Fortune-telling

Fortune-telling

Fortune-telling is totally forbidden in Islam and Islam takes a strong stance against it. Even approaching a fortune-teller is prohibited, let alone listening to his prophecies!

Allah (Glory be to Him) clearly states in the Qur’an that no one knows the unseen except Allah (Glory be to Him), not even Muhammad (pbuh).
Allah (Glory be to Him) says:
“with him are the keys to the unseen, and none knows it (the unseen) except him alone.”
(Glorious Qur’an.Surah Anaam 6:59)

Then Allah (Glory be to Him) told Muhammad (pbuh) :
“say: I have no power to bring good to myself not avert harm but it is only as Allah wills. If it were that I knew the unseen, I would have multiplied the good and no evil would have touched me...”
(Glorious Qur’an.Surah Araaf 7:188)

Through the above verses in the Qur’an, we know that fortune-telling is forbidden in all forms and none has knowledge of the unseen except the almighty.

Hadith
Warning for those who approaches a fortune-teller

Muhammad (pbuh) said “the salah (prayer) of whoever approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for 40 days and nights.”
(Sahih Muslim Vol 4:5440)

This punishment is only for the one who “approaches” because visiting a fortune-teller builds the first-step towards believing in his prophecies.

Anyone, who visits a fortune-teller has committed an act of disbelief as per the following verses: “whoever approaches a fortune teller and believes what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (pbuh).”
( Ahmad and Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, p. 1095, no. 3895)

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (May Allah Have Mercy on Him): Allah's Apostle led the Morning Prayer in Al-Hudaibiya and it had rained the previous night. When Muhammad (pbuh). had finished the prayer he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said?" They replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." (The Prophet said), "Allah says, 'In this morning some of My worshipers remained as true believers and some became non-believers; he who said that it had rained with the blessing and mercy of Allah is the one who believes in Me and does not believe in star, but he who said it had rained because of such and such (star) is a disbeliever in Me and is a believer in star.'”
(Sahih Al Bhukari Vol: 2 148.)