and an augury of misfortune, shrinking away and withdrawing from what it had intended and resolved to do, thus bringing upon it harm in this life, a deficiency in faith, and a brush with polytheism.” Thus ends the words of Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him.

In the ḥadīth related by Aḥmad from Ibn ʿAmr—may Allah be pleased with them both—the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever is turned back from his need by an augury has committed shirk.” They asked, “What is the expiation for that?” He replied, “You should say: ‘O Allah, no good exists except Your good, no augury exists except Your augury, and there is no deity but You.’” ⦗–⦘ This noble ḥadīth makes it clear that augury does not harm the one who despises it and continues on his way; but whoever fails to place his trust in Allah alone and instead follows Satan in this matter may be punished by falling into what he dreads, because he has turned away from the duty of believing in Allah.

That said, we ask Allah—glorified and exalted—to grant us true faith and reliance upon Him and to keep us far from the paths of evil and shirk; surely He is All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive.

7 – Astrology

Researchers define astrology as inferring earthly events from celestial conditions—such as the times when the winds blow, the coming of rain, the onset of heat and cold, changes in prices, the occurrence of illnesses or deaths, or good and bad fortune. This is what is called the “science of influence.”

It is of two kinds:

1. The first is for the astrologer to claim that the planets act of their own volition and that events occur through their influence. This is disbelief by the consensus of the Muslims, for it assumes the existence of a creator other than Allah and that someone manages His dominion without His will and decree—glorified and exalted is He.

2. The second is to infer from the movement of the planets and their conjunctions and separations that certain events will occur. This is unquestionably forbidden, for it amounts to a claim of knowledge of the unseen, and it is