Chapter: Reports Concerning ruqā (incantations) and tamāʾim (amulets)

In the two Ṣaḥīḥ collections it is related from Abū Bashīr al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on one of his journeys, and the Messenger ﷺ sent a herald announcing: “Let no camel keep a necklace of bowstring—or any necklace at all—around its neck; it must be cut off.” (1)

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Relevance of the chapter to the Book of tawḥīd (monotheism): it continues to list practices that impair the creed of tawḥīd, namely the polytheistic use of certain ruqā and tamāʾim.

“What has been reported concerning ruqā and tamāʾim”: that is, the prohibition of those forms that are impermissible.

“In the Ṣaḥīḥ”: meaning in the two Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

“From Abū Bashīr”: he is a Companion who witnessed the Battle of the Trench and died after 60 AH.

“Qilādah” (necklace): whatever is hung around the neck of a camel or the like.

“Watar” (bowstring): the singular of awtār, the strings of a bow.

“Or a necklace”: the narrator was uncertain whether the wording restricted the necklace to one made of bowstring or left it unrestricted, whether of bowstring or anything else.

Overall meaning of the ḥadīth: that the Prophet ﷺ, while on one of his journeys, dispatched