Question:
My question is, if "Satan is put into chains" during the month of Ramadan then why still some people doing bad things such as Sihr (magic) on others? It happened to myself, my brother and sister. I suspected that my sister in-law had used magic on us to disunite my family. I suffer from terrible cough; non-stop for 2 months while the doctor could not detect anything wrong even after the X-ray was taken. The doctor even thinks it so strange. The situation is even worse in the house... very strange, our family ties were affected, my brother seems misguided. We cannot discuss matters amicably. I cannot complain to him that we found Shirk things such as the hair and nails kept hidden in the house for the fear that he would get angry. So why is it possible for the Satan to help the evildoers during the month of Ramadan when Allah (SWT) has said that this holy month Satan is chained? Another question: What is the ruling according to Shariah when I recite certain verses from the al-Qur’an e.g. Surah Yaaseen, Surah al-Hashr (21-24) Surah al-Anbiyaa (101-103), Surah al-Mu'minoom (115-116) and Surah Aal-Imraan (146) into my drinking water for healing purposes? I also understand that the evildoers recite verses of al-Qur’an to do magic on others, so what is the ruling? What is the ruling when I perform a Salaat Hajah to counter the evildoers by making Du’a so Allah (SWT) may punish the evildoers here in this world? It is my intention to reunite my beloved family members. May Allah Bless all good Muslims.All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Fatwa:
The Hadeeth you are asking about is reported by Imaam Al-Bukhari and Imaam Muslim with the words: "When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of the (Hell) Fire are closed, and the devils are chained."
Al-Qaadi Iyaadh said: “The Hadeeth points out the great reward and forgiveness that a person gets in this month and that devils’ mischief decreases much as if they were put in chains.”
Al-Mubarakpoori reported from al-Qurtubi that he said: “If one objects saying why do we see evil and sins happening in the month of Ramadan while the devils are chained, the answer is that the ratio of sins falls a noticeable level from those fasting persons who adhere to fasting rules and do not violate the etiquette of fasting on one hand and fulfilling its conditions and other recommended matters on the other. The Hadeeth does not prove that evil and sins disappear totally in this month since the evil happens for many reasons other than the devils such as bad habits, bad people, etc.”
Therefore, it is not astonishing to see someone getting involved in magic or committing sins during the month of Ramadan. However, the problems you are facing may not be due to magic. The person who does not fast and does not follow the religion is more vulnerable to magic and other kinds of evil acts. So, we advise you to keep on performing prayers and reciting the supplications.
Reciting some portion of Qur'an to seek cure is recommended since the whole Qur'an contains healing as Allah says (what means): “And We send down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), …” [17:82].
As for Salaat al-Haajah (prayer of need) it is permissible according to some scholars for the Hadeeth reported by At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah with a weak chain that the Prophet said: "Whoever is in need of something from Allah or from someone else has to make Wudu, make it perfectly, and then perform two Rak’ah."
Know that one should not ask Allah for anything that contains a sin or a cutting of the kinship ties, etc.
Finally, we advise you and your family to be steadfast on the way of Taqwa (piety) and thus you may protect yourselves from evil eye and bad effects. Also, we advise you to think good of your brother and other relatives and treat them kindly and pleasantly. This may develop into love and good relations amongst you and keep you away from Satan.
Allah knows best.
Fatwa answered by:The Fatwa Center at Islamweb