This excerpt is taken from Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book Halal and Haram in Islam, whose Urdu translation has been done by Muhammad Tahir Naqqash.
Determining Fate Through Palmistry
Divining fate through dice, which has been forbidden due to its harmful consequences, has already been explained by us. Dice, meaning arrows of fate, were used by the Arabs during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance to determine fate. One arrow would be inscribed with the phrase "My Lord has given me," another with "My Lord has forbidden me," and the third arrow would be plain. When they intended to travel or marry, they would go to the idols and try to determine fate through the dice. If the arrow indicating permission came out, they would proceed with the matter; if the forbidding arrow came out, they would stop; and if the plain arrow came out, they would cast again until either the permissive or forbidding arrow appeared.
In our society, similar things are: sand divination (raml), cowrie shells, opening a book to take a fortune, playing cards, and reading coffee cups. All such things are forbidden and rejected in Islam.
Allah Almighty says:
وَأَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ
"And that you seek to know fate by casting lots is a sin."
Reference: Surah Al-Ma'idah: 3
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لن ينال الدرجات العلى من تكهن أو استقسم أو رجع من سفر تطيرا
"A person will not reach high ranks who practices soothsaying, or seeks to know fate by casting lots, or returns from a journey due to superstition."
Reference: Tibrani in Al-Awsat, Hadith: 2684; Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman: 10739
Magic
Islam is also strictly opposed to magic. Regarding those who learn magic, the Quran states:
وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ
"But they learned that which harmed them and did not benefit them."
Reference: Surah Al-Baqarah: 102
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) counted magic among the deadly and major sins.
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Shirk and Magic among the Deadly Sins, Hadith: 5764 – Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Major Sins, Hadith: 89
It destroys not only individuals but also entire nations and causes ruin in this world before the Hereafter. Some jurists have declared magic as disbelief or a cause of disbelief. According to some jurists, the killing of a magician is obligatory to cleanse society from their evil.
The Holy Quran teaches seeking refuge from the evil of magicians:
وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ
"And I seek refuge from the evil of the blowers in knots."
Reference: Surah Al-Falaq: 4
Blowing into knots is one of the methods and signs of magic. It is mentioned in a hadith:
من نفث فى عقدة فقد سحر ومن سحر فقد أشرك
"Whoever blows into a knot has practiced magic, and whoever practices magic has committed shirk (polytheism)."
Reference: Nasa'i, Book of Prohibition of Bloodshed, Chapter on the Ruling on Magicians, Hadith: 4084 – and its chain is weak
Just as Islam has declared it forbidden to visit astrologers to learn about the unseen and secrets, similarly, learning magic or going to magicians for treatment of any disease or to solve any problem is also forbidden. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) expressed his complete disassociation from this by saying:
ليس منا من تطير أو تطير له أو تكهن أو تكهن له أو سحر أو سحر له
"He is not one of us who takes or gives a bad omen, or practices soothsaying or has soothsaying done for him, or practices magic or has magic done for him."
Reference: Musnad Al-Bazzar: 3578
Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that whoever goes to an astrologer, magician, or soothsayer, asks questions, and believes their words, has disbelieved in the guidance revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Reference: Tabarani in Al-Kabir: 10/76, Hadith 10005; in Al-Awsat: 1476; Musnad Al-Bazzar: 2067; Musnad Abi Ya'la: 5408
لا يدخل الجنة مدمن خمر ولا مؤمن بسحر ولا قاطع رحم
"Neither the habitual drinker nor the one who believes in magic nor the one who severs ties of kinship will enter Paradise."
Reference: Sahih Ibn Hibban, Mawarid: 1381; Al-Ihsan: 7/648; Musnad Ahmad: 399/4; Mustadrak Hakim: 146/4
This prohibition is not limited to the magician alone but also includes those who believe in magic, encourage it, and accept the magician’s words as true. This prohibition becomes even more severe when magic is used for purposes that are inherently forbidden, such as creating discord between husband and wife or causing physical harm to someone.
Tying an Amulet
A similar thing is amulets and charms, etc., which are tied with the belief of healing from illness or protection. Even in the twentieth century, there are people who hang a horseshoe on their door. And today, in various parts of the world, there is no shortage of deceivers who exploit the ignorance and superstition of the public by writing amulets for them. These amulets contain lines and talismans, and they swear on beads and blow on them while reciting incantations, claiming that the amulet will never allow the effect of jinn on the wearer, and that he will be protected from the evil eye, envy, and so on.
As far as human protection and treatment are concerned, there are some well-known methods that Islam has deemed permissible, but abandoning these known methods and adopting the ways of misleading impostors is a grave sinful denial in the sight of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
تداووا فإن الذى خلق الداء خلق الدواء
“Seek treatment, for Allah has not created any disease without also creating its cure.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 3/156
إن كان فى شيء من أدويتكم خير ففي هذه الثلاثة: شربة عسل أو شرطة محجم أو كية بنار
“There are three things in your medicines that are beneficial: drinking honey, cupping, and cauterization.”
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Medicine with Honey, Hadith: 5683 - Muslim, Book of Peace, Chapter on Medicine for Every Disease, Hadith: 2205
Considering the spirit of these three things and reasoning upon them, the following modern methods of treatment are considered permissible:
Taking medicine. Treatment through surgery. Treatment through cauterization, which also includes treatment by electric shock.
As for tying amulets and charms or reciting talismanic incantations for treatment or protection, this is ignorance and misguidance, contrary to the divine laws and against monotheism. Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that a caravan of ten people came to the Prophet (peace be upon him). He took the pledge from nine of them but did not take the pledge from one person. When they inquired, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إن فى عضده تميمة، فقطع الرجل التميمة فبايعه رسول الله ثم قال من علق فقد أشرك
“He has an amulet tied on his arm.” When that person cut off the amulet, the Prophet (peace be upon him) took his pledge and said: Whoever ties an amulet has committed shirk (polytheism).”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 4/156 - Mustadrak Hakim: 4/219 - Tabarani in Al-Kabir: 17/885
In another hadith it is stated:
من علق تميمة فلا أتم الله له ومن علق ودعة فلا أودع الله له
“May Allah not grant success to the one who ties an amulet, and may Allah not grant peace to the one who ties charms.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 4/154 Mustadrak Hakim: 4/216 - Musnad Abi Ya'la: 2/98 and its chain is weak
Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a brass bracelet on a man's arm and said: “Woe to you, what is this?” He said: “It is worn to remove weakness.” He said: “It will increase your weakness. Remove it and throw it away, otherwise if you die in this state, you will never attain success.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 4/445 Sahih Ibn Hibban Al-Ihsan: 7/628 - Ibn Majah, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Hanging Amulets, Hadith: 3431 and its chain is weak
These clear teachings had such a profound effect on the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that they kept far away from such misguidances and gave no importance to these baseless things. Isa bin Hamzah (may Allah have mercy on him) said that I went to Abdullah bin Hakim (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hamzah was present there. I asked: Do you not tie amulets? He said: Allah protect us from that! And in another narration: Death is nearer than that. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من علق شيئا وكل إليه
“Whoever hangs something around his neck will be handed over to it (on the Day of Judgment).”
Reference: Tirmidhi, Book of Medicine, Chapter on the Dislike of Hanging Amulets, Hadith: 2072
Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) saw his wife wearing a bead necklace and pulled it off and cut it, saying: The family of Abdullah have become heedless of shirk. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
إن الرقى والثمائم والتولة شرك
“Incantations, amulets, and talismans are all shirk.”
Reference: Sahih Ibn Hibban Al-Ihsan: 7/630 Mustadrak Hakim: 4/217, 417-418 - It is also found in Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah in their Sunan, see the following hadith
“Tawlah” is a kind of magic. Women use this method to become beloved in the eyes of their husbands. Scholars say: Forbidden incantations are those which are not in Arabic but in some other language, and due to linguistic differences, their meanings are unknown. Such incantations may contain elements of magic or disbelief. But if their meanings are understood and they contain the mention of Allah, then they are recommended. Such incantations are equivalent to supplication and hope from Allah; they are not considered treatment or medicine. However, the incantations of the ignorant people were a mixture of magic, shirk, and talismans and were completely devoid of meaning.
It is narrated that Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade his wife from those ignorant incantations, and she narrated this incident: One day I went out, and a certain person saw me, and tears started flowing from my eyes. When I recite the incantation, the tears stop, and when I stop reciting, the tears start flowing again. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is Satan; when you obey him, he leaves you, and when you disobey him, he touches your eyes with his finger. But if you do what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did, it will be better for you, and there is hope that you will be healed. Sprinkle water in your eyes and say these words:
أذهب البأس رب الناس، اشف أنت الشافي، لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك شفاء لا يغادر سقما
“O Lord of all mankind! Remove the distress and heal! For You are the Healer; there is no healing except Your healing. Grant such healing that no disease remains.”
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Hanging Amulets, Hadith: 3883; Ibn Majah, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Hanging Amulets, Hadith: 3530
Omen
Bad omen is taken from a place, time, persons, etc. It is one of those superstitions whose practice has been going on since ancient Jahiliyyah times. The people of Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) said to him:
قَالُوا اطَّيَّرْنَا بِكَ وَبِمَنْ مَعَكَ
"We think you and your companions are a bad omen."
Reference: Surah An-Naml: 47
And when any calamity befell Pharaoh and his people, they took it as a bad omen, so it is said:
يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ
"They considered Moses and his companions as an evil omen."
Reference: Surah Al-A'raf: 7/131
Most of the disbelievers who remained in error used to say the same upon the occurrence of any calamity:
إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ
"We consider you a bad omen for ourselves."
Reference: Surah Yaseen: 18
And the prophets (peace be upon them) always responded:
طَائِرُكُمْ مَعَكُمْ
"Your bad omen is upon you."
Reference: Surah Yaseen: 19
Meaning, the cause of your calamity is attached to you, and that is your disbelief, obstinacy, and rebellion. Regarding bad omen, the beliefs of the Arabs in ancient Jahiliyyah times were different, but Islam declared them false and guided people towards reason. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ليس منا من تطير أو تطير له أو تكهن أو تكهن له أو سحر أو سحر له
"He is not one of us who takes a bad omen, or for whom a bad omen is taken, or who practices soothsaying, or who practices magic, or who has magic practiced for him."
Reference: Musnad Al-Bazzar: 3578, Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir: 162/18
He also said:
العيافة والطيرة والطرق من الجبت
"Taking a bad omen from a rail (a type of bird), from a bird, or by throwing pebbles is from superstition (Jibt)."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Soothsaying and Warning from Birds, Hadith: 3907
This bad omen is neither based on knowledge nor on events but is merely the result of weak faith and superstition. Otherwise, what meaning would it have if a wise person truly began to think that such and such a person or place is unlucky? Or if he felt anxious upon hearing a bird’s call, seeing the movement of eyes, or hearing a word?
The real point is that if a person’s belief in Tawheed (Oneness of Allah) is weak, it inclines him towards bad omen. Therefore, a person should not put a shield before this weakness.
In a Marfu’ Hadith it is stated:
There are three things from which it is difficult for a person to escape: suspicion, bad omen, and envy. So when suspicion arises, do not believe it. And when bad omen causes fear, do not turn back from the path. And when the feeling of envy arises, do not desire like that.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 10/213 with similar wording; Al-Hafiz said it was narrated by Abdul Razzaq as Mursal — and with Abdul Razzaq: 403/10, Hadith: 19504 with different wording; Al-Bayhaqi in Ash-Shu’ab: 2/63 Hadith 1172 from the narration of Abdul Razzaq, and he said this is Munqati’ (disconnected) — and it has a supporting narration from Abu Hurairah at Al-Bayhaqi: 1173; also narrated by Al-Tabarani: 2583 from Harithah bin Nu’man
By acting upon this precaution, the reality of these three things will be nothing more than passing thoughts and whispers in the heart, and these matters will have no effect on actions. Allah Almighty has pardoned such matters.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Bad omen is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) also said: None of us is without thoughts of bad omen in his heart, but reliance on Allah removes such thoughts.
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Bad Omen, Hadith: 3910; Tirmidhi, Book of Biography, Chapter on what has been mentioned about bad omen, Hadith: 1614; Ibn Majah, Book of Medicine, Chapter on one who likes omens and dislikes bad omen, Hadith: 3538
