The 11 Knots

The incident narrated in Musnadi Ahmad is that a Jew performed magic over the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) through the effect of which he became ill. Jibraeel(Alaiyhis salaam) came and informed the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that a Jew has performed magic over him on a certain object which is in such and such well. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam sent men to the said well. They brought the object (upon which) magic was spelled from the well with knots in it. The Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) recited the Surahs (Falaq and Naas) and opened the knots and immediately he recovered fully and was up on his feet. (Although the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam knew from Jibraeel(A.S.) the name of the Jew, but because the habit of personal vengeance never existed in his life) he never said a word to him nor were any signs of complaint (or displeasure) seen on his auspicious face while he (the Jew) was present. (The Jew being a hypocrite was regular in attending the gatherings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

In the narration of Bukhari from Aaishah(radhiyallahu anha) it is stated; Magic was worked on Allah's Messenger(sallallahu alayhi wasallam). (The effect was such that) he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not. (One of the narrators,Sufyaan said: That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect.)

Then one day he said, "O Aaishah! Do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me (in my dream) and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. The one near my head asked the other. 'What is wrong with this man?' The latter replied, 'He is under the effect of magic.' The first one asked, 'Who has worked magic on him?' The other replied, 'Labeed Ibne Aasim, a man from Bani Zurayq who was an ally of the Jews and was a hypocrite.' The first one asked, 'What material (did he use)?' The other replied, 'A comb and the hair stuck to it.' The first one asked, 'Where (is that)?' The other replied, 'In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of

So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam sent some companions to that well and took out those things and said "That was the well which was shown to me (in the dream). Its water looked like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils." The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam added, "Then that thing was taken out." I said (to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam), "Why do you not let the people know about it?" He said, "Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people." (i.e. if the Jew was exposed, people would have harmed him or even killed him).

According to a narration in Musnadi Ahmad, this illness of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam lasted for six months. In some narrations it is also stated that those Companions who came to know the fact that this was the work of Labeed Ibne Aasim, asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam,"Why don't we kill this wretched one?" The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam gave the same reply as the one to Aaishah radhiyallahu anha.

According to a narration of Imaam Tha'alabi, a Jewish boy served and attended to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. The hypocrite Jew allured him and he brought a few teeth from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam 's comb and hair stuck to it. The Jew made eleven knots on a thread and tied a needle in each knot.He then enclosed it in a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree and buried it under a stone in a well.

Allah revealed these two chapters(Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) consisting of eleven verses. When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam recited a verse of these two surahs a knot opened and thus upon recitation of the total eleven verses all the knots opened, and suddenly a burden-like heavy load was removed from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. (All the narrations are quoted from Ibne Katheer). -

The chapter Surah Falaq and the following chapter Surah Naas, both were revealed at the same time upon the same incident. Haafiz Ibne Qayyim has written the commentary of these two chapters together as a unit. In it he writes,"The benefits and blessings of these two chapters and the people's need towards them is such that no human can become independent of them. These chapters have great effect in removing (the effects of) magic, witchcraft, evil eye and all spiritual and physical calamities. And if we understand the reality, then the human is in more need of it than his breathing, food,clothing and everything else.

Jabir(R.A.) says that Falaq means morning. The Qur'an itself says faliqu al-iSbah (Cleaver of the daybreak) [6:96]. Ibn Abbas(R.A.) says that Falaq means creation. Ka'b Al-Ahbar says that Falaq is a place in the Hell. When its gate is opened all the inmates of Hell cry out because of the intensity of its heat. Ibn Jarir(R.A.) and Imam Bukhari(R.A.) say that it means morning and this view seems reasonable. Allah directs believers to seek refuge in the Lord of the Falaq.

One should seek refuge from the evil of nightfall. According to Ibn Zaid(R.A.) the Arabs called the setting of the star Pleiad as Ghasiq and believed that after its setting and at its rising, disease increases and spreads. Some commentators say that the word Ghasiq means moon. They base their argument on a Hadith that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam once held the hand of 'Aisha(R.A.) and pointing to the moon, said, "Seek refuge from the evil of this Ghasiq." (Imam Ahmed). However, the rising of the moon and the apearance of the stars are things that happen at night.

...'witchcrafts when the blow in the knots' refers to sorceresses. Mujahid says that such incantations are nearest to polytheisim as are made to blow on a snake bite or magic stricken man. A Hadith says that Jibraeel(A.S.) came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhiwasalam) and said, "O Muhammad! Are you sick?" When the Prophet (sallallahualahywasalam) said yes, he said, (the interpretation of the meaning) "I invoke the Name of Allah against every disease that pains you, against the evil of every envier and against any evil eye. May Allah heal you." The disease referred to in this Hadith was probably a magic spell. Allah healed His Messenger (sallallahu alayhiwasalam) and repelled that magic.

Ahmad bin Hanbal(R.A.) reported that a Jew bewitched the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) and then he remained under its spell for several days. Then Jibraeel(A.S.) came to him and informed him that such and such Jew had enchanted him and has hidden a knotted rope in such and such well. He asked him to send somebody to get it. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) sent someone to bring them back, untied them, and the spell was broken. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) never mentioned it to that Jew nor showed him any anger.

Bukhari reported a Hadith from Aisha (radhyallahu anha). She narrated that when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) was bewitched under a magic spell, he thought that he came to his wives while he had not done so. Once he said to me. "I asked my Lord and He showed me. Two persons came and one sat near my head and the other near my legs. The man sitting near my head asked the other, 'What has happened to this man?' He said, 'He is under the spell.' He asked, 'Who bewitched him?' He answered, 'Labid bin a'sim from the Bani Zuraiq ribe. They are allies of the Jews.' The man asked, 'What has charmed?' The other answered, 'The comb and the hair.' He asked, 'Where are those things?' 'In the well of Dharwan, under a rock.'" The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) sent 'Ali (radhyallahu anhu) to the well and had the things dug out. I (Aisha) suggested that the magician should be punished. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Praise is for Allah. He healed me. Now I do not like to incite people for me.

In a Hadeeth, it has appeared that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) used to seek refuge from evil eye of Jinn and human beings by means of various words untill these two surahs(the Muawazzatain) were revealed upon Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasalam). Thereafter, Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) chose these two surahs and left out all the other words of Ta'awwuz(of seeking refuge). Hisne Haseen

Ayesha (R.A.) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) used to recite these surahs three times each before going to sleep, and then he would blow into his palms and rub them all over his body. Bukhari and Muslim

Aishah(R.A.) narrates that: During the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wasalam)'s fatal illness, he used to recite the Mu'auwidhaat (Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Naas / Quran chapters 113 and 114) and then blow his breath over his body. When his illness was aggravated, I used to recite those two Surahs (chapters), blow my breath over him and make him rub his body with his own hand for its blessings."Bukhari 7.631 {(Ma'mar asked Az-Zuhri: How did the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wasalam) used to blow? Az-Zuhri said: He used to blow on his hands and then passed them over his face.)}