Dua for Breaking Sihr (Black Magic)

Explanation
These are verses of the Holy Quran recited to break magic (sihr) and to be protected from the evil of sorcerers (Ta-Ha 69, al-Falaq 4). Practicing magic is counted among the major sins; the end of those who practice it is loss.
Verse 69 of Ta-Ha was revealed in the context of Prophet Musa’s (peace be upon him) encounter with the sorcerers: “The sorcerer will never succeed, wherever he goes.” Verse 4 of al-Falaq teaches seeking refuge in Allah “from the evil of those who blow on knots”; tying knots and blowing on them was one of the known methods of magic at that time. Together, the two verses proclaim that magic ends in loss and show the way to be protected from it: asking for help not from a sorcerer, but from Allah.
Dua Text
وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتٰى ۞ مِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ
Transliteration
Wa la yuflihus-sahiru haythu ata. Min sharrin-naffathati fil-‘uqad.
Meaning
The sorcerer will not attain what he hopes for, wherever he may be. Say: I seek refuge in You from the evil of the soothsayers who tie knots and blow spells upon them.
What Is Asked in This Dua
The breaking of magic and protection from the evil of sorcerers are asked for. The verses proclaim that the sorcerer will not attain what he hopes for, wherever he may be; protection is asked for through the seeking of refuge in Surah al-Falaq.
When and How to Recite
It has no set time, and the source does not give a number either. It is commonly recited in the morning and evening together with Surahs al-Falaq and an-Nas.
The source book states that it is not right to deny magic, because there are many verses about magic in the Holy Quran; and that practicing magic is counted among the major sins and the end of those who practice it is loss.
Surahs al-Falaq and an-Nas (al-Mu’awwidhatayn) are protective surahs recited in the morning and evening and before going to sleep; these verses are recited together with them. For a person who suspects magic, turning to the Quran and the prayer rather than to amulet-makers and fortune-tellers is the right path the source emphasizes. Ayat al-Kursi and the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah are also recited for protection.
Virtue
The source book states that it is not right to deny magic, because there are many divine verses about magic in the Holy Quran; that the Quran gives news of these things and teaches our Prophet ﷺ that one must seek refuge in Allah from the evil of those who practice magic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which verses are recited to break magic?
Verse 69 of Surah Ta-Ha and verse 4 of Surah al-Falaq are recited.
Does magic exist?
The source book states that it is not right to deny magic and that there are many verses about magic in the Holy Quran; practicing magic, however, is one of the major sins.
When are these verses recited?
There is no set time; they are commonly recited in the morning and evening together with Surahs al-Falaq and an-Nas.
Why is Surah al-Falaq considered a surah of protection?
The whole surah is an expression of seeking refuge in Allah: it asks for protection from the evil of darkness, of those who blow on knots and of the envier; together with Surah an-Nas it is known as al-Mu’awwidhatayn.
Should you go to an amulet-maker because of magic?
The source shows seeking refuge in the Quran as the way to be protected from magic; going to fortune-tellers and amulet-makers is not considered right.
Source
Ta-Ha 20:69; al-Falaq 113:4.
The text on this page was prepared by Dua Kitaplığı based on the work cited above. The Arabic text has been transcribed from the original with its vowel marks, and the transliteration in Latin letters and the English meaning are given separately. No virtue or number that does not appear in the source is added to this page. How do we prepare our content?
Published: 18 September 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026
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