Incantations, amulets, and love-potions are Shirk (polytheism)

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that doing certain things constitutes polytheism, including: First: Incantation: The words that involve polytheism, which the people of jāhiliyyah would recite for treatment. Second: Amulets made of beads and the like: They are hung on children, animals, and other things to protect against the evil eye. Third: Love potions: They are made to endear one of the two spouses to the other. These things fall under polytheism, for they turn certain objects as causes, whereas they are neither Shar‘i causes established by proofs nor material causes proved by experiment. As for the Shar'i causes, like the recitation of the Qur'an, or the material ones, like the medicines proved by experiment, they are permissible, provided that we should believe that they are mere means. In contrast, benefit and harm are in Allah's Hands.

Lessons

• The Hadīth urges the preservation of monotheism and creed from anything that may tarnish it.
• It is prohibited to use polytheistic incantations, amulets, and love potions.
• A person's belief that these three things are causes is minor polytheism, for he considers something to be a cause whereas it is not. As for the belief that these things bring about benefit and cause harm of their own accord, this is major polytheism.
• The Hadīth warns against engaging in polytheistic and prohibited causes.
• Incantations are prohibited and a form of polytheism, except the ones permitted by the Shariah.
• Our hearts should be attached to Allah alone, for the benefit and harm come from Him alone, with no partner. No one brings about benefit, but Allah Almighty and no one averts harm except Him.
• Permissible incantations should meet three conditions: 1. The belief that they are mere causes and do not bring about benefit except by Allah's permission. 2. They should involve the Qur'an, the names and attributes of Allah, and Prophetic and legitimate supplications. 3. They should contain understandable words, not hieroglyphs, talismans, or jugglery.