Therefore, the Muslim is obliged to be vigilant, to attach his reliance to Allah alone, and to keep away from practices whose harm imperils sound belief. Allah knows best.

Writing Qur’anic Amulets and Talismans

Question: What is the ruling of the Sacred Law on writing verses from the Qur’an and carrying them for protection from problems or to win someone’s affection?

Answer: According to the sounder of the two scholarly opinions, this is not permissible. It is impermissible to write the Qur’an in the form of amulets and talismans and then hang them on people, because the Qur’an was not revealed for that purpose. What is established is that the Qur’an is to be recited over the afflicted or the sick. As for writing it as talismans or charms and attaching them to a person—even if he is perfectly healthy but fears that something might befall him—this, in the more correct view, is prohibited. There is no evidence for it, and it is a means of degrading the Qur’an and of opening the door to writing non-Qur’anic incantations containing polytheistic phrases or unknown expressions. If this door is opened, the matter will not remain confined to the Qur’an alone; forbidden and idolatrous formulas will also be written, as is actually the case among many ignorant and deluded people. Therefore, this door must be shut, and the Book of Allah must be protected from such treatment. Allah knows best.