1670 – Qabīsah ibn al-Mukhāriq — may Allah be pleased with him — reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, ‘Al-ʿiyāfah (divination by tracing lines), al-ṭiyarah (taking superstitious omens), and al-ṭuruq (augury) are all forms of al-jibt (sorcery).’” Related by Abū Dāwūd with a sound chain. He explained that al-ṭuruq is zʾajr, meaning the interpretation of a bird’s flight: if it flies to the right, the person takes it as a good omen; if it flies to the left, he considers it a bad omen. Abū Dāwūd also said, “Al-ʿiyāfah is divination by lines.” Al-Jawharī states in al-Ṣiḥāḥ that al-jibt is a term applied to an idol, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, and the like.

1671 – 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 acquired a branch of sorcery; the more he increases in it, the more he increases in sorcery.” Related by Abū Dāwūd with a sound chain.

1672 – Muʿāwiyah ibn al-Ḥakam — may Allah be pleased with him — reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am only recently removed from the era of ignorance and Allah has now brought us Islam. Among us are men who visit the soothsayers.” He replied, “Do not go to them.” I said, “Among us are men who take omens.” He replied, “That is a feeling they find within their breasts; it should not hold them back.” I said, “Among us are men who draw lines.” He replied, “A prophet once used to draw lines; whoever’s drawing coincides with his, that is acceptable.” Related by Muslim.