Q: Some people in Qadir Valley have a pan made of copper, which they call the "poison pan." When someone is ill, he goes to the person who has the pan, they fill it with water and the sick drinks from it, believing that the water will cure their illness. This is especially so if the illness is related to the stomach. I noticed that pictures of scorpions, horses, cats, deer, donkeys, cobras, foxes, elephants, lions, and people are engraved on the pan. I noticed some other pictures that I did not recognize, but I saw some engraved names and inscriptions, such as the word 'martyr' and others. I would like Your Honor to advise people on this matter.
A: Using the pan that the questioner described is an abominable act and the pictures on it that were described strengthen this judgment. We do not know of any pan, whether it is made of iron, copper, gold, or silver, that cures abdominal illnesses. This is just a false claim made by the owner of the pan. It appears - and Allah knows best - that he consults the Jinn (creatures created from fire) or uses charlatanry claiming that it holds a cure in order to fraudulently take money from people
and make them think he can cure them. This pan must be confiscated, destroyed, and the owner must be punished. It is the duty of the authorities to do this. Whoever learns of this charlatanry should refer the matter to the concerned authorities in order to take necessary procedures. We should not overlook the owner of this pan for his action is Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and not permissible under the Shari`ah (Islamic law). It is the responsibility of the questioner and other Muslims who know about this matter to report it to the authorities. You should do this to rid your town of this abominable practice and bring this great evil to an end, In Shaa-Allah (if Allah wills).