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Satan persuades man of the existence of unseen superpowers

Question

As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum,
In my country people believe in something called "Taabi‘ah" (a female Jinn) which is something like a bad omen where a person is constantly subjected to certain calamities such as accidents. Some people claim that they are able to expel this Taabi‘ah. Does this actually exist? Did it exist at the time of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?
Please advise. may Allaah reward you.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

You should know that accidents and the like which afflict a person are not entirely evil; they are stored as an asset for him on the Day of Resurrection and expiate his misdeeds. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No fatigue, disease, sorrow, sadness, harm, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allaah expiates some of his sins for this." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Claiming that someone has the ability to expel this so-called Taabi‘ah is lying and sorcery and a Muslim is not permitted to believe in or visit such a practitioner. Surely, whatever will afflict man will never miss him and what will miss him will never afflict him regardless of the talismans, amulets, symbols, or numbers he makes. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allaah has decreed for us.} [Quran 9:51] It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Know that if the Ummah (Muslim nation) were to gather together to benefit you with anything they would not benefit you except with something that Allaah had already prescribed for you. If the Ummah were to gather together to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with something that Allaah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." [At-Tirmithi]

‘Ubaadah ibn As-Saamit  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said to his son, "O my son, you will never find the taste of the essence of faith until you believe that whatever befell you could not have missed you and whatever missed you could not have befallen you." [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]

Therefore, there is no evidence of the existence of the so-called "Taabi‘ah", but there is fate that we must believe in, whether good or bad. So, calamities and afflictions were ordained in the past and they occur because of what man has earned. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.} [Quran 42:30] Calamities often take place for the benefit of the afflicted one in order for him to wake up from his heedlessness or give up his error. However, Satan plays with the minds of his allies and persuades them of the existence of hidden powers that can perform evil actions or that they can be expelled through magic and soothsaying.

Allaah Knows best.

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