Short answer
Yes. Real magic (sihr) is haram and one of the seven destructive sins. Learning or practising it is disbelief when it involves calling on jinn or devils or words of kufr. Going to a magician to remove magic is also not allowed: the cure is ruqyah with the Quran. Stage tricks based purely on skill are a different matter, though many scholars still advise against them.
Practising or learning sihr is haram and a major sin, and it is kufr when it involves worshipping or seeking help from devils, or words of disbelief. Visiting a sorcerer for any purpose is haram. Treatment is by ruqyah with the Quran and authentic duas.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- In the main view of the school, the sorcerer is judged a disbeliever by the act of sorcery itself.
- Hanbali
- In the main view of the school, the sorcerer is judged a disbeliever by the act of sorcery itself.
Explanation
The Quran says that the devils disbelieved by teaching people magic, and that magic can cause real harm, but only by Allah's permission. The Prophet ﷺ listed sorcery second among the seven destructive sins, right after shirk. Sihr usually works through the help of devils from the jinn, which is why it so often involves words or acts of disbelief.
Going to a magician, a 'spiritual healer' who uses unknown words, or a fortune teller is also forbidden, even to remove magic. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever goes to a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad. The lawful cure is ruqyah: reciting the Quran, especially al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi and the last two surahs, and the authentic duas.
Daily protection:
- The morning and evening adhkar.
- Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and al-Nas, three times morning and evening.
- Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping.
- Keeping your prayers, and reciting Surah al-Baqarah at home.
Stage magic and card tricks are not sihr when they are pure sleight of hand and everyone knows it is a trick. Many scholars permit them on that basis, while others advise against them because they imitate sorcery and can confuse people. Never claim real powers.
Not every illness, family problem or bad luck is magic. See a doctor, keep your adhkar, and if you suspect sihr, ask a trustworthy scholar for help. Read more in Jinn in Islam and dua for protection.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:102
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَٰقٍۢ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾
And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.
Magic comes from the devils and is linked to disbelief.
Quran, Surah Al-Falaq 113:4
وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ﴿٤﴾
And from the evil of the blowers in knots
Muslims seek refuge in Allah from sorcery.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2766
Sahih... اجتنبوا السبع الموبقات قالوا يا رسول الله وما هن قال الشرك بالله والسحر ...
"Avoid the seven destructive sins: associating partners with Allah, and sorcery..."
Sorcery is one of the gravest sins.
Sunan Ibn Majah 639
Graded sahih... أو كاهنا فصدقه بما يقول فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد ...
"Whoever goes to a soothsayer and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (the hadith names this with other grave acts)."
Visiting magicians and soothsayers is forbidden.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Introduction, discussion of forbidden sciences. Learning and practising sihr is forbidden.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Jihad, chapter on apostates. When the sorcerer is judged a disbeliever.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Murtadd, section on the sorcerer. The Hanbali position on the sorcerer.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.