Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I receive your mail and read them. I understand that you try to be as orthodox and as  theoretical you would wish things to be. But please study broadly. And answer this please: what necessitated the revelation of surah al-Nas and al-Falaq? Or doesn't black magic and and voodoo exist? I also wish they did not. Please study more before advising others.Or else you could mislead them...

Thanks

A brother

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Answer:

Does magic exist?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Or doesn't black magic and and voodoo exist?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 102: 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!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 116-118:

116 Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)." So when they (the magicians) threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them: for they showed a great (feat of) magic.

117 We put it into Moses's mind by inspiration: "throw (now) thy rod": and behold! It swallows up straightway all the falsehoods which they fake!

118 Thus Truth was confirmed and all that they did was made of no effect.

According to the guidance of the Quran, there are two types of magic.

The type of magic given by the two Angels Harut and Marut by the permission of Allah Subhanah as a trial for the people, whereby the magic would cause differences between a husband and a wife in marriage.

The second type is of magic was an illusion performed by the magicians in the court of Pharoah, whereby their staff when thrown became a snake.

Thus to answer the question if ‘magic exists’, the answer in light of the guidance of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Quran would be ‘yes’!

Beloved Brother, the first thing we, as believers, must understand that those who claim to do magic do not have the power to hurt or benefit anyone, without the permission of Allah Subhanah. No harm and no benefit can happen to the believer without the Will of Allah Subhanah. If Allah does not will it, all the magicians of the world can get together and try their magic on someone, they cannot harm him in the least!; for Absolutely All Power and All Strength belongs to none save Allah Subhanah Alone!

Allah Says in His Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verse 2: What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold there is none can grant apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom.

Your Question: what necessitated the revelation of surah al-Nas and al-Falaq?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 113 Surah Al-Falaq verses 1-5:

1 Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn

2 From the mischief of created things;

3 From the mischief of darkness as it overspreads;

4 From the mischief of those who practice Secret Arts;

5 And from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 113 Surah Al-Falaq verses 1-5:

1 Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind

2 The King (or Ruler) of Mankind

3 The Allah (or Judge) of Mankind

4 From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil) who withdraws (after his whisper)

5 (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind

6 Among Jinns and among Men.

When one fears that the source of some affliction that has effected him might be the effect of ‘magic’ or the ‘evil eye’, it is only natural that one would try and find a remedy or antidote to undo the cause of his affliction!

In his search to undo the ‘magic’ which one supposedly fears might be done on him, in their ignorance, one may be inclined to go to some supposed ‘magicians’ or experts who claim to remove the magic and do or say things as prescribed by these supposed experts which might lead them to leave their trust and belief in the Absolute Powers of Allah Subhanah and follow the path of ‘shirk’.

In His Supreme Mercy towards His believing slaves, the All-Knowing All-Wise Lord revealed the Ultimate antidote in His Revelations of the Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Naas to counter any and all unknown harm and mischief which one fears might have taken effect on him; thus seeking refuge with none save their Lord Creator and keeping their trust and belief firm in Him and His Absolute Powers of Protection and Mercy. If one ever fears any harm or mischief from anyone or anything in creation, all one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day needs to do is recite the Surah Al-Falaq and An-Naas, and put his trust in his Lord Most Supreme to protect him from any and all harm.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1019 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) used to seek Allah’s protection against the ‘Shayateen’ (amongst the Jinns) and the ‘evil eye’ (spells, charms, magic, envy, etc.) till Surahs al-Falaq and an-Naas were revealed. After they were revealed he (saws) stuck to them and discarded everything beside them.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan