Star Worship: A Pathway to Shirk and Kufr in Islam

Adapted from the book "Shirk ke Chaur Darwazay" by Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi and Hafiz Mahmood al-Khudri

✿ The Belief in Stars as a Cause of Rain​

One of the pathways to shirk is star worship, which has been clearly prohibited by Allah:

(لَا تَسْجُدُوْا لِلشَّمْسِ وَ لَا لِلْقَمَرِ)
Surah Fussilat: 37

“Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon.”

Stars, like humans, are creations of Allah and have no share in His divine powers. The Arabs of the pre-Islamic era believed that certain stars or their settings brought rainfall, and would say:
((مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا))
“We received rain due to such-and-such star or constellation.”

Tayseer al-‘Aziz al-Hameed, p. 451

In response, Allah revealed:
(وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ)
Surah al-Waqi‘ah: 82

“And you make your provision such that you deny it.”

This verse, as explained by the Prophet ﷺ, means that instead of expressing gratitude to Allah, people denied His favor by attributing rain to stars. Sayyiduna ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) narrated the Prophet ﷺ said:
((وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمُ ...))
Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3295; Musnad Ahmad 1/108; authenticated by Ibn Kathir and Ibn Hajar

Declaring the Attribution of Rain to Stars as Shirk​

The Prophet ﷺ stated that associating rainfall with stars is among the matters of Jahiliyyah that will remain in the Ummah:
((أَرْبَعٌ فِي أُمَّتِي مِنْ أَمْرِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ...))
“Four things from the affairs of Jahiliyyah remain in my Ummah: pride in ancestry, defaming lineage, seeking rain via stars, and wailing over the dead.”
Sahih Muslim, Book of Funerals, Hadith 934

The Rainfall Incident at Hudaybiyyah​

When the Prophet ﷺ and his companions were at Hudaybiyyah, it rained one night. The next morning, he said:
((هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ...))
“Do you know what your Lord has said?”
The Companions responded, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Some of My servants have become believers in Me and some disbelievers. Those who say, ‘We were given rain by the grace and mercy of Allah,’ have believed in Me and disbelieved in the star. But those who say, ‘We were given rain by such-and-such star,’ have disbelieved in Me and believed in the star.”
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1038; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 67

Theological Clarification: Kufr Asghar vs. Kufr Akbar​

This hadith presents two mentalities:

1. Those who attribute rain to Allah’s grace – true believers.
2. Those who attribute rain to stars – disbelievers in Allah.

However, scholars clarify:

• If one believes stars are only a cause (not the actual doer), this is shirk asghar (minor shirk).
• If one believes stars are the creators or controllers of rain, this is shirk akbar (major shirk) and clear kufr.

Some argue this hadith addresses only the second type, but this is incorrect, as the wording indicates even causal attribution to stars is condemned. The hadith does not say the star made it rain, but rather "through the star", implying causation.

Tayseer al-‘Aziz al-Hameed, pp. 458–459; Tawhid al-Ilah al-‘Alamin, Vol. 1, p. 510

❖ Conclusion​

Both forms—whether assigning stars as causes or as creators—are part of star worship and are acts of shirk and kufr. Islam categorically forbids all such beliefs and demands that the Muslim attribute every favor and decree to Allah alone.