Sorcery

At a glance

Sorcery represents an age-old corruption rooted in falsehood, trickery, and reliance on devils. Throughout history, societies have wrestled with its real-world damage, which fractures families, plants hatred, and brings physical and emotional distress. Yet the Quran establishes that whatever capability sorcery appears to wield, it remains thoroughly powerless against the sovereign will of Allah.

The Quran repeatedly addresses sorcery to uncover its destructive nature and firmly deny its claims to ultimate power. Opponents of divine truth frequently hurled the accusation of sorcery against the prophets, their scriptures, and their miracles to blind people from the guidance being offered. By seeing how Allah dismantles these accusations and protects His servants, believers find reassurance in the absolute supremacy of divine truth over dark falsehoods.

Key verses

1. Al-Baqarah 2:102: This verse establishes that sorcery is a taught falsehood derived from devils and that its practitioners can harm no one except by the leave and permission of Allah.
2. Al-A'raf 7:116: This verse illustrates how sorcerers deceive human vision and induce fear through optical illusions, showing that their grand spectacle operates by captivating the senses rather than altering core reality.
3. Yunus 10:81: Prophet Musa declares that Allah will inevitably nullify sorcery because Allah never allows the work of corruptors to endure or prosper.
4. Ta-Ha 20:69: Allah assures that whatever sorcerers produce is merely cunning trickery, affirming that a sorcerer will never achieve true success wherever they turn.

Words to know

السّحر al-sihr

A hidden craft or illusion that captivates the senses and turns things from their true nature, relying on devils and resulting in disbelief.

Appears 63 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: سِحْر (28), ساحِر (22), مَسْحُور (4), سَحَر (3), سَحَرُ (3)

Root: س ح ر

الخداع al-khida'

Deceiving and outmaneuvering someone by outwardly showing good while concealing the opposite to reach an objective.

الكهانة al-kihana

Claiming knowledge of the unseen or future events, typically through the aid of jinn or purported hidden signs.

العراف al-'arraf

A practitioner who claims to discover hidden or lost matters by relying on preliminary signs and cues.

العرافة al-'irafa

The forbidden craft of attempting to uncover unseen or unknown matters through inferential methods or cooperation with jinn.

The reality of sorcery

From the paper: «حقيقة السّحر»

Scholars have long examined whether sorcery possesses genuine reality or is merely illusion and sleight of hand. The majority of scholars affirm that sorcery has a real presence and tangible effects. The Quran describes sorcery as causing division between a husband and wife Al-Baqarah 2:102, commands believers to seek refuge from those who blow on knots Al-Falaq 113:4, and recounts the formidable display brought by Pharaoh's magicians Al-A'raf 7:116.

In contrast, the Mu'tazilah maintained that sorcery has no genuine reality, arguing it consists solely of visual deception and trickery. They cited verses showing that ropes and staffs were only made to appear to move through magic Ta-Ha 20:66, and that sorcerers are denied ultimate success Ta-Ha 20:69. They also worried that acknowledging real effects would blur the distinction between sorcery and prophetic miracles.

The majority responded that denying ultimate success denotes punishment rather than unreality. Furthermore, prophetic miracles originate from Allah to guide humanity, whereas sorcery stems from devils to misguide them. While certain forms of sorcery rely purely on illusion and trickery Al-A'raf 7:116, real sorcery causes verifiable psychological and physical harm, though its effects are strictly bound by the decree and permission of Allah Al-Baqarah 2:102.

The effect of sorcery

From the paper: «تأثير السّحر»

The Quran confirms that sorcery exerts real harm upon human hearts and bodies. Its clearest demonstration is breaking the bond between husband and wife Al-Baqarah 2:102. Since the marital relationship is fortified with deep affection and mercy Ar-Rum 30:21, sorcery's ability to sever it proves it can affect lesser relationships even more readily.

This influence operates by casting ugly perceptions, generating mutual hatred, and sowing discord. As scholars like al-Shawkani and al-Qurtubi noted, sorcery induces love, hatred, physical pain, and illness. Seeking refuge from those who blow upon knots Al-Falaq 113:4 further validates this impact.

Crucially, this influence is not independent or self-sustaining. The Quran decisively establishes that sorcerers cannot harm anyone except by Allah's leave Al-Baqarah 2:102. Their impact can also overwhelm human senses and instill dread, as seen when the magicians' illusions caused even Prophet Musa to feel an inner apprehension before divine reassurance calmed him Ta-Ha 20:66-68.

Describing truth as sorcery

From the paper: «وصف الحق بالسّحر»

Throughout history, opponents of divine guidance have used the charge of sorcery as a weapon to reject truth. They hurled this slander in three main areas:

• Describing Revealed Scriptures as Sorcery: When faced with clear revelations, disbelievers dismissed them as obvious magic. Even if a written scripture were sent down on parchment for them to touch, they would still claim it was clear magic Al-An'am 6:7. They leveled the same charge against the promise of resurrection Hud 11:7 and the recitation of divine signs Saba 34:43, Az-Zukhruf 43:30, Al-Ahqaf 46:7, As-Saff 61:6, Al-Muddaththir 74:24. They sought to justify their obstinacy and turn people away from following the message.

• Describing Messengers as Sorcerers: Pharaoh and his elites branded Musa and Harun as skilled magicians seeking to drive people from their land Ta-Ha 20:63, Ash-Shu'ara 26:34-35, Ghafir 40:23-24. The Quraysh called Prophet Muhammad a lying sorcerer Yunus 10:2, Sad 38:4. The Quran notes this as an ongoing pattern among rejecting nations Adh-Dhariyat 51:52.

• Describing Miracles and Proofs as Sorcery: When Musa showed the radiant hand and other clear signs, Pharaoh's people dismissed them as sorcery An-Naml 27:12-13. The miracles given to Isa were similarly rejected Al-Ma'idah 5:110. When the moon split before the Quraysh, they claimed it was merely continuous magic Al-Qamar 54:1-2.

The legal ruling on sorcery

From the paper: «حكم السّحر»

The Quran addresses sorcery as an established branch of specialized learning that has historical roots, methods, and transmitters. In Surah al-Baqarah, the text repeatedly references its transmission and acquisition through words denoting teaching and learning Al-Baqarah 2:102, Ta-Ha 20:71.

While categorized systematically as a discipline, its religious ruling is categorical disbelief and prohibition. The two angels in Babylon clearly warned seekers that their instruction was a trial, cautioning them not to disbelieve Al-Baqarah 2:102. Learning or practicing it strips away faith, placing the practitioner in major disbelief. The paper notes the Prophet counted sorcery among the seven destructive sins.

Furthermore, Allah vindicated Prophet Sulayman from the false charge of sorcery by explicitly declaring that Sulayman did not disbelieve, whereas the devils disbelieved by teaching sorcery Al-Baqarah 2:102. As scholars like Ibn Hajar and al-Tha'labi explained, equating the teaching of sorcery with disbelief indicates that sorcery itself constitutes disbelief. It is a strictly forbidden science whose practice incurs severe punishment in both worlds.

Nullifying sorcery

From the paper: «إبطال السّحر»

Whatever apparent force sorcery possesses, the Quran affirms it is fundamentally false, transient, and doomed to ruin. Musa announced to Pharaoh's magicians that Allah would nullify their craft, because Allah never allows the work of corruptors to prosper Yunus 10:81, and sorcerers never attain success Yunus 10:77, Ta-Ha 20:69. Their cunning is bound to perish Ghafir 40:37.

The Quran highlights key means to dismantle and invalidate sorcery:

• Divine Signs and Miracles: Musa's staff swallowed the illusory fabrications of the magicians Ta-Ha 20:69, Ash-Shu'ara 26:45. For our times, the Quran remains the enduring miracle used to cure and undo sorcery through prescribed spiritual recitation (ruqyah), such as Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-Baqarah.
• Relying on Allah and Dispelling Fear: Sorcerers prey upon human fear to magnify their power Al-A'raf 7:116. Overcoming this fear through pure monotheism and trust in Allah breaks their hold Al-An'am 6:82, Ta-Ha 20:68.
• Firm Certainty in Allah's Power: Musa stood with unwavering certainty that Allah would nullify the deception Yunus 10:81.

The Sunnah also details practical shields, such as eating seven 'Ajwah dates in the morning and physically untying sorcerous knots whenever they are discovered.

The recompense of sorcerers

From the paper: «جزاء السّحرة»

Because sorcery causes profound social chaos, ruins health, and tears families apart, divine law establishes severe penalties for its practitioners. In this world, the Quran deprives them of success Ta-Ha 20:69, brands them as corruptors Yunus 10:81 and fabricators destined for ruin Ta-Ha 20:61, and promises their humiliation and defeat Al-A'raf 7:118-119.

Jurists extensively examined the legal penalty for sorcerers:

• The Majority View: The majority, including Abu Hanifah, Malik, and the relied-upon position in the Hanbali school, held that a sorcerer is a disbeliever whose penalty is capital punishment without accepting repentance. They cited companions like Umar, Uthman, and Hafsah, and Quranic verses stating that sorcerers have no share in the Hereafter Al-Baqarah 2:102 and lack all success Ta-Ha 20:69.
• The Second View: Narrated from Ahmad and Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, this stance prescribes the death penalty without categorically declaring the sorcerer an apostate.
• The Shafi'i View: Al-Shafi'i differentiated between types of sorcery. If the magic involves explicit words or acts of disbelief, the person is an apostate; if it causes death without disbelief, retribution applies; otherwise, disciplinary punishment is administered.

In the Hereafter, if judged as a disbeliever, the sorcerer faces eternal damnation Al-Baqarah 2:102, while one not deemed an apostate remains under the threat of divine punishment.

Takeaways

1. Grounding your security in Allah alone

   Recognize that no sorcery, trickery, or hidden harm can touch you unless permitted by Allah Al-Baqarah 2:102. Cultivating this certainty replaces irrational dread with calm reliance on divine protection.

2. Protecting yourself through the Quran

   Make regular recitation of the Quran, particularly Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-Baqarah, an active part of your life. Revelation serves as an enduring spiritual shield that undoes darkness and confusion.

3. Staying clear of dark and dubious crafts

   Avoid engaging with fortune-tellers, soothsayers, or occultists in any form. Pursuing hidden knowledge through forbidden means risks compromising faith and incurs severe spiritual loss Al-Baqarah 2:102.

4. Recognizing slander against truth

   Be aware that falsehood routinely attempts to discredit genuine truth by branding it with negative labels, just as past nations branded divine revelation as sorcery Saba 34:43.

Reflect

• When you encounter unexpected anxiety or fear of hidden harms, do you instinctively turn to Allah's protection or dwell on the fear itself?
• How can you strengthen your daily connection with the Quran to make it a living shield for your home and heart?
• In what ways can you protect your family bonds from suspicion, ill-will, and the negative whisperings that tear relationships apart?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Linguistically, the root denotes three distinct origins: a physical organ, deception and trickery, or a time of night. Sorcery refers to an enchantment that captivates the eye so that a person imagines something to be other than what it truly is.

Technical meaning

Scholars defined sorcery according to its diverse manifestations. Al-Tabari described it as making something appear to a person contrary to its actual reality, while al-Baydawi characterized it as seeking aid through devotion to Satan to achieve things beyond ordinary human capability.

How it differs from related terms

الخداع Deception

Deception shares with sorcery the concealment of reality and presentation of an illusion, but it differs in ruling and means: sorcery involves disbelief and devilry, whereas deception varies based on intent and may be forbidden or permissible.

الكهانة Soothsaying

Soothsaying specifically involves claiming knowledge of future events or hidden secrets, relying on jinn or purported omens, while sorcery relies completely on devils to effect harm, alter perceptions, or cause division.

العراف Diviner

The diviner is one who claims to discover stolen goods, lost property, or hidden realities using deduction and subtle signs, whereas the sorcerer engages in incantations, contracts with devils, and manipulative rituals.

العرافة Divination

Divination is the practice of deducing unseen matters through inferential cues or cooperation with unseen spirits, sharing the prohibition of sorcery but differing in its focus on uncovering hidden items rather than exerting physical or emotional harm.

Every verse in the paper

All 44 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Sorcery in Quranic usage «السحر في الاستعمال القرآني»

7:116, 7:132, 10:81, 17:47, 26:37, 38:4, 2:102, 23:89

The reality of sorcery «حقيقة السّحر»

2:102, 7:116, 113:4, 20:66, 20:69

The effect of sorcery «تأثير السّحر»

2:102, 30:21, 113:4, 20:66-68

Describing truth as sorcery «وصف الحق بالسّحر»

Describing revealed scriptures as sorcery «أولًا: وصف الكتب المنزلة بالسّحر»

6:7, 11:7, 34:43, 43:30, 43:31, 46:7, 61:6, 74:24

Describing messengers as sorcerers «ثانيًا: وصف الرسل بالسّحر»

26:34-35, 20:63, 40:23-24, 10:2, 38:4, 51:52

Describing miracles and proofs as sorcery «ثالثًا: وصف المعجزات والحجج بالسّحر»

27:12-13, 5:110, 54:1-2

The legal ruling on sorcery «حكم السّحر»

Establishing that sorcery is a field of knowledge «أولًا: إثبات أن السحر علم من العلوم»

2:102, 20:71

The ruling on this kind of knowledge «ثانيًا: بيان حكم هذا النوع من العلوم»

2:102

Nullifying sorcery «إبطال السّحر»

10:81, 5:64, 10:77, 40:37, 20:69, 26:45, 20:68, 7:116, 6:82

The recompense of sorcerers «جزاء السّحرة»

The recompense of sorcerers in this worldly life «أولًا: جزاء السحرة في الدنيا»

20:69, 10:81, 20:61, 7:118-119

The recompense of the sorcerer in the hereafter «ثانيًا: جزاء الساحر في الآخرة»

2:102, 20:69, 2:103

About this source

Volume

9

Research paper

«السّحر» (Sorcery)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

Related topics

• Falsehood الباطل
• Evil الشر
• Idolatry الشرك
• Pharaoh فرعون
• Prophet Moses موسى عليه السلام