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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Strengthening of the Faith The Sin of Believing in Astrology It is narrated by Hafsah {May Allah have mercy on Her} the Mother of Believers, that the Prophet {Peace be upon Him} said: "The one who approaches a soothsayer and consults him about any matter, his prayers shall not be accepted for forty days." (Muslim) It means that anybody who approaches a certain person, claiming to have the knowledge of the unseen, and thus enquires of him about any of his problems, his prayers shall not be accepted for forty days.

This is due to the fact that such a person has committed an act of Shirk, and Shirk destroys all acts of worship. An astrologer, a conjurer, a diviner, the one who predicts about the unseen by casting lots etc. are all categorized as soothsayers.

Deducing an Omen is an act of disbelief: It is narrated by Qabisah {May Allah have mercy on him} that the Prophet {Peace be upon Him} said: "The acts of making prophesies through making a bird fly, or casting lots to infer a good or bad omen or declaring something to be carrying a foreboding presentiment are acts of disbelief and 1 Razin bin Mu'awiyah is one of the leading narrators of Hadith. He died in the sixth century according to the Hijra calendar.

2 The three advantages of stars which are mentioned in the Noble Qur'an are: Beautification of sky, driving away the devils and providing guidelines to the sea and land travelers.

apostasy."1 It is narrated by Abdullah bin Mas'ud {May Allah have mercy on him} that the Prophet {Peace be upon Him} said: "Taking an omen is an act of Shirk, taking an omen is an act of Shirk, taking an omen is an act of Shirk!" The custom of taking an omen was rife in the Arabian society and the Arabs had a great belief in it. The Prophet {Peace be upon Him} reiterated that it is an act of Shirk so that the people should refrain from having a faith in this absurdity.

Sa'd bin Malik {May Allah have mercy on him} narrated that the Prophet {Peace be upon Him} said: "A belief (i.e. in the magical properties) that an owl is a sign of omen, is baseless, no disease gets transmitted from one person to another; and nothing is inauspicious (carries a misfortune).

Had it been so, the same would have been found in a woman, a house and in a horse." (Abu Dawud) A belief was rife among the then Arabs, about a victim of a murder whose death is still ur1fetaliated, that an owl comes out of his skull and pleads for his revenge.