Ruling on wearing Shamballa bracelets
Question

                Why are Shamballa bracelets haram to wear ?
Praise be to Allah.
    Shamballa bracelets are a 
    well-known type of bracelets that are usually worn on the wrists, but may 
    also be made into earrings and necklaces. They are made out of small beads 
    in various colours. They are usually made of elastic or leather, and no 
    metal wire is used to put the beads together. Recently they have become “big 
    business”, with the introduction of gold and diamonds. There are many 
    pictures of them on the Internet for anyone who wants to find out about the 
    different types. 

    The problem is that the word 
    Shamballa has many important and serious meanings in Buddhism, and in Tibet 
    and India. It is a word that has profound religious and doctrinal 
    significance; in fact the word originated from Buddhist spiritual concepts 
    in those lands. In their view it refers to a hidden fabulous kingdom in a 
    hidden realm somewhere in Asia, beyond the mountains of the Himalayas. This 
    word is mentioned in very ancient texts in those civilisations. The 
    Buddhists passed down a number of depictions that embodied their concept of 
    that kingdom, which is regarded as the source of happiness for all people, 
    the light of which will shine upon all those who believe in it in all 
    regions of the world. 

    Hence when this idea was 
    transmitted to the west, some people tried to embody this myth by means of 
    certain symbols which would attract some special spiritual experiences of 
    that blessed kingdom. So they made bracelets that were called after that 
    fabulous kingdom of Shamballa, and these bracelets became a symbol of 
    spiritual happiness, enlightenment and peace that people are looking for. 
    Those who make them and trade in them believe that they have the power to 
    bring about changes in the person who wears them and the people around him. 
    Each of the colours of the beads in those bracelets is connected to a 
    particular spiritual meaning which would take too long to explain and 
    describe. We found this information and more by searching on the Internet. 

    The Muslim – in contrast to this 
    spiritual backdrop  – believes that the hidden realm is the realm of the 
    unseen of which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has told us in His 
    holy Book, and our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has 
    told us about it in his saheeh Sunnah. Anything other than that comes under 
    the heading of notions and ideas made up by human beings which have no sound 
    basis, and are usually based on dreams and visions, or mumbo-jumbo made up 
    by the leaders of idolatrous religions, especially the esoteric traditions. 
    This has been one of the most significant causes of humanity’s becoming 
    bogged down in the mire of fables and myths, which distracted them from 
    focusing on the real issues of daily life, and the cause and effect on the 
    basis of which the universe was created. Thus these mythical beliefs became 
    like shackles that prevented the human mind from understanding the reality 
    of what surrounds him, and from understanding the message of his Lord, Who 
    asks him to not be (emotionally) attached to any means or measures, let 
    alone idolatrous myths and notions. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, 
    says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Have they not travelled through 
    the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to 
    hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which 
    are in the breasts that grow blind”

    [al-Hajj 22:46].

    Because the ignorant were 
    drowning in their idolatry and myths, the religion of Tawheed (affirmation 
    of the Oneness of Allah) came to do away with people’s attachment to such 
    measures, and to teach them to limit their belief, with regard to matters of 
    the unseen, solely to that which is with Allah and what He has decreed for 
    His slaves. Whatever Allah wills happens and whatever He does not will does 
    not happen. The ways of falsehood are contrary to that, in contrast to the 
    path of truth which comes from Allah, as He, may He be glorified, says 
    (interpretation of the meaning):

    “That is because Allah He is the 
    Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals 
    with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Batil 
    (falsehood) And verily, Allah He is the Most High, the Most Great”

    [al-Hajj 22:62]

    “That is because those who 
    disbelieve follow falsehood, while those who believe follow the truth from 
    their Lord. Thus does Allah set forth their parables for mankind”

    [Muhammad 47:3]

    “Follow what has been sent down 
    unto you from your Lord (the Quran and Prophet Muhammads Sunnah), and follow 
    not any Awliya (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate 
    partners in worship with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you 
    remember!”

    [al-A‘raaf 7:3]. 

    To sum up:

    If these Shamballa bracelets 
    worn are out of a belief in what they may attract of spiritual happiness or 
    influence on one’s life and death – even if one believes that that comes 
    about by Allah’s leave – then one has fallen into minor shirk, because 
    taking measures for which there is no scientific or shar‘i proof is one of 
    the means that lead to shirk (association of others with Allah), which is 
    haraam. It was proven from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased 
    with him) that some people came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and 
    blessings of Allah be upon him) and he accepted the oath of allegiance from 
    nine of them and not from one man. They said: O Messenger of Allah, you 
    accepted the allegiance of nine and not from one. He said: “He is wearing an 
    amulet.” So he put his hand in (his garment) and broke it, then he accepted 
    his oath of allegiance and said: “Whoever wears an amulet has associated 
    others with Allah (shirk).”.

    Narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad 
    (28/638); the commentators in the edition published by Mu’sasat ar-Risaalah 
    said: Its isnaaq is qawiy. 

    According to another version of 
    the hadeeth of ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) 
    that is marfoo‘:“Whoever wears an amulet, may Allah never fulfill his wish 
    and whoever wears a seashell, may Allah never protect him from what he 
    fears.”

    Narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad 
    (28/623). Al-Mundhiri said: Its isnaad is jayyid. At-Targheeb 
    wa’t-Tarheeb (4.239). The word translated here as seashells refers to 
    white shells that come from the sea, in which there is a groove or split 
    like that in a date stone; they are worn to ward off the evil eye.

    “may Allah never protect him 
    from what he fears” i.e., may he never find protection and peace, or may 
    what he fears never be warded off from him. 

    Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah 
    have mercy on him) said: 

    These two things – amulets and 
    seashells – are regarded as major sins, which is what is implied by the 
    warning mentioned in these hadeeths, especially since they describe it as 
    shirk. But I have not seen anyone who stated that in a clear way; rather 
    they stated what may be understood.   Yes, it may be interpreted as 
    referring to what they used to do of wearing pearls – which they called 
    amulets – and the like, thinking that it would ward off harm from them. 
    Undoubtedly this belief is ignorance and misguidance, and it is a major sin, 
    because even if it is not shirk, then it leads to it, because no one can 
    bring benefit or cause harm, or prevent harm and ward it off, except Allah, 
    may He be exalted.

    End quote from az-Zawaajir 
    (1/273) 

    It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah 
    ad-Daa’imah (vol. 2, 1/121):

    Wearing necklaces or earrings or 
    strings in order to alleviate or ward off calamity is haraam and is shirk, 
    no matter what kind they are, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of 
    Allah be upon him) forbade and disavowed the one who did that. That is 
    because it is putting one’s trust in something other than Allah, may He be 
    glorified, and what we must do is put our trust in Allah alone, for He is 
    the only one who can bring benefit, ward off harm and grant healing. 

    ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Saalih 
    al-Fawzaan, ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh, Bakr Abu Zayd 

    For more information, please see 
    fatwas no. 192206 and 138578

    And Allah knows best.