19/07/2025
Taweezat (Amulets)
Allah Almighty created mankind and connected it to various conditions—illness being one of them. When a person falls ill, they adopt different means to attain healing. Among these means, one method—as per the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah—is the use of taweezat (amulets).
"Taweezat" is the plural of "taweez," and in Arabic, it is referred to as "Tameemah". In the pre-Islamic era, when someone was afflicted by the evil eye, the Arabs would recite incantations over the affected person. As narrated by Hazrat 'Awf ibn Malik Ashja'i (RA), he said: "We used to recite incantations (ruqya) during the days of ignorance, so we asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), what is your opinion regarding this?’ He replied, ‘Present your incantations to me. There is nothing wrong with them as long as they do not contain any shirk (associating partners with Allah).’” (Sahih Muslim)
Sometimes, they would write something and hang it around the neck—that is what was called Tameemah. Today, while a large number of people in our society derive benefit from this practice, some label it as shirk (polytheism) and bid’ah (innovation). Let us understand its Islamic legitimacy through the light of Qur'an and Hadith.
The Prophet (ﷺ) Himself Had a Taweez Written
Hazrat Abu Dujanah (RA) narrates that he once complained to the Prophet (ﷺ) about a disturbance caused by jinn. He said, “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), while I was lying in bed, I heard a sound like that of a grinding mill, a humming like bees, and flashes like lightning. I became frightened, raised my head, and saw a black shadow rising in the courtyard of my house. I went close and touched its skin, which felt like that of a porcupine. It threw something at me that felt like sparks of fire, and I felt as though I was burnt."
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Dujanah! That is an evil being residing in your house. I swear by the Lord of the Ka'bah, people like you are often troubled by them." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, “Bring me a paper and inkpot.” When they were brought, the Prophet (ﷺ) handed them to Hazrat Ali (RA) and instructed him, “O Abu al-Hasan, write this.”
When Hazrat Ali (RA) asked, “What should I write?”, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
This is a writing from Muhammad, the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds (ﷺ) to the residents of this home, from among the jinn, visitors, and the righteous—except for those who visit with goodness, O Most Merciful.
As for what follows:
Verily, there is space in truth for both you and us. So, if you are a lover or obsessed, immoral or aggressive, or sincere or false—
Then this is the Book of Allah, which speaks the truth about and against us all.
We were indeed transcribing what you were doing, and Our messengers are writing down your schemes.
Leave the possessor of this letter and go to the idolaters and to those who claim that there is a god besides Allah.
There is no god but Him. Everything will perish except His Face.
To Him belongs the judgment, and to Him you shall return.
They will be defeated. Ha-Meem. They will not be helped.
Ha-Meem 'Ain Seen Qaf
The enemies of Allah will be dispersed.
The proof of Allah has been established.
There is no power nor might except through Allah.
Verily, Allah is sufficient for you, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Abu Dujanah (RA) states that he took the taweez home and slept with it under his pillow. In the night, he heard a voice screaming, “O Abu Dujanah! By Lat and 'Uzza, these words have burned us. By your master (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ), if you remove this writing, we will never return to your home, nor to your neighbors, nor to any place where this writing exists.”
He replied, “By my master, I shall not remove it until I seek permission from the Prophet (ﷺ).”
The next morning, he prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) and related his conversation with the jinn. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “O Abu Dujanah! Remove it from them, for by the One who sent me with the Truth, this group will remain in torment till the Day of Judgment.”
(Ref: Al-Khasaa’is al-Kubra)
The Qur'an, Hadith, and the Legitimacy of Taweez
Taweezat generally contain verses from the Holy Qur'an or names of Allah, and are recited upon or worn for healing. Those who seek benefit from such taweez are, in fact, seeking cure from the Qur'an. And indeed, there is healing in the Qur'an.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
And We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers.
(Surah Al-Isra, 17:82)
The Prophet (ﷺ) also said:
The best medicine is the Qur’an.
(Ibn Majah)
Taweez from Sahaba and Tabi'een
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) and Taweez:
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) narrates that Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) used to teach his grown children to recite:
Bismillah, I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger, His punishment, the evil of His slaves, and from the whisperings of devils and their presence.
For younger children who could not memorize it, he would write this and hang it around their necks. (Musnad Ahmad)
Imam Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib and Ibn Sirin (RA):
Imam Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib (RA) said that there is no harm in wrapping Qur'anic verses in a small box or paper and wearing them. Likewise, Imam Ibn Sirin (RA) saw no issue in hanging Qur'anic verses around the neck. (Bahr al-Muheet)
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) and the Drinking Taweez:
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) advised that when a woman experiences difficulty in childbirth, the following ayat should be written on paper:
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. La ilaha illallah, Al-Azim, Al-Halim, Al-Karim. Subhanallahi Rabbis-Samawat wa Rabbil-Ardh wa Rabbil-Arshil-Azim...
(With verses from Surah An-Nazi'at and Surah Ahqaf)
The paper should be soaked in water and the woman made to drink it. (Zad al-Ma’ad by Ibn Qayyim, Vol. 4, Pg. 328)
Which Taweez Are Permissible and Which Are Not?
M***i Amjad Ali Aazmi (RA) writes in Bahar-e-Shariat:
Some ahadith prohibit taweez, and this applies to those which contain impermissible or shirk-based content like those in pre-Islamic times. However, writing Qur'anic verses, hadith, or supplications on bowls or paper and using them with the intention of healing is permissible. Even women in states of menstruation or postpartum bleeding may wear taweez if they are wrapped in protective covering.
Shaykh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi (RA) says:
If incantations or mantras do not include names of jinn or devils, and do not entail any disbelief or shirk, then using them is allowed. Scholars state: if the meaning of a mantra is unknown, it should not be used—unless it is authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. (Ref: Ashi'at al-Lama'at)
Conclusion:
Dear readers,
You have seen that taweez and ruqyah (spiritual healing) that are in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah are not only permissible but established by the actions of our noble predecessors. Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) himself had a taweez written by Hazrat Ali (RA) for Hazrat Abu Dujanah (RA). Many companions and righteous scholars followed this practice.
May Allah grant us the wisdom to benefit from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Ameen.
Spiritual Leader & Councellor
Hazrat Pir Syed Shah Mohammad Khurram Hussain Munawwari AlBaqari AlFaiyazi
