“In such cases I will stand with the defendant because it is easy to refute the accusation,” Saudi lawyer Waheeb Ibrahim Lami told Arab News. “Such cases are very rare and hardly get to court. Some, however, do, but these are few and far between.”
Lami said a friend of his who is a painter told him he was working on a painting when his Indonesian housemaid gave him the evil eye, resulting him being unable to draw.
“She looked at the painting and said it was beautiful. Since then, my friend has been unable to even hold a brush,” said Lami.
Lami also recalled the recent incident in Madinah where a judge, who was accused of embezzling about SR200 million, claimed he was haunted by a genie. He added that all religious scholars and lawyers with whom he has discussed the matter are unanimous in their attitude that these kinds of cases cannot be proved.
“Throughout my legal career of more than 30 years I have very rarely run into these kinds of lawsuits in the Kingdom’s courts,” he said. He advised people to protect themselves against the evil eye and black magic by reciting the Qur'an and making supplications instead of going to court.
Adli Ali Hammad, another Saudi lawyer, said he refuses to represent people who want to make such claims. “I consider them vexatious. They are not easy for the claimant to prove. There is also the risk of the defendant then demanding compensation from his accuser,” he said.
Hammad said it is very difficult to provide evidence of black magic or substantiate a claim about the evil eye. He added that magic could be supported by the testimonies of witnesses or items used for making spells. “However, it is better not to open the door to these kinds of cases which would occupy judges and divert them away from other important cases,” he said.
Chairman of the Jeddah Summary Court Abdullah Al-Othaim said it is very rare for such cases to reach courts because of difficulties in proving them. “Every one of these cases is considered according to its nature and the evidence provided by the claimant. If there is no solid evidence to incriminate a person, then the defendant will be acquitted,” he said.
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) has launched a massive campaign against magic and the use of talismans. According to a recent field study it conducted, black magic is not a widespread problem in the Kingdom. The Haia is, however, adamant on stamping out the problem out before it grows.
