Horoscope, a prediction of someone’s future based on the relative positions of the planets. At least that’s what it was. Today, however, the word ‘horoscope’ has become synonymous with the daily 20-50 word predictions offered in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. They are probably no longer referencing the stars and planets anymore.
Every day, when going through my Facebook Newsfeed, I see people referencing their own or someone else’s horoscope. Now, many of these are my friends or friends of my friends who are Muslims. That is why I have decided to put up this entry. So that I have a place to point them to whenever I see a fellow Muslim posting a Horoscope entry in the Social Networks.
First, my apology if this entry may seem to hurt you in any way whatsoever. It is not my intention to harm or hurt anyone. I just want to point out the truth about Horoscope in Islam.
Before we go into horoscopes in Islam, lets first look at it from a logical point of view, shall we. In simple layman’s term, horoscope is a prediction of the future. It is based on a person’s date of birth. How can the numbers determine your character, emotion, mood, future, etc?
Oh yes, they say it’s actually determined by how the stars and planets are aligned with each other. How is it that something that is located zillions of miles away from me have an influence over my character, emotion, mood and future? Even if it is so, than are you saying that everyone who was born on the same day will feel the same way? Are they all going to have the same character? What about twins then? Many twins have totally different characters. Yet, they are born only minutes apart.
Watch the following video. Its a simple test performed by James Randi about horoscopes.
Okay. Enough of the logical part. Lets now get to the Islamic side of things.
Horoscope In Islam
In Islam, any form of future predictions are forbidden. We are not only forbidden from practicing fortune telling. We are also forbidden from going to one. As a matter of fact, reading a foretold horoscope is also forbidden.
Sheikh Sayyed M. Ad-Darsh, the former Chairman of the UK Shri`ah Council, states the following:
“Let us make this absolutely clear that there is no room in Islam for anyone predicting the future. True, if anyone reads horoscopes thinking that the stars will accurately chart his or her life, his Prayers will not be accepted by Allah, according to a prophetic Hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The prayer of one who goes to a soothsayer, asks him something and believes in what he says, will not be accepted for forty days.”. This applies equally to those consulting soothsayers and clairvoyants who cannot exercise any influence on their future.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Horoscope_in_Islam#ixzz18APHktFu
If you think that reading the horoscope causes no harm, then you are mistaken. One who reads his horoscope comes under the ruling contained in the Rasulullah’s (saw) statement:
“The Salaah (daily prayer) of whoever approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for forty days and nights.” [Reported by Hafsah and collected by Muslim (Sahih Muslim (English Trans.), vol. 4, p. 1211, no. 5440).]
Now, 40 days is not a short period of time. Many things can happen in 40 days. For 40 days, your prayers will not be accepted, just because you read a 20-50 word horoscope that provides you with no value whatsoever. Is it really worth it?
Even if it’s for entertainment purpose, is the entertainment value worth having your prayers not accepted for 40 days? Seek other means of entertainment. There are many more out there that provides even better value anyway.
Many say they don’t believe in what the horoscope says. How sure are you that your actions are not affected by what the horoscope says about you for that day? That horoscope you read could go deep into your subconscious mind. They will affect the decisions you make for the entire day without you realizing it.
If you need more information about this topic, do a Google Search on “horoscope in islam”. Plenty of reference and articles out there on this topic. I hope I’ve managed to bring you some light into this topic. I find it alarming that many of our brothers and sisters are frequently reading and posting their daily horoscope readings on the net.
Let us together enlighten our brothers and sisters by sharing this with them.
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