What is your opinion of those who count the words, phrases, or letters of some of the surahs and derive results from them, such as the fall of the state of Israel, for example?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. What is the ruling on giving credence to those who focus on the numerical calculation of the words in the Noble Qur'an and arrive at certain results?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is the ruling on giving credence to those who calculate the words and letters of the Qur'an and arrive at specific results?
The Shaykh : Moderation.
The questioner : Giving credence.
The Shaykh : Giving credence.
The questioner : Yes, regarding the results that those who focus on the numerical calculation of the words of the Qur'an arrive at.
The Shaykh : Like what?
The questioner : Such as the book *The Fall of Israel* and its analysis predicting the year 2022 through the calculation of certain words and verses in Surat al-Isra.
The Shaykh : That is, he deduces events from the letters of the Qur'an.
The questioner : And its words, yes.
The Shaykh : And regarding its words, we say: This is forbidden and not permissible. It is not permissible for a person to deduce anything from the Noble Qur'an regarding events, because this deduction is contrary to the practice of the righteous Salaf. Also, one might deduce something and the reality turns out to be the opposite, which would lead to casting doubt on the Noble Qur'an. Furthermore, the Qur'an was not revealed for this purpose; it was revealed so that they might reflect upon its verses and that people of understanding might take heed, not to determine future events. Therefore, you will never find in the Qur'an anything that calls for this. You will find, for example, general terms:[Muhammad 47:10] But as for deducing from such and such events, this is not permissible and is not allowed.
The questioner : But the question, O Shaykh, is that in some books, like the one I mentioned, it says: He calculated in Surat al-Kahf from[Al-Kahf 18:9] to the phrase: [Al-Kahf 18:25] He says: So I found the words to be three hundred and nine words. So he uses this method of calculation?
The Shaykh : No, as I told you: This is not intended, without a doubt, because Allah spoke in the Qur'an with words intended to convey meaning, not to have their letters and words counted.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is the ruling on giving credence to those who calculate the words and letters of the Qur'an and arrive at specific results?
The Shaykh : Moderation.
The questioner : Giving credence.
The Shaykh : Giving credence.
The questioner : Yes, regarding the results that those who focus on the numerical calculation of the words of the Qur'an arrive at.
The Shaykh : Like what?
The questioner : Such as the book *The Fall of Israel* and its analysis predicting the year 2022 through the calculation of certain words and verses in Surat al-Isra.
The Shaykh : That is, he deduces events from the letters of the Qur'an.
The questioner : And its words, yes.
The Shaykh : And regarding its words, we say: This is forbidden and not permissible. It is not permissible for a person to deduce anything from the Noble Qur'an regarding events, because this deduction is contrary to the practice of the righteous Salaf. Also, one might deduce something and the reality turns out to be the opposite, which would lead to casting doubt on the Noble Qur'an. Furthermore, the Qur'an was not revealed for this purpose; it was revealed so that they might reflect upon its verses and that people of understanding might take heed, not to determine future events. Therefore, you will never find in the Qur'an anything that calls for this. You will find, for example, general terms:
Have they not traveled through the land and seen how was the end of those before them? Allah destroyed [everything] over them, and for the disbelievers is something comparable.
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ أَمْثَالُهَاHa Mim 'Ain Sin Qaf
حم عسقThe questioner : But the question, O Shaykh, is that in some books, like the one I mentioned, it says: He calculated in Surat al-Kahf from
Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription
أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِthree hundred years and exceeded by nine.
ثَلاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعاًThe Shaykh : No, as I told you: This is not intended, without a doubt, because Allah spoke in the Qur'an with words intended to convey meaning, not to have their letters and words counted.
The questioner : May Allah forgive you.
The Shaykh : Yes.