Are taweez, amulets or evil-eye charms (like the blue eye) allowed in Islam?

The short answer

Amulets, charms and objects hung for protection (tama'im), such as the blue "evil eye" bead, strings and horseshoes, are forbidden; in narrations graded authentic by most hadith scholars, the Prophet ﷺ called charms of this kind shirk. Protection comes from Allah alone, through the adhkar and ruqyah He taught. Scholars differ only about amulets containing nothing but Quran, and many advise avoiding those too.

Explanation

The core principle. Harm and benefit are only in Allah's hands: "if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him" 1. Asking any object to protect you gives it a role that belongs to Allah alone 2.

What the Prophet ﷺ said. Ibn Mas'ud reported hearing him say: "spells, charms and love-potions are polytheism". When Ibn Mas'ud's wife said a spell had eased her eye, Ibn Mas'ud replied that it was the work of the devil, and that she only needed the Prophet's own dua for healing 3. In another narration Ibn Mas'ud found an amulet on his wife, broke it and said, "The family of 'Abdullah has no need of polytheism" 4. The Prophet ﷺ also said: "Whoever hangs something, he is entrusted to it" 5, meaning Allah leaves him to that object.

Even on animals. On one journey the Prophet ﷺ sent a messenger ordering that no necklace of string or any other kind should remain on the camels' necks unless it was cut off 6. Imam Malik, one of its narrators, said he thought this was because such necklaces were hung against the evil eye 6.

The halal alternative. The Prophet ﷺ allowed ruqyah "which does not smack of polytheism" 7, and he himself sought refuge for his grandsons from "every evil, harmful, envious eye" with words, not objects 8. So replace the charm with the mu'awwidhat, Ayat al-Kursi and the morning and evening adhkar.

If you have a charm at home or on your wrist, remove it with a clear heart and trust in Allah; that act of tawhid is itself a protection.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Yunus · 10:107

    If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him.

    وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرࣲّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَۖ وَإِن يُرِدۡكَ بِخَيۡرࣲ فَلَا رَآدَّ لِفَضۡلِهِۦۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝١٠٧

    And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful

  2. 2
    Quran Az-Zumar · 39:38

    If Allah intends harm, can anything besides Him remove it? Allah is sufficient.

    وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلۡ أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَنِيَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلۡ هُنَّ كَٰشِفَٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوۡ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحۡمَةٍ هَلۡ هُنَّ مُمۡسِكَٰتُ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ قُلۡ حَسۡبِيَ ٱللَّهُۖ عَلَيۡهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ۝٣٨

    And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allah." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allah? If Allah intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allah; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers

  3. 3
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 3883
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani
    Graders differ
    • Al-Albani: Sahih
    • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Sahih
    • Shuaib Al Arnaut: Sahih Lighairihi
    • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif

    Spells, charms and love-potions are polytheism; use the Prophet's healing dua instead.

    Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Zaynab, the wife of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, told that Abdullah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْجَزَّارِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَخِي، زَيْنَبَ امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ، امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الرُّقَى وَالتَّمَائِمَ وَالتِّوَلَةَ شِرْكٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لِمَ تَقُولُ هَذَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ كَانَتْ عَيْنِي تَقْذِفُ وَكُنْتُ أَخْتَلِفُ إِلَى فُلاَنٍ الْيَهُودِيِّ يَرْقِينِي فَإِذَا رَقَانِي سَكَنَتْ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا ذَاكِ عَمَلُ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ يَنْخَسُهَا بِيَدِهِ فَإِذَا رَقَاهَا كَفَّ عَنْهَا إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكِ أَنْ تَقُولِي كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sunan Ibn Majah 3530
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani
    Graders differ
    • Al-Albani: Sahih
    • Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi: Sahih
    • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif

    Ibn Mas'ud broke an amulet, saying his family had no need of polytheism.

    It was narrated that Zainab said:“There was an old woman who used to enter upon us and perform Ruqyah from erysipelas: Contagious disease which causes fever and leaves a red coloration of the skin. We had a bed with long legs, and when ‘Abdullah entered he would clear his throat and make noise. He entered one day and when she heard his voice she veiled herself from him. He came and sat beside me, and touched me, and he found a sting. He said: ‘What is this?’ I said: ‘An amulet against erysipelas.’ He pulled it, broke it and threw it away, and said: ‘The family of ‘Abdullah has no need of polytheism.’ I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Ruqyah (i.e., which consist of the names of idols and devils etc.), amulets and Tiwalah (charms) are polytheism.’” “I said: ‘I went out one day and so-and-so looked at me, and my eye began to water on the side nearest him. When I recited Ruqyah for it, it stopped, but if I did not recite Ruqyah it watered again.’ He said: ‘That is Satan, if you obey him he leaves you alone but if you disobey him he pokes you with his finger in your eye. But if you do what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do, that will be better for you and more effective in healing. Sprinkle water in your eye and say: Adhhibil-bas Rabban-nas, washfi Antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shafi’uka, shafi’an la yughadiru saqaman (Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness).’”

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَمَّرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْجَزَّارِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أُخْتِ، زَيْنَبَ امْرَأَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ، قَالَتْ كَانَتْ عَجُوزٌ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْنَا تَرْقِي مِنَ الْحُمْرَةِ وَكَانَ لَنَا سَرِيرٌ طَوِيلُ الْقَوَائِمِ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِذَا دَخَلَ تَنَحْنَحَ وَصَوَّتَ فَدَخَلَ يَوْمًا فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ صَوْتَهُ احْتَجَبَتْ مِنْهُ فَجَاءَ فَجَلَسَ إِلَى جَانِبِي فَمَسَّنِي فَوَجَدَ مَسَّ خَيْطٍ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا فَقُلْتُ رُقًى لِي فِيهِ مِنَ الْحُمْرَةِ فَجَذَبَهُ وَقَطَعَهُ فَرَمَى بِهِ وَقَالَ لَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ آلُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَغْنِيَاءَ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الرُّقَى وَالتَّمَائِمَ وَالتِّوَلَةَ شِرْكٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي خَرَجْتُ يَوْمًا فَأَبْصَرَنِي فُلاَنٌ فَدَمَعَتْ عَيْنِي الَّتِي تَلِيهِ فَإِذَا رَقَيْتُهَا سَكَنَتْ دَمْعَتُهَا وَإِذَا تَرَكْتُهَا دَمَعَتْ ‏.‏ قَالَ ذَاكِ الشَّيْطَانُ إِذَا أَطَعْتِيهِ تَرَكَكِ وَإِذَا عَصَيْتِيهِ طَعَنَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ فِي عَيْنِكِ وَلَكِنْ لَوْ فَعَلْتِ كَمَا فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَكِ وَأَجْدَرَ أَنْ تَشْفِينَ تَنْضَحِينَ فِي عَيْنِكِ الْمَاءَ وَتَقُولِينَ ‏"‏ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسْ رَبَّ النَّاسْ اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2072
    Hasan graded by Al-Albani
    Graders differ
    • Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Hasan
    • Al-Albani: Hasan
    • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif

    Whoever hangs something is entrusted to it.

    Eisa Ibn 'Abdur-Raman bin Abi Laila said:"I entered upon 'Abdullah bin 'Ukaim Abu Mabad Al-Juhani to visit him, while he had Humrah. I said:'Why don't you hang something?' He said: 'Death is better than that. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "Whoever hangs something, he is entrusted to it." Another chain reports a similar narration

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَدُّويَهْ، قال حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ عِيسَى، أَخِيهِ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُكَيْمٍ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ أَعُودُهُ وَبِهِ حُمْرَةٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلاَ تُعَلِّقُ شَيْئًا قَالَ الْمَوْتُ أَقْرَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَعَلَّقَ شَيْئًا وُكِلَ إِلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَحَدِيثُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُكَيْمٍ إِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى ‏.‏ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُكَيْمٍ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ كَتَبَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قال حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، نَحْوَهُ بِمَعْنَاهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2115
    Sahih Muslim

    The Prophet ﷺ ordered that necklaces on camels' necks be cut off; Malik thought they were against the evil eye.

    Abu Bashir Ansari reported that he had had (the opportunity of accompanying Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in some of his journeys. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent one of his messengers 'Abdullah b Abi Bakr said:I think he said (these words) when the people were at the places of rest: No necklace of strings be left on the necks of the camels or the necklace kept unbroken. Imam Malik said: To my mind (this practice) of wearing necklace round the necks of camels or animals was because of the fact that they (wanted to save them) from the influence of the evil eye

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَبَّادِ، بْنِ تَمِيمٍ أَنَّ أَبَا بَشِيرٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، كَانَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ - قَالَ - فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَسُولاً - قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ وَالنَّاسُ فِي مَبِيتِهِمْ - ‏ "‏ لاَ يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي رَقَبَةِ بَعِيرٍ قِلاَدَةٌ مِنْ وَتَرٍ أَوْ قِلاَدَةٌ إِلاَّ قُطِعَتْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ أُرَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2200
    Sahih Muslim

    Ruqyah without shirk is permitted.

    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 ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 3371
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge for his grandsons with words of refuge.

    Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to seek Refuge with Allah for Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and say: "Your forefather (i.e. Abraham) used to seek Refuge with Allah for Ishmael and Isaac by reciting the following: 'O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنِ الْمِنْهَالِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَوِّذُ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ وَيَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ أَبَاكُمَا كَانَ يُعَوِّذُ بِهَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

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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