In the pre-Islamic period we used to apply spells and we asked: Messenger of Allah ! how do you look upon it ? He replied : Submit your spells to me. There is no harm in spells so long as they involve no polytheism.

In the pre-Islamic period we used to apply spells, and we asked God’s messenger how he looked upon that. He replied, “Submit your spells to me. There is no harm in spells so long as they involve no polytheism.” Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir told that God’s messenger prohibited spells, and the family of ‘Amr b. Hazm came and said, “Messenger of God, we had a spell proved efficacious which we applied for scorpion bite, but you have prohibited spells.” They submitted it to him and he said, “I see no harm in it. If any of you is able to benefit his brother, let him do so.” Muslim transmitted it.

from his father who said: "The moon was split during the time of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) until it became as two sections, one above this mountain and one above that mountain. So they said: 'Muhammad has cast a spell upon us.' Some of them said: 'If he could cast a spell upon us, he can not cast a spell upon all of the people.'"

Zainab the wife of ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told that ‘Abdallah saw a thread on her neck and asked what it was. When she told him that it was a thread over which a spell had been recited for her he took it, cut it up and said, “You, family of ‘Abdallah, are independent of polytheism. I have heard God’s messenger say that spells, charms and love-spells are polytheism.” She replied, “Why do you speak like this? My eye was discharging and I kept going to so and so, the Jew, and when he applied a spell to it it calmed down.” ‘Abdallah said, “That was just the work of the devil who was pricking it with his hand, and when a spell was uttered he desisted. All you need to do is to say as God’s messenger did, ‘Remove the harm, O Lord of men, and heal. Thou art the Healer. There is no remedy but Thine which leaves no disease behind.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Zaynab, the wife of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, told that Abdullah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: spells, charms and love-potions are polytheism.

I asked: Why do you say this? I swear by Allah, when my eye was discharging I used to go to so-and-so, the Jew, who applied a spell to me. When he applied the spell to me, it calmed down. Abdullah said:

That was just the work of the Devil who was picking it with his hand, and when he uttered the spell on it, he desisted. All you need to do is to say as the Messenger of Allah (saws) used to say: Remove the harm, O Lord of men, and heal. Thou art the Healer. There is no remedy but Thine which leaves no disease behind.

The Prophet (saws) said: No spell is to be used except for the evil eye or a scorpion sting.

The Prophet gave command that we should use a spell against the evil eye. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I passed by a river. I entered it and took a bath in it. When I came out, I had fever. The Messenger of Allah (saws) was informed about it. He said: Ask AbuThabit to seek refuge in Allah from that I asked: O my Lord, will the spell be useful? He replied: No, the spell is to be used except for the evil eye or a snake bite or a scorpion sting.

Abu Dawud said: Humah means the biting of snakes and sting of the poisonous insects.

Anas said God’s messenger gave permission to use a spell for the evil eye, scorpion sting and small pustules. Muslim transmitted it.

"A Jewish man cast a spell on the Prophet [SAW], and he fell ill as a result of it, for several days. Then Jibra'il, peace be upon him, came to him and said: 'A Jewish man has put a spell on you. In such and such a well there is a knot that he tied for you.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] sent them to take it out and bring it to him. Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] got up as if he had been released from some bonds. No mention of that was made to that Jew, and he did not see that in his face at all."

“No spell is to be used except for the evil eye or a scorpion sting.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on the authority of Buraida.

“He who has himself cauterized or uses a spell has exempted himself from trust in God.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) entered when I was with Hafsah, and he said to me: Why do you not teach this one the spell for skin eruptions as you taught her writing.

“Why do you not teach this one the spell for skin eruptions as you taught her writing?” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

No spell is to be used except for the evil eye, or sting of poisonous insects, or bleeding. The narrator al-‘Abhas did mention the words “evil eye”. The is the version of Sulaiman b. Dawud.

“No spell is to be used except for the evil eye, or a scorpion sting, or bleeding.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The text has dam (blood), but it is said that nose-bleeding in particular is what is meant here. Cf. Mirqat, iv, 5U.

Dajjal is blind of one eye and there is written between his eyes the word" Kafir". He then spelled the word as k. f. r., which every Muslim would be able to read.

Asma’ daughter of ‘Umais said, “Messenger of Go'd, Ja’far’s children are readily susceptible to the influence of the evil eye, so may I use a spell for them?” He replied, “Yes, for if anything could get ahead of the decree the evil eye could.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Khizama said that his father asked God’s messenger, “Tell me whether spells we invoke, medicine we apply and caution we practise can avert anything God has decreed.” He replied, “They are a part of God’s decree ’ Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Should I not use the spell of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) for you ? He said : Yes. He then said : O Allah, Lord of men, Remover of the harm, heal, Thou art the healer. There is no healer but Thou; given him a remedy which leaves no disease behind.

“A Jew from among the Jews of Bani Zuraiq, whose name was Labid bin A’sam, cast a spell on the Prophet (saw), and the Prophet (saw) began to imagine that he had done something when he had not. One day, or one night, the Messenger of Allah (saw) supplicated, and then supplicated again. Then he said: ‘O ‘Aishah, do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me, and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. The one at my head said to the one at my feet, or the one at my feet said to the one at my head "what is ailing this man ?" He said: “He has been affected by a spell.” He said: “Who cast the spell on him?” He said: “Labid bin A’sam.” He said: “With what?” He said: “With a comb and the hairs stuck to it, and the spathe of a male date palm.” He said: “Where is that?” He said: “In the well of Dhu Arwan.” She said: “So the Prophet (saw) went to it, with a group of his Companions, then he came and said: ‘By Allah. O ‘Aishah. It was as if its water was infused with henna and its date palms were like the heads of devils.’” She said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you burn them?’ He said: ‘As for me, Allah has healed me, and I do not like to let evil spread among the people.’ Then he issued orders that the well be filled up with earth.”

'Abdallah b. ‘Amr told that when a man called Karkara* who was in charge of the Prophet’s belongings died God’s Messenger said, “He will go to hell. “The people went off and looked and found a striped woollen garment which he had dishonestly appropriated from the spoil. *There is doubt about the spelling of this man’s name. Karkira and Kirkira are also mentioned. Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas told that Dimad, a man of Azd Shanu'a who applied spells to avert the jinn[*], came to Mecca, and heard the foolish ones among the inhabitants of Mecca saying Muhammad was jinn-possessed. So, he said, "If I could only see this man, perhaps God might heal him at my hand." He met him and said, "I apply spells to avert the jinn, Muhammad. Would you like me do so?" God's messenger replied, "Praise is due to God whom we praise and from whom we seek help. No one can lead astray one whom God guides, and no one can guide one whom God leads astray. I testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. To proceed." Here he interrupted by saying, "Repeat these words to me," so God's messenger repeated them three times. He then said, "I have heard what the kahinssay, what the sorcerers say and what the poets say, but I have never heard anything like these words of yours which have reached a depth like that of the sea (balaghna qamus al-bahr). If you give me your hand, I will swear allegiance to you by accepting Islam." He said that he swore allegiance to him. *Literally, "applied spells against this wind." The word rih(wind) is sometimes used of the jinn, the reason given being that they are invisible like the wind. Muslim transmitted it. Some text of al-Masabih have balaghna na'us al-bahr, but it is a corruption.

" Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) went to the well and looked towards it and there were trees of date-palm near it. I ('A'isha) said: I asked Allah'& Messenger (may peace be upon him) to bring it out, and 1 did not say: Why did not you burn it?" And there is no mention of these words:" I commanded (to bury them and they buried."

“Use a spell for her, for she has been affected by the evil eye.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Saf’a is explained as a stroke from the devil, or the influence of the evil eye. It may be read suf’a which means blackness, or blackness tinged with red. Sufra normally means yellowness, but it can also mean blackness, and that may be the interpretation it should have here, in which case one should read suf'a.

that a Jew from among the Jews of Banu Zuraiq who was called Labid b. al-A'sam cast a spell upon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) with the result that he (under the influence of the spell) felt that he had been doing something whereas in fact he had not been doing that. (This state of affairs lasted) until one day or during one night Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) made supplication (to dispel its effects). He again made a supplication and he again did this and said to 'A'isha: "Do you know that Allah has told me what I had asked Him? There came to me two men and one amongst them sat near my head and the other one near my feet and he who sat near my head said to one who sat near my feet or one who sat near my feet said to one who sat near my head: What is the trouble with the man? He said: The spell has affected him. He said: Who has cast that? He (the other one) said: It was Labid b. A'sam (who has done it). He said: What is the thing by which he transmitted its effect? He said: By the comb and by the hair stuck to the comb and the spathe of the date-palm. He said: Where is that? He replied: In the well of Dhi Arwan." She said: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent some of the persons from among his Companions there and then said: "'A'isha, by Allah, its water was yellow like henna and its trees were like heads of the devils." She said that she asked Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as to why he did not burn that. He said: "No, Allah has cured me and I do not like that I should induce people to commit any high-handedness in regard (to one another), but I only commanded that it should be buried."

The Prophet of Allah (saws) disliked ten things: Yellow colouring, meaning khaluq, dyeing grey hair, trailing the lower garment, wearing a gold signet-ring, a woman decking herself before people who are not within the prohibited degrees, throwing dice, using spells except with the Mu'awwidhatan, wearing amulets, withdrawing the penis before the semen is discharged, in the case of a woman who is wife or not a wife, and having intercourse with a woman who is suckling a child; but he did not declare them to be prohibited.

Abu Dawud said: Only the transmitters of Basrah have transmitted this tradition.

'Amra reported that 'A'isha had made one of her slavegirls a mudabbar (one who would be set free after her death). Then 'A'isha became ill and her nephews consulted a gypsy doctor. He said, "You are asking me for information about a bewitched woman. A slavegirl of hers has bewitched her." 'A'isha was told and asked the girl, "Have you put a spell on me?" "Yes," she replied. "Why?' she asked. "Because you will never free me," she answered. Then 'A'isha said, "Sell her to the worst masters among the Arabs."

God's messenger was bewitched so that he would imagine he had done something he had not done. One day when he was staying with me, he made supplication after supplication to God, then said, "Do you know, `A'isha, that God has given me a decision about what I asked? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them asked the other, `What is the man suffering from?' and he replied, `He is under a spell.' He asked, `Who has put a spell on him?' and he replied, `Labid b. al-A`sam the Jew .' He asked, `What did he use?' and he replied, `A comb and combings and the spathe of a male palm-tree He asked, `Where is it?' and he replied, `In the well of Dharwan'[*]." The Prophet then went with some of his companions to the well and said, "This is the well I was shown." Its water looked like diluted henna and its palm-trees like the heads of devils. He then took it out. *Bukhari, Adab, 56, has Dharwan, but Tibb, 50, has Dhu Arwan, which is the form given by Muslim in Salam, 43. Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim (Cairo, 1349, vol. 14, p. 177) says both forms are correct, but Dhu Arwan is better and sounder. He says it was a well in the garden in Madina belonging to the B. Zuraiq. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I was present at Khaibar along with my masters who spoke about me to God's Messenger, telling him that I was a slave. He ordered that I should have a sword girded on me, and I was trailing it.* He then ordered that I should be given some inferior goods. I submitted to him a spell with which I used to treat people who were possessed and he ordered me to reject part of it and retain part. *Either because he was a small man, or because he was young. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, but the latter's version ended at “goods”.

yellow colouring, meaning khaluq, dyeing grey hair, trailing the lower garment, wearing a gold signet-ring, a woman decking herself before people who are not within the prohibited degrees, throwing dice, using spells, except with the mu'awwidhat (The last two suras of the Qur'an are known as al mu’awwidhatan. Here the plural is used, and the suggestion is made that it may include certain supplications and prayers using names of God ; or that suras cxii and cix may be added to the last two), wearing amulets, withdrawing the penis before the semen is discharged, and having intercourse with a woman who is suckling a child; but he did not declare them to be prohibited. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

it is better for a man’s belly to be full of pus than to be full of poetry.

Abu ‘Ali said : I have been told that Abu ‘Ubaid said : It means that his heart is full of poetry so much so that it makes him neglectful of the Quran and remembrance of Allah. If the Quran and the knowledge (of religion) are dominant, the belly will not be full of poetry in our opinion. Some eloquent speech is magic. It means that a man expresses his eloquence by praising another man, and he speaks the truth about him so much so that he attracts the hearts to his speech. He then condemns him and speaks the truth about him so much so that he attracts the hearts to another of his speech, as if he spelled the audience by it.

Dimad came to Mecca and he belonged to the tribe of Azd Shanu'a, and he used to protect the person who was under the influence of charm. He heard the foolish people of Mecca say that Muhammad (may peace be upon him) was under the spell. Upon this he said: If 1 were to come across this man, Allah might cure him at my hand. He met him and said: Muhammad, I can protect (one) who is under the influence of charm, and Allah cures one whom He so desires at my hand. Do you desire (this)? Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, ask His help; and he whom Allah guides aright there is none to lead him astray, and he who is led astray there is none to guide him, and I bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah, He is One, having no partner with Him, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Now after this he (Dimad) said: Repeat these words of yours before me, and the messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) repeated these to him thrice; and he said I have heard the words of soothsayers and the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they reach the depth (of the ocean of eloquence) ; bring forth your hand so that I should take oath of fealty to you on Islam. So he took an oath of allegiance to him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: It (this allegiance of yours) is on behalf of your people too. He said: It is on behalf of my people too. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent an expedition and the flying column passed by his people. The leader of the flying column said to the detachment: Did you find anything from these people? One of the people said: I found a utensil for water. Upon this he (the commander) said: Return it, for he is one of the people of Dimad.