Short answer
Through ruqyah and dua, never through more magic. Recite al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of al-Baqarah, the verses about Musa and the magicians, and the last three surahs over yourself, read Surah al-Baqarah at home, and keep your prayers and adhkar. If the magic object is found, undo it and dispose of it. The four schools agree that ruqyah with the Quran is the way to treat it.
Removing magic with the Quran, authentic duas and other lawful means is permitted and rewarded. Removing it with magic, or through an 'amil who calls on jinn or uses unknown words, is haram even when the aim is a cure.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
When the Prophet ﷺ was affected by magic, he did not look for a counter-spell. He made dua again and again until Allah showed him the cause and cured him. The cure today is the same: turning to Allah through His Book and the duas he taught.
- Daily ruqyah on yourself: al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, the last two ayat of al-Baqarah, and al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and al-Nas, blowing lightly into your hands and wiping over your body.
- The verses of Musa and the magicians, such as 7:117-122, 10:81-82 and 20:69, which raqis commonly recite over the patient or over water.
- Surah al-Baqarah at home. The Prophet ﷺ said Satan flees a house in which it is recited, and that magicians cannot withstand it.
- Seven Ajwa dates in the morning, where you can get them, following the hadith.
- The five prayers on time, the morning and evening adhkar, and plenty of istighfar.
What is not allowed is nushrah in the sense of undoing magic with magic. The Prophet ﷺ was asked about nushrah and called it the work of Satan. So do not go to anyone who asks for your mother's name, writes numbers or unknown symbols, tells you to sacrifice an animal without Allah's name, or names a relative as the culprit. Some early scholars allowed nushrah, but they meant lawful treatment with the Quran and duas, not counter-magic.
If you find a suspicious object, such as knotted string or hair, recite over it, undo it and dispose of it. Keep seeing your doctor, since many symptoms have medical causes, and stay patient: this can take time, and dua is never wasted. See is ruqyah allowed and the signs of black magic.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Yunus 10:81
فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا۟ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحْرُ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٨١﴾
And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters.
Musa's words to the magicians: Allah undoes magic.
Quran, Surah Al-A'raaf 7:117-122
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ ﴿١١٧﴾ فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١١٨﴾ فَغُلِبُوا۟ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ صَٰغِرِينَ ﴿١١٩﴾ وَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ ﴿١٢٠﴾
And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying. So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing. And Pharaoh and his people were overcome right there and became debased. And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allah]. ...
The truth Allah sent overcame the magicians' work, which is why these verses are recited in ruqyah.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:102
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَٰقٍۢ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾
And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.
Magic has no power of its own, so the cure is sought from Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud 3868
Grading to be checked... عن النشرة فقال هو من عمل الشيطان ...
"He was asked about nushrah and said: It is from the work of Satan."
Undoing magic with magic is forbidden.
Sahih Muslim 780
Sahih... إن الشيطان ينفر من البيت الذي تقرأ فيه سورة البقرة ...
"Satan flees from the house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited."
Reciting al-Baqarah at home is a protection.
Sahih Muslim 804
Sahih... اقرءوا سورة البقرة فإن أخذها بركة وتركها حسرة ولا تستطيعها البطلة ...
"Recite Surah al-Baqarah, for taking it is a blessing, leaving it is a regret, and the magicians cannot withstand it."
Al-Baqarah is a defence against magicians.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5445
Sahih... سبع تمرات عجوة لم يضره في ذلك اليوم سم ولا سحر ...
"Whoever eats seven Ajwa dates in the morning, neither poison nor magic will harm him that day."
A means of protection taught in the Sunnah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, discussion of ruqyah and amulets. Permits ruqyah with the Quran and known words and forbids what contains unknown words or shirk.
- Fath al-Bari (Ibn Hajar), Kitab al-Tibb, chapter on whether magic may be taken out. Explains the kinds of nushrah and that only the lawful kind is allowed.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.