Max Shimba Ministries: ALLAH REVEALS SORCERY AND FORCES MUSLIMS TO PRACTICE IT

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

ALLAH REVEALS SORCERY AND FORCES MUSLIMS TO PRACTICE IT

ALLAH REVEALS SORCERY AND FORCES MUSLIMS TO PRACTICE IT

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Originally written on August 8, 2015 – Academic English Edition (2025)

Abstract

This article critically examines the Qur’ānic claim regarding the origin and practice of sorcery (uchawi) within Islam, as recorded in Surat Ṭā Hā 20:73. The Qur’an itself suggests that Allah not only revealed sorcery but also compelled its practice. This study analyzes the implications of such a theological assertion and contrasts it with the biblical worldview, where sorcery is condemned as rebellion against God. The discussion also engages with Islamic tafsīr (commentary) sources and raises theological and moral questions concerning the nature of divine holiness and the ethical character of Allah as presented in the Qur’an.

Introduction

Throughout history, scholars and theologians have debated the origins of magic and sorcery. Within the Judeo-Christian tradition, sorcery is consistently condemned as a form of rebellion against the Creator (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10–12). However, the Qur’an presents a distinctive narrative that attributes the revelation of sorcery to Allah Himself. This raises profound theological and moral questions about divine nature and the Islamic understanding of good and evil.

The focus of this study is Surat Ṭā Hā 20:73, a verse which states that Allah compelled people to perform sorcery. The implications of this statement suggest divine involvement in acts that the Bible categorically condemns.

Qur’ānic Evidence

Surat Ṭā Hā 20:73 (Translation by Sheikh Ali Muhsin Al-Barwani):

“Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and the magic which you compelled us to perform. And Allah is better and more enduring.”

This verse reveals that Allah forced individuals to learn and practice magic. Sheikh Ali Muhsin Al-Barwani’s tafsīr (Swahili translation and commentary) clarifies this as:

“We have believed in our true Lord so that He may forgive our past sins and the sorcery which we were compelled to learn and practice. And our Lord’s reward is greater and everlasting.”

Thus, two critical points emerge:

Muslims were compelled to learn sorcery.
Muslims were compelled to practice sorcery.

If Allah truly compelled His followers to perform sorcery, it invites a theological crisis: Since when does God act as a sorcerer or require His followers to engage in magic? What benefit could divine-revealed witchcraft bring to humanity or to the moral order of creation?

Theological Implications

The idea that Allah “revealed” or “forced” sorcery contradicts the moral nature of divine holiness as understood in biblical theology. In Scripture, witchcraft is consistently categorized as an abomination before God. The Apostle Paul condemns it among the “works of the flesh” (cf. Galatians 5:20), and the prophet Samuel equates it with rebellion:

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”
— 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV)

If the Qur’an attributes the origin and practice of magic to Allah, then it presents a deity who is morally inconsistent with the biblical concept of holiness, justice, and goodness. This raises an essential theological question for Muslims: Can a God who sanctions witchcraft be the same as the Holy God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Prophet Muhammad and the Use of Magic

Islamic Hadith literature further complicates the issue. According to Sunan Ibn Mājah, Vol. 5, Hadith No. 3525 (p. 48), Muhammad himself practiced forms of magical protection (ndumba) against the evil eye and poisonous creatures:

“The Prophet used incantations and charms against the evil eye and venomous creatures.” (Sunan Ibn Mājah, Book 31, Hadith 3525)

This practice raises ethical and theological questions:

Why would a prophet of God rely on magic (ndumba) instead of divine power?
Does Allah lack the ability to heal or protect without the use of occult means?

In contrast, biblical prophets never resorted to witchcraft or magical arts. Their authority came directly from the Spirit of God, not from charms or incantations.

Biblical Position on Sorcery

The Bible firmly prohibits witchcraft in all its forms. God warns His people:

“There shall not be found among you anyone who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells.”
— Deuteronomy 18:10–12

Furthermore, Scripture declares the ultimate judgment of sorcerers:

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts... their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
— Revelation 21:8 (NIV)

Hence, any divine endorsement or revelation of sorcery is incompatible with biblical theology. The God of the Bible is holy and cannot participate in or endorse evil.

Conclusion

The Qur’anic assertion that Allah revealed and compelled the practice of sorcery introduces profound moral and theological contradictions. A holy God cannot be the source or promoter of witchcraft. Islam’s acceptance of such narratives undermines the moral purity and transcendence that define divine nature.

Christianity, by contrast, affirms a God of holiness who forbids sorcery and delivers humanity from its bondage through Jesus Christ. The invitation remains:

“Accept the living Jesus Christ and receive eternal life. Religion cannot save you; only a relationship with the true God through Christ can.”

References

The Qur’an, Surat Ṭā Hā 20:73 – Translated and Commented by Sheikh Ali Muhsin Al-Barwani (Dar es Salaam: Al-Barwani Publications).
Ibn Mājah, Sunan Ibn Mājah, Vol. 5, Hadith No. 3525 (Book of Medicine).
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV), 1 Samuel 15:23; Deuteronomy 18:10–12; Revelation 21:8; Galatians 5:20.
Al-Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari, commentary on Surat Ṭā Hā 20:73.
Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute Journal of Biblical Apologetics, Vol. 2 (2015).