Question:
Al Hamdulillaah, I have been given the opportunity to ask a question and get a real answer according to the Qur'an and Sunnah. For too long, I have seen in Asian newspapers, the adverts about so called "Spiritual people" who say they can cure illnesses and ailments, solve your financial problems, remove black magic, sort out marital problems (divorce, separation etc) and bring the love of your life closer. Whilst I expect nothing less from Non Muslims being attracted to these services, I hear a lot of Muslims being drawn to these people. What makes it worse is that some of these adverts ARE by Muslims too. I have always been brought up to think that these practices amount to Shirk, but please tell me how I can advise someone who follows these practices and also reads horoscopes etc so that I can stop them from believing in them? Jazakallah Khair.
Sister Runa (Blackburn)

The Ulama have categorised shirk in to three groups: (1) Ash Shirk Al Akbar - Major Shirk (2) Ash Shirk Al Asghar - Minor Shirk (3) Ash Shirk Al Khafi - unobtrusive (unnoticeable Shirk) It is quite possible through the verses of Holy Qur'an, i.e. reciting Surah Fatihah, also known as Ash Shifa'a and blowing on to yourself, that you can be cured from illnesses; saying the beautiful name of Allah Taa'la, Al Mu'min (The Giver of Peace) 630 times, your physical and spiritual safety will remain the responsibility of Allah Taa'la alone. (Hisn ul Hasin). The fourth righteous Caliph of Islam, Hadhrat Ali (Radi Allah Anho) says that you should recite the following Du'aa to cure headaches and to remove the evil effects of black magic by blowing the breach on the forehead after recitation: Ao'odu Bi 'izzatillaahi wa Qudratillaahi Wa Quwwatillaahi Wa A'zamatillaahi Wa Burhaanillaahi Wa Sultaanillaahi Wa Kanafillaahi Wa Jawaarillaahi Wa Amaanillaahi Wa Hirzillaahi Wa S'un'illaahi Wa Kibriyaa -Illaahi Wa Nazarillaahi Wa Bahaa Illaahi Wa Jalaalillaahi Wa Kamaa Lillaahi Wa Jamaalillaahi Laa Ilaaha Illallaahu Muhammadun Rasullullaah min Sharri Ma Ajidu. All this is well, but, one has to remember that the healer and safeguard is no one other than Allah Taa'la - to say that I have been cured from an illness by a Shaykh, etc, amounts to shirk. Regarding horoscopes, fortune-telling, etc. is totally contrary to the teachings of Islam.

If anyone reads horoscopes thinking that the stars will accurately chart or change his or her life then his or her prayers will not be accepted by Allah Taa'la in accordance to a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad- ur Rasullullaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "The prayer of one who goes to a fortune-teller, asks him something and believes in what he says, will not be accepted for forty days." By going to a fortune-teller is also a form of Shirk because our Lord, Allah Taa'la clearly states in the Holy Qur'an, "And with Him (Allah Taa'la) 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." (Holy Qur'an: Al-An'aam: 59)The righteous Ulama push for Muslims to stay far away from these areas, such as, rings, chains, etc., which have the signs of the zodiac on them should not be worn, even if one does not believe in them. They are part and parcel of a fictitious system which propagates kufr and should be done away with entirely.

No believing Muslim should attempt to guess his sign. Nor should he or she read horoscope columns in newspaper or listen to them being read. And, any Muslim who allows astrological predictions to determine his actions should seek Allah Taa'la's forgiveness.