Evil of Soothsaying, Foretelling and Horoscope

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

Soothsaying and fortunetelling in whatever form is shirk and every Muslim must move away from it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said in one hadith that the soothsayers are liars, even if what they say turns to be true. Soothsayers and their magics should not be believed by a Muslim. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم describe their ways in many hadiths. They use the Jins to steal information being communicated in the heavens between Allah سبحانه وتعالى and His Angels. Once they get one truth, they mix it with 100 falsehood just to deceive their ignorant followers. [See the explanation of Q34:23 and the hadiths of Abu Hurayrah and An-Nawwas ibn Sam'aan رضي الله عنهما in Saheeh Bukhari].

Aisha رضي الله عنها reported that some people asked the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم about soothsayers. The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “They are upon nothing.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, sometimes they speak about something that comes true.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

تِلْكَ الْكَلِمَةُ مِنْ الْجِنِّ يَخْطَفُهَا الْجِنِّيُّ فَيَقُرُّهَا فِي أُذُنِ وَلِيِّهِ قَرَّ الدَّجَاجَةِ فَيَخْلِطُونَ فِيهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِائَةِ كَذْبَةٍ

“Those are the words snatched by the jinn who whisper it into the ears of their friends and it is mixed with more than one hundred lies.” [Sahih Muslim 2228]

So, it could be that what they say sometimes come to pass by Allah's Will, yet the real truth resides in Allah alone. But don't be deceived. They are not to be believed. How many times have they said something, which later turned to be lies. They only play on the intelligence of their ignorant followers. And once a Muslim falls into their hands, he may never return to Islaam again. Allaah's aid is sought.

For instance, many of those who use these demonic powers in checking marriage compatibilty end up in divorce, didn't they check it properly before they got married? If checking through these kufru means is the good way, why do they still get it wrong in most cases? This is an indication that only the guidance of Allaah is reliable. Muslims should also shun all those applications on social media that promotes horoscope. Horoscope is not to be joked with in whatever form.

And don't be deceived, those Alfas or Mallams using sand or any other thing to foretell the future fall under this ruling. There is no proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah that exempts them. They ascribe hidden knowledge to themselves. Whereas, the knowledge of the unseen is exclusive to Allaah alone. Even the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم didn't know more than what Allaah made to know and he did not claim to know the ghaib or baatin (the hidden) like the sufis claim in our world today.

There are proofs from the Qur'an and Sunnah that the practice of soothsaying or fortune telling in whatever form is kufr. In a hadith, Safiyyah رضي الله عنها reported from some of the wives of Allah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said:

"‏ مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً"‏ 

"He who visits a soothsayer ('Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted". [Sahih Muslim, 2230]

In another hadith, Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَنْ أَتَى كَاهِنًا، أَوْ عَرَّافًا، فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ، فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ». 

“Whoever visits a soothsayer and believes in what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.” [Ahmad, Graded Sahih by Al-Albaani]

May Allah guide us aright