The Ruling on Believing Soothsayers and Astrologers: In Light of Qur’an and Ḥadīth
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 229
❖ Question
What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the matter of affirming soothsayers? Is it disbelief in Islam? Please clarify in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
Islam has not only opposed soothsayers and impostors, but has also declared those sinful who visit them, ask questions, and affirm their false notions and baseless claims.
❖ Prophetic Guidance
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً»
“Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights.”
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَتَى كَاهِنًا أَوْ سَاحِرًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ»
“Whoever visits a soothsayer or a magician and affirms what he says, then he has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muḥammad ﷺ.”
❖ Why Affirmation is Disbelief
The reason affirming soothsayers is considered disbelief is because the guidance revealed to the Prophet ﷺ declares that the knowledge of the unseen (ʿIlm al-Ghayb) belongs only to Allah alone. Neither Muḥammad ﷺ nor anyone else has been given knowledge of the unseen.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:
﴿قُل لا أَقولُ لَكُم عِندى خَزائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلا أَعلَمُ الغَيبَ وَلا أَقولُ لَكُم إِنّى مَلَكٌ إِن أَتَّبِعُ إِلّا ما يوحى إِلَىَّ…﴿٥٠﴾… سورة الأنعام
“Say: I do not tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.”
❖ Conclusion
Despite this clear guidance of the Qur’an, if a Muslim believes that certain people can unveil the unseen, look into destiny, or know the secrets of the unseen, then such a person has disbelieved in the revelation sent upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Hence, in light of these evidences, such acts are disbelief (Kufr) and shirk. And disbelief leads a person to eternal Hellfire. Therefore, it is necessary to repent immediately from such blasphemous beliefs.
Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam biṣ-ṣawāb.
