Is black magic (sihr) real, and how do I protect myself from it?

The short answer

Yes, sihr is real, and practising it is one of the seven destructive sins. It can cause real harm, but only by Allah's permission, and it has no power over Allah's decree. Protection and cure come through Allah alone: the mu'awwidhat, the Sunnah adhkar and ruqyah, never by going to another magician.

Explanation

It is real, and it is forbidden. The Quran says the devils disbelieved by "teaching people magic", and that people learned "that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah" 1. The same verse says whoever buys into magic has no share in the Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ listed "to practice sorcery" among the seven great destructive sins 2.

Some of it is illusion. When Pharaoh's magicians threw their ropes, they "seemed to him from their magic that they were moving", and Allah said, "the magician will not succeed wherever he is" 3.

Even the Prophet ﷺ was affected. A man named Labid bin al-A'sam worked magic on him, so that "he started imagining that he had done a thing that he had not really done". After long dua, Allah showed him where the spell was hidden, and the well was filled in. He said, "Allah has cured me", and did not want to spread evil among people 4. Mainstream scholars explain that this affected only worldly matters, never the revelation or his conveying of it; it shows he was human, and that dua cures.

How to protect yourself. Surah al-Falaq teaches refuge "from the evil of the blowers in knots" 5. Recite al-Ikhlas and the mu'awwidhat three times each morning and evening 6. The Prophet ﷺ also said: "He who eats seven 'Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them" 7.

The cure. Ruqyah with Quran and authentic duas 8, and patient dua as the Prophet ﷺ made. Never go to someone who "undoes" magic with more magic, amulets or jinn; that is falling into the very sin you are trying to escape. If you suspect sihr, also see a doctor: many symptoms have medical causes.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Al-Baqara · 2:102

    Devils taught magic; it can separate spouses but harms only by Allah's permission; its buyer has no share in the Hereafter.

    وَٱتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتۡلُواْ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلۡكِ سُلَيۡمَٰنَۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيۡمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحۡرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَكَيۡنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ فِتۡنَةࣱ فَلَا تَكۡفُرۡۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنۡهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَزَوۡجِهِۦۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمۡۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ ٱشۡتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَٰقࣲۚ وَلَبِئۡسَ مَا شَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمۡۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ۝١٠٢

    And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2766
    Sahih Bukhari

    Practising sorcery is one of the seven destructive sins.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquired, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What are they?" He said, "To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, (according to Islamic law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to give back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ الْمَدَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْغَيْثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَمَا هُنَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلاَتِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  3. 3
    Quran Taa-Haa · 20:66–69

    The magicians' ropes only seemed to move; the magician never succeeds.

    قَالَ بَلۡ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمۡ وَعِصِيُّهُمۡ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيۡهِ مِن سِحۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّهَا تَسۡعَىٰ ۝٦٦ فَأَوۡجَسَ فِي نَفۡسِهِۦ خِيفَةࣰ مُّوسَىٰ ۝٦٧ قُلۡنَا لَا تَخَفۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ۝٦٨ وَأَلۡقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلۡقَفۡ مَا صَنَعُوٓاْۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيۡدُ سَٰحِرࣲۖ وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ ۝٦٩

    66 He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes] 67 And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses 68 Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior 69 And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5763
    Sahih Bukhari

    Labid bin al-A'sam worked magic on the Prophet ﷺ; Allah revealed its place and cured him.

    Narrated `Aisha:A man called Labid bin al-A'sam from the tribe of Bani Zaraiq worked magic on Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) till Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) started imagining that he had done a thing that he had not really done. One day or one night he was with us, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period, and then said, "O `Aisha! Do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I have asked him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other near my feet. One of them said to his companion, "What is the disease of this man?" The other replied, "He is under the effect of magic.' The first one asked, 'Who has worked the magic on him?' The other replied, "Labid bin Al-A'sam.' The first one asked, 'What material did he use?' The other replied, 'A comb and the hairs stuck to it and the skin of pollen of a male date palm.' The first one asked, 'Where is that?' The other replied, '(That is) in the well of Dharwan;' " So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with some of his companions went there and came back saying, "O `Aisha, the color of its water is like the infusion of Henna leaves. The tops of the date-palm trees near it are like the heads of the devils." I asked. "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Why did you not show it (to the people)?" He said, "Since Allah cured me, I disliked to let evil spread among the people." Then he ordered that the well be filled up with earth

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ سَحَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ، حَتَّى كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا فَعَلَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَوْ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَهْوَ عِنْدِي لَكِنَّهُ دَعَا وَدَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ، أَشَعَرْتِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ، أَتَانِي رَجُلاَنِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي، وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ‏.‏ قَالَ مَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ‏.‏ قَالَ فِي أَىِّ شَىْءٍ قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ، وَجُفِّ طَلْعِ نَخْلَةٍ ذَكَرٍ‏.‏ قَالَ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذَرْوَانَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَتَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ كَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، أَوْ كَأَنَّ رُءُوسَ نَخْلِهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أَسْتَخْرِجُهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ قَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُثَوِّرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فِيهِ شَرًّا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَأَبُو ضَمْرَةَ وَابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنْ هِشَامٍ‏.‏ وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاقَةٍ‏.‏ يُقَالُ الْمُشَاطَةُ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ إِذَا مُشِطَ، وَالْمُشَاقَةُ مِنْ مُشَاقَةِ الْكَتَّانِ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Quran Al-Falaq · 113:4

    Refuge from the evil of those who blow on knots.

    وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِي ٱلۡعُقَدِ ۝٤

    And from the evil of the blowers in knots

  6. 6
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 5082
    Hasan graded by Al-Albani

    Al-Ikhlas and the mu'awwidhat three times morning and evening suffice for everything.

    Narrated Abdullah ibn Khubayb: We went out one rainy and intensely dark night to look for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to lead us in prayer, and when we found him, he asked: Have you prayed?, but I did not say anything. So he said: Say, but I did not say anything. He again said: Say, but I did not say anything. He then said: Say. So I said: What am I to say? He said: Say: "Say, He is Allah, One," and al-Mu'awwadhatan three times in the morning and evening; they will serve you for every purpose

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُصَفَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أَسِيدٍ الْبَرَّادِ، عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خُبَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَرَجْنَا فِي لَيْلَةِ مَطَرٍ وَظُلْمَةٍ شَدِيدَةٍ نَطْلُبُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيُصَلِّيَ لَنَا فَأَدْرَكْنَاهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَصَلَّيْتُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ أَقُلْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ أَقُلْ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ أَقُلْ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَقُولُ قَالَ ‏"‏ ‏{‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏}‏ وَالْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ حِينَ تُمْسِي وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ تَكْفِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5445
    Sahih Bukhari

    Seven 'Ajwa dates in the morning protect from poison and magic that day.

    Narrated Sa`d:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "He who eats seven 'Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا جُمْعَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَامِرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَصَبَّحَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً لَمْ يَضُرُّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ سُمٌّ وَلاَ سِحْرٌ ‏"‏‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2200
    Sahih Muslim

    Ruqyah is permitted as long as it contains no shirk.

    Auf b. Malik Ashja'i reported We practised incantation in the pre-Islamic days and we said:Allah's Messenger. what is your opinion about it? He said: Let me know your incantation and said: There is no harm in the incantation which does not smack of polytheism

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ، قَالَ كُنَّا نَرْقِي فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اعْرِضُوا عَلَىَّ رُقَاكُمْ لاَ بَأْسَ بِالرُّقَى مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ شِرْكٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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