted to fulfill his duty in order to stop the oppression and torture inflicted upon his nation. It is reported that this incident was arranged by the Pharaoh, who did not want to believe in Hz. Musa, though he conveyed him the message several times. Accordingly, the Pharaoh was going to test Hz. Musa, understand whether he was a real prophet or not and was going to believe in him. That was what he promised Hz. Musa. Therefore, he wanted Hz. Musa to show him a miracle. Allah Almighty sent Hz. Musa and his brother Hz. Harun (Aaron) to the Pharaoh by giving them miracles and saying to them,
“But speak to him (the Pharaoh) mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah).”(1)
The two brothers and prophets set off and reached the Pharaoh. We will follow the incident as it is narrated in the Quran:
“Then after them We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they wrongfully rejected them: So see what was the end of those who made mischief!
"Moses said:
‘O Pharaoh! I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds. One for whom it is right to say nothing but truth about Allah. Now have I come unto you (people), from your Lord, with a clear (Sign): So let the Children of Israel depart along with me!’
(Pharaoh) said:
‘If indeed thou hast come with a Sign, show it forth,- if thou tellest the truth.’
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was white to all beholders! Said the Chiefs of the people of Pharaoh: ‘This is indeed a sorcerer well-versed. His plan is to get you out of your land: then what is it ye counsel?’ They said: ‘Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while); and send to the cities men to collect- And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed.’
So there came the sorcerers to Pharaoh: They said, ‘Of course we shall have a (suitable) reward if we win!’ He said: ‘Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person).’ They said: ‘O Moses! Wilt thou throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw?’ Said Moses: ‘Throw ye (first).’ So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them: for they showed a great (feat of) magic. We put it into Moses´s mind by inspiration: ‘Throw (now) thy rod’: and behold! It swallows up straight away all the falsehoods which they fake!
Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So the (great ones) were vanquished there and then, and were made to look small. But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration. Saying: ‘We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,- The Lord of Moses and Aaron.’ Said Pharaoh: ‘Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people: but soon shall ye know (the consequences). "Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on apposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross.’ They said: ‘For us, We are but sent back unto our Lord: But thou dost wreak thy vengeance on us simply because we believed in the Signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! pour out on us patience and constancy, and take our souls unto thee as Muslims (who bow to thy will).’” (2)
After that, the Pharaoh did whatever a tyrant would do; he threatened Hz. Musa and those who believed in him and did what he threatened. However, he could not prevent the magicians and many other people from believing by distinguishing between magic and the reality. He and some of his men said,
“Whatever be the Signs thou bringest, to work therewith thy sorcery on us, we shall never believe in thee.”(3)
Thus, they said that they would not believe thinking that they were enchanted by the miracles describing miracle as “magic”. Allah Almighty “sent them wholesale death, Locusts, Lice, Frogs, And Blood: Signs openly self-explained: but they were steeped in arrogance,- a people given to sin.”(4) They said, “O Moses! We shall never believe in thee until we see Allah manifestly.” Thereupon, a strong earthquake happened there and they fainted and fell.”(5) Hz. Musa prayed to Allah and this misfortune was removed.
One night, Hz. Musa set out with the people who believed in him in order to leave Egypt and arrived at the Red Sea. The Pharaoh and his soldiers, who wanted to kill him, pursued them and caught up with them. When they wanted to catch them, Allah ordered Hz. Musa to strike the sea with his rod. The sea was divided into two; Hz. Musa and the believers passed. When those who had called what Hz. Musa had done with his rod magic wanted to pass through the same way, the sea united and all of them were drowned. The Pharaoh, who saw the truth, wanted to believe but he did not have a chance to do so. (6)
The rod was very important for Hz. Musa and it assumed many forms. It sometimes became a dragon; he sometimes leaned on him and rested; he sometimes shook off trees with it to give his sheep leaves. It sometimes became a light that showed the way; it sometimes extracted water and sometimes divided the sea into two. Hz. Musa’s hand was also a part of his miracle. When he put his hand into his bosom and took it out, it shed a luminous light. The rod was on the agenda almost anywhere. It is definite that so many skills did not come from the rod itself. There was a power behind it. They all took place with His order and permission. (7)
All of the miracles of Hz. Musa were like that. That is, they showed the magicians their weaknesses. For, every prophet was equipped with and supported by the dominant knowledge, culture, art and other social issues in the period they lived in a way to struggle against them. In the age when Hz. Musa lived, magic was very popular; therefore, most of his miracles were related to magic. Hz. Musa annulled the magic of the magicians with the miracles he showed; thus, he forced the magicians to confess the weaknesses of their magic in the face of his miracles and that they were not deeds that could be done by magic. As it is seen above, they understood their weaknesses and stated that they believed in Hz. Musa’s and Hz. Harun’s Lord; they declared that they were not afraid of the bad ending that would happen to them.
SORCERY/MAGIC DURING THE TIME OF HZ. SULAYMAN
According to verse 102 of the chapter of al-Baqara, it is understood that magic was widespread during the time of Hz. Sulayman and that magicians fell into unbelief due to their magic. Besides, they slandered Hz. Sulayman by calling him a “magician” in order to legitimize their magic. It is also understood from the verse that there were claims and slanders that Hz. Sulayman ruled his land, sultanate and government through magic; Allah, who sent Hz. Sulayman as a prophet, defended him and stated that what they did led them to unbelief. It is also emphasized in the verse that those who do the worst magic, who try to sow discord between husband and wife, to scatter the institution of family and who try to increase prostitution and immorality are unbelievers.
In fact, the crime that the magicians attributed to Hz. Sulayman was something that was attributed to all prophets: being a magician. All prophets, including Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), were accused of magic. They used the same logic. The logic of the unbeliever does not operate related to the things that he does not understand and starts to accuse and deny at once. He thinks he will escape like this. Many aspersions were cast on Hz. Sulayman because he knew the language of the birds and spoke them, established a big army consisting of humans, jinn and birds in order to manage his sultanate, enchanted the wind (it is said that it was only one wind, not all winds because all winds are beneficial for the other creatures) and covered a distance of two months in a day thanks to that wind as if flying, that is, he covered a distance of 1800 km in total as 900 km for going and 900 km for returning, knew what happened in his land, which covered almost the whole world, through his jinn and other informants, had some ministers who had the ability to teleport things (according to the famous narration of Ibn Abbas, one of them was, Asaf b. Barhiya, who was a scientist of teleportation who summoned the throne of Balqis), used the evilest demons under his command, talked to ants, had chained diving devils working under his command and had them extract pearls and corals from the sea and did many other things; it was said that he did all of those things through magic.
When the devils who claimed that they were all written in the books said they were ready to prove it, as it will be stated below, a disorder occurred. Mischief occurred in the sultanate of Hz. Sulayman, who was demoralized due to the gossips that occurred; he started to be partly busy with his own affairs and a dead body that was placed on his table caused him to be tested; his sultanate was in danger temporarily until he realized what was happening and established his connection with Allah in a stronger way. However, after that, he used the knowledge and wisdom he had with the help of Allah, suppressed the mischief, regained his sultanate and defeated the devils and those who acted like devils. Thus, the devils that caused mischief were defeated again by the truth as usual. They could not accept this defeat and started to deviate people by slandering and accusing Hz. Sulayman as they always did due to their character. Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır answers the question "Who were those who caused chaos through this mischief and who accused Hz. Sulayman of sorcery?" as follows:
What kind of devils were they and what methods did they use? They were invisible devils called devils of jinn and bad spirits, and human devils. The works of invisible devils are seen on human devils and the visible human devils act on behalf of invisible devils by using the tricks they learn from them. The majority of tafsir scholars narrates the following:
When mischief occurred on the land of Hz. Sulayman and when he lost his government, devils of jinn and human deviated and went too far; irreligiousness increased. Those devils, who caused the mischief and who were defeated by Hz. Sulayman afterwards, had to accept his domination and worked under his command; they are described as three groups called “banna', ghawwas and akharin” in the chapter of Sad. It means there were some deceitful artisans among them.
Those devils, who were away from the source of revelation, obtained some information about the things that happened and that would happen by eavesdropping and tried to spread this information by adding a lot of lies and dirty things to them. They chose soothsayers as a means and suggested them various things. Afterwards, those soothsayers wrote books by using that information. They compiled many books of magic and sorcery about summoning jinn, making people fall in love through sorcery, etc. Meanwhile, they spread legends, tales, lies and stories about the events that happened and that would happen. They spread superstitions that led the feelings and thoughts of people to wrong ways by distorting the events and facts; they also added some scientific facts and wise statements to them. They misused the issues in a bad way. Thus, some thoughts like “jinn know the unknown (ghayb)” became common. Mischief occurred due to the lies and tricks of those devils.
Hz. Sulayman lost his kingdom and state for a while. Finally, with the permission and help of Allah, Hz. Sulayman defeated them; he put them under his control and used them in certain services; he collected all of those books and locked them in the cellar under his throne. After the death of Hz. Sulayman, no scholars who knew the truth were left; then, a devil disguised as man appeared and said,
"O people! Know that Sulayman b. Dawud was not a prophet but a magician; he used jinn, devils and winds through magic and sorcery. He attained everything through his knowledge in magic. If you do not believe me, you will understand when you find the books that he hid.”
Then, he showed people where the books were hidden. They opened it and took out a lot of books. They were books of magic and legend. Thereupon, lies and slanders like “Sulayman was a magician; he ruled through magic” began to spread.
According to the narration of some other tafsir scholars, those books were prepared after the death of Hz. Sulayman and the name of Asaf b. Barhiya was written on many of them as if they were written by him; they were reproduced through tricks.
“They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon...” (al-Baqara, 2/102)
The verse above indicates those devilish acts. Besides, magic and sorcery had been known among Sons of Israel since the time they were in Egypt. However, this time the situation was different: On the one hand, activities against the government of Hz. Sulayman were supported through political and social plots; on the other hand, they slandered on behalf of him by saying he ruled the world through magic, encouraging magic. They spread it so much that Sons of Israel who lived after that time regarded Hz. Sulayman as a king who was a very good magician, not as a prophet. Therefore, Sons of Israel always encouraged such publication secretly among other nations and were engaged in magic as a skill especially after they lost their state. When the last prophet, Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), about whom the Torah had informed them, came and mentioned the information and principles in the original Torah, they started to struggle against him. They said, "We cannot oppose him through prophethood; we cannot cope with him; Jibril informs him about whatever we do.” They became the enemy of Jibril. They threw the Torah behind them completely and followed the way of magic and slandering. They slandered him as follows by following those devilish works: “Sulayman was not a prophet as, Muhammad claims; he was a magic king but he showed the magic that he did as miracles.” Accordingly, Hz. Sulayman was – God forbid – an unbeliever. For, there is no doubt that this level of magic is unbelief. However, Sulayman was not an unbeliever; those devils, who called him a magician before and afterwards, became unbelievers; they taught people magic and deviated them by training them in magic.” (Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini, I / 365-366.)
Some part of magic is unbelief. That is, it breaks the bond between man and Allah. It is impossible for a prophet to be an unbeliever. If he is an unbeliever, he cannot be a prophet. A prophet is someone who surrenders to Allah without any conditions. Prophets do not need extraordinary things that are done through magic and sorcery. For, Allah grants them any issues like persuasion that will maintain their domination, administration and rule through miracles if He wishes. Therefore, it is not possible for them to resort to such a thing. However, it is known that the devils and the unbelievers who expect help from them resort to all kinds of disgrace in order to sow discord among people and to block the way leading to belief. Besides, Allah makes the necessary explanations, defends His prophet and states that he is not an unbeliever.
Magic and magicians did not end. The Prophet said, “Doomsday will strike unbelievers.” According to the statement of the Prophet, unbelievers will be present all the time; therefore, there will be people who fall into unbelief through magicians and magic. The people who think they use some dirty spirits (jinn) to do magic but who are actually used by them will do magic; others will also do magic through other ways. However, magic and sorcery will continue with the efforts of humans who are keen on hidden knowledge and mysterious things. The issue of digging under “Masjid al-Aqsa”, which kept people busy for months in recent years and disturbed the Islamic world a lot, was claimed to be done with this purpose. According to rumors, the books mentioned above and the seal of Hz. Sulayman were buried under Masjid al-Aqsa in a box. The digging was disguised as “works of expansion and restoration” but they were trying to find and take out this box, which was very important for magicians. It is a saddening thing that although magic is forbidden in Judaism and Christianity, some people still try to do things like that (if the news is not wrong) and that there is a dig under Masjid al-Aqsa, which was the mosque of many prophets, which was built by Hz. Sulayman, who was a prophet of their lineage, and which Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) used as a step to ascend in Miraj.
It is said that the ring that the magicians call the “Seal of Sulayman” , the supplication belonging to it, the inscription they claim to be on the seal and the magic done with “wafk”s are very forceful. It can be said that they are looking for the seal for this reason. However, in our opinion, they are not true. Even if they are true and even if the real seal and books are found, the magic of devils and jinn will not be effective. For, Hz. Sulayman was a prophet and he prayed to Allah as follows:
“O my Lord! Forgive me, and grant me a kingdom which, (it may be), suits not another after me: for Thou art the Grantor of Bounties (without measure).”(Sad, 38/35.)
Since Allah accepted his prayer, nobody will be able to attain the achievements he had and nobody will have the things and power he had. Besides, the devils, who were the pre-eternal enemy of humanity, did not obey him voluntarily. They were chained and had to obey him involuntarily. Would the beings that obeyed a prophet by force obey ordinary people voluntarily? Even if they did something for humans, would they sell it cheap? Would they give humans anything without taking man’s spirit, belief, faith and ethics as Marlow writes in his books and as Goethe states in “Dr. Faust”? The magicians who say jinn or unbelieving jinn serve them can only be their lawyers.
References:
(1) see ash-Shuara, 26/16; Taha, 20/42, 43, 44; an-Naziat, 79/17.
(2) al-A’raf, 7/103-126. cf Yunus, 10/75-88; cf Taha, 20/56-73; ash-Shuara, 26/27-50; an-Naml, 27/12-14;
(3) al-A’raf, 7/132; cf Yunus, 10/76; an-Naml, 27/13-14.
(4) al-A’raf, 7/133; cf al-Qasas, 28/32.
(5) al-A’raf, 7/155.
(6) see ash-Shuara, 26/60-66; an-Naml, 27/10.
(7) see al-A’raf, 7/16; Taha, 20/17-22; al-Qasas, 28/31-32.
Safiyya bint Abi Ubayd reports from the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“If a person visits a fortune teller and asks him something and then confirms what he says, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.” (Muslim, Salam, 125)
A fortune teller is a soothsayer, that is, a person who claims to know the unseen (ghayb). No matter if they are called by different names such as astrologer, soothsayer or fortune-teller, the judgment about them is the same. However, fortune-teller is also the name given someone who claims to know the location of stolen or lost property. Such people are also sometimes called witch doctor.
Knowing the unseen is peculiar to Allah. It is something that is confirmed by the verses of the Quran. Therefore, the claim of knowing the unseen has a serious meaning like fighting with the Quran. As such, it is definitely contradictory to belief for a believer to visit a soothsayer seriously, listen to him, believe in him and approve of him and it is not in accordance with the manners of being a believer.
The scholars state that what is meant by the prayers of those who visit a soothsayer and approve of him not being accepted is being deprived of the reward of the prayer. That is, such a person does not become an unbeliever. It is not decreed that “the prayers he has performed for forty days are not acceptable and that they have to be performed again”. It means that “he will be deprived of the reward of his prayers for forty days”. Scholars unanimously agree on it. However, if he repents and understands his mistake, inshallah he will regain the thawab of the prayers he has performed.
It should also be noted that in some hadiths, the sanction for visiting a fortune teller is non-acceptance of the prayer while in others, the sanction is takfir (being regarded as an unbeliever). It is attributed to the fact that those who visit a fortune teller are in two states. A narration of Tabarani emphasizes those two states:
“If a person visits a fortune teller and confirms what he says, he will be away from what has been sent down to Muhammad, and if he visits a fortune teller but does not confirm what he says, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.” (Musnad, II, 429; III, 14; IV, 68; V, 380; Muslim, Salam, 125; Abu Dawud, Tibb, 21; Ibn Majah, Taharah, 122; Tirmidhi, Taharah, 102)
(İbrahim Canan, Kutub-i Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi, Akçağ Yayınları: 8/96)
Verse 102 of the chapter of al-Baqara:
“They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men Magic, and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: ‘We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme.’ They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew!”
It is stated in the verse that magic is a fitnah (mischief/test), that is, a test for people showing whether they will believe in it or not and they will be busy with it or not and it is stated that magicians cannot harm anyone except by Allah’s permission. Allah gave them permission to test people with it. Thus, they cast a spell on our Prophet (pbuh). However, Allah informed our Prophet about the situation and saved him from the bad effects of magic.
The statement in the verse that they cannot harm anyone except by Allah’s permission aims to inform them that magic is not an independent source of power outside of Allah’s power. It is Allah who creates both good and evil. He shows both good and evil to people and put them to the test.
The elevator is under the command of people; the elevator takes people to whatever floor they want to go to; similarly, as a necessity of the test, if man wants evil, Allah creates evil; if man wants good, Allah creates good.
Some of the chapters and verse numbers related to magic and magicians are as follows:
Yunus, 10/75:
“Then after them sent We Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with Our Signs. But they were arrogant: they were a people in sin.”
Yunus, 10/82:
“And Allah by His words doth prove and establish His truth, however much the sinners may hate it.”
al-Falaq, 113/1-5:
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, from the mischief of created things; From the mischief of Darkness as it overspreads; from the mischief of those who practice secret arts; and from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy.”
al-Baqara, 2/101-102:
“And when there came to them an apostle from Allah, confirming what was with them, a party of the people of the Book threw away the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if (it had been something) they did not know! They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men Magic, and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: “We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme.” They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew.”
Ta-Ha, 20/56-73:
“And We showed Pharaoh all Our Signs, but he did reject and refuse.”
“He said: ‘Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses?’”
“But we can surely produce magic to match thine! So make a tryst between us and thee, which we shall not fail to keep - neither we nor thou - in a place where both shall have even chances.”
“Moses said: ‘Your tryst is the Day of the Festival, and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up.’”
“So Pharaoh withdrew: He concerted his plan, and then came (back).
“Moses said to him: ‘Woe to you! Forge not ye a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration.’”
“So they disputed, one with another, over their affair, but they kept their talk secret.”
“They said: ‘These two are certainly (expert) magicians: their object is to drive you out from your land with their magic, and to do away with your most cherished institutions.’”
“Therefore concert your plan, and then assemble in (serried) ranks: He wins (all along) today who gains the upper hand.”
“They said: ‘O Moses! Whether wilt thou that thou throw (first) or that we be the first to throw?’”
“He said, ‘Nay, throw ye first!’ Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion.”
“So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear.”
“We said: ‘Fear not! for thou hast indeed the upper hand.’”
“Throw that which is in thy right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked what they have faked is but a magician's trick: and the magician thrives not, (no matter) where he goes.”
“So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, ‘We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.’”
“(Pharaoh) said: ‘Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment.’”
“They said: ‘Never shall we regard thee as more than the Clear Signs that have come to us, or than Him Who created us! so decree whatever thou desirest to decree: for thou canst only decree (touching) the life of this world.’”
“For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel us: for Allah is Best and Most Abiding.’”
ash-Shuara, 26/183-189:
“And withhold not things justly due to men, nor do evil in the land, working mischief.”
“And fear Him Who created you and (who created) the generations before (you).”
“They said: ‘Thou art only one of those bewitched.’”
“Thou art no more than a mortal like us, and indeed we think thou art a liar.”
“Now cause a piece of the sky to fall on us, if thou art truthful.”
“He (Shuayb) said: ‘My Lord knows best what ye do.’”
“But they rejected him. Then the punishment of a day of overshadowing gloom seized them, and that was the Penalty of a Great Day.”
ash-Shuara, 26/29-51:
“(Pharaoh) said: ‘If thou dost put forward any god other than me, I will certainly put thee in prison.’”
“(Moses) said: ‘Even if I showed you something clear (and) convincing’.”
“(Pharaoh) said: ‘Show it then, if thou tellest the truth.’”
“So (Moses) threw his rod, and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see).”
“And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders.”
“(Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs around him: ‘This is indeed a sorcerer well- versed.’”
“His plan is to get you out of your land by his sorcery; then what is it ye counsel?”
They said: “Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while), and dispatch to the Cities heralds to collect.”
“And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed.”
“So the sorcerers were got together for the appointment of a day well-known.”
“And the people were told: ‘Are ye (now) assembled?’”
“That we may follow the sorcerers (in religion) if they win”
“So when the sorcerers arrived, they said to Pharaoh: ‘Of course - shall we have a (suitable) reward if we win?’”
“He said: ‘Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person).’”
“Moses said to them: ‘Throw ye - that which ye are about to throw.’”
“So they threw their ropes and their rods, and said: ‘By the might of Pharaoh, it is we who will certainly win.’”
“Then Moses threw his rod, when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake.”
“Then did the sorcerers fall down, prostrate in adoration.”
“Saying: ‘We believe in the Lord of the Worlds.’”
“The Lord of Moses and Aaron.”
“Said (Pharaoh): ‘Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! but soon shall ye know! Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross.’”
“They said: ‘No matter! For us, we shall but return to our Lord.”
“Only, our desire is that our Lord will forgive us our faults, that we may become foremost among the believers.”
ash-Shura, 42/46-50:
“And no protectors have they to help them, other than Allah. And for any whom Allah leaves to stray, there is no way (to the Goal).”
“Hearken ye to your Lord, before there come a Day which there will be no putting back, because of (the Ordainment of) Allah. that Day there will be for you no place of refuge nor will there be for you any room for denial (of your sins)!”
“If then they run away, We have not sent thee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). And truly, when We give man a taste of a Mercy from Ourselves, he doth exult thereat, but when some ill happens to him, on account of the deeds which his hands have sent forth, truly then is man ungrateful.”
“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan).
“Or He bestows both males and females, and He leaves barren whom He will: for He is full of Knowledge and Power.”
al-A'raf, 7/104-122:
“Moses said: ‘O Pharaoh! I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds,’
“One for whom it is right to say nothing but truth about Allah. Now have I come unto you (people), from your Lord, with a clear (Sign): So let the Children of Israel depart along with me.”
“(Pharaoh) said: ‘If indeed thou hast come with a Sign, show it forth,- if thou tellest the truth.’”
“Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)!”
“And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was white to all beholders!”
“Said the Chiefs of the people of Pharaoh: ‘This is indeed a sorcerer well- versed.’”
“His plan is to get you out of your land: then what is it ye counsel?”
“They said: ‘Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while); and send to the cities men to collect.’”
“And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed.”
“So there came the sorcerers to Pharaoh: They said, ‘of course we shall have a (suitable) reward if we win!’”
“He said: ‘Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person).’”
“They said: ‘O Moses! wilt thou throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw?’”
“Said Moses: ‘Throw ye (first).’ So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them: for they showed a great (feat of) magic.”
“We put it into Moses's mind by inspiration: ‘Throw (now) thy rod’ and behold! It swallows up straight away all the falsehoods which they fake!”
“Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect.”
“So the (great ones) were vanquished there and then, and were made to look small.”
“But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration.”
“Saying: ‘We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,’”
“The Lord of Moses and Aaron.”
al-A'raf, 7/130-132:
“We punished the people of Pharaoh with years (of droughts) and shortness of crops; that they might receive admonition.”
“But when good (times) came, they said, ‘This is due to us.’ When gripped by calamity, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Moses and those with him! Behold! In truth the omens of evil are theirs in Allah’s sight, but most of them do not understand!.”
“They said (to Moses): ‘Whatever be the Signs thou bringest, to work therewith thy sorcery on us, we shall never believe in thee.’”
It is not appropriate to consult anyone regarding the issue. One can also follow the advice of learned people whose knowledge and taqwa are trusted and who help people for the sake of Allah without expecting any material benefit.
It may also be a psychological disorder. We recommend consulting a pious psychologist first. If it is found out that a spell has been cast, there are some chapters (surahs) and prayers (duas) that should be read. It will be useful to continue reading them.
By taking refuge in Allah, being diligent in belief and worship, and not listening to the suggestions of the devil, which are effective on enchantment, one reduces the effect of the devil on him and is protected from the effect of enchantment. For what the devil does is nothing but to frighten through suggestion, to make people doubt, to delude them, and to give them groundless delusions and promises that have no results. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Holy Quran:
“Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but Satan’s promises are nothing but deception.” (an-Nisa, 4/120)
The words “desire” and “promise” in the verse are, as is well known, general. However, it is also relevant to our subject because man hopes for many things. In fact, he gets so caught up in what he hopes for, that is, in his expectations and hopes, that sometimes he even bewitches himself and goes to sorcerers for the things he wants to happen. This happens when he knows it is wrong and the devil assures him of it. It usually happens related to haram things. So, in a way, a person invites the disease, thinking that he is bewitched and that some people have done something about it. However, it might not be the case.
As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the verses of the Quran: “No authority has he (the devil) over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.” “His authority is over those only, who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.” (an-Nahl, 16/99-100)
In addition to belief, sincerity is also a factor in establishing authority. It is stated that the devil has no control over the sincere people and that Allah will protect them. However, the devil has been given permission “to deceive insincere people who do not rely on God among them whom he can, to astonish them with his invitation, to make assaults on them with his cavalry and infantry, to mutually share with them wealth and children, and to make promises to them”. (al-Isra, 17/63-65) It is because the life we live is a test. Otherwise, it is not full authority. Besides, the devil does not suggest anything but vain delusions to man.
It is clear that those whom the devil influences and harasses are the ones who pave the way for him to approach them and to give him the opportunity to do so. For the devil has absolutely no influence over the sincere servants of Allah. Even if he tries to do so, they will overcome him through prayer and worship and reading the Book of Allah. Besides, the following is stated at the end of the verse about those who practice sorcery and witchcraft: “But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s permission.” (al-Baqara, 2/102)
If it is accepted that bewitchment is real, it is indisputable that it affects everyone. However, there are some people whom it affects more. These are those who attach importance to the devil’s mischiefs and delusions and who are open to such things. Such people are more likely to wind themselves up like a clock and make themselves ill because the devil gives people only mischief and wants to make the wrong seem right. Those who mistake unimportant sounds and images for different shapes and voices are those who are fearful, have weak faith, lack worship and remembrance, are lax in their duties to Allah, and neglect their worship. As a matter of fact, those issues are pointed out in the verses. (al-Hajj, 22/52-55)
Apart from those listed above, some pious people are also affected by magic. However, if one submits to Allah Almighty, trusts in Him and takes full refuge in Him, recites the daily prayers and dhikrs, reads a few pages of the Holy Quran every day, and recites the surahs and duas recommended by the Prophet (pbuh) in the Holy Quran, the effects of magic can be prevented. For even if people with evil intentions cast spells, we have Allah the Almighty, who has absolute might and power over everyone and everything, and whose power is superior to the power of all the magicians of the world and the jinn and devils who help them. For it is Allah who created even those who claim to have power. Nothing happens unless He wills it. As a matter of fact, when the Prophet (pbuh) was bewitched, Allah revealed the chapters of “al-Falaq” and “an-Nas” and asked him to pray with them and seek refuge in Him. The Prophet (pbuh) did so and was cured. Thus, the Prophet frustrated the efforts of the sorcerers and thwarted their desires.
“Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, bring Allah to remembrance, when lo! they see (aright).” (al-A’raf, 7/201)
As a matter of fact, as the verse above points out, the first thing a person who is under satanic influence should do is to seek refuge in Allah. In short, he should what Allah commands, observe halals and harams, pay attention to his prayers and worship, be materially and spiritually pure, have pure thoughts and feelings, and turn to Allah with a sincere intention. For on the Day of Judgment, the devil will justify himself by saying that his promises are nothing but deception and that what he showed to be true was nothing but a lie; and he will leave the sorcerers and those who follow them in the lurch. (Ibrahim, 14/22)
It is understood from verse 102 of the chapter of al-Baqara that the greatest effect of magic is on the spirits; it corrupts ideas, deceives hearts, debauches people, and turns societies upside down. Therefore, one should not be deceived thinking that magic is not real. And he should beware of such magicians.
However, those who do so cannot harm anyone without Allah’s permission because the real influence is neither in magic nor in the magician, neither in nature nor in the spirit, neither in the earth nor in the sky, neither in the devil nor in the angel. The true influencer is Allah and Allah alone. And what is called benefit and harm occurs only with His permission. Therefore, one should fear and seek refuge in Allah first and foremost, he should hold on to the Book of Allah to resist them.
READING THE CHAPTER OF AN-NAS AGAINST DARK POWERS AND MAGIC
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
The King (or Ruler) of Mankind, The Allah (for judge) of Mankind.
From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),
(The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind.
Among Jinn and among men.” (an-Nas, 114/1-6)
The last three chapters of the Holy Quran, namely the chapters of “al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas”, called “Muawwidhat”, which are prayers to seek refuge in Allah and which are recited against our enemies, both visible and known, and against our hidden enemies, both visible and invisible, are a panacea, and those three chapters are (so to speak) the “aspirins of the Quranic pharmacy”. Therefore, one should seek refuge in Allah with them and protect himself from the darkness of the night, the evil of devils, jinn, sorcerers and deluders.
It is well known that the effect of magic is closely related to the psychological state of the person, his pessimism, delusions and doubts. The chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas point to those issues and ask people to seek refuge in Allah alone when such a situation happens to them, as in normal situations. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran:
“Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,- evil ones among men and jinn, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.” (al-An’am, 6/112)
According to the verse above, we see that man is open to all kinds of dangers and can be easily deceived by his enemies from jinn and humans, both by the ornate and magical words he is exposed to and by the fictional writings in books, the true intentions of which are unknown. We understand that he should listen to whomever he listens to in the name of Allah and start his work with His name by saying “Audhu… Bismillahi…” to be protected from them, and that he should read the books he reads in the name of the truth to receive messages about the truth and should start with “Audhu… Bismillahi…”. For the devil cannot easily intervene in the works that are started and finished in the name of Allah. The evil intentions of sorcerers and some literati and philosophers who aim to deceive people can be thwarted only in this way. Otherwise, it is possible for them to deceive people through those ways, and to enchant their readers or listeners by immersing them in the rhythm of the issue. That is how most of the misguided people are misguided. Therefore, in those three chapters, we are asked begin with the inculcation of the “Tawhid Belief” with the chapter of al-Ikhlas and seek refuge in Allah with the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas.
As a matter of fact, Yazir, the tafsir scholar, interpreted this chapter extensively, and quoted an interesting hadith from Abu Dharr reported by Qurtubi in his tafsir. In the hadith, the Prophet drew attention to “human devils” and said, “Have you sought refuge in Allah from human devils?” (Hak Dini Kur’an Dili, X/191)
In short, if we pay attention to our prayers and worship in our daily lives, seek refuge in Allah with prayers and be as close to Him as we should, we will be under His protection and be protected from magic and from sorcerers and evil spirits who can practice magic.
While I was doing this study, I met a psychic whom I had been curious about before. Due to the insistence of my friends, I asked him to have a look at me. He looked in the water, called his jinn and asked them if I had been bewitched. Then, he looked in the water and at me several times and asked, “What are you protected by?” When I replied, “What do you mean?”, he asked me curiously, “What do you read every day?” When I said, “What happened?”, he said, “They have tried to bewitch you many times, but they have failed. If they had done it to a normal person who was not protected by a special prayer, he would have been done away with by now!” I told him that I read “Jawshan al-Kabir” every day and after the prayers I say my prayers and tasbihat according to the sunnah.
In that case, we should apply to doctors and the science of medicine for treatment rather than sorcerers, who are known to have contact with evil spirits and do wrong things. In the case of treatment by prayer (dua), we should refer to the prayers recommended by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), as well as the prayers we have given examples from the Quran. It would also be good to follow the following advice, narrated from Aisha (r.a.), which the Prophet (pbuh) himself did;
“When the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed, he would blow on his hands and read the Muawwidhatayn (chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas) and Qul Huwallahu Ahad, then wipe his hands over his face and body, repeating it three times. When he was ill, he would order me to do the same to him.” (Bukhari, Fadailul-Quran, 14, Tibb, 39)
The Prophet (pbuh) did not send the sick to sorcerers for treatment. He sent them either to physicians, to the science of medicine, or to the pharmacy of the Quran and Sunnah. Thus, he wanted them to benefit from universal healing. Besides, Allah Almighty declares that the Quran is a mercy and a healing for the believers (al-Isra, 17/82) and points to the Quran as a source of reference for our spiritual problems.
(see Arif ARSLAN, Büyü Fal ve Kehanet)
By taking refuge in Allah, being diligent in belief and worship, and not listening to the suggestions of the devil, which are effective on enchantment, one reduces the effect of the devil on him and is protected from the effect of enchantment. For what the devil does is nothing but to frighten through suggestion, to make people doubt, to delude them, and to give them groundless delusions and promises that have no results. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Holy Quran:
“Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but Satan’s promises are nothing but deception.” (an-Nisa, 4/120)
RECITATION OF THE CHAPTER OF AN-NAS AGAINST DARK FORCES AND MAGIC
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
The King (or Ruler) of Mankind, The Allah (for judge) of Mankind.
From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),
(The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind.
Among Jinn and among men.” (an-Nas, 114/1-6)
The last three chapters of the Holy Quran, namely the chapters of “al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas”, called “Muawwidhat”, which are prayers to seek refuge in Allah and which are recited against our enemies, both visible and known, and against our hidden enemies, both visible and invisible, are a panacea, and those three chapters are (so to speak) the “aspirins of the Quranic pharmacy”. Therefore, one should seek refuge in Allah with them and protect himself from the darkness of the night, the evil of devils, jinn, sorcerers and deluders.
It is well known that the effect of magic is closely related to the psychological state of the person, his pessimism, delusions and doubts. The chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas point to those issues and ask people to seek refuge in Allah alone when such a situation happens to them, as in normal situations. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran:
“Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,- evil ones among men and jinn, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.” (al-An’am, 6/112)
According to the verse above, we see that man is open to all kinds of dangers and can be easily deceived by his enemies from jinn and humans, both by the ornate and magical words he is exposed to and by the fictional writings in books, the true intentions of which are unknown. We understand that he should listen to whomever he listens to in the name of Allah and start his work with His name by saying “Audhu… Bismillahi…” to be protected from them, and that he should read the books he reads in the name of the truth to receive messages about the truth and should start with “Audhu… Bismillahi…”. For the devil cannot easily intervene in the works that are started and finished in the name of Allah. The evil intentions of sorcerers and some literati and philosophers who aim to deceive people can be thwarted only in this way. Otherwise, it is possible for them to deceive people through those ways, and to enchant their readers or listeners by immersing them in the rhythm of the issue. That is how most of the misguided people are misguided. Therefore, in those three chapters, we are asked begin with the inculcation of the “Tawhid Belief” with the chapter of al-Ikhlas and seek refuge in Allah with the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas.
As a matter of fact, Yazir, the tafsir scholar, interpreted this chapter extensively, and quoted an interesting hadith from Abu Dharr reported by Qurtubi in his tafsir. In the hadith, the Prophet drew attention to “human devils” and said,
“Have you sought refuge in Allah from human devils?” (Hak Dini Kur’an Dili, X/191)
In short, if we pay attention to our prayers and worship in our daily lives, seek refuge in Allah with prayers and be as close to Him as we should, we will be under His protection and be protected from magic and from sorcerers and evil spirits who can practice magic.
While I was doing this study, I met a psychic whom I had been curious about before. Due to the insistence of my friends, I asked him to have a look at me. He looked in the water, called his jinn and asked them if I had been bewitched. Then, he looked in the water and at me several times and asked, “What are you protected by?” When I replied, “What do you mean?”, he asked me curiously, “What do you read every day?” When I said, “What happened?”, he said, “They have tried to bewitch you many times, but they have failed. If they had done it to a normal person who was not protected by a special prayer, he would have been done away with by now!” I told him that I read “Jawshan al-Kabir” every day and after the prayers I say my prayers and tasbihat according to the sunnah.
In that case, we should apply to doctors and the science of medicine for treatment rather than sorcerers, who are known to have contact with evil spirits and do wrong things. In the case of treatment by prayer (dua), we should refer to the prayers recommended by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), as well as the prayers we have given examples from the Quran. It would also be good to follow the following advice, narrated from Aisha (r.a.), which the Prophet (pbuh) himself did;
“When the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed, he would blow on his hands and read the Muawwidhatayn (chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas) and Qul Huwallahu Ahad, then wipe his hands over his face and body, repeating it three times. When he was ill, he would order me to do the same to him.” (Bukhari, Fadailul-Quran, 14, Tibb, 39)
The Prophet (pbuh) did not send the sick to sorcerers for treatment. He sent them either to physicians, to the science of medicine, or to the pharmacy of the Quran and Sunnah. Thus, he wanted them to benefit from universal healing. Besides, Allah Almighty declares that the Quran is “a mercy and a healing for the believers” (al-Isra, 17/82) and points to the Quran as a source of reference for our spiritual problems.
Since one does not know whether his qismah is inhibited or not, he should make attempts to obtain something that he wants. If we get what we want after attempting these things, we will be grateful. If we do not get what we want, we should say, “It means it was not good for us,” and be grateful that we did not get it and should believe that we will be given something better in the hereafter.
Misinterpretations should be avoided when waiting for qismah. Some people have a wrong conception of qismah inhibition.
These people, who are caught up in apprehension and wrong thoughts, may say without hesitation:
“Our daughter or son’s qismah never appears; and when it does, it does not result in an agreement; it fails due to some excuse! So, they have inhibited his qismah. We are already suspicious of so-and-so and so-and-so neighbors...”
However, Allah has not given anyone the opportunity or the power to inhibit the qismah of another person. Therefore, there can be no such thing as inhibiting one’s qismah. However, waiting for one’s qismah is in question.
So, the issue is not the inhibition of qismah, but waiting for qismah.
It should never be forgotten that Allah never inhibits the qismah of His slaves. So much so that He will marry even those who die in this world without being able to marry off in Paradise at the age of thirty-three as the most handsome young men in Paradise; He will bring their qismah to them again; He will never leave them without a qismah. Then, they will never regret their waiting in the world because the marriage in paradise is incomparably more special and beautiful than the marriage on earth... It becomes a source of complete happiness and bliss.
We think the most important point to remember here is this:
Those who are waiting for their qismah in the world should take the waiting period as a great opportunity and aim to improve their qualities and increase their qualifications during this time, to move from being an unskilled worker to being a qualified candidate and to make themselves valuable with many qualities. For equality is essential both in this world and in the hereafter. Those who are qualified in this world will marry those who are qualified in paradise. In this respect, one should consider the period of waiting for qismah as a period of gaining and increasing good qualities, and should strive to become worthy of the highly qualified people.
In fact, one of the benefits of waiting is that it warns man as if saying, “increase your good qualities”.
