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:

Dear Mr.Burhan,

Assalam Alaikum

I am a regular member of your forum. (but on a different address). I want to ask you a question or rather guidance in the light of The Holy Quran. I will appreciate your quick reply. One of my relative has built a new house. After sometime he started facing problem in his business, in the house and the family also. Business has gone down completely, everybody is falling sick in the house (one brother got a son who was born deaf and dumb, the other son can not speak, the other brother's son is very allergic) cash money is vanishing from the house mysteriously. All in all their life is worsening day by. They approached some non Bohra holy people for "FAAl" they said there is some problem in the house. (It is said that when they dug for foundation they had found some pots full of 'Ashes', which they threw away, and that was some evil spirit that was let free and now it is harrasing them. Then they requested to Saiyadna, there also they were told to immedietely sell that house. Knowing their plight people want to take advantage and offering ridiculously low price for the house. If they sell it they will have no place to live and because of bad business they can't aford to buy or even rent a house. What I want to know is 'is there anything like evil spirit which can harrass normal, God fearing, religious people like them?' And what is the way out for them. They desperately need the help. I know it has become a lengthy letter but it was necessory to give you all the detail. Awaiting your quick reply.

Your brother in Islam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Evil spirits in the house

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.

A believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, must hold this belief that All Power and All Strength belongs to none but Allah Subhanah Alone, and that no harm and no benefit can come to anyone without the permission of his All Mighty Lord.

There is no such thing as evil sprits, or ghosts, etc. in Islam! The only other creation of Allah who has been given the free will of virtue and sin are the jinns, and even they are powerless to harass or benefit someone, without the permission and will of Allah Subhanah. Thus even if all the jinns of the world got together and wanted to harass someone, they would not be able to do so, without the Will of Allah Subhanah. Therefore, a believer must put his trust in Allah Subhanah Alone.

Whatever good or evil that befalls a human being, one must accept it as a trial from Allah Subhanah. When misfortune befalls a person, Allah is testing the person to see how patient and steadfast is the person; and when some good comes to a person, Allah is testing the person to see if he is grateful or ungrateful. Both, fortune and misfortune, are nothing buts tests that Allah Subhanah puts on the people, to see if the person is grateful or patient.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 51:Tell them (O Prophet), “Nothing (good or evil) can befall us except what Allah has destined for us. Allah is our Guardian and the believers should put their trust in Him Alone.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 35:Every living being has to taste death! And We are putting all of you to trial by passing you through good and bad conditions, and ultimately you shall all return to Us.

One should not feel that just because some misfortune has befallen him, it is because some jinn or evil spirit has something to do with it! Nor should one feel that when some good comes to him, it is because Allah is pleased with him, or that he himself is very smart and intelligent! Both, good and evil, are only tests that Allah puts on the human beings to see what do His slaves do, and whether they are grateful or ungrateful to the Lord of the Worlds. Ultimately, all will return back to their Lord, and He will Judge them according to their deeds.

Regarding the misfortunes and trials that have befallen your relative, he must rest assured that these are trials from His Lord; and he must be patient and steadfast and put his trust in Allah Alone. No jinn, no evil spirit, no pot of ashes, no nothing…….have the power to hurt him, or bring on him some evil! Everything is in the Power and Control of the All Mighty Lord, and all his misfortunes are nothing but trials put on him by the Merciful, to see whether he is patient and steadfast and puts his trust in Allah Subhanah Alone. If one is patient in the face of adversities, fears Allah Alone, and puts his trust in the Merciful at all times, he passes the test and will earn a huge reward from Allah. But if one is impatient in the times of trial, and starts fearing someone or something else other than Allah, and turns to evil spirits, or jinns, or magic, or these self-proclaimed holy men, or anything else other than Allah Subhanah, he fails the test miserably!

Please tell your relative to discard and reject all these stories of the evil spirits arising from the pots of ashes, etc. These are nothing but falsehoods and stories which the apparent ‘holy men’ make up to scare the innocent and simple people, and debar them from the Straight Path of Allah Subhanah. Please tell him that there is absolutely no need to sell the house for this ridiculous reason that evil spirits are harassing him, etc. He may stay there and live in peace as long as he wants, and tell him to put his trust in Allah Subhanah Alone and fear none but the All Mighty Lord of the Worlds! Tell them to turn to Allah Subhanah, and constantly implore the Merciful Lord to make their trial easy for them. And tell them, to constantly recite the 113^th and 114^th Surahs (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) of the Holy Quran as often as they can; put their trust in Allah Alone, and live in the house in peace. Insha Allah, no harm will come to them.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan