Prohibition of wearing amulets

27-3-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is an amulet?

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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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

An amulet is a talisman worn by children to protect themselves against evil eye. If one believes that an amulet benefits and harms and it is not only Allaah Who benefits and harms then he has committed major disbelief. Nonetheless, if one believes that it is a reason to be secure from evil eye and Jinn, then this is a minor disbelief, as if one believes so, he is using what is not Islamicly legislated as a means for protection and the like. The evidence about this is that the Prophet said: "Performing Ruqyah while associating partners with Allaah, wearing amulets and talisman is Shirk [associating partners with Allaah]." [Ahmad and Abu Daawood]  However, if the amulet contains Quran only, then the scholars differed in regard to the permissibility of wearing them. The most correct opinion is that it is not permissible to wear them; this is the opinion of Ibn Mas'ood, Huthayfah, 'Uqbah Ibn ‘Aamir and Ibn 'Akeem . The evidence that this is the most correct opinion is that:

1-     The prohibition of wearing amulets is stated in a general context.

2-     To avoid any means which leads to committing Shirk, as using them could lead to wearing what contains other than the Quran.

3-     If one wears an amulet, there is no doubt that he will humiliate what he is wearing as he will enter the toilets with it, wearing it when cleansing from defecation and the like.

Allaah Knows best.