Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Please advise if a Tawiz (Amulet) is permissible if written in numbers?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to that which is pleasing to Him.
Protective or healing words are permitted by Sacred Law and are called for when there is a need for them, provided that the three conditions below are fulfilled, and Allah knows best.
The numbers and symbols sometimes used in amulets are supposed to represent (a) below while preventing disrespect to the represented content, but as a precaution, you should avoid these unless you are sure about what they mean as they may infringe (b) below, or contradict the rules of Sacred Law, and Allah knows best.
Conditions for the Permissibility of Using Amulets (Tawiz)
(a) that they consist of the word of Allah Most High, His names, or His attributes (the hadiths prohibiting amulets being interpreted as referring to the beads and so forth that were used in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance)
(b) They must be in Arabic.
(c) The user should not believe the words to have any effect in themselves (which is unbelief but are instead empowered to do so by Allah Most High
Amulets are like protective or healing words (ruqya) when the need arises. And Allah knows best. [Keller, Reliance of the Traveler]
Please refer to the following related answer by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (may Allah preserve him):
Is Using a Ta’wiz (Amulet) Permissible?
I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and pursuing his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.