Assalamualaikum, My question is regarding the authenticity in the knowledge of Astrology, pamistry, optical telepathy and foretelling someone about one’s future through the Quranic verses. Most of the learned people say that these are just beliefs upon which people strain pertinaciously but one thing that strikes my mind is the incident of the birth of Hazrat Musa A.S. The Pharaoh was foretold about Hazrat Musa’s birth by his astrologers and magicians. He was told by them that the specific child would demolish his reign and tyrannical rule over the Bani Israel. And that’s what happened. If these things are just baseless creeds then how can this incident bhi expounded? Some people have showed conviction in the truth lied in the knowledge of pamistry. They have even showed this. Moreover some people use Quranic verses to foretell the incidents of future which may occur with a person. However it goes without saying that ALLAH ALMIGHTY is the only one in this whole universe which knows the fate of every creation of HIS. But i want to know what is the reality behind these things? Are they completely baseless? If so, then what would u say about the prediction of Hazrat Musa’s birth by Pharaoh’s Astrologers? JazakAllah khair
Undoubtedly, the complete and correct knowledge of the unseen and the future
is only known by Allah Ta’la but Allah Ta’la through His wisdom has kept
open certain ways and methods for man to determine the unseen and future
which sometimes turn out to be true but often untrue. Although Allah Ta’la
has kept open these certain avenues for man, He has also made it haraam for
man to utilise these methods and ways to determine the future and unseen and
to beleive in it, thererfore, establishing this knowledge as a test for the
hearts of man.
It is recorded in the books of Tafseer and Hadith that before the birth of
Nabi alaihis salaam the jinnaat and shayateen were granted free-flow access
to the skies so that whenever any command of Allah Ta’la was to be
transmitted via the Angels from the seventh heaven to the first heaven, the
Jinnaat would listen to the command of what was to occur on the earth and
spontaneously they would pass this knowledge on to there foretunteller,
astrologer or palmistry friends on the earth who would then foretel the
different occurrences to take place.
After the blessed birth of Nabi alaihis salaam, Allah had destined that the
Jinnaat and shayateen would not be granted access to the skies and now
whenever they would try to listen to any order being passed-on by the Angels
they would be repelled instantly. Now, the jinnaat would climb on the backs
of each other and make a queue till the sky and the one at the top would
hide behind a star and listen like a thief to the order being transmitted
and almost instantly the Angel after noticing the jinnaat would kick the
star thereby burning the jinn. As soon as the first jinn would hear
anything, he would immediately whisper it to his companion below him and so
on till the fortunteller at the end would be informed of the future
occurrences. Before this information could reach the last person, many lies
would have been mixed to the original message therefore the last person
would only receive one percent of truth and ninety nine of lies. This is
only one of the methods which was and is still adopted to foresee the
future.
Allamah Ibn Hajar Asqalaani in his book, Fathul Bari, has mentioned four
ways of how the unseen and future is interpreted. The above method is the
first one and the other three are as follows: 2) Some people come to know of
the unseen via a jinn who befriends them and informs them of different
occurrences and happenings regarding which man is unaware of OR 3) Through
conjecture, estimation and guess some people tell of the unseen. This is a
type of power which Allah Ta’ala grants an individual but many a times it
turns out to be false OR 4) By means of experience and understanding the
habits and system of different things some people deduce of what is to occur
in the future . This last type is similiar to magic.
All the above methods adopted to foresee the future and to tell of the
unseen are reproachable and reprehensible.(Fathul Bari vol. 10 pg. 266,
Kitaab on Tibb, Chapter on Foretuntelling, Qadeemi Kutub Khana).
In no circumstances is it permissible to go to a foretuneteller or
astrologer. There are numerous Ahadith sounding prohibition from visiting a
foretuneteller. Nabi alaihis salaam said: He who visits a foretunteller, his
salaat will not be accepted for 40 days.
Corncerning the person who recites Quraanic verses and foresees the future,
we cannot be specific and pass any verdict as to the methodology he adopts
but the above 4 methods are the common ones used.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai