Max Shimba Ministries: MUHAMMAD, MAGIC, AND THE PRACTICE OF DIVINATION

Thursday, May 8, 2025

MUHAMMAD, MAGIC, AND THE PRACTICE OF DIVINATION

MUHAMMAD, MAGIC, AND THE PRACTICE OF DIVINATION

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

Dear Reader,

Today, let’s carefully examine an important subject: Muhammad’s involvement in magic and the use of charms within Islam.

Did Prophet Muhammad Use Magic?

According to Islamic hadith sources, Prophet Muhammad is recorded to have used magic (known as ndumba in Swahili) against the evil eye and venomous creatures such as lizards. This is documented in Ibn Majah, Volume 5, Hadith No. 3525, p. 48.

Now, the question for us is — where in the Bible do we ever see God’s prophets and apostles using magic or charms for healing or protection? Did God lack the power to heal an evil eye or venom without resorting to magic?

Muhammad Gave Magic Charms to His Wife Aisha

Shockingly, Muhammad is said to have given his beloved wife Aisha a charm to protect her from the evil eye. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Volume 3, Book 24, Hadith Numbers 5445, 5447-5450, p. 1196.

At this point, one might ask — how different is this from witchcraft? The very fact that Muhammad would prepare and hand over charms reveals a reliance on practices foreign to biblical prophets.

Again — where in the Bible do we see prophets of God using magic or charms? The answer is nowhere.

Muhammad Believed in the Evil Eye and Used Amulets

Muhammad openly believed in the evil eye and even encouraged the use of protective amulets. Al-Tabari, Volume 39, p. 134 confirms this. Furthermore, two chapters of the Quran (Surahs 113 and 114) deal with protection from the evil eye according to Ibn Majah, Volume 5, Hadith 3517, p. 41.

Interestingly, these two chapters were not included in the Quranic collection of Ibn Mas’ud, a close companion and personal scribe of Muhammad. Ibn Mas’ud is reported to have said, “The two charms [Surah 113 and 114] are not part of the Book of God.” (See: The Fihrist, p. 57) — raising serious concerns about the authenticity of the current Quran.

Muhammad even encouraged his followers to learn the Quran from Ibn Mas’ud and three others. (Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith 521, p. 486-487)

Muhammad Taught That Magic Cures the Evil Eye

Several hadiths in Ibn Majah, Volume 5, Hadith 3510-3512, p. 41-42 confirm Muhammad’s teaching that charms could cure the evil eye.

Another practice called ‘al-badiri’ was also permitted by Muhammad as protection against the evil eye. (Ibn Majah, Volume 5, Hadith 3513-3518, p. 42-44)

Furthermore, Muhammad declared that the evil eye is a real phenomenon (Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Hadith 636, p. 427; Hadith 827, p. 538; and Volume 4, Book 55, Hadith 590, p. 386) — and that it could be counteracted using magic.

Even more peculiar, Muhammad’s own hair was believed to have healing power for the evil eye. (Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 72, Hadith 784, p. 518.) After shaving his head, his followers scrambled to collect his hair, which Muhammad distributed generously. (Sahih Muslim, Volume 2, Book 7, Hadith 2991-2994, p. 656-657.)

Muhammad’s Odd Recommendation: Specific Dates for Healing

Muhammad also taught that if people were to perform certain acts on the 17th, 19th, or 21st day of the lunar month, it would heal every disease. (Abu Dawud, Volume 3, Hadith 3852, p. 1084.)

If Muhammad was truly a prophet of the one true God, why did he rely on magic?
If Allah is God, why did he permit such practices?
If Islam is from God, why does it allow and promote charms and magic?

An Invitation to the Living God

Dear reader — it is clear from both Islamic sources and the Bible that Jesus Christ alone heals, protects, and saves without the use of charms or sorcery. He is alive today and calls you to receive Him as your Savior and Lord.

Come to Jesus, the Living God.

May the Lord bless you richly.

In His Service,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute