Q: I enclosed with this request for Fatwa the text of the protective spell against snake and scorpion bites. It is used by some old people in our neighborhood. A good person found that it has been with his father for more than forty years. He said that it works well if it is recited three times on the person who was bitten. I could not find a religious origin for it in the religious books I have. It reads as follows: "O Allah, verily we have showed the spell of the scorpion to the Christians, the Jews and to Sulayman ibn Dawud and said "O Messenger of Allah! What is this? (i.e. what is this insect?) He said, 'It is one of Hell-fire's insects, whose color is either pitch black or saffron yellow; its throat is like a cover and its tail is like a saw.' O Allah if its poison reached the organs get it out to flesh and if in flesh get it out to skin and if in skin, get it out to hair. We said, 'Fall by Allah's Plans and Force three times.'"