He asked me to make a supplication that Allah would make things easy for him, so he gave me a piece of paper to take with me. I hope for guidance on this matter?

Question:
Let me tell you that when I traveled from Sudan, I went to a relative who is a man who has memorized the Qur'an. I told him that I was traveling and asked him to ask Allah to make things easy for me. He gave me a piece of paper and said to me, "Take this paper." I did not know what was in it. Is there anything wrong with that?

Answer:
There is doubt in this, because we do not know what is in this paper. If he gave it to you for the sake of protection, that it protects you from what is disliked, or that it does so, then there is great doubt in this, and we fear that what is written in it is not permissible to believe in, write, or carry, and that this is among the amulets and barriers of shirk (associating partners with Allah). In any case, carrying this paper is not permissible, even if it is from the Qur'an or from supplications. Carrying papers as amulets or as barriers is not permissible, even if they are from the Qur'an. As for if they are from the supplications of shirk or from the words of disbelief, then that is more forbidden and a greater sin, because it corrupts the creed. In any case, carrying papers for the sake of protection, warding off what is disliked, or curing illness, all of this is not permissible. It would have been sufficient if he had made a supplication for you as you asked him to. If he had made a supplication for you for safety, well-being, and protection from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), that is the sunnah (recommended practice). But giving you papers is from the category of using barriers, as we mentioned. Yes.