Did the Prophet ﷺ Get Affected by Magic?

By Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef, New Age Islam 21 July 2025 One of the points used to denigrate Islam these days is that Prophet Mohammad SAW was once affected by magic and so his utterances cannot be relied upon. Whether these critics are people inspired by Islamophobia or anti-Islam Orientalists or ex-Muslims, they obtain all the material against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad from revered Islamic sources themselves. These sources are those that are considered authentic among the traditionalists, therefore they cannot even be labelled apocryphal. The dilemma of Muslim mentality is that it deems these sources (which are purely human endeavours and hence in need of critique and scrutiny) as sacred and does not allow for any criticism or reassessment. The upshot is that the Muslim mind is living in a state of intellectual turmoil and is unable to keep up with the reason of the modern period. This article offers an example and explanation of this phenomenon. Main Points: 1. It is commonly believed that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was once affected by magic. 2. This raises a critical question about the trustworthiness and authenticity of the Quran: How can it be accepted when potentially affected by such circumstances? 3. The clergy try to address this concern and to provide robust rationalizations for this incident yet failed to do so. 4. Allama Meeruthi suggests that while there was an attempt to cast magic upon the Prophet, it ultimately did not take effect, as Allah has decreed to protect the Prophet from harm. ----- There is a belief that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was affected by magic. Ulama claim this caused temporary forgetfulness, influencing the Prophet's interactions with his wives and leading to lapses in memory. This narrative is found in Bukhari and other Hadith collections and raises a serious concern about the authenticity of Quranic revelation. It is commonly believed that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was once affected by magic. Traditional scholars and religious leaders assert that a magician named Labeed bin A'sam, who lived in Madina, cast a spell on the Prophet, causing him to be in a bewitched state for a period of time. They claim that during this time, the Prophet would engage in marital relations with his wives and may have forgotten about it. Similarly, he reportedly experienced moments of forgetfulness, saying things and then forgetting them. This narrative is mentioned multiple times in Sahih Bukhari and also appears in other so-called authentic collections of Hadith. One significant concern that arises from these claims is the authenticity and trustworthiness of the Quran's revelation (وحي) during this period. How could someone under the influence of magic and potentially affected maintain honesty and integrity in such a compromised state? The specific verses of the Quran revealed during that time remain unclear. Traditionally, the clergy have offered justifications for this situation, arguing that the process of revelation remained unharmed and safe, even during the Prophet's affected state. However, they have struggled to provide robust rationalizations for their claims, yet failed to do so. This why, notably, some prominent scholars, such as Imam Razi and Imam Abubakr al-Jussas Hanafi, strongly refuted the aforementioned traditions of Bukhari. In more recent times, Maulana Maududi also rejected these narratives for similar reasons. However, traditionalist groups, including Salafis and Deobandis, have criticized such views and clung to the belief that this Hadith cannot be questioned, given that it had appeared in Bukhari. To elaborate further let me explain: According to these reports, the Prophet ﷺ was so affected that he believed he had performed certain actions, such as intimate relations, which in fact did not occur. This condition lasted for a period—some reports suggesting six months—until two angels informed him in a dream about the cure, which included Surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas. Imam Bukhari has documented this account, including the Prophet’s feelings of forgetfulness, thinking he had acted in ways that required him to perform certain rituals of purity when he had not actually needed so. Eventually, he experienced physical weakness and prayed for healing, receiving a revelation in the dream about Labeed's spell, and subsequently went to a well called Dhul-Arwan with some companions to remove the magic. This raises a crucial question: If the Prophet ﷺ was under the influence of magic, can we truly trust the integrity of the Quranic revelation during that time? This dilemma pits trust in the authenticity of Sahih Bukhari against the preservation of the Prophet's ʿIṣmahعصمة (divine protection) in receiving revelation. Scholars have generally aligned themselves into two broad camps: Camp 1: Traditionalists (Ahl al-Hadith, Salafis, Deobandis, etc.) These scholars accept the hadith as authentic and argue that while the Prophet ﷺ may have been affected in personal matters or memory, his ability to receive and deliver revelation remained intact. They cite the Quranic verse: "وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ" (He does not speak from desire; it is only revelation sent down to him) — [Surah al-Najm: 3-4]. They contend that magic did not impact the core function of the Prophet in delivering Islamic teachings. Counterpoint: Critics argue that this distinction is both theologically and logically weak. If the Prophet could forget daily actions, what was to stop him from forgetting verses? The limitations in such a scenario are unlikely if the Prophet is considered human, as is commonly believed among Muslims. Camp 2: Critical Theologians and Rationalists** This group includes figures such as Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Imam Abū Bakr al-Jaṣṣāṣ al-Hanafi, Imam al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī, Maulana Mawdudi, and Allama Shabbir Ahmad Azhar Meeruthi. These scholars either outright reject the hadith, arguing that it contradicts reason (ʿaql) and the Quranic assurance of the protection of prophethood, or consider it to be symbolic, a dream, or an interpolated addition over time. Mawdudi, like Razi and Jassas, confidently dismissed this narrative as dangerous to the credibility of the Prophet. Although critics from traditionalist schools (especially Salafis and Deobandis) accused him of undermining the science of Hadith, his views resonated with modernist and rationalist thinkers who prioritized the infallibility of the Quran and the Prophet ﷺ. Allama Shabbeer Azhar Meerthi approached this issue from a unique perspective. Rather than outright rejection, he offers a refreshing reinterpretation. While he respects the Isnād-based methodology, he emphasizes that revelation is protected, as confirmed by the Qur’an itself. If a hadith suggests a breach in divine revelation (wahy), then such a narration must be either misunderstood or unauthentic, even if it appears in Bukhari. Deliberating on this matter, he states: “This hadith was narrated only by Hisham bin Urwah from his father Urwah and from 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). I assert that the Prophet was indeed the messenger of Allah and held the highest rank. As a human being, he faced the same challenges that anyone else might, including physical growth, youth, hunger, thirst, illness, old age, weakness, and death. However, Allah said to him, ‘O Prophet, from the beginning to the end, you remain under the infallibility and protection of Allah. ’So despite the numerous plans devised by his enemies to kill the prophet—before his migration from Makkah, after his arrival in Madinah, and even during his time there and while traveling—they achieved nothing but failure. The Jewish community living in Yathrib (Madinah) was among his fiercest adversaries. They attempted various plots against him, including using magic and conspiracies to hang a heavy millstone around his neck. They even tried to poison him during the Battle of Khaibar. Nevertheless, the Almighty's protection thwarted their schemes. Although Labeed bin A’sam, a hypocrite from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib, influenced by the Jews, performed magic on the Prophet, it was ineffective. No form of magic, whether from Labeed or any other practitioner, could succeed against the Prophet due to Allah's protection. Therefore, we consider the narration by Hisham bin Urwah, which states that the Prophet was severely affected by this magic, to be incorrect and contrary to the Divine promise: ‘And Allah will protect you from the people’ (Qur’an 5:67). In the narrations reported by Hisham bin Urwah, there is no indication in the chain of narrators that Urwah heard this hadith directly from, 'A'ishah (the Mother of the Believers). Each narration states 'Hisham from his father, he from Aisha’. I believe that someone may have attributed this story to her and informed Urwah but did not mention the person's name. Urwah then conveyed it to his son Hisham, saying it was ‘from Aisha’. There are multiple hadiths known to us that Urwah narrated as being ‘from Aisha’, even though he did not hear them directly from her. I view this hadith as similar in nature, with its chains not being continuous. Therefore, this hadith is fundamentally incorrect and contextually invalid. “(Bukhari ka Mutalaa part 11 page:97,2002). In summary, while there was an attempt to cast magic upon the Prophet, most likely it ultimately did not take effect, as Allah has decreed to protect the Prophet from harm. ---- Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef is a Research Associate with CEPECAMI, AMU, Aligarh URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/prophet-saw-affected-magic/d/136236 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism