The Soothsayers Are The Messengers of Satan

The Soothsayers Are The Messengers of Satan

Ibn al-Qayyim has written,


Fortunetellers and soothsayers are messengers of Satan. This is so because the polytheists hasten to them. They rush to them in anticipation when anything important is happening and they believe in their words. They take them as the decider of their affairs and they are pleased with their rulings. This is the same behaviour that the followers of the messengers [of Allah] have towards the messengers. They believe that [these fortune tellers] have knowledge of the unseen things that no one else knows about. So for the people who make idolatry through them, they are in the place of messengers. In reality, the fortune tellers and soothsayers are truly the messengers of Satan. He sends them to his party of polytheists and makes them appear like truthful messengers until his party responds to them in order to take them away from the messengers of Allah. They consider their messengers to be truthful ones who have knowledge of the unseen. Since there is such a great difference and contradiction between the two, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and believes in what he says he has disbelieved in what has been revealed to Muhammad”.


So people are of two categories: followers of the fortune-tellers and followers of the [true] messengers [of Allah]. One person cannot be of both the latter and the former. In fact, the further he goes from the Messenger by the amount that he believes in the fortune-teller.


Ibn al-Qayyim, Ighaatha al-Luhfaan, vol. 1, p. 271

Going to charlatans for treatment

Going to charlatans for treatment

Fatwa no. ( 10538 ):

Q: My father is suffering from a chronic disease, we tried very hard to treat him but it was in vain. When doctors failed to treat him, the family resorted to some charlatans seeking a treatment. I refused and did not let them continue on this track, for I am sure that it is forbidden. I warned them that this is Haram (prohibited), but they did not consider my warnings. They argued that I know nothing about the matter and that those charlatans are righteous people. They believe that this is religiously lawful. In fact, it was only when I was informed of the way they treat the patient when I became really against their acts. I know that their acts are baseless. Some of their ways are as follows:
(Part No. 1; Page No. 643)

One of them asked my family to bring my father's headdress. Bringing it to him, he described the disease of my father without examining him. Another charlatan also says on seeing the patient: "O So and So! You have a good horoscope" exactly in this manner. A third one orders the family of the patient to slaughter a black sheep, collect some of its hooves or horns then put them inside the slain sheep and place it in an isolated area where no one can see or reach it. The charlatan also stipulates that the slaughtered animal should be kept out of sight, claiming that the influence of the treatment will be ineffective if anyone sees the slaughtered animal specified for treatment. There are many other acts that some people believe. Therefore, I am sending my question hoping that you will clarify the ruling on this matter. I hope that Allah, the Most High, the All-Powerful renders us of those who hear the word (Good advice) and follow the best thereof. And Allah is the grantor of success.

A: It is Haram (prohibited) to go to charlatans for treatment. The ways of treatment you mentioned are charlatanic and superstitious. Their only aim is to unjustly seize people's money. You did well by disapproving of those who wanted to treat your father through charlatanry, and you fulfilled your duty of guiding and advising them. There are several authentic Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him)
(Part No. 1; Page No. 644)

forbidding resorting to, consulting, and believing charlatans.
May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions!


Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'

Member `Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan
Deputy Chairman `Abdul-Razzaq `Afify
Chairman `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz

Taken from: http://alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=352&PageNo=1&BookID=7