Is it haraam for a Muslim to be a magician?

[Darth Ultor]

The David Blaine topic had me wondering about this. Magicians rely on stage props, smoke, illusions, and working fast (hand is quicker than the eye). Can a Muslim have that as his job, like to entertain kids? I mean, there's no reliance on otherwordly powers, it's just illusions. And of course the parents would explain to the kids that it wasn't real. Or if the magician decides, he can show them how he did some of his easier tricks.

[Snowflake]

I am 100% it's haram but will try to find rulings on it. Islam closes the doors on everything that leads to what's prohibited. A person may start off by doing tricks but then be lured into the more darker side of things. Shaytaan is always finding our weaknesses to manipulate us by.

Example of something Islam prohibited in case is leads to serious sin; having gf/bf which in most cases leads to fornication, pregnancy, and abortion.

[Snowflake]

I haven't found a direct ruling in reply to your question. But the fatwa below indicates that anything that involves trickery and deception is prohibited in Islam. Hope that helps.

Question: My I have read in another Islamic website that you shouldn't play cards even if you aren't gambling. If this is true, I don't understand why, if you are just playing for the fun of it. If you would please explain.
Jazaka Allah Khairan.


Answer:

The reasons are:

Wasting of time in something which has no benefit in this life nor in the hereafter.

This game of cards is based on the idea of gambling, and it resembles playing with dice, which is clearly prohibited in Islaam, as related in the authentic hadeeth of the Prophet :

"Whoever plays with dice, would (resemble) one who has tainted his hand with the flesh and blood of a pig," narrated by Muslim (2260).

The playing cards include pictures of creations with a soul (the Jack and Queen …).

The rancor, enmity, bitterness, and/or ill-feeling which may occur between the players (shahnaa' wa-baghdaa').

The game promotes cheating, deception, and trickery (ghish wa-tahaayul).

It distracts from the worship of Allaah, and from salaat. Even if one performs salaat on time, and with the congregation in the Masjid, how would he escape the hadeeth of the Prophet :

"Everything other than remembering Allah is (considered) wasteful play except four: a man humoring his wife, a man training his horse, a man walking between targets (learning archery), and man learning swimming," narrated by An-Nasaa'i and authenticated by Al-Albaani (Sahih Al-Jami' 4534).

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid



http://islamqa.info/en/ref/321

[dqsunday]

I have found articles on another site about fortune telling which may help reveal that magic of any form may be wrong. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/4064/ Also, found the following referring to Jinn and magic http://www.islamreligion.com/videos/4099/. Hopefully they are helpful, Inshallah

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[Dagless]

I don't see how it could be considered haraam if it's simply illusion/entertainment.

I haven't found a direct ruling in reply to your question. But the fatwa below indicates that anything that involves trickery and deception is prohibited in Islam. Hope that helps.

It's like saying optical illusions are haraam because they deceive. This is not trickery and deception in the sinful sense, the illusionist presents himself as such. If he were to claim otherwise then it maybe dodgey.

[Snowflake]

I don't see how it could be considered haraam if it's simply illusion/entertainment.



It's like saying optical illusions are haraam because they deceive. This is not trickery and deception in the sinful sense, the illusionist presents himself as such. If he were to claim otherwise then it maybe dodgey.

I know what you mean but there's a difference in naturally occurring optical illusions and something deliberately created to confuse or mislead us. Illusionist at the end of the day is just another word for magician and both want people to think their performances are magic, not trickery. So the acts is based on falsehood and really dangerous as some people do believe it's magic and then start taking interest in it. It might not affect most of us, there's there's thousands of people who'll be interested and end up delving in magic for real. And as the Ulema said, such idle pursuits are a waste of time and of no benefit in this dunya and the hereafter.

[جوري]

just doesn't seem like a very dignified job for a Muslim.. I really despise effeminate men .. such a turn off..

[jellybeans]

Dear Darth. Looking at the other posts, it is true that it could be evil. Professional magicians like to be on stage with girls in "revealing costumes ". I used to watch Magic's biggest secrets revealed and I saw all this.

I assume you are asking here for interet sake, but if you are serious theb you should consult a knlwledgeable person like imam.

PS: I LOVE your signature! Can I download it, min fadlika? This is the whole reason I am on this forum... to explore Abtahamic religions that worship the one and only God.

I wish you all the bestwith your interest/hobby/or just-a-question