I was discussing this with another Muslim co-worker of mine yesterday. Now, we all know that “Magic” is forbidden, however, this person was saying that not only is magic forbidden, but any type of trickery or illusion as well. This includes acts such as David Copperfield, or David Blaine and Chris Angel. I pretty much disagreed with him. Why would something that’s not real be haraam? It’s simply an illusion, or a trick to the eye, no different from watching the horizon and seeing how the sky touches the earth. Can anyone shed some light on this?
Re: Magic and Illusion
Tricks or otherwise we call it *Haath ki safayee, *they are just tricks and can not be considered as magic, but illusions are very much part of magic.
It is mentioned in quran that what the magicians did in Pharoah's court was just an optical illusion, whey they threw ropes on the ground, people saw them turning into snakes
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Al-Araf (The Heights) (7) - Roukh 14
Said the Chiefs of the people of Pharaoh: "This is indeed a sorcerer well-versed. {109} "His plan is to get you out of your land: then what is it ye counsel?" {110} They said: "Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while); and send to the cities men to collect- {111} And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed." {112} So there came the sorcerers to Pharaoh: They said, "of course we shall have a (suitable) reward if we win!" {113} He said: "Yea, (and more),- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)." {114} They said: "O Moses! wilt thou throw (first), or shall we have the (first) throw?" *{115} Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)." So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them: for they showed a great (feat of) magic. {116} We put it into Moses's mind by inspiration: "Throw (now) thy rod":and behold! it swallows up straight away all the falsehoods which they fake! *{117} Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. {118} So the (great ones) were vanquished there and then, and were made to look small. {119} But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration. {120}
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