How does one know that he is afflicted by (black) magic and what is the correct Islaamic cure for it?

Answer by Shaykh Saalih as-Suhaymee (hafidhahullaah):

quote:

There is no difference between black, red, white or green magic. Any type of magic done to harm someone else is impermissible. Even to learn it is impermissible, although one is not acting with it. What is apparent from the texts and the statements of the Muslim scholar is that to learn magic in itself is disbelief. That is because it is not possible for one to learn it without disbelieving in the Book of Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala. Why is it that the one who learns magic is considered a disbeliever?   Allaah, subhanahu wa ta'aala, says (what means): وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ

quote:

{...Sulaimaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic...} [al-Baqarah, ayah 102]

And also in the same ayah:

وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَة ٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ

quote:

{...but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) til they had said, "We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)"...} [al-Baqarah, ayah 102]

And later in the ayah:

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاه ُُ مَا لَه ُُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَق

quote:

{...And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter...} [al-Baqarah, ayah 102]

The magician/sorcerer does not have the ability to have an effect of his magic (to practice it) except by worshipping the Shaytaan, or he doesn't exactly worship him but by making ihaanah i.e. looking down (insulting) or disgracing the Book of Allaah, subhanahu wa ta'aala, or anything else that may have in it the remembrance of Allaah, subhanahu wa ta'aala, or for example making sajdah (prostration) to the Shaytaan or anything other than Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala in order that these devils allow him or give him the ability for his magic to have some sort of effect on the people that he wants it to affect.

It is impermissible to learn or to practice magic/sorcery, even if the goal or objective is correct - e.g. if one wants to remove magic from someone by using magic; this is incorrect because the end does not justify the means. A disease is not cured with another disease, so it is impermissible to learn or teach magic no matter what the situation may be.