The ruling concerning putting a knife on a child in order to protect him

Question: I have seen some people placing a knife on their small children and saying, "This is so the jinn do not come to him." Is this practice correct?

Response: This is an objectionable act and there is no sound source for it. It is not allowed to do such a thing. What is legally sanctioned is to seek refuge from them by Allaah's complete words from every devil and poisonous pest, as has been confirmed from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam). He used to seek protection by those words for his grandsons al-Hasan and al-Husayn Ibn 'Alee. It is also sanctioned to make dua for them by asking Allaah to protect them from every evil. As for putting a knife or something similar, of iron, wood or other substances, with the belief that such will protect them from the jinn, it is an evil practice that is not allowed. Similar is the ruling with respect to hanging an amulet over them, which is what is called al-tama'im. This is not allowed because the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:

((Whoever hangs an amulet, Allaah will not complete[his affair] for him)).

In another narration, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:

((Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk)).

May Allaah bestow understanding of the religion upon all Muslims, and steadfastness in the religion. We seek refuge for ourselves and them3 from everything that differs from His pure law.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah