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Clarification of types of Sorcery (As-Sihr)
Imam Ahmad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Muhammad bin Ja’far narrated from Auf, from Haiyan bin Al- `Ala’, from Qatan bin Qabisah, from his father that he heard the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) say: “Verily, Al-‘lyafah (letting birds fly to foretell events) and At-Tarq (drawing lines on earth to predict events) and At-Tiyarah (taking sight on some object as a bad omen) are Al-Jibt (sorceries/magic).”
`Auf (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “Al-‘lyafah is letting a bird’s flight foretell events while At-Tarq is drawing line on earth.” Hasan Basri (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “Al-Jibt is the scream of Satan (devil).” The above Hadith has been narrated through good chain of narrators and collected by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban.
Abu Dawud reported in his book with Sahih lsnad that Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (P.B.UH) said: “Whoever learns a part of astrology (drawing knowledge from stars) has learned a part of sorcery (magic). Those who learn more are getting that much more (sin to their credit).”
In An-Nasa’i, Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
“Whoever tied a knot and blew on it, has committed sorcery and whoever committed sorcery has committed Shirk. Whoever wears an amulet or talisman will be subjected to its control.”
Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have heard Allah’s Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saying: “Shall I not tell you what Al-‘Adh (literally: lying, sorcery etc.) is? It is conveying false rumors for the purpose of causing disputes between people.” (Muslim)
Both Sahih collectors reported from Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:
“Some eloquence can be (so beautiful that it constitutes) sorcery.”
Important issues of the Chapter
1) Al-‘lydfah, At-Tarq, At-Tiyarah are three kinds of Al-Jibt (sorcery/magic).
2) Al-‘lyafah, and At-Tarq are explained.
3) Astrology too is a kind of sorcery.
4) Tying knots and blowing over them is also sorcery.
5) An-Namimah (tale bearing, backbiting) is also a form of sorcery.
6) Talking sometimes superfluously and eloquently can too be sorcery.
English 