Sihr
/ˈsɪħr/noun
In Islamic belief and Arabic usage, sihr means magic or sorcery, especially occult practices regarded as spiritually forbidden.
Did you know?The Qur’an discusses sihr in connection with the story of Harut and Marut, while Islamic scholars traditionally distinguish forbidden sorcery from legitimate religious supplication.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic (reconstructed)
Proto-Semitic
*s-ḥ-r
“A reconstructed Semitic root associated with magic or sorcery, though its exact prehistoric development is debated.”
Ancient Semitic period
Semitic
s-ḥ-r
“A consonantal root developing related meanings involving magic and, in some branches, the dawn or pre-dawn period.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
سِحْر (siḥr)
“Magic, sorcery, enchantment, or an illusion-producing practice.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
سَاحِر (sāḥir)
“A magician or sorcerer; the active-agent form derived from the same Arabic root.”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
siḥr
“A technical religious and legal term for occult practices considered prohibited or spiritually dangerous.”
Modern English
English
sihr
“An Arabic loanword used in English writing about Islam, occultism, folklore, and spiritual practices.”