The Ruling on Taking the Words of Fortune-Tellers and Sorcerers
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Question:
A letter reached the program from Sana'a, sent by a listener from there, saying: (J.A.Y) and his colleague (N.D.Y.T) say in this letter: We are in a time when superstitions and sorcery have multiplied, and there is a man who claims to know hidden matters, such as theft and other things. The situation is that when citizens are unable to find out what happened in the country, the headman sends some people to this man to find out from him what happened. He may lie or tell the truth, but the unfortunate thing is that they judge people based on what this deceiver says, and no one has the right to speak or defend themselves after that. We ask the Shaykh for guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a great error. It is not permissible to rely on fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and diviners; rather, they must be put down. It is obligatory for the state, if it is Muslim and fears Allah, to put them down, seek them out, discipline them, and punish them until they leave this work. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he was asked about the fortune-tellers, and he said: It was said to him: They may sometimes tell the truth about something. He said: He hears it from the angels when he eavesdrops on their hearing Sahih al-Bukhari 5762, meaning he dictates it into the ear of the fortune-teller or the sorcerer, so those fortune-tellers are believed in that word which was heard from the sky amidst their many lies. They say: He said such and such and he was truthful, so they believe him in what he lies about, among hundreds of lies that have no basis.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:Sunan Ibn Majah 639Hasan (Darussalam), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2230, Sahih Muslim 2230 as in Muslim in the Sahih, ........ (may Allah have mercy on him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
These people do not speak the truth and cannot be relied upon. If they are adamant and admit that they know the unseen or claim to know the unseen, they become disbelievers by that. Whoever claims to know the unseen is a disbeliever, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surah al-Naml: 65]. Whoever claims to know the unseen is denying Allah and associating with Allah in what He has made exclusive to Himself . This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and far from the truth. Knowledge of the unseen is known by none but Allah, not even the prophets know it. Not even Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)—who is the best of creation—knows the unseen except what Allah taught him, as He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surah al-A'raf: 188]. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Surah al-An'am: 50].
So whoever claims that he knows the unseen from among the fortune-tellers and the like is a disbeliever and a misguidance, and whoever believes him in that is like him, becoming a disbeliever like him. We ask Allah for safety.
The point is that these sorcerers from among the fortune-tellers must be fought and put down by the state, and they must be disciplined and punished until they leave this matter. If they persist in this falsehood, they must be killed, because they are among those who cause corruption in the land. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. In reality, many people complain about people like these, O Shaykh. Perhaps you have guidance regarding dealing with them and boycotting them if necessary?
The Shaykh: Yes, just as mentioned before, they must be boycotted, and it is obligatory for whoever knows them to inform the authorities, the committee, the court, and the emirate, especially in this kingdom which, praise be to Allah, rules by the Shari'ah.
So it is obligatory for whoever knows one of these fortune-tellers, astrologers, palm readers, or sorcerers to report his matter to the emirate in his country, or the court, or the committee, or to all of them, so that his conscience is clear and so that cooperation is achieved. It is not permissible to cover for him or hide his matter; rather, his matter must be announced and exposed so that he does not harm people.
And so in Yemen, in Yemen it is obligatory for whoever knows that to report it to the authorities so that they prevent him from transgressing against people and lying to them. Rather, it is obligatory for the authorities in Yemen and elsewhere to put down these sorcerers, palm readers, and fortune-tellers and prevent them from engaging in these ugly, reprehensible works which involve misleading people, deceiving them, and taking their money by falsehood and lying to them.
The point is: this is obligatory (wajib) for Muslims to cooperate in, in Islamic countries and in non-Islamic countries with Muslims in Islamic minorities. If there is among them someone who does this, they should cooperate in advising him and clarifying the falsity of his actions until he returns to the truth and correctness. As for in Islamic countries, it is obligatory (wajib) for them to eradicate it. Just as it is obligatory for Islamic countries to eradicate everything Allah has forbidden from the apparent evils, the greatest of which is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , such as calling upon the people of graves, seeking aid from the dead, making vows to them, and slaughtering for them. All of this must be eradicated because it is a great evil, shirk, and a grave matter. Likewise, the manifestation of reprehensible religious innovations (bid'ah) that contradict the Shari'ah of Allah must be eradicated. Likewise, the presence of fortune-tellers, astrologers, and sorcerers must be eradicated, and it must be declared that the state is against them, so that people expose them and so that they are brought before the authorities to be dealt with, protecting the Muslim society from their evil and their schemes. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
A letter reached the program from Sana'a, sent by a listener from there, saying: (J.A.Y) and his colleague (N.D.Y.T) say in this letter: We are in a time when superstitions and sorcery have multiplied, and there is a man who claims to know hidden matters, such as theft and other things. The situation is that when citizens are unable to find out what happened in the country, the headman sends some people to this man to find out from him what happened. He may lie or tell the truth, but the unfortunate thing is that they judge people based on what this deceiver says, and no one has the right to speak or defend themselves after that. We ask the Shaykh for guidance? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a great error. It is not permissible to rely on fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and diviners; rather, they must be put down. It is obligatory for the state, if it is Muslim and fears Allah, to put them down, seek them out, discipline them, and punish them until they leave this work. It is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he was asked about the fortune-tellers, and he said:
Do not go to them
لا تأتوهمThat word is heard by the jinn
تلك الكلمة يسمعها الجنيpours it Into the ear of his friend
فيقرها في أذن وليه من الإنسAnd he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:
or who goes to a fortuneteller and believes what he says, he has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad.
من أتى كاهنًا فصدقه بما يقول فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد عليه الصلاة والسلامHe who visits a diviner ('Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted.
من أتى عرافًا فسأله عن شيء لم تقبل له صلاة أربعين يومًاhis prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted
لم تقبل له صلاة أربعين ليلةNot one of us is he who practices sorcery or has sorcery practiced on him, or who practices divination or has divination practiced on him, or who takes an omen or has an omen taken for him.
ليس منا من سحر أو سحر له أو تكهن أو تكهن له أو تطير أو تطير له.These people do not speak the truth and cannot be relied upon. If they are adamant and admit that they know the unseen or claim to know the unseen, they become disbelievers by that. Whoever claims to know the unseen is a disbeliever, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قُلْ لا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُSay, "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe."
قُلْ لا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَSay, [O Muhammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me."
قُلْ لا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّSo whoever claims that he knows the unseen from among the fortune-tellers and the like is a disbeliever and a misguidance, and whoever believes him in that is like him, becoming a disbeliever like him. We ask Allah for safety.
The point is that these sorcerers from among the fortune-tellers must be fought and put down by the state, and they must be disciplined and punished until they leave this matter. If they persist in this falsehood, they must be killed, because they are among those who cause corruption in the land. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. In reality, many people complain about people like these, O Shaykh. Perhaps you have guidance regarding dealing with them and boycotting them if necessary?
The Shaykh: Yes, just as mentioned before, they must be boycotted, and it is obligatory for whoever knows them to inform the authorities, the committee, the court, and the emirate, especially in this kingdom which, praise be to Allah, rules by the Shari'ah.
So it is obligatory for whoever knows one of these fortune-tellers, astrologers, palm readers, or sorcerers to report his matter to the emirate in his country, or the court, or the committee, or to all of them, so that his conscience is clear and so that cooperation is achieved. It is not permissible to cover for him or hide his matter; rather, his matter must be announced and exposed so that he does not harm people.
And so in Yemen, in Yemen it is obligatory for whoever knows that to report it to the authorities so that they prevent him from transgressing against people and lying to them. Rather, it is obligatory for the authorities in Yemen and elsewhere to put down these sorcerers, palm readers, and fortune-tellers and prevent them from engaging in these ugly, reprehensible works which involve misleading people, deceiving them, and taking their money by falsehood and lying to them.
The point is: this is obligatory (wajib) for Muslims to cooperate in, in Islamic countries and in non-Islamic countries with Muslims in Islamic minorities. If there is among them someone who does this, they should cooperate in advising him and clarifying the falsity of his actions until he returns to the truth and correctness. As for in Islamic countries, it is obligatory (wajib) for them to eradicate it. Just as it is obligatory for Islamic countries to eradicate everything Allah has forbidden from the apparent evils, the greatest of which is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , such as calling upon the people of graves, seeking aid from the dead, making vows to them, and slaughtering for them. All of this must be eradicated because it is a great evil, shirk, and a grave matter. Likewise, the manifestation of reprehensible religious innovations (bid'ah) that contradict the Shari'ah of Allah must be eradicated. Likewise, the presence of fortune-tellers, astrologers, and sorcerers must be eradicated, and it must be declared that the state is against them, so that people expose them and so that they are brought before the authorities to be dealt with, protecting the Muslim society from their evil and their schemes. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.