Going to Astrologers and Palmists
Astrologer:
One who knows the science of astrology is called an astrologer.
Science of Astrology:
And the science of astrology is that through the conditions of the celestial bodies, inferences are made about earthly events.
For example: the falling of rain, the blowing of winds, the appearance of heat and cold, and other such matters. The false assumption of astrologers is that they know these things from the movement of stars and their conjunctions and separations, and the terrestrial system operates according to the requirements of the stars’ movement. Rather, their claim is equivalent to encroaching upon and interfering with the treasury of Allah’s knowledge of the unseen, whereas this type of astrology is called the science of influence.
Soothsayer:
One who knows the art of soothsaying is called a soothsayer.
Art of Soothsaying:
Fortune-telling is an art in which the claim is made to know the unseen and future news. Its basis is the information that jinn or angels steal from their speech and whisper into the ear of the soothsayer. Such people are very few nowadays compared to the pre-Islamic era, because Allah Almighty has protected the heavenly news through the shooting star. These people generally claim sainthood and unveiling, but in reality, they are soothsayers, brothers of the devils; they have no connection with sainthood.
Similarly, some astrologers and soothsayers put up boards of palmists and professors claiming “Ask whatever you want or every kind of wish will be fulfilled.” Seeking treatment from them or showing them your hand to know your fate is shirk (polytheism). Accordingly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَتَى كَاهِنًا أَوْ عَرَّافًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ .
“Whoever comes to an astrologer or soothsayer and confirms his statements has denied the revelation sent down to Muhammad ﷺ.”
At another place, you ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلُ لَهُ صَلوةٌ اربعین لَيْلَة .
“Whoever goes to an astrologer and asks about something, his prayers for forty days will not be accepted.”
Muawiyah bin Al-Hakam Al-Sulami رضي الله عنه says that I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said that some of our people go to soothsayers, so you ﷺ said: “Do not go.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah has purified the Arabian Peninsula from polytheism and cleared it so that astrology does not become a cause of their misguidance.”
In this hadith, astrology is clearly declared as shirk (polytheism), and in one hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has classified it as a type of magic. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنِ اقْتَبَسَ شُعْبَةً مِنَ النُّجُومِ فَقَدِ اقْتَبَسَ شُعْبَةً مِنَ السَّحْرِ زَادَ مَا زَادَ.
“Whoever learns one chapter of astrology has learned one chapter of magic, no matter how much he increases it.”
And regarding magicians, Allah Almighty says:
وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ
“A magician does not succeed from wherever he comes.”
Imam Khattabi رضي الله عنه says:
These (soothsayers) are a sharp, mischievous, evil-natured, and fiery-tempered people. They have contact with jinn and keep inquiring from them about various events. Consequently, they tell them some news through which they cause the misguidance of people.
Allama Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
If a legal judge has the authority to impose punishments, then he must certainly punish those sorcerers and those who go to them. No person should be deceived by their truthfulness in certain matters, nor should they be misled by the fact that such a sorcerer or astrologer is a great reference for people and has great scholarly fame. Such people have no connection with knowledge; rather, they are ignorant. Moreover, the most important point is that going to them is prohibited by Shariah and there is a severe warning against it.
How do astrologers and palmists ruin the lives of the younger generation?
Dear readers! Look at those practitioners, astrologers, and soothsayers in our society who ruin the lives of the younger generation. Currently, we have before us the “Monthly Khawateen Magazine,” Lahore, June 2004, Issue No. 6, Volume 9. In it, Mr. Ubaidullah Tariq Dar writes under the title “How False Practitioners Ruin the Lives of the Younger Generation? A Special Report Based on Astonishing Revelations” that:
“A young man from our neighborhood, who was a B.Sc. student, came to meet me one day. He requested a private meeting to discuss a personal issue. I knew this young man well and was very surprised to wonder what business he could have with me. Anyway, I told him to come the next day. The next day, the young man arrived at the appointed time, hesitating and shyly managing to express his matter with great difficulty. From his manner of speaking, I concluded that he had actually read one of my books on spiritual practices and had assumed that perhaps I was also a practitioner. On this basis, he chose me to solve his personal problem. The young man first made me promise not to mention this story to anyone, and secondly, that I would try my best to solve his problem. I assured him, God willing, that I would cooperate with him in every possible way.
The young man explained his problem, saying that he wanted to marry the girl of his choice, but the problem was that she was already married. Now his wish was that first the girl should get a divorce, and then he would marry her. His wish included the girl’s consent as well. He said if I could do this work for him, he would be grateful to me for life and was ready to pay in advance whatever expenses were required to complete this work. The young man seemed very noble to me, but his dangerous emotional intentions astonished me. I knew him and did not expect this from him.
Instead of refusing him and letting him get trapped elsewhere, I thought that rather than making him feel ashamed of these thoughts, I should learn all the details of the events. A needy person is like a madman; wherever he sees even a faint ray of hope, he goes there to solve his problem. Fate had brought him to the right place, so I thought that at least I would try my best to remove these corrupt thoughts from his mind. I asked the young man to tell me in detail what efforts he had made so far to fulfill this wish. Only after that would I express my opinion.
The young man began his tale of sorrow, saying that he wanted to marry a girl from his neighborhood, and the girl was also willing with the mutual consent of her parents. But all his dreams were shattered when his parents went to propose to her family, and they flatly refused due to sectarian differences. A few months later, she was forcibly married elsewhere. Before the marriage, the girl assured him that her parents were forcing the marriage, but she would soon get a divorce and return. You can imagine my courage because I even attended her wedding ceremony. I fully trusted her promise, but circumstances took a turn that ruined all our plans.
I learned from some source that this problem could be solved through a talisman thread, but I did not believe in such things. I performed many voluntary prayers and made many supplications to fulfill this desire, but I did not succeed. Exhausted, I reluctantly decided to consult professional practitioners. First, I went to Lahore and met various practitioners. They quoted initial fees ranging from two hundred to eleven hundred rupees just to prepare a horoscope. They said the details of other expenses would be told after the horoscope results, which, according to them, were revealed by “air creatures.” One practitioner in Lahore quoted eleven thousand rupees to solve this problem. After surveying Lahore practitioners, I met famous practitioners in Gujranwala. After all meetings, I decided to get my problem solved by a well-known practitioner in Gujranwala. In the first meeting, I told the practitioner my purpose: I wanted to get a married girl divorced and marry her.
Upon hearing this, the practitioner said this was no difficult task for them and asked me to pay 250 rupees for making the horoscope, assuring me that my heartfelt desire would be fulfilled. After paying the fee, the practitioner said that after making the horoscope, I would have to pay another two thousand five hundred rupees to complete the remaining stages of the work, besides the materials whose list he handed me. The list included: one towel, a silver glass, some soil from under my feet, a packet of incense sticks. Four days later, I brought two thousand five hundred rupees and the materials to the practitioner. He welcomed me, happily accepted the money and materials, and took me to a cabin behind his room to start the process. First, incense sticks were lit and perfume sprayed. Then he told me to empty my pockets and place everything outside. After laying a prayer mat, he took a rosary and sat on it. He made me sit on it as well. He put the soil from my feet into the silver glass and covered it with a black cloth. After finishing this, he turned off the room light, held my hand, and began speaking as if some mysterious creature had appeared.
During this presence, the practitioner asked the invisible “air creature” about my work. He had already told me that only the practitioner could hear the voice of the “air creature.” This presence lasted twenty minutes. During this time, the practitioner told me that the “air creature” said that for the success of the process, one hundred sixty wild pigeons must be taken to a cemetery at 2:30 AM, slaughtered there, the meat left there, and the blood collected in a vessel and brought back. I was somewhat faint-hearted and asked if a friend could do this instead of me. The practitioner said the “air creature” said no one else but me could do this. During the presence, I agreed to do it myself. Then the practitioner ended the presence by releasing my hand. Before leaving, I asked if he could do the process if I did not want to go to the cemetery. He reassured me, saying he had much experience doing this. He said I must do the pigeon slaughter that very day, or I might suffer loss of life and property. He told me that buying 160 wild pigeons would cost nine thousand six hundred rupees. I was shocked, wondering how I would arrange such a large sum immediately. He told me to arrange the money at home and advised me to keep reciting Durood Sharif on the way, warning that negligence might cause harm from the “air creature.” I recited Durood Sharif all the way home, thinking about how to arrange the money. Upon arrival, I told my family that a friend urgently needed five thousand rupees, and I borrowed the rest from various friends with excuses. I took the money and gave nine thousand six hundred rupees to the practitioner. He said the work would be completed in three days and urged me to call before coming. I spent two happy days, fully confident my problem would be solved. After the appointed time, I called the practitioner, who told me to come. When I arrived, he said he had completed the pigeon process but encountered a problem: the girl’s star was very weak. Strengthening it would require hard work and some more materials. After this, my problem would be solved. After finishing, he gave me a thin dough figure with needles stuck in it, saying it represented the girl and that a “Hub-e-Nikah” (marriage bond) would be performed with it.
I had no idea what “Hub-e-Nikah” was. The practitioner told me it was essential for solving my problem and that two tolas of pure musk were needed for it. He quoted the price as eighteen to twenty thousand rupees. Hearing this, I was more distressed than when the girl got married. But hoping somehow my work would be done, I agreed to provide two tolas of musk. The practitioner gave me two days to arrange it. I bought fake musk for one hundred rupees from somewhere and gave it to him, hoping it would work, but he recognized it as fake and said it wouldn’t work. Then he suggested that if I was serious about solving my problem, I should bring money to buy real musk, and he would get it from an acquaintance. Desperate, I again went on a borrowing spree from friends and barely collected ten thousand rupees. The next day, when I was to pay the practitioner, I fell seriously ill. I called him to inform that some money was arranged but I couldn’t come due to fever. He asked for my home address and said he was sending his servant to collect the money. The servant came, I gave him the money, and he conveyed that I should arrange the remaining amount as soon as possible. Within two days, I borrowed nine thousand rupees from here and there and gave it to the practitioner. He also demanded the girl’s picture, but for some reason, I refused, making excuses that I couldn’t bring it. After receiving the money, the practitioner told me to relax as the girl would be with me in two days. Hearing this good news, I went home dreaming sweet dreams and eagerly awaited two days.
After those two mountain-like days passed, I went to the practitioner again, asking why there was still no result. He started evading, saying he learned through his knowledge that the girl was pregnant and that divorce was not valid in this state according to Shariah. Divorce would be effective only after she was free from this condition, etc. Then he gave me another task: a small seven-day process of reciting Durood Sharif a thousand times daily. I completed this too. Then he gave me another week’s process with encouragement. In short, the work that was promised to be completed in three days had been going on for two months with no sign of success.
One day, angry, I went to the practitioner, who said only one last process remained, which we should try. He told me to get a thin dough figure with its stomach slit. Following his instructions, I got one made by a tailor I knew. It was raining that day. The practitioner recited over the figure, stuck needles in it, quickly placed some pills in its stomach, made a talisman on it, and gave it to me, instructing me to bury it at the foot of a child’s grave in a cemetery in my city and to complete the process quickly after reaching home. I left the office with his permission and boarded a bus home. Just minutes after boarding, smoke and flames started coming from the figure, which I had hidden in a shopper bag. I was very frightened. Passengers protested to the driver and forced me to get off the bus. I was very embarrassed, and my clothes were burnt in several places. After getting off, I soaked the figure in rainwater on the roadside to control the fire and safely brought it home on another bus.
Though this incident troubled me greatly, the passion of love was upon me, and I was determined to get her divorced and succeed in my goal. But I became afraid to bury the figure in the cemetery and firmly thought the practitioner was playing a drama with me. Instead of burying it, I hid it at home. Two days later, gathering courage, I harshly told the practitioner on the phone that his processes had caused me harm instead of benefit. He asked why I hadn’t informed him immediately about the fire incident and said he would come to see me. I fell for his trick again and went to meet him. When I arrived, he said the incident was an attack by the “air creature.” Thankfully, it caused no harm, but now he had lost trust in it. I began to realize I had been duped. Without saying anything, I returned home and after much thought told a close relative how I had been trapped by a practitioner and wasted thousands of rupees. He came with me to demand a refund, but the practitioner said he had worked hard and whether the work succeeded was in God’s hands.
Due to my relative’s firm stance, the practitioner agreed to return twenty thousand rupees and asked for a month’s time. When we went to collect the money after a month, another practitioner was sitting there. On inquiry, he said the previous practitioner had an accident and died. We returned with patience, but I suspected the truth was different. I continued searching and learned that the previous practitioner had sold his place for fifty-seven thousand rupees and set up a new place in another city. My efforts continue, but I do not hope to get my money back.
This young man, who was defrauded, still lives hoping that one day he will find a perfect practitioner and succeed in his goal. One day, an announcement from us was published on the spirituality page of a newspaper: Are you or any relative suffering from a spiritual ailment? What experiences did you undergo during treatment? Did you deal with professional practitioners and advertised magicians? How did they treat you? How much money did they collect? What green gardens did they show you? What mental, spiritual, and physical sufferings did you endure during treatment? What is your current condition? Write to us about all your feelings and experiences. We will publish them, guide you, and help solve your spiritual problems. After this announcement, we received many letters from people bitten by practitioners, narrating their painful stories, showing how these practitioners deceive simple women and men. You can understand this by reading a letter sent by a respected lady.
I am an M.A. student. I wanted to marry someone, but the boy’s parents were not willing. They forcibly engaged him elsewhere. I contacted the most famous palm reader in Lahore and had my horoscope made. He told me I was under a shadow of misfortune. Removing it would cost twenty-seven thousand rupees, and marrying would cost fifty thousand rupees, involving black magic. I thought black magic was a great sin that Allah would not forgive, so I abandoned treatment. Meanwhile, an advertisement appeared for a practitioner claiming to solve all problems through light spiritual practices. I told him my problem on the phone. He assured me he would perform a presence that day and that I would have to do whatever he said afterward, including voluntary prayers, charity, or anything. I agreed. On calling again, he said I needed a pair of male and female owls for the process, which required money. I borrowed and sent the money. He sent me a talisman to wear on my arm, saying it would attract those people. I still have that talisman, but it did not end there. Then he said he needed a pair of green peacocks, costing eight thousand four hundred rupees to complete the process. I sent that money too, hoping not to waste the previous money and complete the process. He sent me eleven talismans and told me to make dough balls, stick needles in them, recite Durood Sharif and Alhamdulillah with a day’s gap, and throw them into flowing water. I did this too. When no result came, I informed him again by phone. He said he would perform a presence at night to gather information. Later, he said someone was continuously doing black magic on me, and breaking it would require more effort. I could no longer send him money. Nothing happened, and my money was wasted. Sadly, he had asked for my picture, which he still has.
Now I cannot waste more money. I have lost interest in everything. I have even stopped studying and am very disturbed. Please help me, or my future will be ruined. My family has no objection to this marriage; it is my life’s matter. I will pray for you all my life.
Yes, indeed! You have seen the result of abandoning the Quran and Hadith and dissatisfaction with destiny, and the torment of the Hereafter is beyond this. (May Allah protect us. Ameen)
One type of astrology is Ilm al-Taseer, which means learning the stations of the sun and moon to know the correct Qibla direction, prayer times, and the coming and going of seasons.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) and Ishaq bin Rahwayah consider learning Ilm al-Tayseer (the science of facilitation) permissible. Allama Khatibi (RA) states that “The part of astrology whose understanding is possible through observation and information is not forbidden, for example, knowing the sunset and determining the direction of the Qibla through it, etc.”
Imam Mujahid (RA) also does not consider it objectionable to learn the lunar mansions. The reason is that there is no fear of falling into shirk (polytheism) or kufr (disbelief) in this limited knowledge.
Ibrahim Nakha’i (RA) says, “A person can only acquire that part of astrology through which he can find the way.”
In any case, according to the majority of scholars, learning astrology up to the extent of indicating routes and knowing the direction of the Qibla is permissible, and acquiring anything beyond that is false. The majority’s opinion is absolutely correct.
Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) writes that “Determining the time of lunar and solar eclipses is also permissible.”
Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) states in his Sahih in ’’کتاب بدء الخلق، باب فی النجوم“:
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ
“Indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps,” explaining this verse he says: “Allah created these stars for three purposes: to adorn the sky, to strike down the devils, and as signs to know the way. Whoever considers any other purpose besides these three has made a grave mistake, wasted his share in the Hereafter, and has spoken about something of which he has no knowledge.”
It is remembered that the three stated wisdoms for the creation of stars are derived from the Holy Quran. Thus, the evidence for stars being the adornment of the sky and a means to strike the devil is:
إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَاكِبِ ﴿٦﴾ وَحِفْظًا مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ مَّارِدٍ ﴿٧﴾ لَّا يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ الْأَعْلَىٰ وَيُقْذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٍ ﴿٨﴾ دُحُورًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ وَاصِبٌ ﴿٩﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ﴿١٠﴾
“We have adorned the nearest heaven with stars, and protected it from every rebellious devil. They cannot listen to the exalted assembly of angels; they are pelted from every side with flaming fire and there is a constant punishment for them, except for one who snatches a fragment and flees, then a blazing flame pursues him immediately.”
And the evidence for stars being a sign for finding the way is the exalted statement of Allah:
وَعَلَامَاتٍ ۚ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
“And We have set up for you other signs, and by the stars they guide themselves.”
Doubts and Their Refutation:
The Doubt: Those who claim astrology to be true and correct say that sometimes astrologers’ statements turn out to be true and correct, therefore “astrology” is true.
Removal: It should be known that sometimes their truthfulness is like that of soothsayers, who tell the truth once and lie a hundred times. Therefore, like soothsayers, their one truth does not prove that their knowledge is correct.
Second Objection: Some astrologers argue for the validity of astrology using this noble verse:
وَعَلَامَاتٍ ۚ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
“And He created the stars for you to guide you through the darkness of the land and sea.”
Reason for the Argument: They state that stars are considered signs of knowledge of the unseen, so people obtain knowledge of the unseen through them.
Removal: This noble verse does not mean this at all; rather, the meaning of stars being signs is that they are proofs of Allah’s power and Oneness.
Some commentators consider the noble verse وَعَلَامَاتٍ ۚ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٦﴾ as a continuation of the previous verse, which is:
وَأَلْقَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْهَارًا وَسُبُلًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥﴾
“And He has set firm mountains in the earth so that it would not shake with you, and rivers and roads so that you may find your way.”
So, the meaning of that first verse is that Allah Almighty has provided you with signs in the form of large and small mountains to recognize the paths on the earth.
Commenting on this, Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) says that it refers to signs for finding the way during the daytime, and وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ means that in sea voyages, help is obtained in recognizing the way through the stars.
Now, to argue from this noble verse to prove astrology as correct is certainly equivalent to deliberately proving something whose invalidity is clearly evident from the Shariah evidences and conclusive proofs, and this is the most corrupt form of reasoning.
