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Is Writing a School Board about Magic Kufr?

Question

Assalam alaikum I am a student and I am forced to write a school board project on magic will this make me a kafir ?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Learning magic and teaching it is forbidden, even if one does not work with it. Imam Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “We do not know any difference of opinion among the scholars about it (i.e., its prohibition)” [End of quote]

However, the scholars differed in opinion about considering such a person a disbeliever: many of them are of the view that he is absolutely a disbeliever whether he considered magic to be prohibited or lawful; whereas some other scholars are of the view that if he believes that the devils do for him whatever he wishes, then in this case, he becomes a disbeliever, and if he believes that it is only an imagination, then he does not become a disbeliever. A third group of scholars are of the view that if he believes in what entails Kufr, like getting closer to the seven planets, or that they do for him whatever he asks from them, or if he believes that magic is permissible, then he is considered a disbeliever; otherwise he is considered a dissolute person but not a disbeliever.

Merely writing this school board about magic does not necessitate falling into disbelief. What is certain is that being a Muslim continues to apply to the person and it is not overruled from him except with the same certainty.

On this occasion, we warn you against falling into the whispers of Kufr and Takfeer (considering someone as a Kaafir) which many people may be afflicted with.

Now we have to clarify to you the ruling on the writing on this board: If this board includes the clarification of the ruling of magic, then there is no harm in writing it, but if it only includes the principles of magic and how to learn it and the like, then it is not permissible as this is spreading falsehood.

In which case, we advise you to do your best using trickery in refrain from writing it. If you are forced to do so, and you are afraid that you will be harmed by refraining from writing it, then we hope that there is no harm on you in writing it. Afterwards, you should strive to explain the ruling to your fellow students or others who may read this board.

Allah knows best.

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