Is Fortune-telling Permissible?

How Much True is What Fortune-Tellers, Mediums and

Similar People Say? What are the Drawbacks of Fortune-telling in Terms of Our
Religion?
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Today, here, there, almost everywhere, there are numerous fortune-tellers who
entitle themselves with some seemingly innocent or modern names and then do their
jobs.

If we said: There exists no other way that exploits human feelings as much as
fortune telling, we would not be exaggerating.

Our Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) demonstrated the matter by means of
one statement: Fortune-tellers are nothing. (Muslim, Salam 123) That is to say, the
words of those who claim to foresee the future are ineffective, insignificant and
meaningless.

In terms of belief, fortune telling and believing the fortune-tellers are so

superstitious and perilous that Allah forbid- they could lead people to unbelief
in the end.

In many Hadiths concerning the matter, the Prophet (PBUH) said the following about
people who believe in fortune telling and similar things: Those people are regarded
as denying what had been revealed to Muhammad (PBUH); they will not enter Paradise;
the prayers of those who do not believe such things but do them will not be
accepted for forty days.

Although these Hadiths tell about an absolute danger, how grievous and distressing
it is that devoted people esteem fortune-tellers and seek help from them.

Fortune-tellers attempt to speak with authority about the unseen and future, mans
personality and expectations. However, the Owner of the future is only Allah. Only
and only Allah knows the future. The Quran commands on this matter as follows:

With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knows but He (The
Cattle (Al-Anam), 6:59)

Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden (The Ants
(An-Naml), 27:65)

"Say: "I tell you not that with me are the Treasures of Allah, nor do I know what
is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me..."
(The Cattle (Al-Anam), 6:50)

When the Angel Gabriel (Upon whom be peace) asked: When will the Doomsday occur?
Prophet (PBUH) replied: The answerer does not know more than the questioner on this
topic. He (PBUH) gave an exact answer by that response about the Doomsday, which is
the biggest future. (Bukhari, Eeman 37)

Since the information about the unseen and the future belong to Allah and even
Allahs Messenger cannot know if he is informed, and none of the scholars of Islam
can comment on this matter; O reader! What is the position of the fortune-tellers
in your opinion? Could you trust what they say?

Some say: Sometimes what the fortune tellers tell comes true!
One of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) expressed the same phrase and Prophet
(PBUH) gave him the following nice answer:

This word belongs to Jinn. Jinn capture the information and cackle to the ears of
their friends as hen cackles. Moreover, they add more than a hundred lies into this
information. (Muslim, Salam 123)

Do all of the fortune tellers have relations with jinn or not is another matter,
but it is certain that fortune telling is contrary to the religion and belief since
the Prophet (PBUH) rejected this act completely, fortune telling has connections
with devils.

Since the devil is also a jinni, the fortune-tellers who claim to foresee the
future and to attempt to tell from the unseen fall into the hands of devil as
playthings.

The glorious Hadith teaches a common criterion. No matter what name they use, all
clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, mediums or people reading tarots and signs are in
the same category if they talk about and decree on what the religion prohibited to
talk. Even though what they tell sometimes appears to be true, it is only one truth
out a hundred lies. Actually regarding it as a true is suspicious. It drives the
faiths of its doers, requestors and believers toward danger.

Although Islam prohibits fortune-telling that is illogical and superstitious,

mankind has not been able to be liberated from it throughout history, both in the
East and in the West, almost anywhere in the world.

There were some fortune-telling types in the era of ignorance before Islam. A type
which was applied by drawing lines on the sand and then telling about the fortune
was called as hatturraml. In addition, telling fortunes by means of words, names,
dice, besides such fortune-telling types as astrological fortune telling, fortune
telling by means of bones of sheep, meat of slaughter, water, inspecting the
grounds remaining in one's coffee or tea cup, throwing beans or casting lead, salt,
wax and palm reading were used.

Scientist also state that fortune telling causes anxiousness. Particularly, it

causes arguments in the family and starts conflictions between close relatives.
For example psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Ilhan Yargi says:

Fortune tellers generally use the same word phrases. A woman may have some problems
with her husband; actually, they can be solved if they talk. However, the fortune
teller says that somebody has used witchcraft on her. In this case woman has
hostility against all of the family members. Although, such a thing does not exist
in reality, prediction fulfils itself and family relations are severed.

Moreover, the following confession made by a medium is interesting; he says,

After mediums became famous, those who started it as a hobby turned to merchandise
it. Good or evil is not important. Mental health of the community is under threat
because most of the people themselves who visit fortune -tellers to seek help have
problems. Most of the people who are engaged with this business are mentally
unhealthy. (Aksiyon Magazine, No: 533)

Basing on superstitious religions and beliefs, fortune-telling does not have any
relations and connections with religion, belief, the Quran and Islam at all.
A devoted person should not risk his mind, heart and belief by such superstitious
fabrications, contrarily; he should believe that everything is under the command of
Allah. He should trust his Lord; he should ask him through supplications, he should
keep his belief of Divine determining sound.