their cords and their rods– it was imaged to him on account...
their cords and their rods– it was imaged to him on account of their magic as if they were running.” [^2] Another verse says: فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوا سَحَرُوا أََعيُنَ النَّاسِ وَ اسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ “So when they cast, they deceived the people's eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.” [^3] From these verses it can be ascertained that magic does not possess any reality such that it could exert control over things, and leave an impact and influence upon them.
Rather, it is jugglery of the magicians that gives the impression of magic. From some of the verses of the Qur’an it can be inferred that certain kinds of magic do yield an influence, such as this verse, which says: فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُماَ ماَ يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ زَوْجِهِ “Even then men learned from these two, magic by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife.” [^4] Another verse of the Qur’an says that they learned things that were detrimental to them and not at all beneficial.
وَ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ ماَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَ لاَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ “And they learned what harmed them and did not profit them.” [^5] But, are the effects of magic purely psychological or can it possess a physical impact too? The above verses possess no allusion to this, and hence some are of the opinion that the effects of magic are purely psychological in nature.
At this juncture it is essential to mention another point: It appears that a considerable portion of magic was enacted by making use of certain physical and chemical properties, and performed with the intention of defrauding simple-minded people.
For example, we read in history that the magicians of the time of Musa (a.s.) used to place some special chemical substances within their cords and staffs (possibly mercury or some like substance) which, as a result of sunshine or under the influence of a heating apparatus that they had devised under them, would come out in motion and the spectators would be given to imagine that they had come to life. Such kinds of sorcery, even in our times, are not rare.
Magic, In the Eyes of Islam In this regard, all the Islamic jurists have declared the learning and practicing of magic to be prohibited. Furthermore, we present some traditions that have been narrated from the Imams (a.s.) and which have been reported in authentic books. Imam 'Ali (a.s.) says: مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ شَيئاً مِنَ السِّحْرِ قَليلاً أَو کَثِيراً فَقَدْ کَفَرَ وَ کاَنَ آخِرُ عَهْدِهِ بِرَبِّهِ.