salam all,
God informs us that the knowledge about sihr/sorecery/magic is only for trail>in nama nahnu fitnat(an)< and if we fail that test/trail then we go under the gategory of disbelief > fala takfur< (2:102)
We understand that tests distinguish between people. Those who pass a test can go further for more tests. The experience of every surmounted test helps us pass the following test easily. But, what kind of test is that in 2:102? Does God informs us what that sihr is all about? Yes, indeed he informs us.
Actually one of the main stories of one of God's messengers is closely related to this thing called sihr. So, what is it?
We have that story about Musa and his struggle against the sahara/magicians in four places in the Quran.
In sura 7 we read about Musa demonstrating God's sings to Fir&aun. But instead of accepting them he replies that he will bring him better magicians that him. Why did Fir&aun refer to this signs shown by Musa as magic (7:109)? Why did not he see what is it about? Fir&aun was full of insolence and pride based on his superstitions and deep believe in magic that he mixed up reality with imaginations.
We can read about this in sura 7: 106-126 put let us start and think deeply about these verses 7:116-118 and 120, 121, 125,126.
We read that they >saharu a&yuna nasi was tarhabuhum wa ja"u bisihrin &azheem< they bewitched the EYES of the people and they TERORISED them and they showed a great sorcery (7:116). And we inspired Musa " Throw your rod": and behold! it swallows all the FALSEHOODS they FAKE.
Isn't this description enough to show what sihr/sorcery is all about?
Let us see another thread of verses about sihr/sorcery in the Quran.
In sura 20 we have the same story but with an important addition. In 20:66 we read "...Then behold their ropes and their rods- so it seemed to him, on account of their magic- that it was in livley motion > YUKHAY YALU ileyhi min sihrihim an naha tas&a<."
The verb yukhay yalu, emphasysed with caps, has the noun khayal which means imagination, something that is not real. So, it only SEEMED to him that they are (their ropes and rods) moving.
20:67 " So, Musa conceived in his nafs a (sort of) fear."
It is interesting to notice the magicians' reaction when Musa's rod swallowed their ropes and rods.
This is one of the most beautiful scenes in the Quran where we witness a collective submission to the truth. Those people simply knew what sorcery is all about and when faced with the haqq they had no choice but to submit. They saw clearly that what Musa had shown them had nothing to do with sorcery because they were a great magic "players".
Yes, that is really on of the most beautiful scenes where we read about a very powerful demonstration of submission. They (the magician) even prefered to be tortured and killed to return to the path of falsehood.
"They said " never shall we prefer you to what has come to us of the clear signs. Him who created us! So, decree whatever you decree, you can that only in this life. For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, ad the sorcery you have forced us to practise for God is Best and Most abiding." 20:72,73.
We read the story again in sura 26:34-45.
So, sihr/sorcery/magic is nothing but a psychological state of mind. If we devide the mind, according to its both spiritual and intelectual conscience, into many psychological levels vertically, we can say that the lowest level (mixture of uncertain desires and wishes, complete unawareness of the real values of life) of mind is the one is likely to be attacked by satan.
The more we move towards higher levels of spiritual and intelectual conscience (zakat), the less is satan's chance to get us.
The spiritual and intelectual conscience MUST be understood as a lively and continuos movement towards higher levels. We have never reached, we are always reaching.
Each level requires its portion of hard work. The higher we go, the harder we work or otherwise we fall down. And if we fall from a level to a lower one and we want to get back to the same level then we need more energy that we needed when we first time got to that level.
"Ina awliya' allahi la khawfun &aleyhim wa lahum yahzanoon. Al ladhina aamanoo wa KANOO YAT TAQOON. Lahumul bushra fil hayatid duniya wafil akhira la tabdeela likalimatil lahi. dhalika huwal fawzul azeem"
"Surely those who take God for their Protector have nothing to fear nor shall they grieve. Those who believe and work lively and continously on their awareness of God (kanu yat taqoon). For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the hereafter: no change can there be in the words of God. This is indeed the supreme Triumph." 10:62.
peace
