Sihr in the Quran — Magic Is Voided by Allah
Sihr (سحر) — sorcery or black magic — is referenced repeatedly in the Quran and confirmed as real. The most vivid account is the confrontation of Moses (as) with Pharaoh's magicians:
"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
"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
These verses embed a fundamental principle: sihr operates only by Allah's permission, and His words supersede it entirely.
The Prophetic Experience and Cure
The Prophet ﷺ was affected by sihr performed by Labid ibn al-A'sam — narrated by Aisha (ra) in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The cure came through revelation: Surah Al-Falaq and An-Nas, which the Prophet ﷺ recited until healed. This is the clearest precedent for both the reality of sihr and its Quranic remedy.
"Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will be sufficient for him."
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, narrated by Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (ra)
The Greatest Daily Shields Against Sihr
"Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering Paradise except death."
Sunan an-Nasa'i, authenticated by al-Albani, narrated by Abu Umamah al-Bahili (ra)
"Do not make your homes like graves. Indeed, the shaytan flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited."
Sahih Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurayra (ra)
Ibn al-Qayyim's Treatment Protocol
Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH) documents the treatment of sihr across several chapters of Zad al-Ma'ad (4/116–122):
- Remove the physical medium — A knotted cord, hair, or buried object is typically involved. If located, destroy it by burning or submerging in water.
- The seven specific Quranic passages — Recited three times each over water and upon the person: Al-Fatiha; Ayat al-Kursi (2:255); Al-Baqarah 2:285–286; Al-A'raf 7:117–122; Yunus 10:79–82; Ta-Ha 20:65–70; and Al-Falaq and An-Nas seven times each.
- Ruqyah water — Recite the above over water. Drink it consistently and wash the body. Many scholars recommend also pouring it over the head.
- Black seed and honey — "In the black seed there is healing for every disease except death." (Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Abu Hurayra). Taken with honey in prophetic tradition.
Counter-Magic (Sihr al-Hall) Is Forbidden
"Treating sihr with sihr is forbidden according to the consensus of the scholars, because it involves seeking the help of shayatin through what displeases Allah."
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo' al-Fatawa, 19/12
Sihr al-hall — using magic to break magic — is the stock-in-trade of fraudulent practitioners and is prohibited by scholarly consensus (ijma'). Any practitioner using unknown words, burning or burying objects, or involving jinn in treatment is using forbidden means that brings additional harm.
Patience and Consistency
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH) affirmed that the salaf used Quranic recitation for treatment and that consistency — not the duration of single sessions — is what produces results. Ibn al-Qayyim is explicit: recovery depends on the strength of the sihr, how long it has been present, and the faith of the person reciting. Recovery is by Allah's will; the human role is persistent, sincere effort.