be pleased with her, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever goes to a soothsayer, asks him about something and believes him, none of his prayers will be accepted for forty days.” Muslim.

1679 – Qabīṣah ibn al-Mukhāriq, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declare, “ʿIyāfah, ṭiyarah and ṭarq are forms of jibt.” Abū Dāwūd recorded it with a good chain (1). He explained: “al-ṭarq is al-zajr, that is, driving off birds and taking good or bad omens from the way they fly: if they fly to the right he regards it as auspicious; if they fly to the left he regards it as inauspicious. Abū Dāwūd added: ‘As for al-ʿiyāfah, it is divination by drawing lines.’”

Al-Jawharī said in al-Ṣiḥāḥ: “Jibt is a term that may be applied to an idol, a soothsayer, a magician, and the like.”

1680 – Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever acquires any knowledge of the stars has taken up a branch of sorcery; the more he increases in it, the more he increases in sorcery.” Abū Dāwūd narrated it with a sound chain.

1681 – Muʿāwiyah ibn al-Ḥakam, may Allah be pleased with him, related: I said, “Messenger of Allah, I have only recently left the Age of Ignorance, and Allah has brought us Islam. Among us are men who go to soothsayers.” He replied, “Do not go to them.” I said, “Among us are men who take omens.” He said, “That is something they merely feel in their hearts; let it not hold them back.” I said, “And among us are men who draw lines.” He said, “There was a Prophet among the Prophets who used to draw lines; so if anyone’s drawing matches his, then that is acceptable.” Muslim.

1682 – Abū Masʿūd al-Badri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the price of a dog, the wage of a prostitute (2), and the fee paid to a soothsayer. Agreed upon.