Seeking the help of the jinn, magnetic hypnosis, and swearing by the right of so-and-so
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Fatwa number ( 1779 ):
Q: What is the ruling in Islam regarding one who seeks the help of the jinn in knowing the unseen, such as knocking on a table?
What is the ruling in Islam regarding magnetic hypnosis, by which the hypnotist acquires the ability to suggest to the hypnotized person, thereby controlling him and making him leave a forbidden act, or be cured of a nervous illness, or perform the work requested by the hypnotist? What is the ruling in Islam regarding a person saying: "By the right of so-and-so" — is it an oath or not? Please inform us.
A: First: Knowledge of the unseen is the exclusive domain of Allah the Exalted, so no one among His creation knows it, neither a jinn nor anyone else, except what Allah reveals to whom He wills of His angels or His messengers. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Naml 27:65] And He said regarding His Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) and the jinn He subjected to him: [Saba 34:14] And He said: [Al-Jinn 72:26-27] It is established from al-Nu'as ibn Sam'an (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . And in the authentic collections, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4800 . Accordingly, it is not permissible to seek the help of the jinn or any other created being in knowing the unseen, neither by supplicating to them and seeking their favor, nor by knocking on a table or the like. Rather, that is shirk (associating partners with Allah); because it is a type of worship, and Allah has informed His servants to single Him out for it, saying: [Al-Fatihah 1:5] It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said to Ibn 'Abbas : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam) the hadith. Second: Magnetic hypnosis is a type of fortune-telling using a jinn, so that the hypnotist empowers the jinn over the hypnotized person, causing him to speak with his tongue and giving him strength in some actions by controlling him, if the jinn is truthful with the hypnotist and submissive to him in exchange for what the hypnotist uses to draw near to it, and making that hypnotized jinn submissive to the hypnotist's will in what he requests of actions or news, with the jinn's assistance to him, if that jinn is truthful with the hypnotist. Accordingly, exploiting magnetic hypnosis and taking it as a path or means to indicate the location of a stolen item or a lost item, or to treat a sick person, or to perform any other work through the hypnotist is not permissible. Rather, it is shirk; for what has preceded, and because it is turning to other than Allah in matters that are beyond the ordinary causes which He, the Exalted, has assigned to created beings and permitted them.
Third: A person saying, "By the right of so-and-so," may mean an oath, i.e., "I swear to you by the right of so-and-so," in which case the preposition "by" indicates the oath. It may also mean seeking nearness to Allah through a means or seeking aid by the person's status or influence, in which case the preposition "by" indicates seeking aid. In both cases, this statement is not permissible. As for the first case: it is because swearing by a created being to a created being is not permissible, so swearing by a created being to Allah the Exalted is even more strictly prohibited. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled that swearing by other than Allah is associating partners with Allah, and he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 3251Sahih (Al-Albani) It was narrated by Ahmad , Abu Dawud , al-Tirmidhi , and al-Hakim , and he graded it as authentic. As for the second case: it is because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not seek nearness to Allah through a means by the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or by his status, neither during his lifetime nor after his death. They were the people who knew his status with Allah and his influence with Him best, and they were the most knowledgeable about the Shari'ah. Hardships befell them during the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) lifetime and after his passing, and they turned to Allah and called upon Him to remove them. If seeking nearness to Allah through a means by his person or his status (peace and blessings be upon him) had been prescribed, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would have taught them, for he did not leave any matter that brings one closer to Allah without commanding it and guiding to it. And they (may Allah be pleased with them) would have acted upon it, out of their eagerness to act upon what was prescribed for them, especially in times of hardship. Therefore, the fact that there is no established permission from him (peace and blessings be upon him) and guidance to it, and that they did not act upon it, is evidence
that it is not permissible. And what is established from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is that they used to seek tawassul to Allah through the supplication of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to his Lord; in response to their request, and that was in his lifetime, as in the prayer for rain and others. So when he died (peace and blessings be upon him), 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, when he went out for the prayer for rain:Sahih al-Bukhari 1010 meaning: through the supplication of al-'Abbas to his Lord and his asking Him, and it is not intended to be tawassul through the status of al-'Abbas; because the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is greater and higher, and it remains for him after his death as it was in his lifetime. If that tawassul had been intended, they would have sought tawassul through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instead of seeking tawassul through al-'Abbas, but they did not do so. Moreover, tawassul through the status of the prophets and the rest of the righteous is a means among the means of shirk that is close; as reality and experiences have indicated, so that is prohibited; to block the means (sadd al-dhara'i') and to protect the sanctity of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: What is the ruling in Islam regarding one who seeks the help of the jinn in knowing the unseen, such as knocking on a table?
What is the ruling in Islam regarding magnetic hypnosis, by which the hypnotist acquires the ability to suggest to the hypnotized person, thereby controlling him and making him leave a forbidden act, or be cured of a nervous illness, or perform the work requested by the hypnotist? What is the ruling in Islam regarding a person saying: "By the right of so-and-so" — is it an oath or not? Please inform us.
A: First: Knowledge of the unseen is the exclusive domain of Allah the Exalted, so no one among His creation knows it, neither a jinn nor anyone else, except what Allah reveals to whom He wills of His angels or His messengers. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قُلْ لاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلا اللَّهُAnd when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى مَوْتِهِ إِلا دَابَّةُ الأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْسَأَتَهُ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ(26) [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone (27) Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observers
عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا (26) إِلا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًاWhen Allah the Exalted intends to reveal a matter, He speaks with the revelation, and the heavens take a tremor, or he said: a severe shaking, out of fear of Allah Mighty and Majestic. When the people of the heavens hear that, they faint and fall down to Allah in prostration. The first to raise his head is Jibril, and Allah speaks to him of His revelation with what He intends. Then Jibril passes by the angels, and whenever he passes by a heaven, its angels say: What did our Lord say, O Jibril? Jibril says: He said the truth, and He is the Most High, the Great. They all say what Jibril said, and Jibril brings the revelation to where Allah Mighty and Majestic commanded him.
إذا أراد الله تعالى أن يوحي بالأمر تكلم بالوحي أخذت السماوات منه رجفة أو قال: رعدة شديدة خوفًا من الله عز وجل، فإذا سمع ذلك أهل السماوات صعقوا وخروا لله سجدًا، فيكون أول من يرفع رأسه جبريل فيكلمه الله من وحيه بما أراد، ثم يمر جبريل بالملائكة كلما مر بسماء قال ملائكتها: ماذا قال ربنا يا جبريل؟ فيقول جبريل: قال الحق وهو العلي الكبير، فيقولون كلهم مثل ما قال جبريل، فينتهي جبريل بالوحي إلى حيث أمره الله عز وجلWhen Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings indicating complete surrender to His saying which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And when the state of fear disappears, they ask each other, "What has your Lord ordered? They say that He has said that which is true and just, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (34.23). Then the stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other." (Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers.) A stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him and the second will convey it to that which is below him till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller. Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the heavens."
إذا قضى الله الأمر في السماء ضربت الملائكة بأجنحتها خضعانًا لقوله كأنه سلسلة على صفوان ينفذهم ذلك حَتَّى إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ فيسمعها مسترق السمع ومسترق السمع هكذا بعضه فوق بعض - وصفه سفيان بكفه فحرفها وبدد بين أصابعه - فيسمع الكلمة فيلقيها إلى من تحته ثم يلقيها الآخر إلى من تحته حتى يلقيها على لسان الساحر أو الكاهن، فربما أدركه الشهاب قبل أن يلقيها، وربما ألقاها قبل أن يدركه، فيكذب معها مائة كذبة، فيقال: أليس قد قال لنا يوم كذا وكذا: كذا وكذا؟! فيصدق بتلك الكلمة التي سمعت من السماءIt is You we worship and You we ask for help.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُWhen you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah's aid.
إذا سألت فاسأل الله، وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله ...Third: A person saying, "By the right of so-and-so," may mean an oath, i.e., "I swear to you by the right of so-and-so," in which case the preposition "by" indicates the oath. It may also mean seeking nearness to Allah through a means or seeking aid by the person's status or influence, in which case the preposition "by" indicates seeking aid. In both cases, this statement is not permissible. As for the first case: it is because swearing by a created being to a created being is not permissible, so swearing by a created being to Allah the Exalted is even more strictly prohibited. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled that swearing by other than Allah is associating partners with Allah, and he said:
He who swears by anyone but Allah is polytheist.
من حلف بغير الله فقد أشركthat it is not permissible. And what is established from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is that they used to seek tawassul to Allah through the supplication of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to his Lord; in response to their request, and that was in his lifetime, as in the prayer for rain and others. So when he died (peace and blessings be upon him), 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, when he went out for the prayer for rain:
O Allah! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah ! Bless us with rain."(1) And so it would rain.
اللهم إنا كنا إذا أجدبنا نتوسل إليك بنبينا فتسقينا، وإنا نتوسل إليك بعم نبينا فاسقنا، فيسقون
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.