This is a compilation of a series of WhatsApp messages from Shaykh Abu Ubaid’s personal broadcast.
Fact 1: Sihr is prevalent
Ever since sihr (black magic) existed it has always been the weapon of the evil and envious as it is the easiest way to harm and assassinate a target.
Sihr has always been prevalent in every era and society. The more evil and envious a community is, the more sihr is committed.
It is so prevalent in societies that Allah, Himself, says: “When the Haq (Revelation) descends from Us, they say it is clear sihr (10:76)”. This is referring to the generation of Musa & Harun (ﷺ).
“And then those who amongst them committed kufr (disbelief) said: This is only black magic (5:110)”. This is referring to the generation of ‘Esa (ﷺ).
“The Kafirun said: It is definitely a clear sihr (10:2)”. This is referring to the generation of Muhammad (ﷺ).
(Bear in mind the time span of 600 years between ‘Esa & Muhammad ﷺ).
As one can see, sihr is so prevalent within societies that anything which has a touch of unnatural influence—upon the tongue of the masses—it is sihr.
In every generation there are shayatin (devils) teaching humans sihr, and in every society it is being committed.
Even though so many shayatin are teaching it, and many are learning and committing it, very few of them actually work, and then even fewer actually affect the target at the level it was intended—otherwise, all their targets would be in ruin, bed bound or dead! That does not happen. Why? Because it all has to go through the court proceedings of Allah (ﷻ) and He specifically proceeds over it from A-Z, “And they cannot harm with it anyone except by the permission of Allah (2:102)”.
Fact 2: Sihr influences every part of a person
The reason sihr is so evil is because it influences a person—wholly—to say and enact in a manner that is entirely against their wishes.
The sihr influences the heart and its emotions, “They separate with it between a person and his zawjihi i.e. spouse, parent, child, etc. (2:102)”.
It influences the mind and senses, “They influenced with sihr the eyes of the people… (7:117)”.
It influences the body and physical limbs due to its affect on the emotions of the heart, thoughts of the mind, and the senses.
It may also physically paralyse a part of the body or the whole body, from time to time, due to the shayatin bounded by the sihr. So a limb(s)—the legs for example—are paralysed for a period.
In general, the person affected with sihr has an overall control and therefore he is accountable, except when the sihr is triggered—in that moment the sihr has a stronger pull and influence.
All categories and types of sihr can be treated and cured, even the sihr of insanity, as long as the legitimate necessary treatment(s) is followed, “The pen is lifted from 3 people: …The insane until he recovers from insanity and becomes sane again.” Recorded by Ahmad.
This hadith explicitly proves that even the illness of insanity can be cured & treated, and the insane person can fully recover and become sane again.
Fact 3: Spiritual illness is like any other illness
Illnesses related to sihr, evil eye and jinn-possession are like any other illness. They require a holistic treatment plan which includes the care, love and support of the family, and social and cultural empathy.
There are many deceptive tactics the shayatin utilise to prolong their oppression upon those whom they inflict. The main two are unfounded fear and stigma:
“And they try to put fear... (7:117)”.
“Certainly, the shayatin utilise their friends to put fear; do not fear them, fear ME (3:175)”.
Patients suffering from these spiritual afflictions—the community at large tends to ignore and distance itself from them, fearing they may be inflicted in some way if they visit or assist them. The matter could not be further from the truth! You are more likely to catch a cold from a sneeze of an ill person than be inflicted by a jinn from another person!
The shayatin utilise this unfounded fear of ‘contamination’ to make the larger community stay away from the inflicted person and his immediate family.
This in turn creates a culture of stigma within the society at large by which the family feel pressured to deny, lie, and cover up the illness, all the while carrying out the treatment in silence. This, unquestionably, isolates the patient and his family from even close relatives, and makes them more vulnerable to the oppression of magicians and shayatin.
This cultural stigma eventually leads to a vicious cycle of isolation and silent suffering for the whole community!
We must break this unfounded fear and help the patient and their family. We must visit them, accompany them, support them, invite them, be patient with them…
Once that social and cultural support structure is there, I personally believe the vast majority of patients will have the motivation and determination to treat and fully cure themselves.
Once the patient is determined to cure themselves through Allah and what He has legislated of treatments, there is no stopping towards a full cure, no matter how powerful the harm and evil is: “You are higher and victorious if you truly believe (3:139)”, “Those who have fear of Allah when a group of shayatin inflict them as soon as they be determined to see it to the end they will achieve it (7:201)”.
Fact 4: Ruqya Home Visits are more effective
The reality is that the vast majority of sihr cases can only be treated effectively and swiftly when the whole family together commit to and do the treatment(s).
This is why I highly recommend Ruqya Home Visits by the Raqi (exorcist) more so than sessions at an external location like a ruqya centre. Home visits enable the Raqi to do more.
For example, family members are present and therefore can be recited on and diagnosed to determine if they are affected. This also better helps in identifying the source of the sihr and its type. Moreover, the Raqi is able to investigate for root issues by speaking to the entire household. He is also in a better position to destroy any sihr and shayatin, typically the main sihr and main shaytan (or at least one of the main antagonists) that is hidden in the house, by spraying the house and reciting in each room—sooner or later it will strike the main sihr and the main shaytan.
Once all of that is continuously done, the whole family will either recover very quickly, or all the sihr and the shayatin will be exposed, so it becomes easier to treat the family/patient.
The more the shayatin expose themselves from hiding, the more vulnerable they are to the treatment(s).
The more they possess, speak, laugh and be hysterical, the more weak and vulnerable they become to the treatment(s).
Undoubtedly, for severe cases of sihr, possession and mental health the only long term solution is to establish a clinic or hospital, where professional psychiatrists, doctors and Raqis work together to cure them. Until then, home visits by the upright and experienced Raqis are the most effective way of treatment.
Fact 5: Sihr and mental health can be related
As mentioned previously, sihr can affect the mind and senses of a person, and if it is untreated comprehensively for a very long time it can affect the mental health of an individual.
Similarly, if a person is medically mentally ill without sihr or evil eye, and then is inflicted with sihr or evil eye, his mental illness undoubtedly will worsen.
If a person or family is inflicted with sihr and is traumatised with violent abuse, or emotional abuse or sexual abuse, then it will greatly affect them mentally and emotionally, especially in the case of sexual abuse.
Thereby, patients suffering from sihr who are not being cured in 6 months (after regular Ruqya treatment) ought to be treated simultaneously via the therapy and medical route.
Physical and emotional abuse leaves a person more vulnerable for the sihr to take hold and for the shayatin to attack.
More than 80% of the cure of sihr is left to the individual fighting the sihr by observing the regular treatment(s). In order for him to do that he needs to be stable, mentally. In other words, mental stability is crucial for his full cure from sihr!
Yes, it’s important for the Raqi to know the background of the patient, but it’s also vital for the family and immediate relatives of the patient to ask and find out if any abuse took place in order then to treat the patient comprehensively and thoroughly.
More than half of the cure lies in knowing the actual problem!
Brushing these matters under the carpet only makes it worse for the patient, and eventually ruins families. Sooner or later the actual problem/cause will surface anyway. So it is in the best interest of everyone (especially the patient) to know the actual cause.
Lastly, it does not matter how severe the hold of sihr is, or how affected the person is mentally, there is a cure for all illnesses, no matter how severe, "Allah did not send down an illness except He has sent down for it a cure." Recorded by Al-Bukhari.
Finally, there would be no point whatsoever for Allah (ﷻ) to name Himself Shafi if He does not cure people when every type of expert doctors and their treatments have failed!!
May Allah Ash-Shafi (ﷻ) cure the ‘incurable!’ Allahumma Ameen!