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CHAPTER II
SIHR OR BLACK MAGIC AND IT’S ORIGINAL HISTORY

A. Definition Of Sihr

The idea of sorcery, magic and witchcraft is present in most religions as

it was part of the classical worldview whereby many workings of nature were

unknown and understood as ruled by supernatural forces. The ‘blowing on

knots’ which the above verse refers to is “a magical practice much in use in

Semitic circles It was particularly popular in Jewish circles, despite its rigid

prohibition in the Pentateuch. An allusion to this practice is found in the

Sumerian Macila (The Burnt Tablets), where we read: “His knot is open, his

witchcraft has been cancelled, and his spells now fill the desert.” The blowing

itself, the bad breath and the spit, are considered an enemy’s curse.16

Magic or sorcery is an attempt to understand, experience and influence

the world using rituals, symbols, actions, gestures and language17 The Arabic

word translated in this passage as “magic” is sihr. The etymological meaning

of sihr suggests that “it is the turning . . . of a thing from its true nature . . . or

form . . . to something else which is unreal or a mere appearance “ (107)

Arabic or Islamic magic is particularly prevalent, and it affects not just

moslems. It’s known as “SIHR” in Islamic term. The word Sihr or Magicis

derivedfrom the wordsahara-yasharu-sihran,fromformingthe original word,

which issihrmeansdeceiving, bewitchinganddeceit. As for as

16
Gabriel Mandel Khan, Magic’ in Encyclopeadia of the Qur’an, volume 3
(2003), p.248.)
17
Hutton RonaldPagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles. (1991). pp. 289–
291, 335

14
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thepluralformisashaarandasformofisimfa’il(subject) isthatas aform ofjama’

(plural noun)saahiritissaharah18. Likewise, fromthewordformationlafadzas-

saharuhas the meaning“late night”, which issynonymouswithdesignationas-

meal, thefood eatenat the end ofthe night, becausefoodishiddenfromwhere

they were taken, so thateverything thatishiddenis calledas-sihru.19

As according tothe Shari’a (Islamic Preaching), the termmagiccan be

dividedintotwokind:

1. Ropeknotsandspells, orreadings andspellsusedas a meansbywitchso

shecanmake thedevilasmaid, in accordancewith thedesire

toharmpeoplewhobewitched. ButGodhassaid, “and theywere(sorcerer)

does notgiveharmtohis magictoone exceptbypermissionof Allah. “(al-

Baqarah: 102).

2. Incantationsand drugsthatmayaffect theentity, the mind, the willandthe

tendencyof peoplewhobewitched, so thathimto do somethingagainst his

will. As a result, someonecouldstickto his wifeorattracted to a

womanother 20

Abu BakrIbnal-Arabi, an expert of commentaryandIslamic lawon path

ofMaliki(d. 1148M), arguesthatmagicis“Utterances containingexaltationto

other thanAllahIt is believed bythe subject / sorcerercan

producesomethingwithgrade-levels “.

18
Mahmud Yunus, Kamus Arab Indonesia, (HidaKaryaAgung, Jakarta, 1990), p.
164
19
Abi al-FadlJamaluddin Muhammad MukramIbnuMandzur al-Afriqy al-Mishri,
Lisan al-’Arab, ( Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1990), Vol IV, p. 348
20
Syaikh Muhammad bin Shalih Al- Utsaimin, SyarahKitabTauhid Al-
QaululMufid’ala( KitabitTauhid, DarulFalah, 2003), p. 419.
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Opinion ofthe author ofthe book“TafseerAhkamal-Qur’an”

itdoes notprovide an opportunity foranevenMuslimstojustifythe use

ofmagictoany destination. Thisclericmagicas a toolto assessthe

deviltodeceivehumans21Belonging to theevilmagicthatdesired by God’s

Authority himself. Its realizationinthisworldas atest and trial,

thoughinHispleasureas a science, butheforbids peopletodo22

Black magic- one of the strongest and powerful spiritual forces of the universe

has become one of the most reliable and assuring source of solution to the people all

over the world. Gone are the days when people would shrink away at the mention of

the dark arts and would discriminate black magic. In the modern world, black magic

is not only very interesting phenomena but also a very commonplace idea. It is

surprising to note that thousands of years ago when black magic first came into

being it was regarded as a sin. People practising the black magic were hugely

deprived and executed. This represented a time when people’s faith and freedom

were not respected. Black magic was regarded as a crime and it was generally

dismissed. The fate of black magic, in current times is strikingly different and is a

result of years of keeping faith.

B. The History Of Sihror Black Magic In the World

In this worldthere aretwo partsof life .twopartof lifeopposite to each

other. The first partisthe lifethat isthetruthand theotherispartof

lifeinwickedness. Thesecondpartwill notbemetuntiljudgementdaylater,

becauseinnature there aredemons, devilsandjinn.

21
M. QuraishShihab, Tafsir Al-MisbahPesan, KesandanKeserasian Al-Qur’an,
LenteraHati, p. 288
22
Muhammad Isa Dawud, Dialog dengan Jin Muslim Pengalaman Spiritual,
PustakaHidayah, p. 143
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groupcreaturesthatwerecreatedwickedness, misguidanceandeverytheworston

earth. Thereforethere iswickedness thatso there is adangergamecalledmagic.23

From the continent of Africa to the furthest regions of Asia and what is

now the Americas, the Dark Arts that has gained such infamy and fear that the

mere mention of it is met by either mockery, humorous frowns or which is

systematically silenced in our modern society as mere superstitions. Yet it

surrounds every aspect of our folklore and popular culture. So what is Magic?

Is it a jumble of silly tricks and illusions or is it far more sinister then what

we’ve come to know through the productions of Disney and even more dark

and realistic then the novels of J.K Rowling.

For many people who have traveled around the world or have committed

even a few hours of internet research will not find it strange to come across

stories of people who have been targeted using black magic and spells. Stories

of demon possessions and strange sicknesses that elude even the most

advanced of scientific instruments and the most experienced of physicians and

scientists. In our modern society, there is a systemic assault on marriage and

its institution and we are awe struck by celebrities who seemed almost

blameless and inseparable, divorce at a moments notice. There are many

factors that can be blamed as there is no shortage in the evils that closely

follow celebrities, from MK Ultra to temptations of strange women etc, but

what if the epidemic that has overtaken our society is far more stranger then

what we’ve come to believe? What if its not a result of disintegration of

23
FirmansyachMaulana H, MerambahDuniaGhaibMenurutPandanganAjaran
Agama Islam, (Putra Pelajar, Surabaya, 2003), p. 132
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morals, changing of times or effects of what we consume in our foods, drink

in our water or what we see in the media alone. What if it had something to do

with the Dark arts? What if there was something that tied it all together? The

chemicals, the symbols, the rituals and chanting.

The belief in and the practice of magic has been present since the earliest

human cultures and continues to have an important spiritual, religious and

medicinal role in many cultures today. Magic is often viewed with suspicion

by the wider community, and is sometimes practiced in isolation and

secrecy.24

The concept of magic as a category separate from religion was first

widely recognized in Judaism, which derided as magic the practices of pagan

worship designed to appease and receive benefits from gods other than

Yahweh. Hanegraaff argues that magic is in fact “a largely polemical concept

that has been used by various religious interest groups either to describe their

own religious beliefs and practices or – more frequently – to discredit those of

others.”

In the medieval times, when black magic was at its height, it was also the

most talked about issue among people. It was widely practised but not openly.

Free discussions about dark magic or practising black arts were strictly

prohibited. The witch trials and hunts are a popular theme, which is familiar to

everybody. People were mercilessly executed for practising witchcraft and this

gave rise to a raging fear among the common folks regarding black magic.

24
Mauss, Marcel (1972) A General Theory of Magic (R. Brain, Trans.). New
York: Norton Library. (Original work published 1903). p. 24
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Since the middle ages itself, black magic flourished and gave rise to several

branches, the most important of them being witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy

etc. Witchcraft is the most widely used kind of black magic along with sorcery

which exists in our lives at a very basic level. Necromancy mainly

concentrated on communication with the dead and this gave rise to a lot of

speculations among the people and it went on to become an object of extreme

interest.

The foremost perspectives on magic in anthropology are functionalist,

symbolist and intellectualist. These three perspectives are used to describe

how magic works in a society. The functionalist perspective, usually

associated with Bronisław Malinowski, maintains that all aspects of society

are meaningful and interrelated.25 In the functionalist perspective, magic

performs a latent function in the society. The symbolist perspective researches

the subtle meaning in rituals and myths that define a society.26 and deals with

questions of theodicy—”why do bad things happen to good people?” Finally

the intellectualist perspective, associated with Edward Burnett Tylor and Sir

James Frazer, regard magic as logical, but based on a flawed understanding of

the world.

In general, the 20th century has seen a sharp rise in public interest in

various forms of magical practice, and the foundation of a number of

25
Robert H Winthrop. Dictionary of concepts in cultural anthropology. (New
York: Greenwood P, 1991) . p 321
26
Dictionary of anthropology. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997
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traditions and organisations, ranging from the distinctly religious to the

philosophical.

In England, a further revival of interest in magic was heralded by the

repeal of the last Witchcraft Act in 1951. In 1954 Gerald Gardner published a

book, Witchcraft Today, in which he claimed to reveal the existence of a

witch-cult that dated back to pre-Christian Europe. Although many of

Gardner’s claims have since come under intensive criticism from sources both

within and without the Neopagan community, his works remain the most

important founding stone of Wicca.

In today’s world, magic still seems to have connotations of evil for those

who might be Christian. The idea that someone can change their own life is

hard to believe when a faith is founded on the idea that one god is in control of

the universe. But if this deity creates the energy of the world, then it makes

sense that people would be able to use their faith in this energy to change their

lives (even if they don’t call it a spell). Black magic today has some evil

undertones, to be sure. Satanism, blood magic, and certain curses and hexes

are meant to hurt people. These harming spells are definitely not of the ‘good’

spell sense and those who practice this sort of magic can find themselves

receiving the same sort of horrors in return.

C. Types Of Magic
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There areseveralkinds ofmagic, of whichthereareKufrandtherewhichis

notkufr. Aidthat usesmagicanddemonstalksclearlyastrologersincludekufr.

Mediummagicwhousehand dexterity, and thetrick of the eye, such asconjuring

tricks, tacticsandthe likethen thisdoes notincludeKufr, even thoughthe gameis

haraam or forbidden.

Al Qur’an distinguishes between apparent magic (miracles sanctioned by

Allah) and real magic. The first is that used by Solomon, who being a prophet

of Allah, is assumed to have used miraculous powers with Allah’s blessing.

Muslims also believe that Allah made an army of Djinn obedient to him. The

second form is the magic that was taught by the “evil ones”, or al-shayatin.

Al-shayatin has two meanings; the first is similar to the Christian Satan. The

second meaning, which is the one used here, refers to a djinni of superior

power. The al-shayatin taught knowledge of evil and “pretended to force the

laws of nature and the will of Allah”According to this belief, those who follow

this path turn themselves from Allah and cannot reach heaven.

D. Sihr or Black Magic In Islam

Apparently, the most challenging verse of Quran is about the magic in

102nd verse of Al Baqarah episode that refers to two rulers named Harut and

Marutand the quality of teaching magic. then it says ”And they followed the

words which the monsters read in Solomon’s kingdom and Solomon never

denied the existence of God but the monsters did and taught people wizardry

and taught what was sent to Harut and Marutand never taught anybody

anything unless they said to him that they would test them wether they would
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deny them or not and taught the people what caused men and women

segragation and they never harmed anybody unless by God’s will and they

taught the people what was causing harm and was not beneficient and they

knew what they were learning was not good to the After-World and they have

sold their souls by their bad actions if they can apprehend”(Al Baqarah, Verse

102).

The story of Harut and Marut always been referred in most historical

books precisely or concisely and there are several interpretations about it.

some knew it a made story of the Jewish society. Anyhow this story has epic

contexts which are special. As it seems the story looks Babylonian. In the

Syriac tongue Maroot means kingdom and the word which is found in Hebrew

tongue is similar and the magicians use it. Tess Told believes that the names

of these two angels was taken by the Semites from the Zoroastrianic angels

and was spread amongst the Arabs and Quran by knowing it credibe has

informed the people of the story and prevented them to use magic or spell.

There are several interpretations of the 102nd verse of the episode

Baqare. It is said that in the age of solomon some were magicians in his

kingdom and he ordered to gather their spells and protect them in a special

site. After his death, some brought them out and tried to teach and spread

them. Some had told that Solomon was also a magician and gained his

kingdom by wizardry(MakaremShirazi, 1374 of the Iranian Calendar). In Ebn-

e-Hesham’sSeire we have that this verse was sent to affirm Solomon’s

prophecy. The Jewish said,”Are you not surprised that Mohammed knows
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Solomon a prophet while he was a prophet?”. God said “ Solomon did not turn

to athiesm but the devils did. The writer of the book Majma Al-Bayan rejects

solomon’sathiesm and attributes them to the devils and says when Quran says

the devils turned to athiesm it means that the devils were magicians while the

Jews knew Solomon a magician and thought thta his kingdom was based on

wizardry but God absolved him from atheism.27 In the book Oyoon, it is

quoted from Imam Sadiq that the Jews followed the lies of the athiest devils

who did magic on the special elements. They thought that Solomon attained

the kingdokm by wizardry and so they could gain it by the same strategy.

They also said that Solomon was a magician and an athiest and gained his

power by wizardry.

By the first millennium CE, sihr became a fully developed system in

Islamic society. Within this system, all magicians “asserted that magic is

worked by the obedience of spirits to the magician.28“ The efficacy of this

system comes from the belief that every Arabic letter, every word, verse, and

chapter in the Qur’an, every month, day, time and name were created by Allah

a priori, and that each has an angel and a djinn servant. It is through the

knowledge of the names of these servants that an actor is able to control the

angel and djinn for his or her purposes.

In the light of the above definition, Islam considers magic to be an act of

blasphemy. Thus, the Holy Quran say:

27
Tabarasi, 1993 of the Iranian Calendar, First Volume, p.336.
28
Gibb, H.A.R. and J.H. Kramerst. 1965. Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam. Ithaca:
Cornell. p, 546
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“Suleiman (Solomon) did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved

teaching men magic” (2:102)

In an authentic saying, the Prophet of Islam p.b.u.h. said: Whoever goes

to a fortune teller (a soothe sayer) or a diviner and believes him, has, in fact,

disbelieved in what has been revealed to Muhammad.

Thus Islam condemns magic- even what is called the horoscope or luck

or reading one’s palm to foretell the future is also prohibited in Islam. This is

based on the belief that no one knows the future or the unseen except God

almighty. That is why the Quran asserts that even Muhammad does not know

the unseen. Concerning this, it says:

“If I had the knowledge of the unseen, I should have secured

abundance for myself, and no evil would have touched me” (7:188).

Again, God is described in the Quran as the knower of the unseen and the

manifest (6:73) and as the holder of the keys of the unseen (6:59).In another

tradition, Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. says: “Avoid the seven deadly acts

which are: ascribing partners to God, magic, killing the human self which

Allah prohibited except with right, eating usury, devouring the orphan’s

wealth, defecting from the battle-field (without a justified reason) and

slandering chaste, unwary believing women. Thus Islam has closed the door

for practicing magic, simply because it is against its teachings, and it is

deceptive and harmful.

Let us now review some of the verses of the Holy Quran that refer to

magic: In Chapter two verse 101-102, the Quran says:

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“And when there came to them a Messenger from Allah confirming what
was with them, a party of those who were given the scripture threw away the
book of Allah behind their backs as if they did not know. And they followed
what the devils gave out falsely of magic of the reign of Solomon; for Solomon
did not disbelieve but the devils disbelieved, teaching men magic and such
things that came down at Babylon to the two angels Harut and Marut, but
neither of these two (angles) taught anyone (such things) until they had said:
we are only for trial, so don’t disbelieve. And from them (magicians) people
learn that through which they would cause separation between a person and
his spouse, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s leave; and
they learn that which harms them rather than profits them. And indeed they
knew that its practitioner would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad
indeed was that for which they sold their own selves if they but knew”(2:101-
2).
Although Solomon was the Prophet and Messenger of God, he was

accused by some of his opponents to be practicing magic. Those who claimed

this could not distinguish between magic and miracles. Almost all messengers

of God were granted miracles as a proof of their authenticity. To name only a

few: Moses was granted the staff by which he could divide the sea and make

water gush from rocks. Abraham was flung in the middle of a huge raging fire,

which Allah made cool and peaceful to him. Jesus Christ could heal the blind

and the leper and bring back the dead to life.

If we contemplate these acts we find that miracles are totally different

from magic. While magic is always harmful, miracles are useful. Magic is

from devils while miracles are from God. When these divine miracles are

rejected other miracles are imposed to inflict severe punishments on rejecters.

On the other hand, miracles are real while magic is sometimes deceptive.

It may be said that the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. was himself exposed

to the effect of magic. How could you explain this? This is true; but God

saved him from the spell of magic through the repeated remembrance of God
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and the recitation of some chapters and verses of the Holy Quran. This took

place to confirm the humility of Muhammad p.b.u.h. who was a human like

other humans. This made it easier for his followers to imitate him. Two

questions are pertinent in context: How to protect one’s self from magic? And

how to treat a person under the spell of magic?

SaydQutb explains the effects of sorcery as caused “by deceiving

people’s physical senses or by influencing their will-power and projecting

ideas onto their emotions and minds”. And rejects itbeing supernatural as

“magic is the production of illusions, subject to a magician’s designs, and it

does not offer any kind of new facts or alter the nature of things.29

Muhammad Asad doesn’t take aclear stance on the reality of supernatural

sorcery, but his chosen references show he prefers naturalistic explanations:

“Zamakhshari categorically rejects all belief in the reality and effectiveness of

such practices, as well as of the concept of “magic” as such. Similar views

have been expressed - albeit in a much more elaborate manner, on the basis of

established psychological findings - by Muhammad Abduh and Rashid

Ridha.”- Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali similarly refers to “IbnHazm, the

Andalusian scholar of the Zahirite schoolof Islamic fiqh refuse to believe in

sorcery, as the idea is mixed with a great deal of mythology and folklore and

has to be taken with much skepticism.30

29
SaydQutb, In the Shade of the Qur’an (II Vial al-Qur’an) (translated by
AdilSalihi, Leichester: The Islamic Foundation, 1995-2009), p. 296)
30
al-Ghazali, A Thematic Commentary of the Qur’an (tafsir al-Mawdu’i)
(translated by Ashur A. Shamis, USA: IIIT, 2005)
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The above citations show that the rejection of supernatural sorcery is not

simply a modern position formed under the influence of the modern scientific

worldview. When looking at classical Sunni sources we can see that this

position is already present in early Islamic thought which, although not being

accepted bythe majority of later scholars, is still mentioned in many orthodox

works. Many early and later classical scholars rejected the reality of sorcery

and witchcraft, calling it forms of deceptions, illusions and trickery as the

Arabic word stip’itself means “to make something false look real, deceit,

falsification, delude”. The famous Arabic lexiconerRaghib al-Isfahani (502

AH) says sihris “the deception and shamthat has no reality (Id haqiq land) in

what it works on as the trickster (a/-Mushdbadu) uses the turning (bi-Sarf) of

the perception (alabsdr) by the lightness of the hand.31

The later theologian Maturidi al-Nasafi (701 AH) mentions that the

Mu’tazilah school rejected the reality of sorcery completely32. al-Nasafi makes

it very clearthat he is oppossed to this opinion of the Mu’tazilah) The famous

early MaturidiHanafi jurist Abu Bakr al-Jassas (370 AH) says sorceryand

magic is just deception and trickery and has no true existence in reality. If

magic was true, he asks, why don’t the magicians remove kings, steal their

wealth and rule the world? But no, he says, the only place we see magicians is

in the marketplaces, they are poor and this proves their magic isn’t real as they

31
Edward Lane, Arabic-English lexicon (New Dehli: Asian Educational Services,
1991), volume 4, pp. 40-42. al-Raghib al-Isfahani (502 AH), al-Muftadat fi gharib al-
Qur’an (Beirut: Dar al-Marifah, 2005), pp. 231 232. Raghib is deemed by many to be a
Mu`tazilite.
32
inkartahqiq al-Sihr).i(IbnMahmai al-Nasafi, Tafiir al-Nasafi aw Madarik al-
Tanzilwa(Cairo: al-Maktab al-Tawfiqit, n.dt), volume 2, p. 478
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would have improved their lives through magic.( Muhammad SalihFarhat, The

Beneficial Message el The Definitive Proof In The Study Of Theology (al-

Risalahwal-Hujjat al-Qatiitt fi ‘dm al-lawhid) (translatedby WesamCharkawi,

London: Azhar Academy, 2010), pp. 197-202.)” And as Shaykh al-Ghazali

and MuhammadAsad mention above, it was also rejected by classical scholars

as the ZahiriteIbnHazm (456 AH);

Any story in the Qur’an talking about magic or sorcery is interpreted as

being practiced through the methods discussed under (4-8, 9.), or alternative

interpretations as by al-’Asamm and Muhammad Ali that provide expositions

completely unrelated to supernatural sorcery or witchcraft and reduce it to

“bad influence”.

These rational theological constructions were followed by scholars of the

Mu’tazilah (dominant between the 7th till 12th century CE in many parts of

the Muslim world) and the Maturidi (arose in the 10th century CE and was

and is still partially adopted by the tianafi school of Fiqh), who put reason and

logic above or next to revelation, and partially share the worldview of modern

scientific naturalismthrough their versions of Atomism and secondary

causation which provided mostly mechanical physical views of the world.

This pre-scientific Atomism reduced nature to bodies formedof atoms which

have properties that determine their quality and workings (accidents), and as

everything exists as finite atoms there must be an infinite creator who sustains

them through His will.

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Andin the Mu’tazilah and Maturidi theological frameworks, God’s will is

consistent in act and purpose, thus providing a consistent mechanical world

without any deviation, excepting prophetic miracles.” The will of God sustains

the laws of nature and the properties and causality of atoms which creates

continuity in nature, but without denying God’s capability to override these

when He wishes so (i.e conservatism, but in my eyes thus representing a

minimal form of occasionalism).

For the majority of later mainstream orthodoxy of theAsh’ari school

(arose in the 10th century CE) and the later Maturidi which had collapsed

together with later Ash’arism from theology (dm al-Kalam) into a unified

dogmatic creed (aqidah) of the ahlal-Sunnahwhich still dominates the

majority of Sunni thought, sorcery isn’t irrational or against nature as God can

grant peoplepower to do anything. They inherited the Atomism of the

Mu’tazilah wherein God continuously sustains nature but they emphasized

that God acts without constraining Himself in any form of a consistentsystem

(thus a maximal form of occasionalism).

There are no laws determining God’s way of acting. Thus sorcery can be

part ofa rational worldview wherein God can allow deviations; it isn’t

unnatural aseverything that exists is part of nature as God wills it at the

moment. There is nothing supernatural or natural, there’s only God’s will.’

The Ash’ari worldview was constructed on a rational theologywhich

emphasized God’s unrestrained power and immanence, and at the same time

affirmed and assimilated the classical worldview wherein nature didn’t work
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through a fixed mechanical system. In away we can say that it reconciled

intellectual philosophical theology and the popular beliefs of the non-

intellectual masses. The divide between natural law (conservatism/minimal

occasionalism) and nonatural law (maximal occasionalism) theologies not

only affect their naturalistic worldview, but also their ethical worldview.

According toal-Qurtubiparagraphabovehassomecomponents:

1. The discussionwill not be apartof themagicof travelstoriesof the

ProphetSolomon, atone timetell methatthere isJewrywereturned

awayfromhis bookandfollowwhat is calledwithmagic. Finally, as

narratedbyas-SuddaithattheJewsfinallycompareTorahtothe Koran, the

personwhoultimatelyturned away fromthe book ofTorahandturningto

followwhatAshifwrittenin the book ofHarutandMarutandhis magic.

whenProphetSulaimandiscussedas onemessenger of God,

intherabbisaidthatSolomonis nothing butawitch. finallyverse came down:

...wamakana.

2. Al-Kalabistatedthat thedevilhad writtenmagicandsciencerelated totheAshif,

a clerkSolomonandburiedunderSolomon'sprayertohis deathandduringhis

lifeSolomonwas notwillbe awarethat, where underwhere

heprayedapparentlyplantedbooks related tomagic. postSolomon's death,

thedevilisto disassemblethe bookof magicand toldthemanthat:

indeedkingyoulikethis(a witch), then learnto him. Finally,scholars' ofthe

children of Israelsaid: Irefuge in Allah, whetherit(magic) knowledgeof

Solomon?.As forordinary peoplesaythatthisisSolomonscience.

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Finally,societyata timelearnandfollowwhat is inthe book

ofmagicandleavethebookortreatisepropheticSolomon, in the form ofsuhuf-

suhufuntilat lastcameProphetMuhammadas a

justificationandstraighteningwhat hashappened, thatSolomonis

notawitchbuta prophet. Thenewsso farSolomonstates thatawitchisnottrue,

as theverse: ...wattaba'u.Solomonisnothingtaught(his book),

whichformShari'a(the way to God) andpropheticnature.

This understandingis basedonthe style oflanguage usedtheQur'anuses the

word'ittaba'u...whichmeansexaggerate orbeatsomethingwith eachother. So

thebook ofSolomonwhichcontainsshari'ahandpropheticused asa second

lineandthegripandlifeis areferencebook ofmagic.

3. Magic, thelanguagehas theroot meaningassomethingantidote,and

themascotisa fantasy, somethingthatpictured/imagined/as though. So if

thereawitchwhodoes somethingmeanhemakesdelusionora pictureas ifwhat

is seenbytheenchantedisreal,even thoughtheviewsareverycontrary

toorinconsistent withthe original form(different from actualreality).

Itisidentical tothewhichwhenseenfrom a distancethemirageguessed as

waterbutafter being approachedwas notthereat all.

Thusthe so-calledmagicissomethingthatcan beturnedfromthe direction

ofthe destination(indeed) anything. This means thateverypersonwhomakes

othersgravitate/tendto something thatshouldnotsubstantiallywasexposed

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tomagic, whichmeansdeceived, becauseother elements

inmagicisdeceptiveordeceiving33.

Qurtubiencounterletter al-A'raf34: 113-122, heexplainedthatwhenthe

witchesgathertheaccording to IbnAbdal-Hikamthattheyamounted to

12groupsandanyone classthere are 20expertsandeachcontrolTheexpertsthere

are 1000witch. as aleadertheyareSyam'un. However,thenumber

ofcontaineddifference, some say70people, thereare also73people. Theymade a

pactwith thepharaohsin caseTheshowwas wonbythe magiciansis askedin

return. Finally,the requestis grantedby thePharaohwitha notethattheywonthe

game.

Finally,thegamestartswiththe

sorcererswhothrewropesandtheirsticksareimmediatelybe alive snake. The

magiciansconjureeyesinaboutthatwhat he sawwasreal, intrinsicallyisa sham, so

theropesweretossedas ifaliveandmoving,whilethestrapis essentially still

aropeanddoes not moveat all. This is whythe editorsusedthe Koranasmagicisa

synonymof the word 'Adhim, whichmeansa

verylargeoncefornotapproachingtheoriginalreality(reality),

somuchoftheessence ofsomething. Therefore, whatthrownby magiciansof

Pharaoh, in the form ofropesandsticks, is basicallya sham, becausethere is

noauthenticityortruth.

33
Q.S: al-Syu'ara': 153
34
Abu Abdillah Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Anshori al-Qurthubi, al-Jami' Li
Ahkam al-Qur'an, Dar al-Kutub al-Almiyah, Beirut, Libanon, t.th., Vol I, p. 30- and so
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FinallyattractionsPharaoh'smagiciansperformedcreate asense offear

amongvisitors. However, because thepowerGodtothe prophetMoseswithhis

rodintermediarieschangingbe

alargesnakedevouringsnakesandwitchesincarnatePharaohmakessocietywhereth

e so-calledmagicandwhere\ the so-calledmiraclesasa proofof

prophethoodMoses. As a result ofthese losses, the

witchesfinallysweptkneeandrecognize the greatness

ofMosesandacknowledgethe power ofGodas a regulator ofthisnature.35

ImamTabarihasfoundnomagicnatureandis onlyan

illusionanddeceptionalone. Hesays,itis a hoaxand deceptioncarried

outbywitchuntilthebewitchedwasimaginingsomethingdifferentto theoriginal

state. Like a mirage, revealedto himas ifitisthe waterwhenthere is nowater,

asone who seessomethingmuchdifferentfromthenturnstothe real condition,

orsuch asaboatridethatgoesfaster thenseemedto him thatwhat

wasseenbyherrunningwithquicklyitseemedto him thatwhat wasseenbyeyessuch

astrees andmountainsare alwaysfollowed.36

WhileIbnKathirmore emphasisonthe influence ofthemagicitself,

namelythat themagicwas limited to illusion. it isobserved that there

isdamageto theoutwardlyaspect, thenwhenthismagicone should notbe studied,

becauseofscienceincludinggood and evil, whichcouldmakea personor

35
Ibid., p. 165-166
36
Shalah A. Fattah al-Khalidy, Kisah-Kisah Al-Qur’an Pelajaran Orang-Orang Dahulu,
GemaInsani Press, Jakarta, 2000, p. 36
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apaganfaith. Althoughmore famousmagicispartof kufr.and fallingThisis a

testexistencemagic, Allahdesired

According toIbnKathirmagicthere areeightkinds:

1. Magicthe liarsandmagicKasydannation, a nationworshipers

sevenplanetsarealwaysmovingfromits axis, thosehecan, bringthemtothe

Prophet Abrahamcanceltheirbeliefs and thoughts.

2. Hypnoticmagic, ownersandprocessingpowerinmind.

3. Ask for helpagainsttheevilspiritsof the earthfrom the jinn.

4. Magicdeception, illusionandsleight of handandeyegameswereoriginallyisa

trickof theeyesightsobusiedseeonethinganddo notpay attention totheother.

5. The workisamazingandartistic worksuch asahorsemanon his horse, inhis

hand atrumpet, eachThetrumpetssoundedan hourwithoutbeing touchedby

anyone. Magiclikethisa lotnow, because ofthe developmenttechnology.

6. Usingspecialherbmedicinesof this type offoodandoil, andwedo

notdenythat these ingredientsgiveasthe influence ofthe magneticforce.

7. Magictocaptivatethewaywitchesconfessedthatknow thename ofthe

greatandthe genieto help himand obeywillingnessdalamanythings.

8. Slandersandnamimahandto approachsly, likea lot going oninthe

community.