Successful Exorcisms by Non-Muslims
Taken from Dr. Bilal Philips’ doctoral dissertation, Exorcism in Islam, pp. 203-210:
The question which remains to be answered regarding the Islamic view of exorcism is, “How does Islam explain the successful exorcisms performed by Christians over the centuries when it considers Christianity to be a false religion?” First and foremost, it must be said that Islam recognizes the exorcisms of Jesus Christ and his true followers as being in conformity with Islamic and Mosaic tradition. That is, according to the Islamic view, Jesus exorcised by the will of God and so did his disciples. Furthermore, it is believed that the disciples exorcised in the name of God and not in Jesus’ name, as recorded in the Gospels. As for those who exorcise in the name of Jesus or in the name of Muýammad (4), they are considered within the same classification as those who exorcise in pagan religions in the names of their gods or by using sorcery. Since the possessing spirits are fundamentally evil, they will leave if shirk is done in their presence. Their leaving reinforces in the minds of the audience and the exorcist that their false beliefs and methods are correct. Consequently, the jinn leave the diabolically possessed during Christian and pagan exorcisms by their own freewill, having accomplished their malevolent goal of misguiding mankind as promised by Satan in the Qur’an:
“[Satan] said, ‘Because You have sent me astray, I will surely sit in wait against them [i. e., manldnd] on Your straight path. Then I will come at them from their front and from behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them dutiful to You.’” Qur’an, 7: 16-17
“[Satan] said, ‘0 my Lord, because You sent me astray, I will surely beautify the path of error for them [Le., mankind] on earth, and I will mislead them all:” Qur’an, 15: 39
“[Satan] said, “Iben by Your might, I will surely mislead them all.’” Qur’an, 38: 82
Thus, the revulsion shown by the demonically possessed to the sign of the cross, the sprinkling of “Holy water,” relics of the saints, etc., is all feigned by the possessing spirit. This is to delude the Christian exorcist into thinking that these symbols have power over the spirits and to falsely assure these exorcists that their belief in the divinity of Christ - which is considered by Muslims the greatest act of Shirk [idolatry] - is correct. The spirits exit may be quick, or it may be slow and torturous. When there is an opportunity for the spectacular, the finn will put on a show in order to create a lasting impression on the witnesses.
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In the case of orthodox Muslim exorcisms or those of other religions where only Almighty God is called upon without giving Him associates and without attributing His attributes to others, the evil jinn are defeated and expelled by the force of truth. An illustration of a part of this conclusion may be found in a statement of Justin Martyr to Trypho, the Jew, with whom he was debating the truth of Christianity:
“For every demon, when exorcised in the name of this very Son of God..., is overcome and subdued. But though you exorcise any demon in the name of any of those who were amongst you -either kings, or righteous men, or prophets, or patriarchs -it will not be subject to you. But if any of you exorcise it in the name of the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, it will perhaps be subject to you.” (627 Justin, Dialogue Ixxxv, quoted in By the Finger of God, pp. 87-88.)
Calling upon God alone was recognized by this second century,’ Christian scholar as a successful method of exorcism. As was noted earlier, this method became central to Christian exorcism by the beginning of the fourth century.
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In conclusion, the Islamic view holds that the power to exorcise comes from Allah alone and not from any of His creatures. It is in His name alone that devils are actually driven out. In the names of others, the devils leave of their own freewill or they are obliged to exit due to the human body/mind becoming uninhabitable as a result of treatment by drugs, electric shock or physical abuse.
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