From `Abdul `Aziz Bin `Abdullah Ibn Baz to the honorable brother, Assalamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!)
I received your letter wherein you ask about the ruling on what was done by your first wife and a sorcerer. You mention that she practiced Sihr (sorcery) to prevent you from having intercourse with your new wife. As a result, you consulted a Sheikh for this.
A: If your old wife admits doing this, or it is definitely proven that she did it, then she has committed a great evil. Indeed, it is disbelief and misguidance, because what she did is forbidden sihr, and the one who does this is a kafir (disbeliever). Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
They followed what the Shayâtîn (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimân (Solomon). Sulaimân did not disbelieve, but the Shayâtîn (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allâh's Leave. And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but knew.
This Ayah indicates that Sihr is kufr and that whoever practices it is a kafir. Those who practice Sihr learn things that harm and do not benefit them. One of their aims is to separate man and wife and they will have no share with Allah on the Day of Resurrection i.e. they will have no hope of salvation. It is authentically reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stated,
Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquired,
"O Messenger of Allah! What are they?" He said: "To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to give your back to the enemy and flee from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to slander a chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.
As for the sheikh who gave you the remedy, it appears that he is a sorcerer like the woman, because no one knows about such Sihr except those who do the same. He is also one of the fortunetellers and soothsayers who are known for their claims to know many matters of the unseen. A Muslim must beware of them and should not believe their claims of knowing the unseen, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated,
Whoever visits a diviner and asks him about anything, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights.
If anyone resorts to a diviner or a soothsayer and believes his statement, then he disbelieves in what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).
You must repent and regret what you have done, and inform the head of the committee and the head of the court about this sheikh and your first wife, so that the court and the committee will take action to deter them. If something like this occur again, consult the scholars of Shari`ah to give you the remedy prescribed in Islam. If what you were afflicted by has passed, then praise be to Allah; otherwise let us know so that we can tell you of the remedy prescribed in Shari`ah. May Allah bless you and us with the understanding of Islam and steadfastness on faith! May Allah keep us safe from that which contradicts His religion, for He is the Most Generous, Most Kind. Assalamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh