Whoever testifies to this falsifies the Qur'an and becomes...

Whoever testifies to this falsifies the Qur'an and becomes unmindful of Allah in achieving his desired objective and in warding off the undesirable. You cherish saying this so that he who acts on what you say should praise you rather than Allah because according to your misconception you have guided him about the hour in which he would secure benefit and avoid harm." After replying to Aleef, Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S.) turned towards those who had gathered there and said: "O' People!

Beware of learning the science of stars except that with which guidance is sought on land or sea, because it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner, while the diviner is like the sorcerer, the sorcerer is like the unbeliever and the unbeliever would be in Hell. Get forward in the name of Allah." Contrary to the astrologer's advice, Ali bin Abi Talib proceeded at the same moment to Nahrawan and returned victorious from that war.

Millions of people in the world have the tendency of consulting horoscopes inorder to seek informatian about the future trends of their lives which they believe to be under the influence of the movement of stars and planets. In our African Society, we have a section of people who frequently consult the so called MWALIMUS or WITCHDOCTORS to seek the secrets of their sufferings and to find out the future outcome of their ills.

These people suffer from superstitions, psycholgical fears or imaginary sicknesses. The MWALIMUS OR WITCHDOCTORS who consider themselves to be the experts on prediction based on the movement of stars, have some set imaginary answers and cures to offer and in so doing they go on minting money from the ignorant people.

How strange it is to suppose that our business, adventures, our health, our life and death are predetermined by the position of the stars and planets and are under the influence of their movement? What is overlooked is the fundamental fact that both man and the heavenly bodies - the stars - the sun - the moon etc., are under the indisputable authority of the Creator Allah. Man's desting present and future well-being is all controlled by Him and Him alone.

It is one of those human weakness of enslaved mentality which tend to bow down to a body created like himself rather than recognize and have faith in the full and supreme authority of the Creator Allah. But why is it that so many people, including the educated and intelligent, are willing to place their faith on what the astrologers have to say?