He is not one of us who seeks bad omens or has it done for him, or who practices soothsaying or has it done for him, or who practices sorcery or has it done for him

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a warning to those members of his Ummah who practices certain acts by saying: "He is not one of us." Those acts include: First: "Who seeks omens, or has it done for him." Seeking omens is tatyyur in Arabic, and it comes from the word 'tayr' (bird). They used to release birds before taking any course of action. If the bird flew to the right, they would feel optimistic and go ahead with their plan, but if it flew to the left, they would feel pessimistic and abandon their plan. It is not permissible for a person to do this by himself or appoint someone to do it on his behalf. Falling under this is being pessimistic due to anything heard or seen, including birds, animals, people with deformities, specific numbers or days, etc. Second: "Who practices soothsaying, or has it done for him." Whoever claims to know the unseen, through the stars or anything else, or comes to someone who claims knowledge of the unseen, like a soothsayer or diviner, and believes what he says, based on his claim to know the unseen, has thus disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Third: "Who practices sorcery, or has it done for him." Such is a person who performs magic by himself or asks another person to perform magic for him to bring benefit or cause harm to someone, or he ties a knot by connecting a string and practicing magic on it by reciting prohibited talismans and blowing on it.

Benefits

• It is obligatory to rely upon Allah and believe in His decree and predestination. A person is prohibited from seeking omens, practising magic or soothsaying, or asking others to practice them for him.
• Claiming to know the unseen is an act of Shirk (polytheism) that contradicts the monotheistic belief.
• It is prohibited to believe soothsayers or go to them. Also falling under this is what is known as palm reading, coffee reading, and horoscopes and looking at them, even if only for the sake of merely getting information.

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