a soothsayer, a diviner, and an astrologer.”

I say: Now that you know this, among the forms of soothsaying are what used to be known as hypnotism, then as spirit-summoning, as well as what many people practise today—including some well-meaning Muslims—having made it a profession from which they earn their living: namely, reciting over one afflicted by a jinn and speaking with it. They claim that it tells them why it has possessed the person—out of love for him or hatred of him. They may even claim to ask it about its religion, and if it tells them that it is Muslim, they believe everything it reports to them! This is the height of heedlessness and misguidance: to believe it when you neither know it nor see it. So beware of them, O Muslim brother! Do not go to them or believe them; otherwise, this authentic hadith and others with the same meaning will apply to you.

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3388—Quraysh said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Call upon your Lord for us to turn al-Safa into gold, and we will believe in you!” He said:

“And will you do so?”

They said: “Yes.”

So he supplicated, and Gabriel came to him and said: “Your Lord sends you greetings of peace and says: If you wish, I shall make al-Safa gold for them by morning. Yet whoever among them disbelieves thereafter, I shall punish him with a punishment such as I have not inflicted upon anyone in the worlds. Or, if you wish, I shall open for them the door of repentance and mercy.” He said:

“Rather, the door of repentance and mercy.”

It was narrated by al-Hakim (1/53 and 4/240) and al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il (2/272).