Q: I heard a scholar saying that if one feels Sihr (sorcery) working on him, he can bring seven leaves of lotus jujube, put them in a bucket of water and recite over it AlMu'awwidhatayn (the two Surahs of seeking refuge from evil: AlFalaq (number 113) and AlNas (number 114)); AyatulKursy (the Qur'anic Verse of the Throne, Surah AlBaqarah, 2:255); Surah AlKafirun: Say: (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ to these Mushrikûn and Kâfirûn): "O AlKafirûn (disbelievers in Allâh, in His Oneness, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Resurrection, and in AlQadar)!" , and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût and Surah AlFatihah. Is this correct? What should be done if someone feels that they have been bewitched? Please, advise! May Allah guide you!
A: There is no doubt that Sihr is real; some people can practice it but it can be effective only by the Leave of Allah, the Exalted, Who says regarding magicians:
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 We revealed to Mûsâ (Moses) (saying): "Throw your stick," and behold! It swallowed up straight away all the falsehoods which they showed. Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So they were defeated there and returned disgraced.
And Fir' aun (Pharaoh) said: "Bring me every wellversed sorcerer." And when the sorcerers came, Mûsâ (Moses) said to them: "Cast down what you want to cast!" Then when they had cast down, Mûsâ (Moses) said: "What you have brought is sorcery; Allâh will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allâh does not set right the work of AlMufsidûn (the evildoers, corrupters)." And Allâh will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words, however much the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) may hate it."
They said: "O Mûsâ (Moses)! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?" [Mûsâ (Moses)] said: "Nay, throw you (first)!" Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast. So Mûsâ (Moses) conceived fear in himself. We (Allâh) said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount (of skill) he may attain."
There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment that may be known to some people and unknown to others.