The document discusses hadiths from the Prophet Muhammad regarding fortune telling, soothsaying, and omens. The hadiths state that soothsayers are friends of Satan, their information comes from bits of conversations between angels and Satan. Fortune telling, astrology, and believing in omens are forbidden and satanic practices. The Prophet said Muslims should not consult fortune tellers or pay attention to omens, only believing goodness comes from God. Sorcery is also prohibited and among the most dangerous of acts.

1. Authentic Hadith pertaining to
CONSULTING FORTUNE
TELLERS AND
SOOTHSAYERS
Extracted from Imam Nawawi’s Reference
“The Gardens of Righteousness”
translated and presented by
Shaykh Ahmad Darwish, Anne (Khadeijah) Stephens
Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com
©1984-2012 Darwish Family. All rights reserved
BOOK 30
REALITY OF SOOTHSAYING
SOOTHSAYERS ARE THE FRIENDS OF SATAN
|H 1714
“Some people asked the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
about soothsayers. He said, ‘They are worthless.’ Then one of them
said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him,
occasionally they make predictions that become a reality.’ The
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, informed them:
‘That is something true which satan hears by chance from the
angels and then whispers into the ears of his friends who mix it with
a hundred falsehoods.’"
Bukhari with a chain up to Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased
with her, Mother of Believers who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him, said this.
SOURCE OF FORTUNE TELLERS INFORMATION
|H 1715
“She (Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with
her, Mother of Believers) said she heard the Messenger of Allah,
praise and peace be upon him, say, ‘The angels descend through
the clouds speaking of something decreed in the heavens and satan
(the stoned and cursed) stealthily hears part of it and communicates
it to the soothsayers who then mix a hundred falsehoods with it from

2. themselves.’"
Bukhari narrated that Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with
her, Mother of Believers heard the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon
him, said this.
PUNISHMENT FOR VISITING PSYCHICS AND THEIR LIKE
|H 1716
“Whosoever goes to one who claims to tell him where he will find his
lost property and affirms the correctness of such a claimant will lose
the recompense of his prayers during forty days.”
Muslim with a chain up to Saffia, the daughter of Abu Ubaid who related on the
authority of some of the wives of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them,
Mothers of the believers that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon
him, said this.
FORTUNE TELLING IS A SATANIC PRACTICE
|H 1717
“Fortune tellers, drawing lines and observing the direction of the
flight of birds to make predictions are all satanic practices."
Abu Daud with a chain up to Kubaisah the son of Mukharik who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
ASTROLOGY IS MAGIC
|H 1718
“Whosoever learns astrology is learning a branch of magic, the more
he learns the more he knows.”
Abu Daud with a chain up to ibn Abbas who related that the Messenger of Allah,
praise and peace be upon him, said this.
REALITY OF OMENS
|H 1719
“While Mu'awiah was praying with the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, one of the congregation sneezed so Mu'awiah
responded, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Thereupon some of the
congregation looked at him with disapproval. To this he retorted,
‘May you lose your mothers, why are you staring at me?’ Then they
started clapping their hands on their legs so he understood they
wanted him to be silent, so he restrained himself. Once the prayer
was over, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, drew
attention to the incident. ‘May my father and mother be the ransom
of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,' said Mu'awiah, ‘I
have never known a better instructor before him or after him. When
he finished the prayer, he did not rebuke, beat, or reprove me. He
said, ‘During prayer talk is not permissible because it is only for
praise, glorification and recitation of the Koran.’ Or he said
something similar to that.
Mu'awiah said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon
him, I have just emerged from ignorance and Allah has favored us
2

3. with Islam. There are still some among us who consult fortune
tellers.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, replied, ‘They
should not go to them.’ Then Mu'awiah said, ‘Some of us are guided
by omens.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
commented, ‘These are just figments of the imagination you should
not be influenced by them.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Mu'awiah, the son of Hakim Sulamikk who related that
the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
FORBIDDEN EARNINGS OF THREE THINGS
|H 1720
“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, forbade the utilization
of the price of a dog, the earning of an adulteress and the fees of a
soothsayer.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Mas'ud Badri who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
PROHIBITION OF BELIEVING IN ILL
OMENS
GOOD TIDINGS
|H 1721
“There is no catching of sickness (Allah creates sickness) there is
no omen, but, good tidings please me. The Prophet, praise and
peace be upon him, was asked, ‘What is a good tiding? ’He replied,
‘A good word.’"
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Anas who related that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING A BAD OMEN
|H 1722
“There is no catching of sickness (Allah creates sickness) and no
bad omen. Had there been any bad luck it would have been in a
house, a woman or a horse.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to ibn Omar who related that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
BAD OMENS
|H 1723
“The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, never
expressed a bad omen.”
Abu Daud with a chain up to Buraidah who related this.
DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO OMENS
|H 1724
“The science of omens was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah,
praise and peace be upon him. He said, ‘The best of it is a good
3

4. tiding, but it should not cause a Muslim to turn back. If any of you
should see something he dislikes, he should supplicate: O Allah,
from You alone proceeds goodness and You alone can repel evil.
There is no strength to resist evil nor power to do good except
through You.’"
Abu Daud with a chain up to Urwah the son of 'Amir who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
PROHIBITION OF SORCERY
Allah, the Exalted says:
“Solomon did not disbelieve, it is the devils who disbelieved,
teaching people magic
and that which was sent down upon the angels Harut and Marut in
Babylon......” 2:102
SORCERY IS AMONG THE SEVEN MOST DANGEROUS THINGS
|H 1843
“Avoid seven most dangerous things. He was asked, ‘O Messenger
of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, what are they?’ He
answered:
Associating anything with Allah.
Sorcery.
Unjustly killing a life declared sacred by Allah.
Consuming interest.
Consuming the property of the orphan.
Cowardice in battle.
Calumniating chaste, innocent believing women."
|R 1843
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
4

5. INDEX
CONSULTING FORTUNE
TELLERS AND SOOTHSAYERS
BOOK 30
REALITY OF SOOTHSAYING
SOOTHSAYERS ARE THE FRIENDS OF SATAN
SOURCE OF FORTUNE TELLERS INFORMATION
PUNISHMENT FOR VISITING PSYCHICS AND THEIR LIKE
FORTUNE TELLING IS A SATANIC PRACTICE
ASTROLOGY IS MAGIC
REALITY OF OMENS
FORBIDDEN EARNINGS OF THREE THINGS
PROHIBITION OF BELIEVING IN ILL
OMENS
GOOD TIDINGS
THERE IS NO SUCH THING A BAD OMEN
BAD OMENS
DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO OMENS
PROHIBITION OF SORCERY
KORAN
SORCERY IS AMONG THE SEVEN MOST DANGEROUS THINGS
5

6. INDEX
CONSULTING FORTUNE
TELLERS AND SOOTHSAYERS
BOOK 30
REALITY OF SOOTHSAYING
SOOTHSAYERS ARE THE FRIENDS OF SATAN
SOURCE OF FORTUNE TELLERS INFORMATION
PUNISHMENT FOR VISITING PSYCHICS AND THEIR LIKE
FORTUNE TELLING IS A SATANIC PRACTICE
ASTROLOGY IS MAGIC
REALITY OF OMENS
FORBIDDEN EARNINGS OF THREE THINGS
PROHIBITION OF BELIEVING IN ILL
OMENS
GOOD TIDINGS
THERE IS NO SUCH THING A BAD OMEN
BAD OMENS
DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO OMENS
PROHIBITION OF SORCERY
KORAN
SORCERY IS AMONG THE SEVEN MOST DANGEROUS THINGS
5