Most newspapers, magazines, radio and television channels and scores of websites carry daily horoscopes detailing the fortunes of people born under the signs of various planets. Believing in them or even looking at them for amusement or curiosity amounts to Shirk (Taking partners with Allah).
Muslims who read their horoscope should know that even if they do it just for fun, they are indulging in Shirk (Taking partners with Allah) – a sin which Allah (God) will never forgive.
Many of us confuse Astronomy with Astrology.
Astrology should not be confused with Astronomy which is a science of studying the movement of heavenly bodies. Muslims had mastered this branch of science and have made significant contributions to it. The driving force behind it was the need for determining the Qiblah (Direction of the Ka’bah) for offering prayers, charting out time-tables for offering Salah (Prayer), calculating the beginning of lunar months, and navigation.
Astrology deals with the ‘study’ of the position of planets, stars and other celestial bodies believing that it affects human lives. Based on these ‘studies’, astrologers make predictions and ‘prophecies’ about future of people and also promise course-corrections in case there is prediction of some negative incidence in someone’s life because of the adverse position of certain stars. Astrology claims that they can predict future of a person based on study of the position of stars or planets. According to Astrologers, positions of stars and planets also have a good or bad effect over someone’s life.
Muslims must remember that whatever good or bad happens in someone’s life is only from Allah (God):
Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah is Sufficient as a Witness.
Surah (Chapter) an-Nisa” (The Women) 4:79
Astrologers further claim to have solutions to change their adverse effect on someone’s life.
This claim is also beyond the scope of any human. Muslims know that Only Allah (God) can help in adverse situations.
If Allah touches you with affliction there is none to remove it but He; and if He touches you with happiness, then He has power to do all that He wills.”
Surah (Chapter) al-An’am (The Cattle) 6:17
Only Allah (God) knows about the future as He Alone has decreed it.
"Say, nothing shall happen to us but what Allah has decreed for He is our Patron and in Him shall the faithful trust."
Surah (Chapter) at-Tawbah (The Repentance) 9:51
Even the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم had no knowledge of future.
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the Hour - when will be its appointed time?
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَاهَا
You have no knowledge to say anything about it.
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَاهَا
To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?
Surah (Chapter) an-Nazi’at (Those Who Pull Out) 79:42-44
Even the most loved person of Allah (God) – His last Messenger, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم did not have any control or power to harm or benefit anyone or his own self.
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe."
Surah (Chapter) al-A’raf (The Heights) 7:188
How can astrologers make such claims that they know future, or have control over it? They are simply taking advantage of superstitious and gullible people.
Astrologyis considered Haram (Unlawful) in Islam for these reasons that it claims to have qualities that only Allah (God) possesses.
Following are views of two prominent ‘Ulema” (Religious Scholars):
“Astrology that is concerned with studying the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs is prohibited by Almighty Allah’s Book, the Sunnah, and the unanimous agreement of the Muslim scholars. Furthermore, astrology was considered forbidden by all Messengers of Almighty Allah.” (Ibn Taymiyah)
“Astrology is a kind of sorcery and fortune-telling. It is forbidden because it is based on illusions, not on concrete facts. There is no relation between the movements of celestial bodies and what takes place on the Earth.”(Ibn ‘Uthaymin)
Muslims firmly believe that only Allah (God) knows about the unseen and the future of the happenings in the universe and Only Allah (God) can cause things to happen and no one else has either the knowledge or control over them.
And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a clear Record.
Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghayb (unseen) except
Allah…
Surah (Chapter) an-Naml (The Ants) 27:65
Astrology has no scientific basis either. There is no scientific evidence of relationship between the position of stars and the fortunes and miseries of people. Usage of computers by the modern day Astrologers is only a deception and does not make astrology scientific in any which way.
It is completely unscientific and absurd to even think of planets and stars controlling the lives of people on earth.
Believing in Astrology is Shirk (Taking partners with Allah). Fortune telling had been prohibited by Allah (God) and it is classified with Intoxicants and gambling.
O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, AlAnsab, and AlAzlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytan's (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.
Surah (Chapter) al-Ma"idah (The Table Spread with Food) 5:90
Except (with the saying), "If Allah will!" And remember your Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this."
