The existence of Jadu (magic) in the region of the Subcontinent has always been a focal point of public attention; this is the very reason why, in ancient eras, most outsiders considered India to be a realm of magic (Jadu Nagri). The Kala Jadu (black magic) of Bengal holds its own distinct and prominent status across the entire world even today. Initially, this magic was largely restricted to non-Muslim circles, but if one contemplates the generalized conditions and states of contemporary Muslims in the Subcontinent today, it becomes evident that the epidemic of Jadu has spread within the Muslim demographic of this land with such staggering rapidity over the last few decades that it evokes profound astonishment.
Every single day, some new incident transpires and comes to light within Muslim households. Mutual family relationships, instead of being defined by reciprocal sincerity, goodwill, affinity, love, forgiveness (Afw), trust, and proximity, have become severely distorted by hatred, malice, enmity, revenge, ill-will, mistrust, skepticism, and alienation. Someone is bent upon ruining and binding (Bandish) another person’s business through the power of Jadu, while someone else is striving to turn a father against his son; one is consumed by the thought of creating conflict and separation between a husband and wife, while another is actively engaged in fanning the flames of familial disputes; yet another has turned into an enemy of someone’s mental peace and stability.
The writer has witnessed with his own eyes successfully running businesses being completely ruined, flourishing crops drying up, prosperous people turning destitute, healthy individuals becoming frail and emaciated patients, loving husbands and wives becoming distant and repulsed by one another, good-natured individuals falling into severe ill-temper, irritability, mental chaos, agitation, and even delirious states, paradise-like homes transforming into specimens of hell, close relatives and even family members turning into mortal enemies of one another, and successful marriages abruptly ending in divorce (Talaq).
Jadu, termed as “Sihr” in Arabic, is nothing short of a sudden calamity and catastrophe for a human being. It predominantly acts upon the human imaginative faculty (Quwwat-e-Mutakhayyila), and upon its corruption, the internal system of the human being becomes deeply impaired—and this is precisely the core objective of the sorcerer (Sahir). The view of certain Ulama (scholars) is that because the absolute disposition of Sahireen (sorcerers), Jinnat, and Shayatineen (devils) contains an inherent element of systemic disruption (Fasaad-e-Nazm), therefore, when the physical governance (Tadbeer-e-Jism) of the bewitched individual (Mashoor) falls under their subjugation, his intellect, thought, heart, perception, and vision cease to support him. Subsequently, in accordance with the Divine Decree (Ikhtiyar-e-Ilahi), the Sahir utilizes the person’s physical faculties according to his own malice. Consequently, his bodily faculties also begin operating in alignment with the will of the Sahir. This manifests as the affliction of illnesses, distresses, severe anxieties, or madness (Junoon), to the extent that the Mashoor begins to feel himself completely shackled from all four directions, four elements, and four humors (Khilt).
In the Arabic word “Sihr”, the letter Seen carries a Kasrah (the vowel sound ‘Zeer’). The specific words uttered by a magician, the act of tying knots (Girah), or those medicines and objects through which magic is executed, as well as blowing into knots—all of this is categorized as Jadu, which the Sahir generally learns from the Jinnat and Shayatineen. Magic is that which leaves people completely spellbound (Sihr-zada). It is called Jadu precisely because the Sahir executes it through entirely covert and hidden methodologies.
Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Quran:
وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتْلُواْ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَـكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ۔
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 102) Translation: “And they followed what the devils altered during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon 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 practicing 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.