Magician’s repentance

8-1-2008 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the ruling on the one who used to be a magician but repented before he died?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

If a magician returns to Allaah The Almighty in true repentance and dies after that, Allaah will forgive him, because repentance obliterates all the sins that preceded it. Allaah Says (what means): {But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.} [Quran 20:82]

The worst that can be said about a magician, according to the scholars is that he is a disbeliever, and Allaah The Exalted tells us that He will forgive the disbeliever if he repents. He Says (what means): {Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them.} [Quran 8:38] Moreover, Allaah Says about the Christians who claim that Allaah is One of three (what means): {So will they not repent to Allaah and seek His forgiveness? And Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 5:74]

The difference in opinion among the scholars, Allaah have mercy upon them, with regard to the acceptance of a magician’s repentance, is only related to the rulings of this worldly life. This means whether or not his life is to be spared and other relevant penal laws. However, there is a consensus among them that Allaah forgives the one who truly repents and abandons his sin openly and secretly. Allaah Knows best.