َ وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ﴿۴﴾ وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿۵﴾

﴾4﴿ Wa min sharrin-naffaa-saati fil 'uqad
﴾5﴿ Wa min sharri haasidin izaa hasad

﴾4﴿ And from the evil of those who blow on knots
﴾5﴿ And from the evil of the envier when he envies

[4] This verse refers to a specific evil from which refuge is sought, namely the evil of magic, sorcery, and spells. The effect of this darkness impacts the mind and intellect. There is also a strong contrast between this evil and the light of "Al-Falaq" (dawn).
(النَّفَّاثَاتِ) – "The blowers"
The word "نفث" means to blow with a slight emission of saliva. Those who perform incantations—whether for good or evil—often blow while chanting. Magicians, while casting spells, also blow on knots.
(فِي الْعُقَدِ) – "Into knots"
The word "عُقَد" (plural of "عُقدة") refers to knots tied with thread, rope, or fabric. It is the habit of sorcerers to recite magical words, tie knots in threads, and blow on them, which are then referred to as "bands" or "bindings". Because of this resemblance, wearing amulets around the neck is discouraged—even if the amulet contains legitimate ruqyah (incantations)—because there is no clear Islamic proof permitting their use.
Does magic have real effects?
The phrase "شر" (evil) in this verse confirms that magic does have effects, but only by the permission of Allah. Even though practicing magic is an act of misguidance, its effects can be real, as mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:102). The story of Pharaoh’s magicians in Surah Al-A’raf (7:116) also proves this.
Why is this evil singled out?
Magic is mentioned specifically because it can: Bind a person’s tongue, preventing speech. Distort one’s vision, causing illusions. Affect a person’s intellect, leading to insanity. For people of the Quran, seeking refuge and protection from this evil is extremely important.
Note: In Sahih al-Bukhari, there is a detailed narration from Hisham bin Urwah, from his father, from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), which summarizes that Labeed bin A’sam, a hypocritical Jew from Banu Zuraiq, along with his daughters, cast a spell on the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace). Effects of the Magic on the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace)
1. He would sometimes think that he had done something when he had not done it (in worldly matters).
2. He would feel as if he had approached his wives when he had not. Then, Allah informed him through the angels about the magic, and the spell was removed from the well where it was hidden. The knots were untied, and the object was buried again to prevent its spread. The two surahs (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) were revealed in relation to this incident. Bukhari narrates this hadith in multiple places, including Kitab al-Tibb, Kitab al-Adab, Kitab al-Da’wat, Kitab Bad’ al-Khalq, and Kitab al-Jizyah, with variations in wording but the same essential meaning.
(Question):
Does this hadith imply that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) was affected by magic, while the Quran states in Surah Al-Isra (17:47) and Surah Al-Furqan (25:8) that calling him “bewitched” was a statement of the disbelievers?
(Answers)
1. Contextual Difference: The disbelievers’ claim of "being bewitched" was made in Makkah, while the incident of magic happened in Madinah.
2. Different Meaning of "Bewitched" (مسحور): The disbelievers meant that he was "taught magic" (i.e., they falsely claimed that revelation was magic).
3. "مسحور" Means "A Human Being" Another interpretation is that "مسحور" refers to a human being who eats and drinks—meaning, the disbelievers dismissed his prophethood by saying, “He is just a normal man.”
4. The Prophet’s Intellect and Heart Were Not Affected Being "bewitched" in the Quranic sense refers to someone whose reason is destroyed and whose speech becomes incoherent. However, in the incident of magic on the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace), only his thoughts were affected (he imagined he had done things he had not), but his intellect, heart, and belief remained untouched. This is supported by the wording in Sahih al-Bukhari: يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ اَنَّهُ فَعَلَ الشَّیء “It was made to appear to him that he had done something when he had not.” This final response was approved by Qadi Iyad, one of the great scholars of Islamic jurisprudence.
[5] This verse refers to a specific evil from which refuge is sought, namely the evil of envy (حسد). Relation Between Envy (حسد) and Magic (سحر) There are several reasons why envy is mentioned right after magic:
1. Both originate from the devils among humans and jinn—sorcery and envy are both inspired by Shayatin (evil beings).
2. Both were common among the Jews—historically, both magic and envy were prevalent in the Jewish community.
3. Envy stems from a corrupt soul, while magic relies on the assistance of corrupt demonic spirits.
(حَاسِدٍ) – "The Envious One" Envy (حسد) is resentment toward the blessings of Allah upon someone else and a desire for those blessings to be removed. Envy is a major sin, as stated in the hadith: "Envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes dry wood." (Reported in multiple hadith collections). The first sin in the heavens was Iblis’s envy toward Adam (peace be upon him). The first sin on Earth was Qabil’s envy toward his brother Habil, leading to the first murder.
(إِذَا حَسَدَ) – "When he envies" The phrase "when he envies" is significant because: Sometimes envy occurs involuntarily in the heart, but the person keeps it hidden and does not act on it. In this case, there is no sin. However, when envy leads to action, such as harming others through words, actions, or the evil eye, it becomes the true evil of envy. This evil envy is a major obstacle for the people of the Quran, causing significant harm and preventing them from achieving their goals. Therefore, seeking protection from envy is extremely important.