Jabir told that when the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about a charm for one who is possessed (nushra)* he replied, “It pertains to the work of the devil.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Nushra comes from a root meaning to disperse and is said to be used meaning a charm for one who is possessed because it disperses the trouble.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying: “No invocation is to be used except for the evil eye, or a scorpion sting, or bleeding.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The text has dam (blood), but it is said that nose-bleeding in particular is what is meant here. Cf. Mirqat, iv, 5U.

Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, “There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, “A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying: "Taking evil omens is polytheism (saying it three times). None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi told that he heard Muhammad b. Isma'il* say that Sulaiman b. Harb used to say about this tradition that in his opinion "None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him" are Ibn Mas'ud’s words. * i.e. Bukhari.

'A’isha told that when God’s messenger was asked by some people about kahins he replied, “They are of no account.” They said, “Messenger of God, they sometimes tell a thing which is true.” He replied, “That is a word pertaining to truth which a jinni snatches and cackles into the ear of his friend as a hen does; then they mix more than a hundred lies with it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Hafsa reported God’s messenger as saying: “If anyone resorts to a diviner (arraf) and asks him about anything prayer will not be accepted from him for forty days.”* Muslim transmitted it. * Literally, Nights.

Zaid b. Khalid al-Juhani said: God’s messenger led us in the morning prayer at al-Hudaibiya after rain which had fallen during the night, and when he finished he turned to the people and said, “Do you know what your Lord has said?” On their replying that God and His messsenger knew best he told them that He had said, “This morning there were among my servants one who believes in me and one who disbelieves. The one who said, ‘We have been given rain by God’s grace and mercy' is the one who believes in me and disbelieves in the star, but the one who said, ‘We have been given rain by such and such a rainy star’ is the one who disbelieves in me and believes in the star.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: “When God decrees a matter in heaven the angels move their wings in submission to His word which is like a chain on a smooth stone. Then when their hearts are delivered from fear they say, ‘What did your Lord say?’ and receive the reply, ‘That which He said is the truth and He is the Most High and the Most Great.’ Then those who listen by stealth hear it, and they are thus, some above others (Sufyan* illustrating it with the palm of his hand, turning it and separating the fingers). Then one hears the word and passes it on to the one who is below him and the other passes it on to the one who is below him, and so on till one passes it on the tongue of the magician or the kahin. Often a flame catches him before he passes it on,** but often he passes it on before it catches him, and he tells a hundred lies along with it. People ask whether he did not say such and such on such and such a day, and he is believed because of that word which was heard from heaven." Bukhari transmitted it. * i.e, Sufyan b. ‘Uyaina through whom the tradition was transmitted. ** Cf. Qur’an, 15: 18