Reading Messages on Fortune-telling: Allowed?

Question

Tauhid Lab Assistant · Accepted Answer

> TL;DR: Reading fortune‑telling content (horoscopes, palm readings, “psychic” messages) to seek guidance about the unseen is prohibited; believing it is disbelief, and even asking a soothsayer causes one’s prayers to be denied reward for forty nights [HAD1], [HAD3]. Astrology is counted as a branch of sorcery, so consuming it as guidance is part of a forbidden pathway that feeds superstition and undermines reliance on God [HAD4], [TAF3], [FAT2], [FAT5].

## Ruling and foundations

- Consulting a soothsayer (kāhin — one who claims knowledge of the unseen) or believing their predictions is explicitly condemned; whoever goes to a soothsayer and believes him has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad [HAD1]. Even when such people occasionally say something true, it is a snatched tidbit mixed with many lies and is to be ignored [HAD2].  
- Merely asking a soothsayer about the unseen leads to the punishment that one’s prayer is not accepted for forty nights, even if one does not believe what is said [HAD3]. Reading, subscribing to, or DM‑ing fortune‑tellers for “insight” is a modern form of “going to” and “asking,” and thus falls under this prohibition [HAD3], [FAT2].  
- Astrology (aḥkām an‑nujūm) is considered a branch of magic (siḥr — occult manipulation through prohibited means), and learning it increases one’s share of magic [HAD4]. Hence, reading horoscopes or “birth‑chart analyses” as guidance is impermissible and can amount to disbelief if credited with knowledge of the unseen [HAD4], [FAT5].  
- Taking omens (ṭiyarah — pessimistic/good‑luck signs from days, numbers, birds, etc.) is shirk (associating partners with God); when such thoughts arise, they are dispelled through tawakkul (reliance upon Allah) [HAD5]. Forwarding or “liking” omen‑style messages nurtures this condemned mindset [HAD5].  
- Superstitious practices—drawing lots, “lucky” charms, or star‑based guidance—are described as satanic acts that corrode seriousness and moral clarity; they drag a person into the abyss of superstition and away from obedience and remembrance of God [TAF3]. Fate is not tethered to birds, stars, or charms; a person’s outcome is tied to his deeds, all of which will be recorded and read by himself on the Day of Account [TAF1], [TAF5].  
- Classical guidance reiterates that visiting those who claim the unseen causes prayers to be denied for forty days, and these are sinful acts even if sought for “help” with jobs, marriage, or missing persons [RIS1]. “Qur’an‑opening” for fortunes (faal‑nāmah) is baseless and not a legitimate way to decide matters [FAT1].

### Why this is wise for human flourishing
- Anchoring decisions in superstition transfers agency to fabricated “signals” and manipulative actors. Revelation redirects agency to conscience, character, and accountable action, making a person serious, reality‑oriented, and obedient to God rather than to omens [TAF3].  
- It protects dignity and peace of mind by cutting off a cycle of anxious checking and confirmation bias. By tying outcomes to one’s deeds under God’s decree, one builds responsible effort with serene reliance, not fragile superstition [TAF1], [HAD5].  
- It places even the harm of magic within the boundary of God’s permission—none can harm except by His leave—so one does not panic before “curses” or “charts,” but addresses threats lawfully and calmly [TAF7].

### Modern, practical applications
- Do not read or subscribe to horoscopes, palmistry threads, “psychic readings,” or “angel numbers.” Treat such content as religiously off‑limits for guidance; mute, unsubscribe, and avoid sharing [HAD3], [HAD4], [FAT2], [FAT5].  
- If a colleague posts “Mercury retrograde advice,” do not base decisions on it; proceed with good planning and reliance on Allah (tawakkul), consciously rejecting bad‑omen thinking when it surfaces [HAD5], [TAF3].  
- If you receive “Qur’an‑based fortune” offers (faal‑nāmah), decline; this is a baseless practice [FAT1].  
- For spiritual protection, maintain ruqyah (ruqyah — recitation of Qur’anic supplications for healing/protection) such as the transmitted comprehensive du‘a seeking Allah’s protection from all evil [TAF10].  
- When anxious about the future, consult trustworthy people, plan with integrity, and then rely on Allah; do not offset uncertainty with omens or star‑advice [HAD5], [TAF1].

### Linked psychological, social, and ethical benefits
- Ethically, you refuse to legitimise a trade condemned as sorcery and falsehood, preserving truthfulness in community life [HAD4], [TAF3].  
- Psychologically, you replace rumour‑driven anxiety with stable reliance and effort, as instructed to dispel ominous thoughts through tawakkul [HAD5].  
- Socially, you model decision‑making anchored in deeds and accountability, not in narratives that “something external controls my destiny” [TAF1], [TAF3].

## Divergent Perspectives

- Limited learning to protect others: Jurists noted that because siḥr often entails kufr or grave sin, learning, teaching, or practicing it is forbidden; however, some allowed acquiring only the minimal knowledge necessary to protect Muslims from harm (defensive awareness), without practicing or spreading it [TAF6], [TAF8]. Practically, this means specialists may study methods to refute and block harm; casual readers should not “browse” fortune‑telling content under the pretext of curiosity [TAF6].  
- Fiction versus guidance: Reading fiction with “magic” themes does not in itself make one a disbeliever; however, if the content undermines beliefs or normalizes prohibited ideas, it becomes impermissible or at least reprehensible; one must avoid what contradicts creed or leads to neglect of obligations [FAT6]. Conversely, selling/reading general literature is permissible if its contents are not against the Shari‘ah’s values and do not promote immorality or false beliefs [FAT10]. By contrast, learning palmistry/astrology even “without believing” to predict the future is deemed ḥarām, as it engages a forbidden paradigm [FAT3], [FAT5].  
- Visiting/consulting fortune tellers for “advice” is a major sin, and believing them is disbelief—this ruling is categorical; there is no allowance here for “harmless curiosity” [HAD1], [HAD3], [FAT2].

If your situation involves coercive exposure (e.g., job content moderation) or a need to counter specific harms, seek case‑specific guidance from a qualified scholar to set safe boundaries consistent with these principles [TAF6], [FAT6].

Definitions of key terms used:
- Kāhin: soothsayer, one claiming knowledge of the unseen [HAD1].  
- Siḥr: magic/sorcery via prohibited invocations or acts seeking aid of jinn/devils or occult means [TAF8].  
- Ṭiyarah: superstitious omens;

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