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Question

What is the Sharee'ah ruling on exorcism rituals?

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 ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

The rituals of exorcism are nothing but fraud and sorcery where the sorcerers claim to heal the possessed person. They establish the gatherings where the possessed as well as others dance in a place full of incense, and sometimes they repeat incomprehensible sentences. There is no doubt that these are innovated evil acts that Satan made his followers perceive to be reasonable.

Consequently, a Muslim should completely avoid holding such gatherings or attending them and, furthermore, he is obliged to forbid this evil (if he can) because of the acts of Shirk (polytheism) it involves as well as other Sharee'ah violations. It is also the obligation of every Muslim to warn against this evil and offer advice to other Muslims, particularly the weak-minded who believe in these rituals and resort to them. Instead, he should guide them to the Sharee'ah-approved remedies for the possessed; the Ruqyah (Quranic healing) that is made by reciting certain verses from the Quran and specific supplications. The most important thing is that one should resort to Allaah The Almighty, safeguard himself by constant recitation of the morning and evening Athkaar (remembrances and mentionings of Allaah) and regular observance of voluntary acts of worship.

Allaah Knows best.

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