Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

 In the Subcontinent, many people wear tabeez. I have heard and believe this to be shirk. Could you please verify and tell me if wearing tabeez is shirk, and if so, why is it so?

Thank You

May Allah Bless You 

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Answer:

Taaweedh amulet

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) strictly forbade the believers to wear any sort of ‘taaweedh’ or amulet on any part of their body. Anyone who does wear a ‘taaweedh’ or an amulet, starts seeking his trust and help from this ‘taaweedh’, rather than putting his full life and trust in the Lord of the Worlds!

Guidance is to worship, invoke, believe and keep one’s full and unconditional trust in none but Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Heavens and the earth and all that exists in between!

If a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, seeks any protection for anything in life, all he has to do is seek refuge in Allah and supplicate Him for all His needs. For Allah Alone is the Owner of All Strength and Power; and no harm or no trouble can come to anyone without the permission of Allah Subhanah. Therefore, a believer must put his full and unconditional Trust in none but Allah Subhanah Alone.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 160:

If Allah helps you none can overcome you: if He forsakes you who is there after that that can help you? In Allah then let believers put their trust.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 3:

And put your trust in Allah Alone; and enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 51:

Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our Protector"; and on Allah let the believers put their trust.

Uqbah ibn 'Amir narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "If anyone wears an amulet (taaweedh), may Allah not help him in fulfilling his wish. If anyone wears a sea-shell around his neck, may Allah give him no peace."

Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Hakim.

An amulet (tamimah, taaweedkh, etc.) is a string of shells or beads that the Arabs used to put around their children's necks, believing that it would protect them from the evil eye. Islam absolutely abolished this and all other superstitious practices. The Messenger of Allah (saws) called it a manifest form of ‘shirk’ and invoked the curse of Allah upon those who wore a ‘taaweedh’ seeking its protection.

It is reported from Ibn Mas'ud that once, when he entered his home, he noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her neck. He took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The family of Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now associate with Allah those for whom He has sent down no authority.' I have heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: 'Verily, incantations, amulets, and love charms are acts of shirk (associating gods with Allah).' The people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are familiar with incantations and amulets, but what is a love charm (altawlah)'?' He replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula by which women sought to gain their husbands' love'." (Related by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban).

Imran ibn Hasin reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm. The Prophet (saws) exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to you!' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering). The Prophet (saws) prohibited him from wearing it because he regarded it as an amulet. The Prophet (saws) said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have achieved salvation! (ie. you would have died in the state of the unforgivable sin of ‘shirk’'" (Narrated by Ahmad)

Isa ibn Hamza said: I went to see Abdullah ibn Hakim and his face was red due to high fever. I said to him: 'Why don't you use an amulet?' He said: 'We seek refuge with Allah from it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Whoever wears anything as an amulet will be entrusted to it". (Narrated by Abu Daw'ud)

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan