Symptoms of Black Magic

Magic is proved by the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. But, the Holy Qur’an has strongly condemned both the magicians and the so-called witch doctors and all those babas (quacks) who claim to heal the disease with their unfounded methods. And needless to say, Hadith also prove this beyond any doubt.

Different Islamic scholars and witch doctors have identified different symptoms of magic and witchcraft. These symptoms bear striking resemblance to that of psychological diseases. This topic has been discussed at great length in the subsequent chapters, which are based on the symptoms and various psychological disorders and treatment available. These chapters also recount the experience of some patients, who were referred to me after trying witch doctors and are now leading a normal and healthy life.

Comparative study of black magic and psychotic diseases

My book ‘Mental Health’ presents a detailed study of psychological diseases. Here, I would like to discuss different types and effects of black magic. Most of the effects of black magic are similar to that of psychological diseases. Here is a detailed study.

Sahar-e-Tafreekh: The effects of this type of black magic, like a sudden change in loving relationship, rise in doubts and suspicions between wife and husband, rejecting each other’s reason, feeling or considering a little difference of opinion as a big issue etc, are also found in patients of psychological diseases called schizophrenia and depression. Spouses feeling each other’s face ugly and not liking each other’s work are the symptoms also found in patients of depression.

Sahar-e-Muhabbat: The symptoms of this black magic are excessive love for one’s wife, desire for frequent intercourse and feeling restlessness in the absence of one’s wife. These symptoms are also found in patients suffering from Hypomania.

Sahar-e-Taqleel: Small things look big and big things look small and moving things look static and vice versa for the people suffering from this type of magic. These symptoms are also found in patients of psychological diseases like macropsea, micropsea, epilepsy and temporal lobe, whereas for patients of disease called illusion, static things like robes looks like moving snakes.

Sahar-e-Junoon: The symptoms of this type of black magic include excessive talking, not stopping at one place, not to continue an important work and walking with holding head upward. These symptoms are also found in the patients of mania. Other symptoms of this magic like anxiety and not caring about appearance are found in the people suffering from depression.

Sahar-e-Khamool: Aloofness, selfishness, remaining complete silent, anxiety, constant headache, disliking for parties and fatigue are the symptoms of those persons affected by Sahar-e-Khamool. These symptoms are also found in the patients of schizophrenia and depression.

Sahar-e-Hawakhaf: The symptoms of Sahar-e-Hawakhaf are horrific dreams, feeling someone is calling in dreams, falling from a big mountain and seeing horrific animals following in dreams. These symptoms are also seen in the patients suffering from anxiety. The other symptoms like hearing voices 17 when nobody is around are found in patients of disease called hallucination. There are different types of hallucination. Symptoms of excessive doubts and suspicions about friends and relatives are found in the patients suffering from depression and paranoid schizophrenia. For details, refer to my book ‘Mental Health.’

Sahar-e-Amraaz: Constant pain in one or all parts of the body, bouts of fits, non-working of one of the five senses are the symptoms found in the people suffering from Sahar-e-Amraaz. All these symptoms are also found in patients of physical diseases.

Sahar-e- Isteqaza: This is also a physical disease. Seeing, hearing and sensing anything that is actually non-existent. Feeling something is touching when it is not so are all symptoms of psychosis patients. Generally, such symptoms are considered to be effects of black magic, but it is not so. For, such affects can be felt by consuming psychotropic drugs like ganja, charus, heroine, afheem, liquor etc. 

Patients of schizophrenia feel things that are actually non-existent. For example, hearing of voices and bells or feeling presence of person/persons in a room or under a bed, despite absence of anybody. Patients of this disease also feel presence of some idols; jinns and persons when they are not present and small things look big and big ones small, human beings look as Satan or feeling as if body is riddled with worms and insects. When we know the causes of such effects, then on what basis they are called black magic. 

Moreover, we cannot call them black magic on the basis of the evidence provided by the Qur’an and Hadith. Existence of Jinn is an established fact, but where they exist and whether somebody/animals are possessed by them, is a topic that requires deep research. There are references in the Qur’an and Hadith that confirm the existence of Jinn. But they do not mention anything about how they trouble human beings. Moreover, in 30 years of my medical experience, I have found that most of the patients do suffer from psychological disorders. 

However, the sad aspect of the whole story is that these people first seek treatment from the so-called witch doctors, who convince them of either being possessed by Jinn or suffering from effects of witchcraft. They prescribe different treatment methods to heal such patients and ‘taweez’ is one of them.
 
These symptoms have been divided into three categories:

1. Those which occur when one is awake
2. Those which occur when one is asleep
3. Sudden behavioural changes that one may experience that are out of character.

1. Symptoms when one is awake:

1 - Turning away, in particular, from acts of worship and obedience, the remembrance of Allah (swt) (Dhikr) and reading the Qur'an. Allah (swt) says: And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (Allah (swt) (i.e. this Qur'an and worship of Allah (swt), we appoint for him Shaytaan to be a Qarin (a companion) to him. And verily, they (Shayateen) hinder them from the path (of Allah (swt) but they think that they are guided aright - (Al-Zukhruf 43:36-37)

2 - Erratic behaviour in one's words, deeds and movements. Allah (swt) says: (Those who eat Riba will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan leading him to insanity.) (Al-Baqarah 2:275)

3 - Seizures (with no medical cause); there are signs to indicate that a seizure has devilish causes.

4 - Paralysis of a limb (with no medical cause).

5 - Being quick to get angry or weep with no apparent cause.

6 - Sitting in the toilet for a long time, and talking to oneself.

7 - Constant headache with no medical cause, which is not eased by painkillers.

8 - Irregular menstruation in women.

9 - Not producing children although both husband and wife are medically sound and able to reproduce.

10. Depression. - Depression refers to intense sadness. It is a widespread mental illness, indeed one of the most widespread. As for mild sadness or feeling "blue", this is a normal and natural emotion which hardly anyone can escape, not even a believer. Allah (swt) says: Secret counsels (conspiracies) are only from Shaytaan, in order that he may cause grief to the believers. - (Al-Mujaddilah 58:10) If that sadness increases and takes over a person, it becomes depression.

Signs of depression:

- Feeling distressed and sad
- Loss of appetite
- Lack of focus, forgetfulness
- Sleep disturbances, weight loss
- Lack of sexual desire

There are other signs when one is awake, but they may be caused by other life circumstances, such as not succeeding in efforts to get married, repeatedly failing to do so etc.

2. Symptoms when one is asleep:

1 - Frightening nightmares, which includes seeing various kinds of creatures such as ghosts or apparitions, seeing oneself falling from a high place, seeing people in strange forms, and snakes. A man may see a woman who wants him to have intercourse with her (and vice versa) constantly in his dreams, or he may see someone threatening him.

2 - Insomnia, anxiety and fear upon waking.

3 - Talking loudly in one's sleep, or moaning and groaning.

Note: A person should not be regarded as being possessed by Jinn if any of these symptoms occur. No one can be certain that a person has been possessed by Jinn until after the Qur'an has been recited over them, so these symptoms should not be taken as definitive evidence of Jinn possession.

3. Sudden behavioural change

Signs of sudden behavioural change that has to do with a person's inward attitude.

The below is a general guidline for all Muslims. However for practising Muslims who did not have these qualities before but find a sudden strange inclination to them, should get themselves checked with Ruqyah as soon as possible.

- Associating others with Allah (swt) (Shirk) - Minor Shirk (showing off)
- Being angry with the divine decree (like saying 'why has this happened to me?' etc)
- Forgetting Allah (swt) and the Hereafter
- Feeling safe from the plot of Shaytaan and getting carried away in sin and relying on Allah (swt) 's mercy
- Despairing of the mercy of Allah (swt)
- Thinking badly of Allah (swt)
- Deliberately telling lies about Allah (swt) and the Messenger of Allah (swt) (saw)
- Arrogance, self-admiration and showing off
- Loving to be praised for doing acts of worship
- Deceit, Hypocrisy, Greed, Stinginess
- Hidden anger, grudges and envy
- Turning away from people out of arrogance and scorning them
- Looking at the rich and venerating them because of their richness
- Fear of poverty
- Mocking the poor because of their poverty
- Competing in worldly gains
- Loving to be praised for what one has not done
- Being preoccupied with the faults of others whilst ignoring one's own faults
- Strong feelings for religions other than the religion of Allah (swt)
- Mocking the slaves of Allah (swt) , looking down on them and despising them
- Thinking badly of Muslims
- Not accepting the truth because it goes against one's own whims and desires, or hating those who speak the truth
- Rejoicing in sin and Persisting in sin
- Acquiring knowledge for worldly gain (showing off)
- Offending the close friends of Allah (swt) and taking them as enemies
- Showing evil behaviour and foul language so as to make people fear you and avoid your evil

Types of Magic Sihr and Possession Masaha

1. Sihr of Separation

Allah (swt) says: (...and they follow what the Shayateens recited over Sulayman's Kingdom. Sulayman disbelieved not but the Shayateens disbelieved, teaching the people sorcery, and that which was sent down upon Babylon's two angels, Harut and Marut; they taught not any man, without they said, 'We are but a temptation; do not disbelieve.' From them they learned how they might divide a man and his wife, yet they did not hurt any man thereby, save by the leave of Allah (swt), and they learnt what hurt them and did not profit them, knowing well that whosoever buys it shall have no share in the world to come; evil then was that they sold themselves for; if they had but known.) (2:102)

Jabir (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said: "Iblis would lay his throne on water and would send his brigade of demons. The lowest among them in rank is the one who is most notorious in stirring up fitna. One of the demons would, after a mission, come and say to Iblis, 'I have done so and so.' Iblis would reply, 'You have not done anything.' Another one would come and say: 'I have not left such and such person until I separated him from his wife.' Iblis would come closer to his demon and say, 'How good you are.'" - (Muslim in An-Nawawi : 17/157)

Definition of Sihr of Separation

It is a Sihr which aims to separate between two spouses, or stir up hatred between two friends or two partners.

Symptoms of Sihr of Separation:

1. A sudden change in attitude from love to hate.

2. Exaggerating the causes of disputes between two people, even though they may be trivial.

3. Changing the mental image that a woman may have of her husband, or changing the mental image that a man may have of his wife; so that the man would see his wife in an ugly way, even though she were beautiful. In reality, it is the demon who is entrusted with the task of performing this type of Sihr is the one who would appear to the husband in her person, but in an ugly way. By the same token, the woman would see her husband in a horrible way.

4. The person affected by Sihr hates anything the other party does.

5.The person affected by Sihr hates the place in which the other party stays. For instance, a husband may be in good mood when he is outdoors, but when he returns home, he feels quiete depressed.

According to Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir, the cause of separation between two spouses through this Sihr is that each of them appears to the other as an ugly or ill-mannered person. - (Tafsir lbn Kathir: 1/144)

2. Sihr Al-Mahabba / At-Tiwala (Love)

The Prophet (saw) said: "Ar-ruqa, at-tama'im and at-tiwala are acts of polytheism." - (Imam Ahmad) (1/381)

According to Ibn Al-Athir, At-Tiwala is a type of Sihr which makes a man love his wife. The reason why this type of Sihr is classed by the Prophet (saw) as an act of polytheism is because those who have it done for them believe that it has an effect and does the opposite of what Allah (swt) has prescribed. - (An-Nihaya: 1/200)

I would like to emphasise that the ruqyah referred to in the above hadith is the one which seeks the assistance of Jinn and devils and consists of acts classed as polytheistic. However, the ruqyah which is based on the Qur'an and lawful supplications of Allah (swt) is lawful, according to scholars. It is reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (saw) was quoted as saying: "There is no harm in using ruqyah as a means of treatment provided it does not consist of anything polytheistic."

3. Sihr At-Takhyil (False Appearance of Objects)

Allah (swt) says: They said, "Moses, will you throw something down or shall we be the ones to throw." He said, "You throw!" So when, they charmed people's eyes and overawed them. They produced a splendid Sihr. And We revealed to Moses: 'Cast thy staff.' And lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention. So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they were doing. So they were vanquished there, and they turned about, humbled. And the sorcerers were cast down, bowing themselves. They said, 'We believe in the Lord of al-'Alamin (Jinn and mankind), the Lord of Moses and Harun. (7:117-122) They said, 'Moses, either you will cast (something) or shall we be the first to cast (a spell)?'. It seemed to him under the effect of their Sihr that their ropes and stuff were sliding. (17:65-66)

Symptoms

1. A fixed object would appear to be mobile, while a mobile object would appear to be fixed for the viewer.

2. A small object would appear large, while a large object would appear small for the viewer.

3. The false appearance of objects: Under the effect of the magic of Pharaoh's sorcerers, ropes and rods appeared to viewers as real snakes.

4. Sihr Al-Junun (Lunacy)

Kharija Ibn Salat reported that his paternal uncle went to the Prophet (saw) and declared his conversion to Islam. On his way back, his uncle passed by a people who had fettered a lunatic in chains. They said: "We were told that your companion (the Prophet (saw)) has brought good with him. Do you have anything with which to cure our lunatic?" I recited al-Fatiha and he was cured. 

They gave me one hundred sheep and then approached the Prophet (saw) to inform him of it. He asked: "Did you say anything other than this?" I replied: "No." He said: "Take it, for by my life, some would accept in return for a false Ruqyah, but you have done this with a genuine one." According to another narration, "the man cured him by reciting al-Fatiha for three days, day and night; whenever he finished reciting it, he would gather his saliva and spit."

Symptoms

1. Severe absentmindedness and forgetfulness
2. Confused speech
3. Bulging eyes and deviation of sight
4. Restlessness
5. Inability to do a task regularly
6. Disinterest in one's appearance
7. ln severe cases, one can tell from a lunatic's face that he does know where he is going, and he would probably sleep in derelict places

5: Sihr Al-Khumul (Lethargy) How this happens

A sahir would send a Jinn to the targeted person, instructing him to settle in his brain and make him introverted and lonely. The Jinn would do his best to carry out the mission, and the symptoms of this Sihr would appear, according to the strength and weakness of the Jinn  entrusted with the task.

Symptoms

1. Love of seclusion
2. Absolute introversion
3. Constant silence
4. Anti-sociability
5. Absentmindedness
6. Frequent headaches
7. Quietness and constant lethargy
6: Sihr Al-Hawatif (Bad Dreams & Hearing Voices)
Symptoms 1. The patient experiences nightmares
2. The patient sees in a dream as if someone were calling him
3. The patient hears voices talking to him when awake, but cannot see where these voices are coming from
4. The patient hears much whispering (Al-Waswas)
5. The patient is very suspicious of his/her friends and relatives
6. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself falling from a high place
7. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself being chased by animals

7: Sihr Al-Maradh (Illness) Symptoms

1. Constant pain in one part of the body
2. Epilepsy
3. Paralysis of one area of the patient's body
4. Total paralysis of the body
5. Disability in of one of the sense organs
8: Sihr An-Nazif (Bleeding Following Menses)

How it is achieved

This type of Sihr affects women only. A sahir sends a Jinn to the targeted woman and instructs him to cause her to bleed. To do so, the Jinn enters the woman's body and circulates in her veins and arteries with the blood. This notion of circulation has long been warned about by the Prophet (saw) in the following tradition: "Shaytaan circulates in man's body like blood." - (Al-Bukharee: Fath Al-Bari: 4/282)

When the Jinn reaches a known vein in the woman's womb, he stomps it so that the vein bleeds. This fact was also pointed out by the Prophet (saw) when Hamna bint Jahsh asked his opinion on the issue of bleeding outside the period of menses, and he said: "Such bleeding is but one of Shaytaan's stomping." - (At-Tirmidhi)

According to another tradition, the bleeding "is the result of Shaytaan's stomping on a vein rather than from a normal menses." - (Imam Ahmad and An-Nasai)

Therefore, according to both traditions, a menstruation that occurs outside its normal period is one of the Shaytaan's stomps on one of the womb's veins.

According to scholars of Fiqh (jurisprudence), an-nazif refers to al-istihadha (continuous menstruation), and according to doctors, it refers to bleeding.

According to Ibn Al-Athir, al-istihadha means bleeding following a normal menses. This bleeding may last for months, and the amount of blood could be little or large.

9: Sihr of Impeding Marriage

The Jinn has two options

1. If he can enter the girl, then he would cause her to feel uncomfortable with any prospective husband and; thus, turn him down.

2. If he cannot enter the girl, then he would use the Sihr of imagination, from outside. As a result, a suitor would see the girl in an ugly image under the effect of the Jinn's whispering, and so would the girl.

Under the effect of this Sihr and under the Jinn is whispering, a suitor, who would have initially agreed to the marriage, would decline after a few days, without any valid reason.

In cases of a strong Sihr, a suitor would, upon entering the house of his prospective wife, feel very uncomfortable and see darkness before him as if he were in prison, and so would never return. During the period of this Sihr, the Jinn may cause the girl to experience occasional headaches.

Symptoms

1. Occasional headaches, which persist despite medication
2. Severe tightness in the chest, especially between al-'asr and midnight
3. The patient sees the suitor in an ugly image
4. Absentmindedness
5. Anxiety during sleep
6. Occasional constant stomach-aches
7. Pain in the lower part of the back
10. Al Sihr Ar-rabt (Penile Erection Problem during intercourse), Al- 'ajz al-jinsi (impotence) and Adh-dhu'f al-jinsi (sexual weakness)

Ar-Rabt Al-'ajzal-jinsi (sexual inability / impotence):

The man affected by this type of Sihr feels active and energetic about having sexual intercourse with his wife. His penis is even erected as long as he is distant from his wife. Nevertheless, as he approaches her, his penis shrinks and is unable to have sexual intercourse. It means a man's inability to have sexual intercourse with his wife, whether he is distant from or near her, as his penis cannot erect.

Adh-dhu'f al-jinsi (sexual weakness):

A man can only have sexual intercourse with his wife after long periods. Sexual intercourse takes place for only a short time; after which the penis looses its rigidity.

Ar-Rabt in Women (sexual frigidity)

Just as a man suffers from ar-rabt (penile erection failure) and is unable to have sexual intercourse with his wife, a woman, too, may suffer from ar-rabt (frigidity).
There are some types of rabt in women:

1. Rabt al-man'(obstruction): It occurs when a woman prevents her husband from having sexual intercourse with her by tightly joining her legs together and obstructing his penis from entering into her vagina. This reaction is automatic and beyond her control, but one young man whose wife was affected by this type of Sihr, criticised his wife for her response, so she explained that it was beyond her control. One day, she told him to put iron shackles between her legs to keep them apart before, starting sexual intercourse. He did that, but it was to no avail. Alternatively, she told him to give her a drug injection if he wants to have sexual intercourse with her. It worked, but only one partner benefited.

2. Rabt at-taballud (lack of sexual feeling): The Jinn entrusted with the mission of Sihr settles in the centre of sexual feeling in the woman's brain and causes her to lose her sexual feeling, at the moment of sexual intercourse with her husband. As a result, she feels no sexual pleasure and does not respond to her husband. Her body becomes numb even if her husband does what he wishes with her. In this type of Sihr, the glands do not release the fluid which lubricates the vagina, and therefore, the sexual act cannot be achieved.

3. Rabt An-nazif (bleeding at the time of sexual intercourse): This is different from Sihr an-nazif in one aspect. While, rabt An-nazif is confined to the time of sexual intercourse, Sihr an-nazif may last for several days. In this type of Sihr, the Jinn causes heavy bleeding to the targeted woman at the time of sexual intercourse with her husband, and thus prevents the man from having sexual intercourse with his wife. One day, one man, who was a soldier, told me that whenever he came home for holidays, his wife would bleed as soon as he arrived home. The bleeding would last for the holiday period which was approximately five days, but would stop as soon as he went back to work

The symptoms of victims affected by Black Magic or Possessions may be same, as both involve the influence of Jinn or a group of Jinns in the victims/patients body or homes.

Difficulty to sleep during nights, and the victims may wake up with jerks after small naps or feels entire body is paralyzed in the state of sleep.

Nightmares-seeing strange people or animals in dreams or being chased by some black dogs, cats, snakes, black birds, lizards, rats, owls, monkey, eagles or strange animals/birds..etc in dreams or dreaming of bathroom/toilets or taking bath etc or dreaming of dirt or filth or dreaming of falling from heights or dreaming of seeing ones duplicates(twins) or seeing oneself flying in ones dream or seeing oneself traveling across deserts, mountains, forests in a dream or dreaming of Hindu deities or someone worshipping some strange idols or pictures.

Heaviness and weight on head[means jinn/sihir is in the head and has control or trying to control the brain] or shoulders or back/ribs or any part of the body or severe stomach aches[means jinn/sihir is in digestive tract] ; moving pain from head to neck and shoulders etc or feeling needle pricks on the body or tightness in chest during nights or feeling like being chained up or continuous burping[means jinn is in digestive tract] or continuous and Sudden coughing/hiccups [means jinn is in respiratory tracts]; and constriction in the throat; Feeling suffocated and restless in all circumstances, never at peace; dry skin or drying up of  organs or limbs or burns on the internal organs. One may to clearly feel someone brushing an extremely delicate feather on your face or limbs or head.

Doctors are unable to diagnose the disease of the person or multiple disorders suddenly diagnosed for a normal person and no treatment is beneficial and doctors are confused.
Sudden mood swings, sudden feeling of love or hate for a particular person. Sudden change in the character, the person becomes more aggressive and isolates himself from others or may say and speak unusual things or may play or talk to himself..etc

Foul smell or odour [smell is of decomposing flesh] in the breath or while burping or farting or in the body of the victim, that doesn’t go even after bathing continuously or using perfumes; Dark marks on skin and the face becoming darker and darker for no reason.
Irregular cycles and continuous menses with continuous stomach aches in women; infertility in men or women even though medical reports are normal.

Feeling something moving under the skin or stomach, twitching in eyes; veins or parts of the skin beating/dilating continuously or strange swellings on various parts of the body without medical reasons.

Sudden diversion from deen, laziness in offering salat, zikar or Quran. Sudden interest in/of bad habits like excessive smoking, alcoholism, sex.

Reaction on Reciting Quran or Listening to Quranic verses played on Music player or Computer

The victims who are affected by Jinn or Black Magic may get strong reactions or get violent or display signs like: fits or Seizures or heavy burping or hiccups or vomits or headache or choked or increase in heart beats or excessive sweating or feels sleepy or drowsy or vomiting or chest congestion or uncontrollably laughing / crying /blinking or pain or numbness in limbs, feeling painful needle pricks on the body..etc on listening to Quranic recitations or Ruqyah or even Azaan. Reactions vary from person to person, but remember not all kinds of diagnoses are 100% effective.

Note: If the all the above symptoms are noticeable after visiting a place such as graveyard, temple, ancient tombs or monument, resting under a tree etc or after fall or hurting oneself in a new place, it most likely to be a case of Demonic Possession.