Exorcism in Islam
Possession by evil spirits (jinn) or the Devil (Shaitan) and exorcism is said to
have been a part of Islam since its beginning.
It is believed that jinn can gain control only over those who do not hold true
to God. According to Islamic scholars, "The Jinn enters the one seized by fits
and causes him to speak incomprehensible words, unknown to himself; if the one
seized by fits is struck a blow sufficient to kill a camel, he does not feel
it." (ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo al-Fatawa.)
Islamic clergy caution against the overuse of exorcism, citing that most cases
are due to psychological and physical causes mistaken for possession. Real cases
of possession are very rare and the faithful are warned to watch out for
exorcists who encourage a diagnosis of possession too quickly, as they may
merely be seeking profit.
Islamic authorities also deny the possibility of possession by souls of deceased
persons, and warn that evil spirits may make this claim in order to encourage
sinful behavior among the living.
Exorcism in the Qur'an and Sunnah
There is no explicit statement in the Qur'an referring to possession by jinn.
The closest is the following Qu'ranic verse which compares the state of sinners
on the Day of Judgment to the state of those made insane by the Devil:
“ Those who eat Ribâ (usury) will not stand (on the day of Resurrection) except
like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitan (Satan) leading him to insanity.
That is because they say: 'Trading is only like Ribâ,' whereas Allah has
permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ. So whosoever receives an admonition from
his Lord and stops eating Ribâ shall not be punished for the past; his case is
for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns to Ribâ, such are the dwellers of the
Fire -- they will abide therein. (Qur'an (Yusufali tr.), al-Baqara, 275) ”
Some cite this verse as proof against Muslims who deny the possibility of jinn
possession.
There are also Sunnah (traditional statements that are not part of the Qur'an)
about the Prophet Muhammad and his followers expelling evil beings from the
bodies of believers by using verses from the Qur'an, supplications to Allah, and
holy Zamzam water. This example is related by Ya'la ibn Murah:
“ I saw Allah's Messenger (sallallahu ŕlaihi wa sallam) do three things which no
one before or after me saw. I went with him on a trip. On the way, we passed by
a woman sitting at the roadside with a young boy. She called out, 'O Messenger
of Allah, this boy is afflicted with a trial, and from him we have also been
afflicted with a trial. I don't know how many times per day he is seized by
fits.' He (sallallahu ŕlaihi wa sallam) said: 'Give him to me.' So she lifted
him up to the Prophet.
He (sallallahu ŕlaihi wa sallam) then placed the boy between himself and the
middle of the saddle, opened the boy's mouth and blew in it three times, saying,
'In the name of Allah, I am the slave of Allah, get out, enemy of Allah!' Then
he gave the boy back to her and said: 'Meet us on our return at this same place
and inform us how he has fared.' We then went. On our return, we found her in
the same place with three sheep. When he said to her, 'How has your son fared?'
She replied: 'By the One who sent you with the truth, we have not detected
anything (unusual) in his behavior up to this time.... (Musnad Ahmad (vol: 4, p.
170), and al-Haakim, who declared it Saheeh)
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