[Q 411] Is Wearing Ta’weez And Performing Dam Permissible

QUESTION:

What do the scholars of Islam and the jurists of Islamic law say about the following matter? There is a blessed Hadith whose summary is:

“On the Day of Judgement, 70 thousand people from my Ummah will enter Paradise without accountability. They will not perform Dam (spiritual healing), they will not take bad omens, and they will place their trust solely in their Lord, Allah.” (mentioned in Bukhari and others)

In light of this blessed Hadith, I have the following questions:

• What is the Islamic ruling on Ta‘weezat (amulets) and Dam (spiritual healing)?
• If it is permissible, then what would be the meaning of the mentioned Hadith? Because from this Hadith, it seems that Ta‘weezat are prohibited.

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایة الحق والصواب

In Islamic law, Ta‘weezat (amulets) and Dam (spiritual healing) are permissible if they contain Qur’anic verses, authentic Ahadith, or words that do not contain any elements of polytheism (shirk) or anything contrary to Shari‘ah. However, if a Ta‘weez contains anything against Shari‘ah or words whose meaning is unknown, then such Ta‘weezat are not allowed.

Performing permissible Dam and using lawful Ta‘weezat is allowed, just as there are other forms of treatments like medical this is also a form of treatment and it’s permissible. Its permissibility is established through the Qur’an, Hadith, and the statements of Islamic scholars.

Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur’an:

﴿وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

Translation:“And We reveal in the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the people of faith;”

(Part 15, Surah Bani Isra’il, Ayah 82)

Scholarly Commentary on This Verse:

In Tafsir Ruh al-Ma‘ani, it is stated: “Imam Malik (رحمة الله عليه) said: There is no harm in hanging an amulet containing the names of Allah around the neck of a sick person as a means of seeking blessings, provided that the intention is not for Mudafa’at Al’ain (مدافعة العین). By this, he meant that hanging it after an affliction has occurred is allowed with the hope of relief and cure, just like the Dam (spiritual healing) prescribed in Sunnah for the evil eye. However, hanging it before the affliction occurs is harm in it, and this opinion is obscure.”

“Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib (رضي الله عنه) permitted hanging a Ta‘weez written from the Book of Allah, provided that it is removed during intercourse and when entering the toilet. He did not restrict it to before or after an affliction.

Imam al-Baqir (رحمة الله عليه) allowed hanging a Ta‘weez on children without restriction. Imam Ibn Sirin (رحمة الله عليه) saw no issue in hanging a Ta‘weez containing Qur’anic verses, whether on an adult or a child, and this has been the belief of people in all times, past and present.”

(Tafsir Ruh al-Ma‘ani, under Ayah 82, Vol. 8, p. 139, Beirut)

Ahadith regarding the Permissibility of Dam and Ta‘weez:

• Hadith from Sahih Muslim:

The Prophet ﷺ saw a girl who had signs of evil eye. He ﷺ said: “She has been afflicted by evil eye, so seek Dam for her.”

(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1725, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut)

• Hadith from Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi:

Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما used to write Ta’weez containing protective supplications and hang them around the necks of his children.

As it’s mentioned in Tirmizi:

The Messenger Of Allah ﷺ said: “If any of you gets a nightmare, let him say:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

Translation:‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah against His wrath and His punishment and the mischief of His slaves and from the temptations of the devils and that which they bring’ then they will not harm him.'”

Therefore, ‘Abdullāh Ibn Umar used to teach this supplication to his grown up children. He also wrote it down on a paper and hung it on the neck of those who had not attained puberty.

(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, p. 192, Karachi)

• Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari:

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضی ﷲ تعالیٰ عنہ narrates:”A group from among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ passed by a watering place where there was a man who had been bitten (by a snake or scorpion). A man from the people of that watering place came to them and said: ‘Is there anyone among you who can perform Dam (spiritual healing)? For there is a man who has been bitten (by a snake or scorpion) in the watering.’ So one of the Companions went with him and recited Surah Al-Fatihah over the person on the condition that sheep would be given as payment, and the man (who was bitten) was cured. The Companion returned with the sheep to the rest of the Companions, and they disliked this, saying, ‘You have taken payment for the Book of Allah!’
When they reached Madinah, they said (to the Prophet ﷺ): ‘O Messenger of Allah! Such and such Companion took payment for the Book of Allah.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:‘The most deserving thing for which you may take payment is the Book of Allah.’(i.e., taking this payment is permissible).”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 2, p. 854, Karachi)

Explanation of the Hadith Mentioned in the Question:

From all the above evidences, it is proven that Ta‘weezat and Dam that contain permissible words and practices according to the Qur’an and Sunnah are completely lawful. However, the Hadith mentioned in the question, and other similar narrations from which the prohibition of ta‘weezat (amulets) etc. is understood, have been explained by the commentators of Hadith. These explanations and interpretations are mentioned below:

1. The prohibition applies to those Ta’weez (amulets) or Dam (spiritual healing) which contain shirk (polytheistic), kufr (disbelief), or forbidden words. Therefore, any Dam or amulet that does not contain anything contrary to the Shari‘ah is not prohibited.

As mentioned in the Hadith of Sahih Muslim, Sayyiduna ‘Awf ibn Malik Ashja‘i رضي الله تعالى عنه narrates:”We used to perform ruqyah during the time of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), so we asked: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! What is your opinion about this? he ﷺ replied: Present your Ruqyah to me; there is no harm in Ruqyah as long as it does not contain shirk.”

(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1727)

2. This refers to those forms of Dam which contain mantras of the disbelievers or include such words whose meanings are unknown. Because in such cases, there is a possibility that the meaning might be kufri (blasphemous). Hence, such Dam are also prohibited.

Imam al-Nawawi رحمة الله عليه states: What is meant (by the prohibition) are Dam that consist of the words of the disbelievers, or those that are unknown, or are in a non-Arabic language and the meanings of which are not understood. These are condemned because there is a possibility that their meanings may be kufr or close to kufr or something disliked. However, Dam that includes verses of the Qur’an and well-known supplications are not prohibited—rather, they are Sunnah.

3. The prohibition applies to those people who regard the ta‘weez (amulet) or Dam itself as the real independent cause of effect, whereas the Real Cause (Mu’aththir Haqiqi) is Allah تعالى. Ta‘weez and similar means fall under the category of asbab (means). Here the prohibition is regarding those things about which the disbelievers’ minds had become firmly established in the belief of their effect.

It is stated in Sharh Sahih Muslim al-Nawawi: “The prohibition refers to those people who believe that these objects have independent power  just as the people of the Age of Ignorance used to believe regarding many things.”

(Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, Vol. 14, p. 168)

It is stated in Mirqat al-Mafatih, Fayd al-Qadir, Fath al-Bari and others:

“(At-Tama’im) is the plural of Tameemah, and what is meant by it are amulets (ta’weez) that contain incantations from the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), including names of devils and words whose meanings are unknown. It has also been said that Tama’im refers to beads or shells that the Arabs in the Age of Ignorance used to hang around their children’s necks, believing that these (objects with their independent power) protect them from the evil eye. Islam invalidated this belief because no benefit can occur and no harm can be repelled except by the will of Allah, the Most High.”

(Mirqat al-Mafatih, Vol. 8, p. 255, Maktabah Quetta)

4. The ahadith which prohibit such acts are referring to satanic spells or magic, or such practices that are done for unlawful purposes, such as separating a husband and wife. Thus, Imam Nawawi رحمه الله said:

“Qadhi ‘Iyad رحمة الله عليه said: A Hadith outside Sahih Muslim mentions that the Prophet ﷺ was asked about al-Nushrah (spell or magic), and the Prophet ﷺ attributed it to the Shaytan.

Qadhi ‘Iyad  رحمة الله عليه  states:

Al-Nushrah is well-known among those who practise conjurations, and it is called nushrah because it ‘separates’ a women from a man. Qadhi ‘Iyad stated that the prohibition is based on the fact that these things are outside the scope of the remembrance of Allah تعالى and permissible virtuous acts.

(Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, Vol. 14, pp. 168–169, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi, Beirut)

5. Initially, there was prohibition of such practices, but later, permission was granted for ta‘weez etc. which contain permissible (Shar‘i) words. The ahadith indicating prohibition are mansukh (abrogated), and the ones granting permission are nasikh (the abrogating ones). Thus, it is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله تعالى عنه:“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade ruqyah, then the family of ‘Amr ibn Hazm came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have a ruqyah which we recite for scorpion stings’ Jabir رضي الله تعالى عنه narrates that they presented the ruqyah in the court of the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ stated: ‘I see no harm in it. Whoever among you can benefit his brother, let him do so.’

(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1726, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi, Beirut)

In Sharh Sahih Muslim, one of the interpretations of the prohibition is as follows:“Initially there was a prohibition, then it was abrogated, and permission was granted, and the Sharī‘ah has remained established upon this permission.”

(Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, Vol. 14, p. 168, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi)

Answered by: Darul Ifta AhleSunnat
Translated by: Shaheer Attari