Quranic Foundation
Black magic — sihr (سحر) — is explicitly confirmed in the Quran. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:102) describes the shayatin teaching humans sihr, and the angels Harut and Marut at Babylon. The verse establishes that practising sihr is kufr, while confirming it produces real effects — by Allah's permission only.
"Indeed, what they have brought is only magic. Indeed, Allah will make it void. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters."
Quran 10:81 — Moses (as) against Pharaoh's magicians
"And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is only the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."
Quran 20:69
Hadith Evidence — Sihr Is Confirmed
The Prophet ﷺ was himself affected by sihr worked by Labid ibn al-A'sam, narrated by Aisha (ra) in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The cure came through divine revelation: Surah Al-Falaq and An-Nas. He also warned against it as one of the gravest sins:
"Avoid the seven destructive sins." They asked: "What are they, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Associating partners with Allah, magic (sihr), killing a soul that Allah has forbidden..."
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurayra (ra)
"Whoever goes to a fortuneteller or a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad."
Sunan Abu Dawud, authenticated — narrated by Abu Hurayra (ra)
The Prophetic Cure: Al-Falaq and An-Nas
The cure for the sihr worked against the Prophet ﷺ came through the two protective surahs. These are the primary Quranic medicine prescribed against sihr:
"And We send down of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers."
Quran 17:82
Ibn al-Qayyim writes in al-Tibb al-Nabawi: "Al-Falaq and An-Nas together constitute the most comprehensive protection against all forms of harm — from the evil of created things, darkness, sorcerers, and the envious."
Ibn al-Qayyim's Treatment Protocol
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751 AH) devotes several chapters of Zad al-Ma'ad (Volume 4) to sihr treatment. His protocol is the most cited in classical scholarship:
- Locate and remove the medium — If the physical object (knotted cord, hair, or buried item) can be found, destroy it by burning or submerging in running water.
- Perform targeted ruqyah — Recite the seven Quranic passages that address sihr, three times daily over water and upon the person.
- Use ruqyah water — Recite Al-Fatiha, Ayat al-Kursi, and the Mu'awwidhat over water. Drink it and wash the body daily.
- Black seed and honey — "In the black seed there is healing for every disease except death." (Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Abu Hurayra)
- Maintain salah and tawbah — Sin creates vulnerability. Consistent prayer and sincere repentance are the non-negotiable pillars of recovery.
The Seven Quranic Passages
Ibn al-Qayyim and subsequent classical scholars identify seven passages recited three times each in a sihr treatment session:
- Surah Al-Fatiha (1:1–7)
- Ayat al-Kursi — Al-Baqarah 2:255
- Al-Baqarah 2:285–286 (last two verses)
- Al-A'raf 7:117–122 (Moses versus the magicians)
- Yunus 10:79–82
- Ta-Ha 20:65–70
- Al-Falaq and An-Nas — seven times each
Counter-Magic Is Forbidden by Scholarly Consensus
"Treating sihr with sihr (sihr al-hall) is forbidden according to the consensus of the scholars, because it involves seeking the assistance of shayatin through what displeases Allah."
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo' al-Fatawa, 19/12
Any practitioner who suggests "using the same jinn" or performing rituals outside Quran and Sunnah compounds harm. Warning signs: large fees, requests for personal items, rituals involving eggs, lemons, or papers with unknown writing. A legitimate raqi uses only Quran and dua.