My dear brother, my dear sister, before we speak about the Signs of Black Magic (Sihr) or the Signs of Jinn Possession, let us first calm the heart. Not every hardship is sihr. Not every pain is possession. And not every fear is a jinn. That is why the scholars said that the first step before assuming sihr or possession is to rule out medical, psychological, and emotional causes. Our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), directed us to seek cures..
There is no disease that Allah has sent down except that He also has sent down its treatment.” (Sahih al-Bukhari).
This includes psychological and physical ailments. So, if you or a loved one is experiencing distressing symptoms, the first and most crucial step is a thorough examination by a competent, trustworthy medical doctor and, if needed, a psychologist. This is not contrary to faith. It is acting upon the means (asbaab) that Allah has placed in His creation.
Many symptoms of clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, or neurological conditions can mirror some signs of spiritual affliction. To ignore this is to neglect a form of healing that Allah has made available. The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) in his great work ‘Al-Tibb al-Nabawi’ (The Prophetic Medicine) dedicated significant sections to physical and psychological treatments, establishing this approach.
Scholars repeatedly warned that many people wrongly label depression, anxiety, trauma, or illness as jinn-related, which only delays real healing and increases suffering. Islam does not oppose medicine. Islam commands it. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Seek treatment, O servants of Allah, for Allah has not created a disease except that He has also created its cure.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud – authentic)
Key Signs of Black Magic (Sihr)
Sihr is like a powerful, unseen force that causes a complete, baffling, and severe disruption to the natural flow of your relationships, health, and spiritual state. The effects of magic appear upon the body and heart of the afflicted, causing sickness, separation between a man and his wife, and the killing of a person.
We do not proceed to declare someone affected by magic except after verification and after passing through the door of medicine. Many of these signs are shared with psychological and physical illnesses.
1. Sudden and Severe Marital or Relationship Discord
One of the most well-documented Signs of Black Magic (Sihr) and the one Allah Himself explicitly mentioned is unnatural separation between spouses. Allah says:
“They learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife…” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:102)
It manifests as an intense, irrational, and persistent hatred or revulsion directed by one spouse toward the other, or mutually. A husband who was loving and gentle suddenly cannot bear the sight of his wife. A wife who was compassionate and close suddenly feels a physical disgust at her husband’s presence.
This feeling is often accompanied by constant, heated arguments over trivial matters, where the real reason for the anger cannot be articulated. This aversion leads to an obsessive, illogical desire for divorce or separation, even when the mind acknowledges there is no tangible, worldly reason for it.
The afflicted person may say, “I just cannot stay with them anymore,” without being able to explain why. It’s as if a powerful external force is compelling their emotions and decisions.
2. Unexplained Physical Ailments and Health Issues
Another category among the Signs of Black Magic (Sihr) involves persistent physical suffering that defies medical clarity.
Scholars do not deny illness. Islam is deeply rooted in medicine and reason. But they also acknowledge cases where symptoms persist despite proper diagnosis and treatment, it is recommended to perform Ruqyah with Ayatul Ruqyah.
Commonly reported symptoms include
- Severe discomfort when hearing the Quran
- Chronic pain in specific areas (lower back, shoulders, head, stomach)
- Sudden paralysis or heaviness in limbs
- Epilepsy-like seizures with no neurological explanation
- Extreme fatigue that worsens without exertion
- Sharp pains that intensify during Qur’an recitation
Some scholars clarified that when pain shows no medical cause, it may indicate sihr or jinn involvement, but it is forbidden to abandon medical treatment under the claim of sihr or possession. It is important to seek competent medical evaluation first and rule out physical and psychological causes. If there is real abuse or physical cause, that is not sihr, that is reality. Sihr is suspected only when the reaction is disproportionate, irrational, and sudden.
3. Psychological and Emotional Disturbances
Among the most misunderstood Signs of Jinn Possession and sihr are emotional disturbances, because they overlap heavily with mental health conditions. These may include:
- Deep, persistent sadness with no clear trigger
- Intense anxiety or fear without an identifiable cause
- Sudden hatred for places or people once loved
- Loss of motivation toward acts of worship once cherished
- Constant confusion, forgetfulness, or mental fog
- Severe discomfort with Quranic recitation
- Abandonment of acts of worship
We should know that Shayṭān’s greatest success is not possession, but discouragement and despair. That is why most cases here are waswās, trauma, or depression, not sihr. Sihr is only suspected when:
- Symptoms appear suddenly
- They escalate rapidly
- They worsen specifically during dhikr or Qur’an
- They do not respond at all to conventional therapy
4. Strange Occurrences in the Home or Environment
This category relates to external manifestations, and it is where exaggeration is most common, so restraint is essential.
Signs include consistently hearing footsteps, knocks, or whispers when alone; seeing fleeting shadows or figures in the periphery of vision; finding household objects moved from their usual places without explanation. However, none of these alone confirms sihr. Homes creak. Animals behave strangely normally. Be careful to assume all these signs as Sihr when you are experiencing them without taking note at the reality.
Signs of Jinn Possession or Severe Harm
Let us be clear, the world of the Jinn is a vast creation of Allah, and their interactions with humans exist on a spectrum. The Jinn’s possession of a human is true and real… and its evidence is from the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Salaf of the Ummah and scholars.
1. Physical Manifestations During Episodes
Among the most recognized Signs of Jinn Possession, according to classical scholars and contemporary ruqyah practitioners upon the Sunnah, are physical manifestations that occur suddenly and episodically, not constantly.
Unnatural Strength and Physical Distortion
One of the clearest signs mentioned by scholars is that the afflicted person, who may otherwise be weak, exhibits violent, superhuman or unnatural strength, strength far beyond the person’s physical ability, sometimes requiring multiple people to restrain them.
Change in Voice and Facial Expression
Another serious indicator is a sudden change in voice, such as speaking in a deep, harsh, distorted, or animal-like tone. The persona speaking is different. This happens majorly during a Ruqyah session where the jinn speaks through the tongue of the possessed, identifying itself, its religion, and why it is there (that is, inside the person possessed).
Involuntary Physical Reactions:
The eyes may roll back into the head, showing only the whites. There may be violent convulsions, severe rigidity, or frothing at the mouth. Crucially, the person may be utterly unable to recite the Quran, pronounce the name of Allah, or even bear to hear the Adhan or Quranic recitation, reacting with visible pain, screaming, or putting their hands over their ears.
Sensation of Internal Movement
The afflicted person may consistently complain of a sensation of something crawling, moving, or causing cramping in a specific part of their body (often the abdomen, limbs, or head), for which no medical cause is found.
Severe Reaction to Qur’an and Dhikr
A defining sign of jinn possession is intense physical reaction when Allah’s name is mentioned or the Qur’an is recited, including:
- Eyes rolling back
- Screaming or shouting
- Covering ears violently
- Attempting to flee the sound of Qur’an
- Inability to recite even familiar verses
2. Behavioral and Personality Changes
Another category within the Signs of Jinn Possession involves sudden, uncharacteristic behavioral changes that cannot be reasonably explained by stress, illness, or trauma, like…
- Speaking in unknown tongues or languages
- Revealing private information unknowable to them
- Responding to questions while unconscious or semi-conscious
3. Recurring Nightmares and Sleep Paralysis
Sleep is a vulnerable state where the barrier between our world and that of the Jinn can thin. While occasional sleep paralysis or bad dreams are normal, persistent, specific patterns are a strong indicator.
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Consistent, Terrifying Themes: Repeated dreams of being attacked, choked, suffocated, or dragged from the bed. Dreams of falling endlessly into dark pits or being in filthy, frightening places.
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Seeing Specific Entities: Consistently seeing a specific frightening figure (often a dark man, an old woman, or an animal) in dreams or in the hypnagogic state between wakefulness and sleep.
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Physical Aftermath of Sleep: Waking up screaming, in a state of utter terror, or finding oneself physically injured, bruised, or having moved to a different part of the room without any memory of doing so. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught us that disturbing dreams are from the Shaytan, and their persistence is a sign of his attempt to cause harm.
The real meaning of dreams has been explained in this article about dreams and the solution, but consistent and repeatedly terrifying dreams. After recognizing the Signs of Black Magic (Sihr) or the Signs of Jinn Possession, Islam does not leave the believer confused, afraid, or helpless. Our religion is a religion of solutions, healing, and hope. Here is the list of recommended solutions, but you can search for how to perform Ruyah on our site.
- 1. Strengthening Tawḥīd and Reliance Upon Allah
- 2. Commitment to Daily Adhkār (Morning, Evening, and Sleep)
- 3. Performing Ruqyah Upon the Sunnah (Self-Ruqyah First)
- 4. Cleansing the Home Spiritually
- 5. If Necessary: Consulting a Knowledgeable, Trustworthy Raqi
We seek refuge in Allah from every harm seen and unseen. We ask Him to remove from us every form of sihr, every whisper of Shayṭān and we ask you Ya Allah, to heal our bodies, calm our minds, and strengthen our īmān.
