What is the ruling on one who goes to fortune-tellers, soothsayers, and astrologers so that his wife will become pregnant?

The Shaykh : I say to this noble brother and to those like him among the Muslims who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, in the words of Allah, and in the hadiths of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that it is not permissible for him to resort to unlegitimate means in order for his wife to become pregnant, especially when years have passed since his marriage to her and she has not conceived. There is no harm in resorting to permissible, legitimate means. However, resorting to means that are not permissible is forbidden. It is not befitting for a Muslim who truly believes in Allah and His Messenger, as we have said, to resort to such forbidden means, such as going to fortune-tellers, astrologers, summoners of jinn, and the like. This is based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) , and in another hadith, . Therefore, this brother must, as I told him, be content with the divine decree and destiny of Allah. If he is granted a child or more from his first wife, that is by the divine decree and destiny of Allah. And if he is not granted anything from the second wife, that is also by the divine decree and destiny of Allah. If he considers this a calamity—if he considers the fact that he has not had children from the second wife a calamity—let him remember the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) —meaning something that harms him and does not please him—. Then let him remember, along with this legal reality, which is the obligation of the Muslim to be content with the divine decree and destiny of Allah, whether it is a loss or a gain, some real events. Among them is a story my father (may Allah have mercy on him) used to tell, the summary of which is that he had a wealthy friend who had a beautiful and pleasing wife, and everything about her was good except that she was barren. So this friend, whenever he sat with my father, would lament and say, "I wish my Lord would grant me a child." My father would say to him, "Be content with the divine decree and destiny of Allah. What makes you think that if this child came to you, he would not become a burden on you? If you are granted a child, he might become a burden on you." The friend would say, "If only he would send me a child." Days passed and time went by, and by Allah, He sent him a child. At that time, he was a wealthy man and his wife was cooperative with him, so they raised the child with a upbringing that is rarely seen from a couple. It was like this until the boy reached manhood. When he reached manhood, the situation reversed: the son became the father and the father became the son. The son would beat his father and humiliate him, as they say in our region in Syria, until he saw the stars of the sky in broad daylight. He would say, "I wish I had remained as I was, barren, and had not been granted this son." My father (may Allah have mercy on him) would say to him, "Do you remember when you used to say such and such, and I would tell you, 'O so-and-so, be content with the divine decree and destiny of Allah, for that is better for you'?" So perhaps the brother will take a lesson, first from the religious legal matter we mentioned, which is being content with what Allah has decreed for him, and second, let him look today with a general perspective: are most children, whether male or female, obedient and pleasing to their parents, or are most of them undutiful and defiant, and the like? This is all I have, and may Allah’s peace be upon you and upon him.

The questioner : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings, and may Allah reward you with good, O my Shaykh.

The Shaykh: And upon you peace.