People who have had experience with such situations have related that the following are among the signs of a person who is possessed by jinn (or Satan):
- Strong repulsion when hearing Qur’aan or Aathaan (call for prayers).
- Episodes of losing consciousness and/or epileptic attacks, especially when Qur’aan is recited for the possessed person.
- Frequent nightmares during sleep.
- Tendency to avoid people accompanied by out-of-the-norm behavior.
- The jinn who possesses him might speak when Qur’aan is recited for the possessed person.
- Madness, as stated in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom Satan by his touch hath driven to [epileptic] madness…" (2:275)
As for a person struck by magic he might experience the following:
- Dislike of one’s spouse, as indicated in the Qur’aan by the following verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife..." (Al-Baqarah, 2:102).
- Different attitude in the house from that which is outside the house. For example, a person will feel that he is missing his family when is outside the house but when he goes home, love changes quickly to extreme hatred.
- Inability to have sexual intercourse with one’s spouse.
- Frequent miscarriage for pregnant women.
- Sudden change in behavior without obvious reason.
- Complete loss of appetite for food.
- Thinking or imagining one has done something when in reality one has not.
- Sudden obedience and/or love for a particular person.
It should be noted that if a person experiences some of the above symptoms this does not necessarily mean that he is either possessed by a jinn or struck by black magic. It might be due to physiological or psychological reasons.
As for curing this condition the following steps are recommended:
- Putting one’s trust in Allah with sincere belief that He is the only cure for everything.
- Reading Qur’aan and known supplications expressing seeking refuge, the most important and effective of which is sura 113 and 114, Al-Falaq and Al-Naas, which were used to cure the Prophet himself. Surah 112, Al-Ikhlaas, is recommended along with them, as well as the opening chapter of the Qur’aan, Al-Fatihah.
- To cure black magic some have successfully used seven lotus-tree leaves. The leaves should be crushed, then mixed them with water enough for taking a bath. The following verses from the Qur’aan are then recited: verse Al-Kursi (2:255), surah Al-Kafiroon (109), surah 112, 113, 114; the verses which mention magic, which are: in surah Al-Baqarah (2:102), Al-A’raaf (3:117-119), Yunus (10:79-82), and Taha (20:65-69). The possessed person drinks some of the water, and the rest is used to give him a bath.
- Removing the elements of magic as was done by the Prophet when he was struck by black magic by a Jewish man called Lubaid Ben Al-‘Aasim.
- Eating seven Aa’liya Al-Barniy dates (among the dates of Al-Madinah) first thing in the morning; if not possible, any dates will suffice, by the will of Allaah.
- Cupping--removing excess blood.