Curing through Magical Spells (An-Nushrah)
Jabir (R.A.) narrates:
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) was asked about An-Nushrah (the act of seeking cure from magical spells/incantation), He (SAW) said, “It is one of the deeds of Satan.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawud have reported it with good chain of narrators ( Isnad ) ].
Imam Abu Dawud reported that when asked by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (R.A.) about this, he said: “Ibn Mas‘ud disliked all this.”
Al-Bukhari reports from Qatadah (R.A.):
I said to Ibn Al-Musaiyab, “A man is under a magical spell or is unable to cohabitate with his wife, should we treat him by An-Nushrah or apply some other means to cure the spell/sorcery?” Ibn Al-Musaiyab (R.A.) replied, “It is alright because they intend restoration or mending. That which benefit is not forbidden.” [1]
Imam Al-Hasan (Al-Basri R.A.) is of the view that only a sorcerer (magician) can break the spell of another sorcerer.
Ibn Al-Qaiyim (R.A.) wrote that An-Nushrah is removing the effects of sorcery/spell from the affected one, and it is of two types:
1) The use of magic (sorcery) to remove the effects of another magic and it is an act of Satan to which the comment of Imam Al-Hasan (Al-Basri R.A.) applies i.e., that the one who performs sorcery and the patient, both get closer to Satan by that which he loves. Satan then removes the effects of magic from the afflicted.
2) The effects of magic can be removed by making recitation of Qur’anic verses, by offering legitimate prayers (Ruqyah) as well as by using pharmaceutical preparations. This type of Nushrah is permissible.
Important issues of the Chapter
1) Prohibition of An-Nushrah.
2) The difference between the prohibited and what is permitted for the removal of such problems.
_________________________
[1] Ibn Al-Musaiyab predicated it on a kind of An-Nushrah which has no sorcery.