The short answer
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said whoever goes to a diviner and asks him anything, his prayers are not accepted for forty nights, and whoever believes what he says has nothing to do with what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ. Only Allah knows the unseen. When fortune tellers seem right, it is a stolen word mixed with a hundred lies.
Only Allah knows the unseen. "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah" 1. Not psychics, not star charts, not jinn: the Quran notes that even the jinn working for Sulaiman (AS) did not know he had died 2.
The warning is severe. The Prophet ﷺ said: "He who visits a diviner ('Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted" 3. And whoever goes to a diviner "and believes in what he says" has "nothing to do with what has been sent down to Muhammad" 4. When a new Muslim asked about people who consult diviners, the Prophet ﷺ simply said, "Do not have recourse to them" 5.
Astrology is included. "If anyone acquires any knowledge of astrology, he acquires a branch of magic of which he gets more as long as he continues to do so" 6. Scholars include in this reading a horoscope to learn what the stars say about your day.
So why are they sometimes right? People asked the Prophet ﷺ this very question. He said diviners "are nothing", and that a jinn "snatches that true word and pours it Into the ear of his friend (the fore-teller)", who "then mixes with that word one hundred lies" 7. The Quran says devils descend "upon every sinful liar ... and most of them are liars" 8.
This applies to modern forms too: tarot, palm reading, "spiritual healers" who consult jinn to find lost items or name who did magic on you. If you have done it, repent and do not return; Allah's door is open. For guidance about the future, Islam offers something better: istikhara, consultation, and trust in Allah.
None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah.
قُل لَّا يَعۡلَمُ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلۡغَيۡبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُۚ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبۡعَثُونَ ٦٥
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected
The jinn did not know of Sulaiman's death; had they known the unseen, they would not have stayed in toil.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ مَا دَلَّهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَوۡتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ تَأۡكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ ٱلۡجِنُّ أَن لَّوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٱلۡغَيۡبَ مَا لَبِثُواْ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡمُهِينِ ١٤
And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment
Whoever visits a diviner and asks him anything, his prayers are not accepted for forty nights.
Safiyya reported from some of the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) having said:He who visits a diviner ('Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be accepted
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ، عَنْ بَعْضِ، أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً " .
Whoever goes to a diviner and believes him has nothing to do with what was revealed to Muhammad.
Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone resorts to a diviner and believes in what he says (according) to the version of Musa), or has intercourse with his wife (according to the agreed version) when she is menstruating, or has intercourse with his wife through her anus, he has nothing to do with what has been sent down to Muhammad (ﷺ) - according to the version of Musaddad
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ حَكِيمٍ الأَثْرَمِ، عَنْ أَبِي تَمِيمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَتَى كَاهِنًا " . قَالَ مُوسَى فِي حَدِيثِهِ " فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ " . ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَا " أَوْ أَتَى امْرَأَةً " . قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ " امْرَأَتَهُ حَائِضًا أَوْ أَتَى امْرَأَةً " . قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ " امْرَأَتَهُ فِي دُبُرِهَا فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ " .
The Prophet ﷺ told a new Muslim not to go to diviners.
Mu'awiya b. al-Hakam said:While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man in the company sneezed. I said: Allah have mercy on you! The people stared at me with disapproving looks, so I said: Woe be upon me, why is it that you stare at me? They began to strike their hands on their thighs, and when I saw them urging me to observe silence (I became angry) but I said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said the prayer (and I declare that neither before him nor after him have I seen a leader who gave better instruction than he for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom). I swear that he did not scold, beat or revile me but said: Talking to persons is not fitting during the prayer, for it consists of glorifying Allah, declaring his Greatness. and recitation of the Qur'an or words to that effect. I said: Messenger of Allah. I was till recently a pagan, but Allah has brought Islam to us; among us there are men who have recourse to Kahins. He said, Do not have recourse to them. I said. There are men who take omens. That is something which they find in their breasts, but let it not turn their way (from freedom of action). I said: Among us there are men who draw lines. He said: There was a prophet who drew lines, so if they do it as they did, that is allowable. I had a maid-servant who tended goats by the side of Uhud and Jawwaniya. One day I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had carried a goat from her flock. I am after all a man from the posterity of Adam. I felt sorry as they (human beings) feel sorry. So I slapped her. I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and felt (this act of mine) as something grievous I said: Messenger of Allah, should I not grant her freedom? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Bring her to me. So I brought her to him. He said to her: Where is Allah? She said: He is in the heaven. He said: Who am I? She said: Thou art the Messenger of Allah. He said: Grant her freedom, she is a believing woman
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ - وَتَقَارَبَا فِي لَفْظِ الْحَدِيثِ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ الصَّوَّافِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أَبِي مَيْمُونَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا أُصَلِّي، مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَقُلْتُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ . فَرَمَانِي الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ وَاثُكْلَ أُمِّيَاهْ مَا شَأْنُكُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَىَّ . فَجَعَلُوا يَضْرِبُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ عَلَى أَفْخَاذِهِمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُمْ يُصَمِّتُونَنِي لَكِنِّي سَكَتُّ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبِأَبِي هُوَ وَأُمِّي مَا رَأَيْتُ مُعَلِّمًا قَبْلَهُ وَلاَ بَعْدَهُ أَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمًا مِنْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كَهَرَنِي وَلاَ ضَرَبَنِي وَلاَ شَتَمَنِي قَالَ " إِنَّ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ فِيهَا شَىْءٌ مِنْ كَلاَمِ النَّاسِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ التَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ وَقِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ " . أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي حَدِيثُ عَهْدٍ بِجَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَقَدْ جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِالإِسْلاَمِ وَإِنَّ مِنَّا رِجَالاً يَأْتُونَ الْكُهَّانَ . قَالَ " فَلاَ تَأْتِهِمْ " . قَالَ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ . قَالَ " ذَاكَ شَىْءٌ يَجِدُونَهُ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّهُمْ " . قَالَ ابْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ " فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّكُمْ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَخُطُّونَ . قَالَ " كَانَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ يَخُطُّ فَمَنْ وَافَقَ خَطَّهُ فَذَاكَ " . قَالَ وَكَانَتْ لِي جَارِيَةٌ تَرْعَى غَنَمًا لِي قِبَلَ أُحُدٍ وَالْجَوَّانِيَّةِ فَاطَّلَعْتُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَإِذَا الذِّيبُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بِشَاةٍ مِنْ غَنَمِهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ آسَفُ كَمَا يَأْسَفُونَ لَكِنِّي صَكَكْتُهَا صَكَّةً فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَظَّمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَىَّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أُعْتِقُهَا قَالَ " ائْتِنِي بِهَا " . فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا " أَيْنَ اللَّهُ " . قَالَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ . قَالَ " مَنْ أَنَا " . قَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ " .
Learning astrology is acquiring a branch of magic.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone acquires any knowledge of astrology, he acquires a branch of magic of which he gets more as long as he continues to do so
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُسَدَّدٌ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَخْنَسِ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنِ اقْتَبَسَ عِلْمًا مِنَ النُّجُومِ اقْتَبَسَ شُعْبَةً مِنَ السِّحْرِ زَادَ مَا زَادَ " .
Diviners are nothing; a jinn steals a true word and the diviner adds a hundred lies.
Narrated `Aisha:Some people asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about the fore-tellers He said. ' They are nothing" They said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Sometimes they tell us of a thing which turns out to be true." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A Jinn snatches that true word and pours it Into the ear of his friend (the fore-teller) (as one puts something into a bottle) The foreteller then mixes with that word one hundred lies
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَاسٌ عَنِ الْكُهَّانِ. فَقَالَ " لَيْسَ بِشَىْءٍ ". فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ يُحَدِّثُونَا أَحْيَانًا بِشَىْءٍ فَيَكُونُ حَقًّا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " تِلْكَ الْكَلِمَةُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ، يَخْطَفُهَا مِنَ الْجِنِّيِّ، فَيَقُرُّهَا فِي أُذُنِ وَلِيِّهِ، فَيَخْلِطُونَ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ كَذْبَةٍ ". قَالَ عَلِيٌّ قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ مُرْسَلٌ، الْكَلِمَةُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ. ثُمَّ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ أَسْنَدَهُ بَعْدَهُ.
Devils descend on every sinful liar; most of them are liars.
هَلۡ أُنَبِّئُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَن تَنَزَّلُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ ٢٢١ تَنَزَّلُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمࣲ ٢٢٢ يُلۡقُونَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَأَكۡثَرُهُمۡ كَٰذِبُونَ ٢٢٣
221 Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend 222 They descend upon every sinful liar 223 They pass on what is heard, and most of them are liars
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