The Islamic Status of Mujarrab Wazifa (Tested Amulets & Rituals)

The Legitimacy of “Mujarrab Wazifa” and Innovations in Islam

You must have often heard the word “Wazifa” in relation to getting rid of illness, removing difficulties, or achieving certain goals, such as marriage Wazifa, offspring Wazifa, job Wazifa, controlling a husband or wife Wazifa, creating love or hatred Wazifa, visa-related Wazifa, weight loss Wazifa, increasing or decreasing weight Wazifa, having beautiful children Wazifa, having a son Wazifa, cancer Wazifa, COVID-19 Wazifa, etc. In fact, there are countless Wazifas famous among people for every task.

Examining the Legitimacy of ‘Mujarrab Wazifas’ in Islamic Institutions

I want to present a few examples to make the matter clearer. I am not referring to ordinary people but to the larger scholarly class. On the website of a major Hanafi institution in Pakistan, Jamia Naboriya Alamia, a long list of “Mujarrab Wazifas” is available, and I am sharing a few examples here:

• Wazifa for Love Marriage: Write verses 131 and 132 of Surah Taha on a paper and tie it around your arm.
• Wazifa to Retrieve a Stolen Bike: Write verse 148 of Surah Baqarah on a circular cloth, then write the bike’s name on it and hang it at the place where the bike was stolen with a nail; the bike will be found.
• Wazifa for a Job: After the Isha prayer, recite “Ya Wahhab” 414 times and then “Ya Wahhab hal li min ni’matin fi al-dunya wal-akhirah innaka anta al-Wahhab” 112 times.
• Wazifa for Male Offspring: After conception, draw seventy circles on the woman’s stomach with your finger, and say “Ya Matin” with each circle. During early pregnancy, write Surah Al-A’la on the woman’s right side. If the child is in the womb, the name “Muhammad” should be suggested.
• Wazifa for Quick Release from Jail: After Asr or Maghrib, recite this verse 100,000 times: “رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ” (Our Lord, remove the punishment from us; indeed, we are believers).
• Wazifa for Cancer: Recite “اللھم صل علی محمد بعدد کل داء ودواء وبارک وسلم” (O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad, the number of all diseases and cures) after Fajr and Maghrib prayers twice, then recite Surah Al-Fatiha 100 times, followed by Surah Al-Ikhlas three times. Afterward, recite the aforementioned salutation 100 times and dedicate the reward to Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Hashmi Sindhi, and Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Ludhiani. Then, perform Ruqyah and blow on water to be given to the patient.

These are just a few examples. There are large books filled with Wazifas, and it is not the right time to list them all. Just understand that there is a type of business or trade in certain sections of the Muslim community (such as among those who follow innovation or Sufism), and many scholars from these groups are involved in this activity. During the time of COVID-19, a prominent scholar in Pakistan appeared on television and shared a Wazifa to ward off COVID-19. He advised reading Surah Al-Fatiha three times, Surah Al-Ikhlas three times, and “Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal wakeel” 300 times to remove the virus. He also shared a specific Wazifa for the third Ramadan of 2022, recommending reciting Durud Ibrahim eleven times, Surah Al-Sharh twenty-one times, Surah Al-Qadr twenty-one times, and then Durud Ibrahim again eleven times. According to him, this would cure all kinds of diseases. There are many such Wazifas attributed to him. This scholar is renowned among his followers as “Shaykh-ul-Islam,” and if this is the case with someone at his level, you can imagine the situation among others in this field.

Have you ever thought about what the status of these fabricated Wazifas is in the light of Shariah? Perhaps few have considered this, as it is mainly propagated by religious scholars or pseudo-scholars who give the impression that these practices are correct. When prominent scholars invent a new Wazifa for every task and spread it, smaller or pseudo-scholars naturally follow the trend. So, these fabricated Wazifas are considered a part of religious practice by these “innovative” scholars, but this was never the practice of the Salaf (the early generations). Today, it has come to such an extent that even a common person, driven by fame and profit, runs a business dealing with these Wazifas. It is unfortunate that such a business is operating under the name of religion, and even more tragic is the fact that some people who possess knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah have begun promoting these Wazifas. Some lectures indicate that for some people, religion is simply about Wazifas, with no connection to actual practice. It is truly lamentable that what was meant to be a way of life (deeds in accordance with the faith) is now being reduced to just a collection of Wazifas, and money is being earned from it.

In such circumstances, scholars should step forward and work to stop this Wazifa business or at least make the public aware of the truth so that they can avoid falling into these innovations and superstitions.

Now, I want to explain what the status of a “Mujarrab Wazifa” is. First, understand that a “Mujarrab Wazifa” refers to a Wazifa that has been devised and experimented with by someone. In other words, a “Mujarrab Wazifa” is a fabricated Wazifa.

The next question is whether it is allowed to invent new Wazifas in religion, and what is the Shariah status of these newly invented and continuously created Wazifas?

To answer this, we must consider several points:

1. Islamic Completeness: The religion of Islam was completed during the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Allah’s statement is clear:
   الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا (المائدة:3)
   Translation: This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.
2. No Addition to Religion: Since our religion is complete, no one has the right to add anything to it. Any addition to the religion is innovation (Bid’ah) and is rejected. The Prophet ﷺ said:
   من أَحْدَثَ في أَمْرِنَا هذا ما ليسَ فِيهِ، فَهو رَدٌّ (صحيح البخاري:2697،صحيح مسلم:1718،سنن أبي داود4606, سنن ابن ماجه:14,مشكوة المصابيح:140)
   Translation: Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that which is not part of it, will have it rejected.
3. Experiments in the World, Not in Religion: From this hadith, it is clear that adding something new to the religion is rejected. The Prophet ﷺ and his companions did not experiment with religion; rather, they followed the guidance they received directly from Allah and the Prophet. Experiments can be done in worldly matters, not in religion.

With these three foundational points in mind, it becomes clear that Wazifa is a form of remembrance (dhikr), and dhikr is a type of worship. In terms of worship, we should follow the exact forms of dhikr as prescribed by the Qur’an and Sunnah. There are two types of dhikr in Shariah:

1. Specific Dhikr: Some forms of dhikr are specific to certain times, circumstances, needs, or numbers. For example, the morning and evening supplications, specific prayers for illness, supplications for a specific need (such as for debt), and dhikr that have a specified number of repetitions, like “لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير” which is to be recited three times during the day. This has great merit.

Second Type: General Dhikr

General dhikr refers to those recitations or invocations that are not linked to any specific occasion, time, or need. These can be recited at any time and in any place. In fact, even specific dhikrs can be recited in general situations because the main purpose of dhikr is to glorify Allah.

The Answer to the Previous Question

Now, to answer the previous question: in Islam, nobody is allowed to invent or create a new form of dhikr or specific devotional acts (wazifa). This is because Islam is a completed and perfect religion, as mentioned in Allah’s word:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 3)
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.”

Therefore, since Islam has been completed, no one has the right to add anything to it. As the Prophet ﷺ said:
من أَحْدَثَ في أَمْرِنَا هذا ما ليسَ فِيهِ، فَهو رَدٌّ
(Sahih Bukhari: 2697, Sahih Muslim: 1718)
“Whoever introduces something into this matter of ours (i.e., the religion) that is not part of it, will have it rejected.”

This hadith makes it clear that adding new practices into Islam is a form of innovation (bid’ah), which is rejected. The key point is that experiments and innovations should be avoided in religious matters. Instead, we should follow the same practices that were established by the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.

The Concept of Wazifa

In Islam, wazifa refers to a specific invocation or dhikr that is supposed to bring about certain results. However, these are not to be invented or introduced by anyone. There is no place in Islam for creating new wazifas for specific needs or objectives. For instance, during the time of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, people did not create specific invocations or dhikrs for particular goals, like getting a job or finding a spouse. Such practices are purely innovations that do not have support in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

The Example of a Companion Who Misquoted a Du’a

It’s fascinating to note that once, a companion of the Prophet ﷺ mistakenly used the word “رسول” (Messenger) instead of “نبي” (Prophet) in a du’a. The Prophet ﷺ immediately corrected him, saying it should be “نبيك الذي أرسلت” (Your Prophet whom You have sent). This shows that even minor changes in the prescribed supplications were not allowed, illustrating how strict the Prophet ﷺ was about the exact wording of supplications. If even a minor deviation was corrected, then how can we allow individuals to invent or alter wazifas for personal goals?

Restrictions on Creating Wazifas

Thus, it is clear that:

• No scholar or layperson is permitted to create a wazifa for a specific need (like for marriage, health, or success) unless it has been prescribed by the Qur’an or Sunnah.
• No individual is allowed to determine the number of times a dhikr should be recited if such a number is not specified in the Qur’an or Hadith.
• No one is allowed to designate specific times for certain dhikrs unless those times are prescribed by the Prophet ﷺ.

Moreover, certain phrases that people use as dhikr, such as Ya Allah, Ya Wadud, Ya Wahhab, Ya Latif, Ya Mateen, etc., are not authentic dhikrs that the Prophet ﷺ taught. The prescribed forms of dhikr are simple and clear, such as:

• سبحان الله (Subhan Allah)
• الحمد لله (Alhamdulillah)
• الله أكبر (Allahu Akbar)
• لا إله إلا الله (La ilaha illallah)
• لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله (La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah)

These phrases are true forms of dhikr, which directly communicate the greatness and oneness of Allah.

Group Dhikr and Innovation

Sometimes, people gather in groups to collectively recite dhikr a certain number of times, such as 100,000 times, and divide the recitation among many people. This type of collective dhikr is also an innovation and has no basis in the Qur’an or Hadith.

Amulets and Writing Verses on the Body

It is also forbidden in Islam to write Qur’anic verses on your body or hang them as amulets. The Prophet ﷺ declared all forms of amulets to be a form of shirk (associating partners with Allah). For example, writing Surah Al-A’la on a woman’s side or on her abdomen is not only an innovation but also a disrespect to the Qur’an. The use of such practices in society, particularly those performed by so-called spiritual healers, has led to widespread exploitation, especially of women.

Realizing the True Source of Benefit

Even if a person seems to gain benefit from a specific wazifa, we should not assume that it is the wazifa itself that caused the benefit. All benefits ultimately come from Allah alone, and He grants blessings and solutions to us, whether we ask for them explicitly or not.

Conclusion

In conclusion, any invented or self-made wazifa is considered bid’ah (innovation) and is rejected in Islam. Following the prescribed dhikrs and prayers as taught by the Prophet ﷺ is the true way to seek Allah’s mercy and guidance. There is no harm in making supplications in one’s own language, but creating specific invocations or fixating on a certain time, number, or manner for a specific goal is a clear deviation from the teachings of Islam.

If you are facing difficulties, remember to:

1. Correct your faith and make sincere repentance.
2. Strengthen your relationship with Allah through regular worship and prayer.
3. Continue to engage in dhikr and make du’a, especially at the best times.
4. Seek solutions through worldly means that align with Islamic principles.

By following these principles, you will find true relief, not only from worldly difficulties but also from the most important trial — the trial of the hereafter.

Written by: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi
Jeddah Dawah Center, Hay Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia