What is Divination and How is it to Visit Soothsayers?
Definition of Divination
“Divination” (Kahanat) is derived from the root word “Takahhana,” which is in the form of “Fa’ala.” It means:
◈ Making guesses
◈ Relying on conjecture or speculation
◈ Trying to discover the truth through means that have no real basis
In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), some people took divination as a profession. They were connected to those devils who secretly listened to conversations in the heavens and then came to these soothsayers to tell them. These soothsayers would add hundreds of lies of their own to these satanic messages and tell the people. If even one of these dozens of lies turned out to be true, people would start believing them and:
◈ Consult them for mutual decisions
◈ Seek guidance from them to know future events
Therefore, a soothsayer is a person who claims to inform about unseen matters of the future.
Three Types of People Who Visit Soothsayers
First Type: Asks Questions but Does Not Confirm
A person who goes to a soothsayer and asks a question but does not confirm what he says:
◈ This act is also forbidden
◈ Such a person’s prayers are not accepted for 40 days
As mentioned in the Prophetic Hadith ﷺ:
((مَنْ اَتٰی عَرَّافًا فَسَاَلَه عَنْ شَیْئٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَه صَلٰوةَُ اَرْبَعِینَ لَیْلَةَُ))
Translation:
“Whoever goes to a soothsayer and asks him about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights.”
Second type: asks and also confirms
A person who goes to a soothsayer and:
◈ asks him
◈ then believes what he says to be true
This is disbelief [kufr] against Allah Almighty, because he has believed the claim of knowledge of the unseen.
Such a person denies the Quranic verse:
﴿قُل لا يَعلَمُ مَن فِى السَّمـوتِ وَالأَرضِ الغَيبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ﴾
Translation:
“Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah.”
The same meaning is expressed in a Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ as follows:
«مَنْ أَ تٰی کَاهِنًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ فَقَدْ کَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ»
Sunan Ibn Majah, Purification, Chapter on the prohibition of approaching a menstruating woman, Hadith: 639,
and Sahih al-Albani, Al-Arwa, Hadith: 2006)
Translation:
“Whoever goes to a soothsayer and confirms what he says, has committed disbelief against the religion that was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.”
Third Type: Going for Investigation and Refutation of Falsehood
A person who goes to a soothsayer:
◈ For the purpose of testing him
◈ To expose his lies and deception in front of people
then there is no harm in that.
Example:
When Ibn Sayyad came to the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ concealed something in his heart and asked him to tell what he had concealed in his heart. He said: “Ad-Dukh” meaning he was referring to Surah Ad-Dukhan. The Prophet ﷺ said regarding his answer:
((اِخْسَأْ فَلَنْ تَعْدُوْا قَدْرَکَ))
and Sahih Muslim, Trials, Chapter mentioning Ibn Sayyad, Hadith: 2924)
Translation:
“Go away! You can never rise above your status.”
Summary
There are three states of people who go to a soothsayer:
➊ Ask questions, do not verify, and do not investigate
◈ This is forbidden
◈ Prayers are not accepted for forty days
➋ Ask questions and verify
◈ This is disbelief with Allah
◈ Such a person should repent, otherwise he will die upon disbelief
➌ Go for investigation and criticism
◈ This is permissible
◈ It should be to save people from misguidance
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
