I think someone mentioned once about a sahabi wearing a ta'wiz.

A ta'wiz is generally a verse/verses of the qur'an.

As with all things the person must be aware that ultimately all power is with Allah (swt) and nothing can help you without His will - thinking otherwise is shirk, but wearing a ta'wiz is not the same as that.

I've heard many people say it's absolutely not on.

The same people who dislike displaying verses of the Qur'an around the house - unless they are put on your walls so you CONSTANTLY read them.

You can't read a ta'wiz, so they see it as not working in terms of being a 'reminder'. Since the only reason people seem to claim to wear them is 'protection', then it would be shirk.

Then again these people are hardcore 'wobs' (as Noor might call them!), although that doesn't necessarily mean what they say is wrong.

I still can't see the "shirk" argument. yes, I can understand if people argued it was disliked or so, but shirk - seems to be quite a jump.

EDIT - sunnipath link.

and from another forum on the interwebs:

t is narrated from Amr ibn Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather (Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Allah be pleased with them all), that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to teach them (the Sahabas) for fearful situations the following words:

“I seek refuge in Allah’s perfect words from His wrath, the evil of his servants, the whispered insinuations of devils, and that they come to me”

Abdullah ibn Amr used to teach these words to those of his sons who had reached the age of reason, and used to write them and hang them upon those who had not reached the age of reason (narrated by Abu Dawud & Tirmizi, and Tirmizi classed it as an authentic narration).

No idea how reliable that site is.

You wrote:

I still can't see the "shirk" argument. yes, I can understand if people argued it was disliked or so, but shirk - seems to be quite a jump.

Because if someone who used the Qur'an literally as a shield, would have misunderstood the principal of tawhid so entirely, they wouldn't be classed as Muslim.

(dunno if that's the case, just positing an idea)

Even there, the real world alternative is "Why take the test if the result is in the fate of God?" I doubt any (sane) individual believes that the Qur'an has any power that is not from Allah (swt).

Obviously we need to make sure that we do not fall into the trap of committing shirk. This does not mean, however, that we should refuse and do away with traditional halal practices. The treatment of malices, physical or spiritual and using medication isnt restricted to paying a visit to your GP. Islamic medicine includes and varies from ruqya (ie reciting some prophetic/quranic verses and blowing) to wearing of tawiz. These practices are recorded in ahadith and were practiced by the sahaba. The ahadith indicate also that our prophet did not forbid it. They are simply forms of medication used for the treatment of various illnesses and diseases.

Having said this, we shouldn't believe that the Tawiz/ruqya itself does the cure but through the blessing of Allah and the use of His name etc. I dont believe that people wear tawiz or drink water etc believing that they will be cured/protected. All might and Power is from Allah aja waj'al, and He is the only One who cures and protects.

I also think that we are forgetting and overlooking the fact that it is common to see black seed oil or honey in Muslim shops - black seed recorded in hadith as being the cure to all diseases except death. Why dont the same Muslims who campaign against the wearing of tawiz or other ruqya argue that making use of black seed is shirk as well.

Taking black seed or honey is another form of medication, in the same way that wearing of ta'wiz or drinking of water or reciting specific qur'anic verses is. All linked from the Qur'an and sunnah.

Do you have any references from specific hadith? I'd be interested to read them - since I can't understand why someone who was very strict about following the Qur'an and Sunnah would ignore the hadiths if they existed.