Shirk arises when humans seek and expect cure of disease from anything other than God. Forbidden shirk practices in disease treatment include: talismans, amulets, fortune telling, divination, astrology, sorcery, and worshipping or asking cure from humans called saints by visiting their graves.

Other superstitious practices usually associated with shirk are: claiming knowledge of the unseen and claiming supernatural powers by any human.

Many people with disease conditions resort to shirk practices due to misguidance by satan. These practices nullify religious faith because they attribute disease and its cure to other than God. They also distract from seeking true treatment based on rational scientific medicine.

Jinn possess limited power that is used to misguide and give credibility to shirk and superstition. The jinn do not know the unseen perfectly. Good and righteous people should not be involved with jinns and should ask God for protection against them.

Some forms of dream interpretation are forms of shirk. Only God knows for sure the correct interpretation of dreams. Limited ability to interpret dreams was given to some prophets. Other humans do not this ability. Therefore dreams of ordinary humans should have no role in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of disease.