الحِرزُ وَ العُوذَه

A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of the Protective Amulets, Healing Incantations, Safeguarding Litanies, and Declarations of Protection of the Infallibles (AS) Against Calamities, Diseases, and Afflictions

Contents and Chapter Headings

Chapter One: General Principles, Jurisprudential Foundations, and the Spiritual Understanding of Ḥirz and ʿAwdha

• The lexical and hadith-based definitions of ḥirz, ʿawdha, taʿwīdh, and tamīma
• How the authentic protective amulets of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) differ from superstition and unlawful sorcery
• Conditions for writing protective amulets: ritual purity, auspicious hours, and a pen and ink made with saffron and rosewater
• Etiquette for carrying a protective amulet on the skin, in silver, or in silk

Chapter Two: The Protective Amulets of the Noble Prophet (PBUH) and Lady Khadija al-Kubra (SA)

• The protective amulet used at the birth of the Seal of the Prophets, as narrated by Lady Amina (SA)
• The Messenger of God’s protective amulets during military campaigns, and at times of sleep and wakefulness
• Lady Khadija al-Kubra’s protective amulet against the schemes of Quraysh and the hypocrites

Chapter Three: The Protective Amulets of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and Lady Fatima (SA)

• The amulet worn on the Commander of the Faithful’s (AS) right arm and its power to bring victory over enemies
• The famous protective amulet of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA): the Prayer of Light and protection from fever
• The invocations of appeal for help recited by the Pure and Truthful Lady (SA) in times of crisis

Chapter Four: The Protective Amulets of al-Hasanayn and Imams Zayn al-Abidin and al-Baqir (AS)

• The protective amulets of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS) and Imam Husayn, Master of Martyrs (AS)
• The protective invocations of Imam Zayn al-Abidin, the exemplar of those who prostrate, in al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya
• The protective amulets of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS), worn on the arm to ease suffering

Chapter Five: The Protective Amulets of Imams al-Sadiq, al-Kazim, and al-Rida (AS)

• The protective amulets of Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq (AS) for foiling the plots of al-Mansur al-Abbasi
• The protective amulet of Musa ibn Jaʿfar (AS) in Baghdad’s dungeons
• Imam al-Rida’s (AS) pocket amulet and protection from al-Ma’mun’s schemes and poisons

Chapter Six: The Greater and Lesser Protective Amulets of Imam al-Jawad (AS) and the Later Imams

• The complete text of Imam al-Jawad’s (AS) greater protective amulet and the prescribed etiquette for its special prayer
• Imam al-Jawad’s (AS) lesser protective amulet (يا نُورُ يا بُرْهان)
• The protective amulets of Imams al-Hadi (AS), al-Askari (AS), and the Imam of the Age (AJ)

Chapter Seven: Healing and Clinical Invocations for Illness

• Invocations for headache, migraine, eye pain, and toothache
• Invocations for persistent fevers and internal diseases
• Special invocations for infants and children (for colic and restlessness)

Chapter Eight: Invocations for Protection from Calamities, the Evil Eye, Venomous Creatures, and Devils

• Invocations against the evil eye and envy, drawing on Surat Wa In Yakad and the Muʿawwidhatayn
• Invocations for protection from scorpions, snakes, harmful insects, and desert predators
• Invocations for fear when alone, long journeys, and dangers on the road

Golden Passages from the Book

The Great Prophet’s (PBUH) Protective Amulet: A Tablet of Safety at Birth, as Narrated by Lady Amina (SA)
“عَنْ آمِنَةَ أُمِّ النَّبِيِّ (ص) أَنَّهَا لَمَّا حَمَلَتْ بِهِ أَتَاهَا آتٍ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَقَالَ: «حَمَلْتِ سَيِّدَ الْبَرِيَّةِ… وَ عَلِّقِي عَلَيْهِ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَسْتَرْعِيكَ رَبَّكَ وَ أُعَوِّذُكَ بِالْوَاحِدِ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ حَاسِدٍ قَائِمٍ أَوْ قَاعِدٍ وَ كُلِّ خَلْقٍ رَائِدٍ فِي طُرُقِ الْمَوَارِدِ لَا يَضُرُّوهُ فِي قِيَامٍ وَ لَا قُعُودٍ وَ لَا مَنَامٍ…”. This was the first shield of light sent down from the heavenly realm to protect the life of the Seal of the Prophets. Carrying it brings protection from every trial and the evil eye.” (p. 24)

Lady Fatima al-Zahra’s (SA) Protective Amulet: The Prayer of Light and Lifelong Protection from Fever and Bodily Pain
“Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA), the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, said to Salman al-Farsi: ‘If you wish never to suffer the distress of fever or its burning heat during your life in this world, persist in reciting these words, which my father, the Messenger of God, taught me: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ النُّورِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ نُورِ النُّورِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ نُورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ… الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هُوَ بِالْعِزِّ مَذْكُورٌ وَ بِالْفَخْرِ مَشْهُورٌ وَ عَلَى السَّرَّاءِ وَ الضَّرَّاءِ مَشْكُورٌ’. Salman says, ‘I taught this prayer to more than a thousand people in Mecca and Medina who were suffering from deadly fevers, and by God’s permission they were all healed.’” (p. 48)

The Ḥirz of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī (AS); a luminous armband of victory and protection for the right upper arm
“The Ḥirz of His Holiness the Master of the Monotheists, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (AS), which is customarily tied to the right arm, is the steel fortress of the warriors of divine unity and the wayfarers of truth: ‘بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ… وَ ما كُنْتَ بِجانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنا إِلى‏ مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ… اخْرُجْ بِقُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ مِنْهَا أَيُّهَا اللَّعِينُ بِعِزَّةِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ…’. This Ḥirz shatters the barriers of Satan, banishes fear from the heart, and establishes its owner at the very centre of divine assistance.” (page 63)

The Great Ḥirz of Imam al-Jawād (AS); the supreme manifestation of protection against the evil eye, sorcery, and the harm of weapons
“The remarkable account of Umm ʿĪsā, the wife of Imam al-Jawād (AS), concerning the miraculous deliverance of His Holiness from swords and poisons by the blessing of this Ḥirz is the most reliable document in Shīʿī history: ‘أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ هَذِهِ الْأَسْمَاءِ كُلِّهَا أَنْ تُلْبِسَنِي دِرْعَكَ الْحَصِينَةَ وَ حِصْنَكَ الْمَنِيعَ… وَ اكْفِنِي شَرَّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ وَ سَاحِرٍ وَ عَيْنٍ نَاظِرَةٍ’. This Ḥirz is the complete charter of safety against earthly and heavenly calamities, the annuller of the most powerful spells, and the repeller of the negative waves of envy.” (page 112)

The Ḥirz of the Leader of the Prostrators, Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (AS); supplication to the Greatest Name in times of tribulation
“In the days of oppression and estrangement, Imam al-Sajjād (AS) protected his own being with this luminous Ḥirz: ‘بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ يَا أَسْمَعَ السَّامِعِينَ يَا أَبْصَرَ النَّاظِرِينَ يَا أَسْرَعَ الْحَاسِبِينَ يَا أَحْكَمَ الْحَاكِمِينَ… يَا غِيَاثَ الْمُسْتَغِيثِينَ أَغِثْنِي! يَا صَرِيخَ الْمَكْرُوبِينَ يَا مُجِيبَ دَعْوَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّينَ’. Reciting this Ḥirz is the direct connection of the soul’s umbilical cord to the inexhaustible source of the power of Truth, and it brings tranquillity to distressed hearts.” (page 85)

The ʿŪdha of winds and childhood illnesses; the blessed handwriting of Imam al-Bāqir (AS) for the soothing of children
“From Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad: I wrote to Imam al-Bāqir (AS) and requested a ʿŪdha for winds and the unknown ailments of children; His Holiness wrote this ʿŪdha with his blessed handwriting: ‘اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ… أُعِيذُهُ بِعِزَّةِ اللَّهِ وَ جَبَرُوتِ اللَّهِ وَ قُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ وَ مَلَكُوتِ اللَّهِ، هَذَا الْكِتَابُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شِفَاءٌ لِفُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ… مِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ مَا يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهَا’. The Ḥirzes for children are the soothers of nightly restlessness and the protectors of infants from fever and mysterious illnesses.” (page 140)

The ʿŪdhas of safety from stinging creatures and wild beasts; nature’s submission to the perfect words
“Imam al-Ṣādiq (AS) said: Whoever recites these words in the desert or in his home, I guarantee that no scorpion or stinging creature will harm him: ‘أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَ لَا فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا بَرَأَ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ هُوَ آخِذٌ بِناصِيَتِها…’. Likewise, when encountering wild animals, the recitation of Āyat al-Kursī and the declaration of allegiance to the wilāya of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (AS) casts down the heads of the beasts and turns them away.” (page 178)

The ʿŪdha for repelling loneliness and nightly terror; the caravan’s escort with the fortified remembrance of divine unity
“The Prophet of God (PBUH) said: Whoever spends the night alone in a house or walks along a dark path should say: ‘سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ، اللَّهُمَّ آنِسْ وَحْشَتِي وَ أَعِنِّي عَلَى وَحْدَتِي…’. The believing person, through connection to the ʿŪdhas of the Ahl al-Bayt, is never alone in the world; rather, an army of guardian angels preserves him in the embrace of their mercy until the break of dawn.” (page 215)

Frequently Asked Questions