I fell ill more than once, so my mother-in-law took me to a man who asked for my photo and murmured strange words on it. Now, both my mother-in-law and my husband are trying to convince me that this man knows all of my movements. Is this possible? What is the ruling on going to such a man?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

The man your mother-in-law took you to is a sorcerer. Your husband has to take back your photograph from him. Your mother-in-law and you are prohibited from going to that man again.

His method of treatment, which included taking  your photo, murmuring words onto it and claiming that he knows all of your movements is the method of soothsayers and sorcerers. It is the Jinn who tell them about such matters.

Some of the wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, narrated that he said that any Muslim who goes to a diviner and asks him about anything, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights. [Muslim]

The previous Hadeeth is only speaking about asking a diviner,  without believing him. Concerning the ruling on consulting a diviner and believing what he says, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who goes to a soothsayer or a sorcerer and believes what he says,  has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. [Ahmad and Al-Haakim. (Saheeh)]

We advise your husband to fear Allaah The Almighty regarding his duties towards his wife, as he must  not  permit anyone to take her to such  evil people who are really human devils.  

If you are ailing, you should seek lawful treatment, such as seeing a doctor, and making use of Ruqyah which consists of Quranic verses and Prophetic supplications. This is because all goodness is in the Quran and the Sunnah. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We are sending down, of the Quran, that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers; and it increases the unjust in nothing except in greater loss.} [Quran 17:82] 

Allaah Knows best.