Fatwa No. ( 20520 ) Q: Some newspapers and magazines present us with news about certain players and clowns who claim to have superhuman abilities; such as breaking rocks on their chests, sleeping on nails and sharp tools, bending iron and rods with their eyes, and pulling cars with their fingers... and so on. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding these acts and those who perform them, and what is the ruling on hosting them and watching them? A: What some ignorant people do, such as breaking rocks on their chests, sleeping on nails and sharp tools, bending iron with their eyes, pulling cars with their hair or teeth, and eating razors and glass... and other matters that go beyond human custom—all of this is considered deception, sorcery, and magic. It is the work of the magicians of Pharaoh, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in Surat al-A'raf: فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic. [Al-A'raf 7:116] , and He said the Exalted in Surat Ta-Ha: فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes]. [Taha 20:66] . Accordingly, it is not permissible to perform these acts, nor to learn them, nor to spread them, nor to encourage them. It is obligatory to combat them and report those who do them, and to punish them in a way that deters them and restrains their harm from the people. Their games and acts contain deception, sorcery, trickery, and mockery of people's minds, corruption of faith, and taking of wealth by false means, which is not hidden. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Sorcery in Acting

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta

Machine translationRead the Arabic original

Fatwa No. ( 20520 )
Q: Some newspapers and magazines present us with news about certain players and clowns who claim to have superhuman abilities; such as breaking rocks on their chests, sleeping on nails and sharp tools, bending iron and rods with their eyes, and pulling cars with their fingers... and so on. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding these acts and those who perform them, and what is the ruling on hosting them and watching them?
A: What some ignorant people do, such as breaking rocks on their chests, sleeping on nails and sharp tools, bending iron with their eyes, pulling cars with their hair or teeth, and eating razors and glass... and other matters that go beyond human custom—all of this is considered deception, sorcery, and magic. It is the work of the magicians of Pharaoh, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic said in Surat al-A'raf:

and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.

فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ

[Al-A'raf 7:116]

, and He said
the Exalted in Surat Ta-Ha:

And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].

فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى

[Taha 20:66]

. Accordingly, it is not permissible to perform these acts, nor to learn them, nor to spread them, nor to encourage them. It is obligatory to combat them and report those who do them, and to punish them in a way that deters them and restrains their harm from the people. Their games and acts contain deception, sorcery, trickery, and mockery of people's minds, corruption of faith, and taking of wealth by false means, which is not hidden. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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