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In Order Not To Corrupt the Lives of Others - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive
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Rarely does a day go by that we do not read a news article in a Saudi newspaper about the arrest of an individual or a group allegedly practicing black magic by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice [CPVPV]. It is correct that this institution is confronting the fraud and deception of those who claim to be able to be able to practice black magic, but the large number of individuals arrested on this charge causes one to wonder;

Why have we become the target of such gangs that specialize in deception and fraud?

The answer to this question can be seen in that the arrest of those allegedly practicing black magic is useless unless this is accompanied by negating the reasons for the ignorance that causes some people to resort to believing those who claim to practice black magic. Unfortunately it is this ignorance that caused these gangs to appear and spread corruption in the first place. This may require clarification and the issuance of examples previously published in some Saudi newspapers. For example, there was the news of the insane businessman who was defrauded by an alleged black magic practitioner who claimed that he could arrange the businessman’s marriage to the daughter of a djinn King, and that the businessman would be rewarded with 10 billion riyals during his first year of marriage. The businessman paid this black magic practitioner a dowry of one million and one hundred thousand riyals. There was also the news about a businessman who paid 210 million riyals to a gang of fraudsters and conmen [posing as black magicians] in order to obtain a high-ranking economic post. The security authorities were only able to retrieve 10 million riyals out of a total of 210 million riyals paid by this insane businessman.

Among the reasons for some people’s inclination towards black magic is the exaggeration and over-statement in the news of those arrested for allegedly practicing black magic, such as reports of a witch flying from the second floor to the fourth floor, or the police preventing a black magic practitioner from stealing hundreds of millions of riyals from a branch of the Saudi Monetary Agency. These exaggerations enhance the alleged capabilities of black magic practitioners in the minds of some who lack religious faith.

We believe in everything set out in the Quran and the Sunnah with regards to black magic and witchcraft, but we have a duty not to let our imaginations run away with ourselves and assign everything that happens to us as being the product of black magic as this brings corruption into people’s lives and prevents them from adapting to reality.

When will we learn from this?

Muhammad Diyab

Muhammad Diyab

Muhammad Diyab is a well-known Saudi writer and journalist.

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