The Student Room Group

Is THIS form of “magic” actually magic/haram?

Alchemy, Astral travel, numerology, crystals, tarot cards?

Listen, I know magic is strictly and obviously haram. But that’s a heck of a broad term. Things like these used to be primitive science back in the day rather than outright magic; witch trials were for things like dark spells, curses, selling your soul to the devil. I want exact boundaries, WHAT is magic in Islam, and what is using the energy given by Allah? (like FOR EXAMPLE, using tarot cards to gain insight on current events -NOT THE FUTURE- and that insight is through Allah)

I don’t want answers like “that doesn’t work” btw, it doesn’t answer my question. Thanks!
Reply 1
Hi, I'm not an Islamic scholar so you will have to do your research but from what I know I'm pretty sure it's forbidden and advised to stay away from as it can easily become a form of shirk for example tarot case which is based on probability but people can easily believe that that's their future based on just a card there are pulling. Another example is crystals people will believe in the power of crystals to heal and protect you etc.. which is wrong as only Allah can heal and protect you from danger so it is a form of shirk. However, there is a difference of opinion about crystals e.g. a crystal necklace you can have as long as you don't believe it has any sort of power to do anything but is recommended to stay away from it. it's the same reason why wearing an evil eye bracelet that allegedly breaks once it protected you is a form of shirk if you believe in it as the bracelet can't protect you. Hope this helps.
Original post by Sha.xo527
Alchemy, Astral travel, numerology, crystals, tarot cards?

Listen, I know magic is strictly and obviously haram. But that’s a heck of a broad term. Things like these used to be primitive science back in the day rather than outright magic; witch trials were for things like dark spells, curses, selling your soul to the devil. I want exact boundaries, WHAT is magic in Islam, and what is using the energy given by Allah? (like FOR EXAMPLE, using tarot cards to gain insight on current events -NOT THE FUTURE- and that insight is through Allah)

I don’t want answers like “that doesn’t work” btw, it doesn’t answer my question. Thanks!
why do you think magic is haram according to your religion?

"magic" I'm pretty sure is given to humans according to your holy book. surah 2:102. tells you a story. basically "magic" causes a rift between you and god. tarot cards I think would be the worst as that's divination, which is shirk according to what I have read. basically, the whole idea is that "magic" requires you to place faith in idols, and know the unseen. which is a big thing in Islam. surah 5:90 mentions tarots basically in the form of arrows. you say current events, isn;t the future but even then, its still regarded as the unseen. Astra travel never heard of it, if it's dreams then its fine I guess. alchemy I think is fine, as many old arab/muslim people from the 1300s tried it, basically a fake science. crystals like owning them are fine. thinking crystals will protect you are not.

I'm personally not a Muslim, but while I have learnt things about other religions, read through those verses. even common sense-wise, its a waste of time, yeah it doesn't work but what's the point on using this stuff, rather than actually doing something semi productive. it might be fun but that's about it with the card game.
Reply 3
Original post by Sha.xo527
Alchemy, Astral travel, numerology, crystals, tarot cards?

Listen, I know magic is strictly and obviously haram. But that’s a heck of a broad term. Things like these used to be primitive science back in the day rather than outright magic; witch trials were for things like dark spells, curses, selling your soul to the devil. I want exact boundaries, WHAT is magic in Islam, and what is using the energy given by Allah? (like FOR EXAMPLE, using tarot cards to gain insight on current events -NOT THE FUTURE- and that insight is through Allah)

I don’t want answers like “that doesn’t work” btw, it doesn’t answer my question. Thanks!
Hey guys, thank you so much for your replies and taking your time out to reply, I appreciate it. Based on this I’ll assume that only alchemy and astral travel are ok. I’ll assume healing/good magic and magic to break dark spells is haram too..? Or not?
Reply 4
Original post by jacksmith23
why do you think magic is haram according to your religion?

"magic" I'm pretty sure is given to humans according to your holy book. surah 2:102. tells you a story. basically "magic" causes a rift between you and god. tarot cards I think would be the worst as that's divination, which is shirk according to what I have read. basically, the whole idea is that "magic" requires you to place faith in idols, and know the unseen. which is a big thing in Islam. surah 5:90 mentions tarots basically in the form of arrows. you say current events, isn;t the future but even then, its still regarded as the unseen. Astra travel never heard of it, if it's dreams then its fine I guess. alchemy I think is fine, as many old arab/muslim people from the 1300s tried it, basically a fake science. crystals like owning them are fine. thinking crystals will protect you are not.

I'm personally not a Muslim, but while I have learnt things about other religions, read through those verses. even common sense-wise, its a waste of time, yeah it doesn't work but what's the point on using this stuff, rather than actually doing something semi productive. it might be fun but that's about it with the card game.
I think magic is haram first because it opens up evil spirits, and second, because it’s fake and thus makes you believe in fake practices that decrease the bond with god
Reply 5
i imagine it's the same as in christianity. so anything spiritual that doesn't involve god, doesn't matter if it's considered good or evil. as long as you believe it holds any kind of power, it's probably a no no
Reply 6
Original post by Sha.xo527
Alchemy, Astral travel, numerology, crystals, tarot cards?

Listen, I know magic is strictly and obviously haram. But that’s a heck of a broad term. Things like these used to be primitive science back in the day rather than outright magic; witch trials were for things like dark spells, curses, selling your soul to the devil. I want exact boundaries, WHAT is magic in Islam, and what is using the energy given by Allah? (like FOR EXAMPLE, using tarot cards to gain insight on current events -NOT THE FUTURE- and that insight is through Allah)

I don’t want answers like “that doesn’t work” btw, it doesn’t answer my question. Thanks!
These would more likely to come under soothsaying and fortune-telling. These things you have mentioned have no basis in Islām, nor has Allāh sent any authority to it for anyone to say it is "insight through Allāh". This topic has a lot of intricacies so I don't want to say anything wrong, but know that with these things you are in danger of falling into Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism).

Here are a few narrations that can put this into perspective:
The Prophet said (meaning): "Whoever goes to an 'Arrāf and asks him something, he will have his prayer rejected for forty days." [Sahīh Muslim 2230]
"Whoever visits an 'Arrāf or a Kāhin and believes in his words, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad" [Musnad Ahmad 9536]
(Imam Al-Baghawi said: "The 'Arrāf is a person who claims to know the matters with fore-signs by which he can point to stolen items, the place of lost things and the like." He also said: "The Kāhin is the one who speaks about things in the future and claims to know the secrets and the knowledge of the Ghayb (unseen)."
Ibn Taymiyyah said: "The 'Arrāf is a name for the fortune-teller and the Munajjim (astrologer), and the Rammal (diviner), and the like of them who speak of having knowledge of matters in similar ways.")

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him, the cousin of the Prophet ) said about those people who write Abjad (alphabet - to use in soothsaying, fortunetelling etc.) and gaze at the stars (i.e., believe in their influences on people) - "I do not see that whoever does such has any share with Allah." [Musannaf 'Abdur-Razzāq, Musannaf Ibn Abí Shaybah, and others]

From these narrations (and many others) we can see the dangers being involved in these sort of acts. You can learn more about this topic by studying Kitāb at-Tawhīd. This book covers the most important topic for mankind, which is to single Allāh out in worship and to stay away from Shirk (which these things you mentioned can fall under). It is important you study the books written by the scholars who have spent their life studying the religion, rather than asking strangers on the Internet. Many people answer questions about Islām without having ever studied and instead answer based on what they personally think, which is extremely dangerous. I advise you, may Allāh bless you, to watch and study from this playlist so you can get a good understanding of Tawhīd and the matters that come with it: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv6TZluNhDk48Dc_HXz1KFsGhavIbNWzu&feature=shared

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