Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The stars are the creation of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala has created them for three purposes:
1. The adornment of the heavens
2. The repelling of devils, that is, when devils attempt to ascend to the heavens to steal matters of revelation, these stars fall upon them as flames.
3. Guidance for people in certain matters, as Allah Ta’ala says: {وَہُوَ الَّذِیْ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ النُّجُوْمَ لِتَہْتَدُوْا بِہَا فِیْ ظُلُمٰتِ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ } (Al-An’am: 97) … “And it is Allah Who has created the stars for you so that you may be guided by them in the darknesses of the land and the sea.”

In ancient times, those who traveled by sea would determine the direction of their journey by observing the stars; in the present era, guidance is sought through scientific instruments. The knowledge of stars is called ‘ilm al-nujum (astronomy/astrology).

The third purpose of the stars is related to humans; apart from this, the children of Adam have no other connection with them. The commentator of Abu Dawud, Allamah Azimabadi rahimahullah, while discussing the hadith of this chapter: ((مَنِ اقْتَبَسَ عِلْمًا مِنَ النُّجُومِ، اقْتَبَسَ شُعَبْۃً مِّنَ السِّحْرِ۔)) … “Whoever acquires knowledge from the stars has acquired a branch of magic,” says:

Khatabi said: The astrologers, by means of the knowledge of the stars, claim to know future incidents and events, for example, the coming of rain and the rise in prices of goods. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has prohibited this. However, the knowledge of the stars by which the times of prayer and the direction of the qiblah are determined has not been prohibited. In Sharh al-Sunnah it is stated: The type of knowledge of the stars by which astrologers claim to know future events, and sometimes their predictions about the future turn out to be correct, such as predicting the blowing of winds, rainfall, snowfall, the coming of heat or cold, and the rise in prices of goods. Sometimes they even claim that by the movement, conjunction, and separation of the stars, they can know the events that will occur in the coming times. The Shari’ah of Islam has prohibited this type of knowledge of the stars, because the knowledge that is claimed through it is something that Allah Ta’ala has attributed solely to Himself, as Allah Ta’ala says: {اِنَّ اللّٰہَ عِنْدَہُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَۃِ وَیُنَزِّلُ الْغَیْثَ} (Luqman: 34) … “Indeed, with Allah is knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down the rain.”

But the type of knowledge of the stars by which the setting, prayer times, and direction of the qiblah, etc., are determined is not included in the prohibition, because this knowledge is acquired through apparent observation (such as knowing the end time of Fajr prayer by the rising of the sun, and the end time of Asr prayer by the setting of the sun; the sun is a star). Allah Ta’ala says: {وَہُوَ الَّذِیْ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ النُّجُوْمَ لِتَہْتَدُوْا بِہَا فِیْ ظُلُمٰتِ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ } (Surah Al-An’am: 97) … “And it is Allah Who has created the stars for you so that you may be guided by them in the darknesses of the land and the sea.” And further He said: {وَبِالنَّجْمِ ہُمْ یَہْتَدُوْنَ} (Surah Al-Nahl: 16) … “And by the stars they are guided.”

Allah Ta’ala has explained in these verses that the stars are for recognizing times and directions; if they did not exist, people would not be able to face the qiblah. Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu said: Learn as much knowledge of the stars as will enable you to recognize the direction of the qiblah and the way; after that, refrain from acquiring further knowledge of them. (Awn al-Ma’bud: 2/1774)

In these blessed ahadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has prohibited the knowledge of the stars (astrology) and declared it a sign of ignorance (jahiliyyah), while Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever goes to a soothsayer (i.e., astrologer) and affirms what he says, or whoever has intercourse with his wife while she is menstruating, then he has disassociated himself from what was revealed to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.” (Abu Dawud: 3904, Tirmidhi: 135, Ibn Majah: 639)

Dear readers! The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has absolutely prohibited going to astrologers, so that the conjectures of such people do not affect the beliefs of the believers. The system of celestial bodies has been ongoing for centuries; to this day, there has been no corruption or disorder in it. This system indicates certain matters of the universe, so one who studies them carefully can make some estimations, just as a person can estimate the time by looking at the sun and the date by looking at the moon. But for the protection of beliefs, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has absolutely prohibited acquiring this type of knowledge of the stars, and even prohibited sitting in the gatherings of those who are interested in this knowledge.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has been very strict regarding the matter of the stars, because the Arabs used to attribute the coming of rain to the stars and considered the stars to be everything in this matter. It should be well understood that if a person, by observing the routine of Allah Ta’ala’s previous system, says that when such-and-such star reaches such-and-such position, Allah Ta’ala sends down rain, then there is no harm in this, because Allah Ta’ala has appointed signs for the times of rain and other things. But the thing that becomes a sign has no intrinsic role; all the perfection belongs to Allah Ta’ala. See, the light of the sun or the coming and going of day and night is closely related, but there is no perfection in the sun itself, because it is subject to the command of Allah Ta’ala.

Note: The knowledge of the unseen (ghayb) is only with Allah Ta’ala; apart from apparent causes, nothing about the future can be estimated. However, it is necessary to mention here that Allah Ta’ala, as a test, has created some matters by which the estimation of astrologers and soothsayers may sometimes turn out to be correct, such as Heraclius and one of his friends, by observing the stars, estimated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had appeared in Arabia. (Sahih Bukhari: 6) And their estimation turned out to be correct. There are four such matters: the jinn stealing conversations from the heavens, estimation by the stars, estimation by palm lines, and obtaining distant information through the jinn.

But on the other hand, Allah Ta’ala has prohibited His believing servants from using such methods and from going to such people at all. However, these matters become a cause for the further misguidance of those with corrupt beliefs; in reality, these are tests from Allah Ta’ala.