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FORTUNE-TELLING IN ISLAM


Fortune-telling- the art or gift of prediction (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means. It is the practice of predicting information about a person's life, often commercially. The person does this much the same way that a psychologist would. They look at particular factors that suggest what a person is likely to do in the future.

 

There are among mankind, people who claim knowledge of the unseen and the future. They are known by various names, among them: fortune-teller, soothsayer, foreseer, augur, magician, prognosticator, oracle, astrologer, palmist, etc.

 

Since time immemorial man has been curious to know about future, this curiosity has led to the creation of many different forms to give an insight into the future. This method of peeping into the future is known as fortune-telling.

 

Table of Contents

 

Types of fortune-telling

  • Astrology
  • Numerology
  • Tarot card readings
  • Palmistry
  • Psychic readings
  • Crystallomancy
  • Plan chit
  • Summoning spirits

 

Islamic viewpoint

Fortune-telling is totally forbidden in Islam and Islam takes a strong stance against it. Even approaching a fortune-teller is prohibited, let alone listening to his prophecies!

 

Qur’an

Allah (Glory be to Him) clearly states in the Qur’an that no one knows the unseen except Allah (Glory be to Him), not even Muhammad . Allah (Glory be to Him)says: “with him are the keys to the unseen, and none knows it (the unseen) except him alone.” Qur’an.Surah Anaam 6:59. Then Allah (Glory be to Him) told Muhammad : “say: I have no power to bring good to myself not avert harm but it is only as Allah wills. If it were that I knew the unseen, I would have multiplied the good and no evil would have touched me...” Qur’an.Surah Araaf 7:188.

 

Through these aayaath in the Qur’an, we know that fortune-telling is forbidden in all forms and none has knowledge of the unseen except the almighty.

 

Hadith

Warning for those who approaches a fortune-teller

 

Muhammad  said “the salah (prayer) of whoever approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for 40 days and nights.” Sahih Muslim Vol 4:5440.

 

This punishment is only for the one who “approaches” because visiting a fortune-teller builds the first-step towards believing in his prophecies.

 

Anyone, who visits a fortune-teller has committed an act of disbelief as per the following verses: “whoever approaches a fortune teller and believes what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad .” Ahmad and Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, p. 1095, no. 3895.

 

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (May Allah Have Mercy on Him): Allah's Apostle led the Morning Prayer in Al-Hudaibiya and it had rained the previous night. When Muhammad  had finished the prayer he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said?" They replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." (The Prophet said), "Allah says, 'In this morning some of My worshipers remained as true believers and some became non-believers; he who said that it had rained with the blessing and mercy of Allah is the one who believes in Me and does not believe in star, but he who said it had rained because of such and such (star) is a disbeliever in Me and is a believer in star.'” Sahih Al Bhukari Vol: 2  148.

 

Scholars view

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Astrology, palm-reading, reading coffee cups, divination, and other things practised by fortunetellers and practitioners of witchcraft are all sciences of jaahiliyyah which are forbidden by His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and are actions which Islam came to declare false and warn against doing them or going to those who do them and asking them about anything or believing what they say – because that is knowledge of the unseen which Allah has kept to Himself. 

 

Our advice to everyone who has anything to do with these things is to repent to Allaah and seek His forgiveness, and to put their trust in Allah Alone in all their affairs, whilst also taking the appropriate means as prescribed or permitted in sharee’ah. They should give up these things and keep away from them, and beware of asking these people anything or believing them, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and so as to protect their religious beliefs and commitment, and for fear of the anger of Allah, and so as to keep away from the things that lead to shirk and kufr, which if a person dies believing such things he will be a loser in this world and in the Hereafter. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 2/120-122 [1]

 

References

Book of fundamentals of Tawheed by Dr. Bilal Phillips, http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Fundamentals%20Of%20Tawheed.pdf

[1] http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/40924

 

 

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