4,547
edits
Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Witchcraft and the Occult: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Witchcraft and the Occult (view source)
Revision as of 07:01, 17 December 2020
, 17 December 2020no edit summary
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=2|Content=3|Language=3|References=2}} | {{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=2|Content=3|Language=3|References=2}} | ||
{{QuranHadithScholarsIndex}} | {{QuranHadithScholarsIndex}} | ||
The hadith literature are replete with references to witchcraft and the occult. The belief in the "evil eye" عين الحسودة is particularly prominent. According to this ancient and widespread belief, the act of envying what another person can put the "eye" upon them in a metaphysical sense, bringing misfortune of various kinds to the person who is on the receiving side of the envy. This eye can be warded off by, according to the idiosyncrasy of the superstition, by giving the person who is envious the object of their envy, using charms made to look like the eye itself (among them the so-called خمسة or hamsa), prayers, scripture reading, or various forms of magic. The belief itself is widespread in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean societies and is attested to widely in ancient Greek literature, where it was part of the metaphysical world of the ancient Greeks. The [[hadith]] tradition paints the prophet [[Muhammad]] himself as contending with the evil eye via prayers. Like with the evil eye, the tradition is unanimous in recognizing the reality of سحر "sahr" as in magic or witchcraft, which is envisioned as a black, malevolent force in league with [[shaytan]]. | |||
==Evil Eye== | ==Evil Eye== | ||
| Line 45: | Line 48: | ||
[al-Baqarah 2:102] | [al-Baqarah 2:102] | ||
A practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes him an apostate, so he commits kufr and should be executed for his apostasy. Or he may | A practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes him an apostate, so he commits kufr and should be executed for his apostasy. Or he may practice witchcraft by doing something that does not constitute kufr. In that case there is a difference of scholarly opinion, but the correct view is that he should also be executed if it is proven that he is a practitioner of witchcraft. This is what the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did and enjoined other to do. If he is executed, he should not be washed or shrouded or buried in the Muslim graveyard. | ||
There should be no hesitation in executing the practitioner of witchcraft, whether we say that he is a kaafir or not, because this is what is proven from the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Executing him prevents the spread of evil and serves as a deterrent to his fellow practitioners of witchcraft. }} | There should be no hesitation in executing the practitioner of witchcraft, whether we say that he is a kaafir or not, because this is what is proven from the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Executing him prevents the spread of evil and serves as a deterrent to his fellow practitioners of witchcraft. }} | ||