What is called in Sudan the *Hawi* (magician), who performs magical acts for entertainment, such as turning paper into money; is this from the sorcery that is forbidden by Islamic law?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, in our country there is what is called *al-Hawwa* or *al-Hawiyyah* (plural of *Hawi*), which is a man who performs or carries out magical acts for entertainment in schools, in places of recreation, and so on.
He takes a white piece of paper, puts it in his pocket, and takes it out as a paper currency note of one thousand or five hundred, or he puts a handkerchief in his mouth and takes it out as dozens of handkerchiefs tied together with wires, razors, or similar things. Is this from the forbidden sorcery?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is undoubtedly from the forbidden sorcery. And Allah the Exalted said regarding the sorcerers of the family of Pharaoh that when they cast their ropes and staffs, it seemed to Musa (peace be upon him) from their sorcery that they were moving, that they were snakes filling the earth and moving to eat him. So he feared, but Allah inspired him to cast his staff, so he cast his staff, and behold, it was snatching away what they fabricated.
This is sorcery of the eyes, otherwise it has no effect on the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In other words, the handkerchiefs he put in are nothing but one handkerchief, and the paper he put in and took out as money is nothing but the first paper, but he has bewitched the eyes of the people.
He takes a white piece of paper, puts it in his pocket, and takes it out as a paper currency note of one thousand or five hundred, or he puts a handkerchief in his mouth and takes it out as dozens of handkerchiefs tied together with wires, razors, or similar things. Is this from the forbidden sorcery?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is undoubtedly from the forbidden sorcery. And Allah the Exalted said regarding the sorcerers of the family of Pharaoh that when they cast their ropes and staffs, it seemed to Musa (peace be upon him) from their sorcery that they were moving, that they were snakes filling the earth and moving to eat him. So he feared, but Allah inspired him to cast his staff, so he cast his staff, and behold, it was snatching away what they fabricated.
This is sorcery of the eyes, otherwise it has no effect on the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In other words, the handkerchiefs he put in are nothing but one handkerchief, and the paper he put in and took out as money is nothing but the first paper, but he has bewitched the eyes of the people.