Witchcraft

A'isha reported that a Jew from among the Jews of Banu Zuraiq who was called Labid b. al-A'sam cast spell upon Messenger of Allah ﷺ with the result that he (under the influence of the spell) felt that he had been doing something whereas in fact he had not been doing that. (This state of affairs lasted) until one day or during one night Messenger of Allah ﷺ made supplication (to dispel its effects). He again made a supplication and he again did this and said to 'A'isha: Do you know that Allah has told me what I had asked Him? There came to me two men and one amongst them sat near my head and the other one near my feet and he who sat near my head said to one who sat near my feet or one who sat near my feet said to one who sat near my head: What is the trouble with the man? He said: The spell has affected him. He said: Who has cast that? He (the other one) said: It was Labid b. A'sam (who has done it). He said: What is the thing by which he transmitted its effect? He said: By the comb and by the hair stuck to the comb and the spathe of the date-palm. He said: Where is tbap He replied: In the well of Dhi Arwan. She said: Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent some of the persons from among his Companions there and then said: 'A'isha. by Allah, its water was yellow like henna and its trees were like heads of the devils. She said that she asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ as to why he did not burn that. He said: No, Allah has cured me and I do not like that I should induce people to commit any high-handedness in regard (to one another), but I only commanded that it should be buried.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَحَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَهُودِيٌّ مِنْ يَهُودِ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ - قَالَتْ - حَتَّى كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا يَفْعَلُهُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَوْ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ دَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ دَعَا ثُمَّ دَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا عَائِشَةُ أَشَعَرْتِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ جَاءَنِي رَجُلاَنِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ . فَقَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ رَأْسِي لِلَّذِي عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ أَوِ الَّذِي عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ لِلَّذِي عِنْدَ رَأْسِي مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ . قَالَ مَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ . قَالَ فِي أَىِّ شَىْءٍ قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ . قَالَ وَجُبِّ طَلْعَةِ ذَكَرٍ . قَالَ فَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذِي أَرْوَانَ " . قَالَتْ فَأَتَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا عَائِشَةُ وَاللَّهِ لَكَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ وَلَكَأَنَّ نَخْلَهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ " . قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أَحْرَقْتَهُ قَالَ " لاَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ وَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُثِيرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ شَرًّا فَأَمَرْتُ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ " .