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Fatwa CenterDuration in Which the Prophet Was Affected by Magic
Question
Assalamu AleykumIn saheeh ahadiths it says that our Prophet (PHUB) was under the influence of black magic. How long was the Prophet (PHUB) under the influence of black magic? I have read it was about six months. Is this true? What suras were revealed in that timeframe? Jazak Allahu Khayran
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It was not narrated neither in authentic Ahaadeeth or in weak ones, that the magic that affected the Prophet was called “black magic”.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that it was a Jew from among the Jews of Bani Zurayq, whose name was Labeed ibn Al-A’sam, who cast a magic spell on the Prophet and that the time-period in which he suffered from this magic was forty days.
Some other narrations mentioned that it was six months.
Some scholars tried to reconcile between the two narrations saying that the entire duration [in which the Prophet suffered from magic] from its beginning to its end was six months, but its direct (or severe) effect on the Prophet was only forty days.
Ibn Hajar quoted Ibn Sa’d from ‘Umar ibn al-Hakam, in a Mursal Hadeeth [i.e. a Hadeeth on the authority of some of the Taabi'oon (the generation that followed the Companions), with a chain of narrators that does not include a companion of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and it is one of the categories of weak Ahadeeth]; who said:
“When the Prophet returned from al-Hudaybiyyah in the month of Thul-Hijjah and the month of al-Muharram started in the seventh year (of Hijrah), the Jewish leaders came to Labeed ibn Al-A’sam and he was an ally (joined together by an agreement or treaty) with the tribe of Beni Zurayq, and he was a magician, so they told him: “O Abu Al-A’sam! You are the best magician amongst us, and we have already cast a magic spell on Muhammad but we did not harm him with anything. We will give you a great reward if you cast a spell on him that will affect him severely; so they gave him three dinars. The narration of Abu Thamrah, reported by al-Isma’eeli, states that the Prophet was affected (by magic) for forty days. Another narration by Wahb from Hishaam, reported by Ahmad, reads: “Six months”. These two narrations could be reconciled as follows: that six months was the period from the time when his temperament started to change (due to the effect of magic), and forty days was the period when he was severely affected by it….” [End of quote]
These different narrations clarify the year in which magic occurred, and they also clarify its duration, which is forty days or six months.
We do not know of any particular verse or Surah (Chapter) that was revealed in that period. The effect of magic on the Prophet does not necessitate a shortage or an Islamic obstacle [that undermines the status or role of the Prophet], as this is one of the human symptoms and diseases that can happen to the Prophets and Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention. Also, this magic had no effect with regard to him conveying the message as highlighted by Ibn Hajar in his book Fath al-Baari, and others.
Indeed, Allah informed us in His Book about Moosa (Moses) 
to whom Allah spoke, that when the magicians threw their ropes and sticks {And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].} [Quran 20:66]; but this did not affect Moosa in conveying the message from his Lord.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 15596.
Allah knows best.
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