The Ruling on Visiting Fortune-Tellers and Sorcerers
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
In the Tihama region, we have a great deal of religious innovation, but among them is slaughtering on the night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab, slaughtering at graves, and going to fortune-tellers, who are well known there... And finally, he says: I am ready to come to you to introduce you to them. We are in need of someone to clarify our religious matters for us and to teach us jurisprudence?
Answer:
We have looked into it, may Allah bless you, because we do not know of anything in Tihama unless it is a matter of secrecy and concealment. Otherwise, the preachers are traveling around, the scholars are investigating, and the judges are doing the same. We have not heard that there is anything well known. And if something becomes known, the state, may Allah guide it, acts upon this matter and does not approve of associating partners with Allah. The scholars do not approve of this either. So if you, O questioner, know of something, come to me... inform me, if Allah wills, so that we may do what is necessary, if Allah wills.
As for the fortune-tellers, there are many fortune-tellers, and perhaps some people conceal them. There are fortune-tellers who claim to be doctors among the people and order people to do things that Allah has forbidden . This exists, but some people cover for them and do not expose them. If they were exposed, they would be dealt with, and whatever is possible would be done regarding them, such as removing them or disciplining them if they do what is not permissible. But... and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2230, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan al-Bayhaqi 15:741.
So the fortune-tellers claim knowledge of the unseen and say: Give us your mother's name and your father's name, and we will know such and such... These are among the sorcerers who serve the jinn, or among the liars who consume people's wealth unjustly. Either a liar who lies to people and consumes their wealth, or one who serves the jinn and seeks their help in their matters, and worships them besides Allah, so that they may inform him of some things—may Allah protect us from that.
In the Tihama region, we have a great deal of religious innovation, but among them is slaughtering on the night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab, slaughtering at graves, and going to fortune-tellers, who are well known there... And finally, he says: I am ready to come to you to introduce you to them. We are in need of someone to clarify our religious matters for us and to teach us jurisprudence?
Answer:
We have looked into it, may Allah bless you, because we do not know of anything in Tihama unless it is a matter of secrecy and concealment. Otherwise, the preachers are traveling around, the scholars are investigating, and the judges are doing the same. We have not heard that there is anything well known. And if something becomes known, the state, may Allah guide it, acts upon this matter and does not approve of associating partners with Allah. The scholars do not approve of this either. So if you, O questioner, know of something, come to me... inform me, if Allah wills, so that we may do what is necessary, if Allah wills.
As for the fortune-tellers, there are many fortune-tellers, and perhaps some people conceal them. There are fortune-tellers who claim to be doctors among the people and order people to do things that Allah has forbidden . This exists, but some people cover for them and do not expose them. If they were exposed, they would be dealt with, and whatever is possible would be done regarding them, such as removing them or disciplining them if they do what is not permissible. But... and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He 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 يومًاWhoever goes to a fortune-teller or a diviner and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.
من أتى كاهنًا، أو عرافًا، فصدقه بما يقول؛ فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمدSo the fortune-tellers claim knowledge of the unseen and say: Give us your mother's name and your father's name, and we will know such and such... These are among the sorcerers who serve the jinn, or among the liars who consume people's wealth unjustly. Either a liar who lies to people and consumes their wealth, or one who serves the jinn and seeks their help in their matters, and worships them besides Allah, so that they may inform him of some things—may Allah protect us from that.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.