It is reported on the authority of Jabir (ra ) that Allah's Messenger (saas ) was asked about an-nushrah and he said:

"It is one of the works of Satan." (Narrated by Ahmad with a good Sanad and by Abu Dawood

Who said: "Ahmad was asked about these matters and he answered that Ibn Mas'ood detested all such things.")

Because an-nushrah was one of the actions of the Jahiliyyah, and the Companions had no desire or liking for the Jahiliyyah or its deeds, they asked the Prophet (saas ) about an-nushrah. He (saas ) replied that it is one of the works of Satan, and it is well-known that Satan orders not except that which is corrupt and detestable to the Believer. As for that which is permissible and not from the works of Satan, there is ar-ruqyah, seeking refuge (with Allah swt ) and the use of all permissible medicines (i.e. those which do not contain forbidden substances such as alcohol, pig fat etc.) and the Hadith is not a forbiddance of these things.

1. The prohibition of an-nushrah, i.e. of using methods which involve sorcery or shirk in order to counteract the effects of magic.

2. That the works of Satan are all forbidden.

That the Hadith proves the prohibition of an-nushrah.

That it proves that an-nushrah, which is from the Jahiliyyah, and cannot be performed without committing shirk, is forbidden, and that the one who does so is a magician.

..ooOOoo..

It is reported by Bukhari, on the authority of Qatadah that he said: "I said to Ibn Al-Musayyib: "A man is under the influence of a magic spell, or is unable to have sex with his wife - should we treat him with an-nushrah or use some other means to cure the spell?" Ibn Al-Musayyib replied: "It is permissible (to use an-nushrah), since they intend by it restoration or mending. That which is beneficial is not prohibited."²

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "Magic is not counteracted by its like except by a magician."

That it shows that Al-Hasan Al-Basri considered that counteracting magic with magic is forbidden and that the one who does so is a sorceror.

Muhammad Ibn `Abdul Wahhaab said: "Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "An-Nushrah is counteracting the effects of magic and it consists of two kinds:

1. Counteracting magic with its like and this is the work of the devil.

2. An-Nushrah by means of ar-ruqyah, seeking refuge with Allah (swt ), permissible medicines and making supplications to Allah (swt ) - these are all permitted forms of an-nushrah.

It might be said, with some justification, that these words of Ibn Al-Qayyim sum up the message of this chapter.

Footnotes

1. Counteracting magic with magic.

2. This is not a permission to use magic against magic; what is permitted here is the use of ar-ruqyah, seeking refuge with Allah (swt), using permitted medicines etc. For how could Ibn Al-Musayyib make permissible that which the Prophet (saas) had forbidden?