What is the connection between drawing lots and taking an omen as a bad sign?
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The questioner : What is the connection between drawing lots and taking an omen as a bad sign?
The Shaykh : This is not in the category of taking an omen as a bad sign. Taking an omen as a bad sign occurs without the person's will, whereas drawing lots is an act of the person. For example, in taking an omen as a bad sign, if a person sees a bird heading in a certain direction, he takes an omen and resolves to do or leave something. But drawing lots is done by his own action; that is, if he says, "I am drawing lots with this." Unlike the one who takes an omen, who leaves or acts as soon as it comes up for him, this person has made this thing the cause. So there is a difference between one who acts without intention and one who acts with intention.
The Shaykh : This is not in the category of taking an omen as a bad sign. Taking an omen as a bad sign occurs without the person's will, whereas drawing lots is an act of the person. For example, in taking an omen as a bad sign, if a person sees a bird heading in a certain direction, he takes an omen and resolves to do or leave something. But drawing lots is done by his own action; that is, if he says, "I am drawing lots with this." Unlike the one who takes an omen, who leaves or acts as soon as it comes up for him, this person has made this thing the cause. So there is a difference between one who acts without intention and one who acts with intention.