A Zaydi Perspective on Sihr

Imam al-Daylami’s Commentary on Qur’an 2:102 and 113:4

The following is a commentary of the Zaydi scholar, Imam Nasir al-Din Abu al-Fattah al-Daylami (d. 444 AH) within Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Quran on two of the most commonly cited verses used by those who assert that magic (sihr) has real implications in the physical world. Within his tafsir, Imam al-Daylami argues that sihr is merely an illusion and that “magicians” rely on deceit and trickery to give the impression of supernatural effects.

1. Commentary on Surat al-Baqara (2:102)

“And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Sulayman. It was not Sulayman 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 practising 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.” — (2:102)

Imam al-Daylami comments:

“Magic [here] does not mean the magician is able to change the physical appearance of people as some groups amongst the Hashwiya have claimed — such as turning a human into a donkey, or vice versa.
The fact is, to us, magic is just a form of deceit. What a magician does is trick us into seeing something which is not there — like one who sees a mirage from afar and thinks it is water, or like when a ship sails and its passenger thinks the mountains and trees are moving with it.

If a magician could truly change appearances, there would be no difference between what is real and what is false. It would even be permissible for them to manipulate the entire creation. Yet Allah described Pharaoh’s magicians, saying: ‘And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].’ (20:66).

Indeed, if magicians had such powers, they themselves would perish at the hands of their own magic, since imagination leads to paranoia, paranoia to illness, and illness to being lost.

As for Babylon, it is today’s Kufa, once called Babylon (Babel in Arabic) because confusion (balbala) spread from there.

Allah said: ‘But they do not teach anyone unless they say: We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practising magic].’ This shows they warned: ‘Do not disbelieve, for we are a test.’

‘And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife.’ Allah’s words: ‘But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah’ has two meanings: either by Allah’s will, or by His knowledge.

‘And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them’ — meaning, it harms them in the Hereafter, and brings no benefit in worldly life.

‘But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share.’ This refers to the magic that causes separation between man and wife. Here, ‘share’ may mean either one’s portion in the Hereafter or one’s very religion (Islam).

‘And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.’ Meaning: they traded themselves for magic and disbelief — by teaching it, practicing it, and even slandering Sulayman by accusing him of sorcery.”

2. Commentary on Surat al-Falaq (113:4)

“And from the evil of the blowers in knots” — (113:4)

Imam al-Daylami explains:

“This refers to witches, and their magic — which is the illusion of doing harm without affecting a person physically. This illusion may in fact be worse, as clarified in Surat al-Baqara.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever ties a knot and blows on it has practiced magic; whoever practices magic has committed shirk; and whoever hangs something (as an amulet) will be entrusted to it.’

Meaning: if one blows on a knot intending witchcraft, the ruling is as the Prophet ﷺ stated. But if one blows on a knot with the intention of spiritual healing, that is not considered witchcraft.”