Shirk in Modern Times: Amulets, Fortune-Telling, and Superstition

Grave Sins in Islam: Oaths by Others, Amulets, Fortune-Tellers, and Superstition
Compiled by: Tauheed.com – [Link to Complete Book]

❖ Swearing by Other than Allah: A Form of Shirk​

The purpose of an oath is to emphasize the greatness of the one being sworn by. Since only Allah ﷻ is worthy of ultimate reverence, oaths must only be taken in His name. Swearing by the Prophet ﷺ, saints, parents, children, or beloveds is prohibited and impermissible.

• Some poets swear by the hair or head of their beloveds — this is invalid in Sharīʿah.
• ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما heard someone say "By the Kaʿbah!" He responded:
  "Do not swear by anyone other than Allah. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
  ‘Whoever swears by anyone other than Allah has committed kufr or shirk.’”
  (Al-Tirmidhi: 1535; Abu Dawood: 3251)
• Once ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said, “By my father,” and the Prophet ﷺ replied:
  "Be warned! Allah forbids you from swearing by your forefathers."
  ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
  "From that day onward, I never knowingly or unknowingly swore by anyone other than Allah."
  (Al-Bukhari: 2679; Muslim: 1646)
• Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrated:
  "Whoever swears by Lāt or ʿUzzā should say: 'Lā ilāha illallāh' to renew his faith."
  (Al-Bukhari: 6107; Muslim: 1647)

❖ Associating Someone's Will with Allah's Will​

Combining someone else’s will with the will of Allah is a form of shirk.

• Qutaylah رضي الله عنها narrated that a Jew said to the Prophet ﷺ:
  "You commit shirk when you say: ‘Whatever Allah and you will.’”
  The Prophet ﷺ instructed:
  "Say: ‘Whatever Allah wills, then you will.’ And when swearing, say: ‘By the Lord of the Kaʿbah.’”
  (Al-Nasa’i: 3804)
• Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
  A man said, "Whatever Allah and you will."
  The Prophet ﷺ replied:
  "You have equated me with Allah! Say: ‘Whatever Allah alone wills.’"
  (Musnad Aḥmad: 2561, 1/284)

❖ Tamā’im (Amulets and Charms)​

Wearing or believing in the power of tamā’im (amulets) is shirk.

• ʿUqbah bin ʿĀmir al-Juhani رضي الله عنه narrated:
  "Ten people came to the Prophet ﷺ. He took the pledge (bayʿah) from nine and refused the tenth because he was wearing a tamīmah. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whoever wears a tamīmah has committed shirk.’”
  The man removed it, and then the Prophet ﷺ took his pledge.
  (Musnad Aḥmad: 17558; Ṣaḥīḥah al-Albānī: 492)
• ʿAbdullah bin Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:
  "Ruqyah, charms, and love spells — all are acts of shirk."
  (Ibn Mājah: 3530)

Permissible Ruqyah​

Permitted only if it contains no words of shirk.
ʿAwf bin Mālik رضي الله عنه narrated:
"Show me your ruqyah. If it contains no shirk, there is no harm in it."
(Muslim: 2200)

Types of Tamā’im​

• Objects like beads, shells, fish teeth, or scrolls with cryptic writing worn around the neck.
• Believing these objects directly remove harm is major shirk.
• Believing they protect by Allah’s will is minor shirk.

Qur’anic Amulets​

• The righteous predecessors (salaf) differed over their permissibility.
• Since no evidence exists of the Prophet ﷺ using Qur’anic amulets, most scholars have prohibited them.
• Shaykh Ibn Bāz رحمه الله also issued a fatwa against them.

Modern-Day Practices​

• Many Muslims now wear taʿwīdh (amulets), rings, and charms for protection, healing, or wealth.
• Some of these involve invoking jinns and devils.
• Use of magic symbols, abjad letters, and occult powers is clear shirk.

❖ Believing Fortune-Tellers and Astrologers​

Knowledge of the unseen (ghayb) belongs only to Allah ﷻ. Anyone who claims it is either a liar, disbeliever, or impostor.

• Zayd bin Khālid al-Juhani رضي الله عنه narrated:
  The Prophet ﷺ said:
  "Whoever says: ‘It rained because of such-and-such star,’ has committed disbelief."
  (Al-Bukhari: 846; Muslim: 71)
• Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrated:
  "Whoever visits a fortune-teller or astrologer and believes in him, or has intercourse with a menstruating woman, or engages in sodomy, has left the religion of Muhammad ﷺ."
  (Abu Dawood: 3904)
• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  "Whoever visits a soothsayer, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days."
  (Muslim: 2230)
• Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
  "Whoever learns astrology has learned a branch of magic."
  (Abu Dawood: 3905)

Widespread Innovations in the Subcontinent​

• Public advertisements:
  ➤ “Discover your destiny”
  ➤ “Control your beloved”
  ➤ “Increase your wealth”
• These so-called spiritual healers and astrologers read palms and faces and claim false knowledge.
• Sometimes their predictions come true with the help of devils (shayāṭīn).

Statement of ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها​

She said that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Fortune-tellers know nothing."
She added:
"Sometimes their words come true."
The Prophet ﷺ explained:
"The angels bring divine commands from the heavens. The devils eavesdrop and pass it to the soothsayers, who mix it with a hundred lies."
(Al-Bukhari: 3210; Muslim: 2228)

❖ Believing in Omens (Tiyarah)​

Islam strongly condemns bad omens and superstitions.

• Arab pagans used to release birds and interpret their direction as a sign of good or bad luck.
• Even today, people associate crows, black cats, marriage in Muharram, etc., with bad luck.
• ʿAbdullah bin Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrated:
  "Taking bad omens is shirk."
  He said this three times and added:
  "Everyone feels something in their heart, but tawakkul (trust in Allah) removes it."
  (Abu Dawood: 3910)
• ʿAbdullah bin ʿAmr رضي الله عنه narrated:
  "Whoever is stopped by a bad omen has committed shirk."
  The Companions asked: "What is the expiation if one falls into this?"
  The Prophet ﷺ replied:

اللهم لاَ خَيْرَ إلا خَيْرُكَ وَلاَ طَيْرَ إلا طَيْرُكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
"O Allah, no good except Your good, no omen except from You, and there is no deity but You."
(Musnad Aḥmad: 7045; Ṣaḥīḥah al-Albānī: 430)