What is the ruling on visiting the marabitin who claim knowledge of the unseen?

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta

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The fourth question of Fatwa No. ( 3552 ):

Q4: What is the ruling on visiting the marabitin who claim knowledge of the unseen? What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding them, and regarding those who remain silent about them and those who visit them?
A4: Knowledge of the unseen is the exclusive domain of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). Whoever among the people claims knowledge of the unseen has claimed for himself what is the exclusive domain of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) and made himself a partner with Him in that. Allah may reveal to whom He chooses among His messengers whatever He wills of the unseen.
He the Exalted said:

And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him.

وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلا هُوَ

[Al-An'am 6:59]

, and He the Exalted said:

Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah

قُلْ لاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلا اللَّهُ

[An-Naml 27:65]

, and He the Exalted said:

⁽²⁶⁾ [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone ⁽²⁷⁾ Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observers

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا (26) إِلا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا

[Al-Jinn 72:26-27]

. These verses indicate that He (Exalted and Majestic is He) is unique in knowledge of the unseen, apart from His creation. Then He made an exception for those He chose among the messengers, depositing in them whatever He wills of His unseen through revelation to them, making it a prophetic miracle for them and a true indication of their prophethood. The astrologer and those similar to him, who strike stones, look into books, drive away birds, and claim knowledge of the unseen, are not among those He chose from the messengers to reveal to them whatever He wills of the unseen. Rather, they are disbelievers in Allah, fabricating lies against Him through their intuition, guessing, and lying. By this, it is known that visiting them is forbidden, and that they are disbelievers. It is not permissible to remain silent about them or about those who visit them. Rather, it is obligatory to clarify the truth to everyone; in fulfillment of the trust, in clearing one's conscience, and in advising the Muslim community. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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