Reporting on the Sorcerer and Covering Up the Sins of Sinners
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
What is the ruling on spying on a man who has violated our honor, given that it has been established that he is a sorcerer, and what is the ruling on killing him?
Answer:
You must report his case to the authority. If he has transgressed against you and you know that he is a sorcerer or that he harms the Muslims, his case must be brought to the authority of the land or the court with evidence. It is necessary that evidence be obtained, because words without evidence are lost. Therefore, a person must base his case on evidence that identifies the man, and they testify against him regarding his crime. Then, after verifying the matter, you report his case so that the complaint is effective and the litigation is effective in the proper channels. This falls under the category of mutual advice and dealing with righteousness and piety. It is not permissible for a person to remain silent about a wrong that he is able to denounce or report, especially what harms Muslims in general, such as sorcerers and fortune-tellers who harm people, and who deliver their religion and worldly affairs to them, and who consume their wealth without right, claiming to be doctors or the like. All of this must be reported, and one must not be lenient in it. As for his neighbor or his friend, the first thing is to cover up for him and advise him, no matter how many times he denies it, once or twice, perhaps Allah will guide him. If he persists in the evil, there is no harm in reporting him and clarifying the falsehood attributed to him. However, if the sin is a secret between him and his Lord, and you or some of your brothers among his neighbors are the only ones who know about it, you cover up for him, advise him, and pray for his guidance and success, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and he remained silent, perhaps he will repent, and that is good.
As for those who are known for their harm to people and who cause evil to people, such as fortune-tellers, astrologers, palm readers, those accused of fortune-telling, and their like who harm the Muslims, one does not remain silent about them nor cover up for them, because the harm of the sorcerer is a great evil. Rather, it is obligatory to report them so that judgment is passed upon them with what Allah has prescribed, such as killing or otherwise.
What is the ruling on spying on a man who has violated our honor, given that it has been established that he is a sorcerer, and what is the ruling on killing him?
Answer:
You must report his case to the authority. If he has transgressed against you and you know that he is a sorcerer or that he harms the Muslims, his case must be brought to the authority of the land or the court with evidence. It is necessary that evidence be obtained, because words without evidence are lost. Therefore, a person must base his case on evidence that identifies the man, and they testify against him regarding his crime. Then, after verifying the matter, you report his case so that the complaint is effective and the litigation is effective in the proper channels. This falls under the category of mutual advice and dealing with righteousness and piety. It is not permissible for a person to remain silent about a wrong that he is able to denounce or report, especially what harms Muslims in general, such as sorcerers and fortune-tellers who harm people, and who deliver their religion and worldly affairs to them, and who consume their wealth without right, claiming to be doctors or the like. All of this must be reported, and one must not be lenient in it. As for his neighbor or his friend, the first thing is to cover up for him and advise him, no matter how many times he denies it, once or twice, perhaps Allah will guide him. If he persists in the evil, there is no harm in reporting him and clarifying the falsehood attributed to him. However, if the sin is a secret between him and his Lord, and you or some of your brothers among his neighbors are the only ones who know about it, you cover up for him, advise him, and pray for his guidance and success, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever increases in the ownership of his family, Allah will increase him in the world and the Hereafter,
من كتر ملك كتره الله في الدنيا والآخرة،As for those who are known for their harm to people and who cause evil to people, such as fortune-tellers, astrologers, palm readers, those accused of fortune-telling, and their like who harm the Muslims, one does not remain silent about them nor cover up for them, because the harm of the sorcerer is a great evil. Rather, it is obligatory to report them so that judgment is passed upon them with what Allah has prescribed, such as killing or otherwise.
Source
ندوات الجامع الكبير مع الأسئلة - 42 — archive.org (5:24)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.