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Al Ghaib – Allah (swt)’s Exclusive Knowledge

M. S. Mahmud mohammed@intellisysconsult.com

Commenced January 2003

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Table of Contents

PREFACE________________________________________________________2

INTRODUCTION___________________________________________________3

AL GHAIB________________________________________________________5

What is Al Ghaib?____________________________________________________________5

Exclusivity of Al Ghaib to Allah (swt)_______________________________________7

Allah (swt)’s Attributes____________________________________________________10

MUHAMMAD’S B PROPHECIES & MIRACULOUS FEATS_____________________11

THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAHABA________________________________16

FORTUNE-TELLERS_______________________________________________18

The Jinn______________________________________________________________________20

Horoscopes & Astrology____________________________________________________22

Charms & Amulets__________________________________________________________24

QADR: ALLAH (SWT)’S DIVINE DECREE________________________________28

DU’A: THE SOLUTION TO THE UNKNOWN______________________________32

Conditions for Acceptance of Du’a________________________________________33

Du’a -al-Istikhara___________________________________________________________35

CONCLUSION : THE PURPOSE OF MAN’S CREATION_______________________40

Temporal World_____________________________________________________________41

BIBLIOGRAPHY___________________________________________________44

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Bibliography
Preface

It is a guide
for those who are God conscious, who believe in [the
existence of] that which is beyond the reach of human
perception, and are constant in prayer, and spend on
others out of what We provide for them as sustenance;
Ayah 2-3, Suratul Baqarah

Our reverence is to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’Ala (swt). Our reference is to

Muhammad B (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam). May Allah grant us the fortitude to
avoid deeds of Riya (for other’s to see and praise) and accept this as a deed weighty
and worthy of Jannatul Firdaus. I commenced this work upon noticing that in spite
of the large information available regarding the dangers of shirk, there is still a
significant population within the Muslim Ummah that do not consider Al Ghaib, the
Unseen Knowledge of Allah (swt) as exclusive to Him (Allah (swt)). And for anyone
to claim anything that Allah (swt) specifies as belonging only to Him means that
person has fallen into shirk, associating Almighty Allah (swt) with his creations.
Some also tend to believe that there are others that are privy to this divine knowledge.

Tawheed is a vast subject and I set foot in this undertaking – which falls within the
realm of Tawheed – with the prayer that Allah (swt) guides and maintains me on the
right path. Many Ulama have written and expounded on the subject. Yet people
constantly fall into the welcoming hands of deceptive soothsayers in the guise of
scholars, leaving their Iman behind. As an Ummah of learning, we should ask
ourselves, where did we leave this noble heritage to find ourselves in the middle of
Jahiliyya (period of ignorance)?

I pray this book will be of help to fellow Muslims in avoiding these deceptive
distractions from the one and only path of guidance through the Qur’an and the
Sunnah of the last Prophet and Messenger of Allah (swt), Muhammad B regarding the
exclusivity of Al Ghaib to Allah (swt) alone.

The majority of people that seek out the knowledge of al Ghaib through illegal means
do so either to benefit by doing or avoiding an action and to avoid grief or anxiety.
Grief is caused by things that have happened or are happening, while anxiety is caused
by worrying about events in the future. This is where soothsayers in various garbs
cash in.

If we understand al Ghaib and its exclusive ownership by Allah (swt), we avoid all
entrapment by the assortment of fortune-tellers, soothsayers or anyone that falls into
these categories owing to their actions.
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Introduction

○ Say: “He is the One God:

○ “God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of All Being.
○ “He begets not, and neither is He begotten;
○ “And there is nothing that could be compared with
Him.”
Surah 110 – Ikhlas

Suratul Ikhlas is a potent Surah and common on many Muslim lips.

Yet for many, following its commandments is an entirely different
matter. Many people today say they do not associate Allah with His
creations (Tawheed) – as Islam requires – but unknowingly or
otherwise, there actions do not coincide with what they profess.

This book gives particular emphasis to the following and refutes

them:

• Believing that certain people possess the power to know Al Ghaib, the Unseen
Knowledge of Allah (swt). That is to say, the knowledge of future events or the
knowledge of past or present events that are naturally impossible to know due
to the person not been in attendance at the time and scene of such event.

• Consulting soothsayers or fortune-tellers that perform dubious actions that are

supposed to reveal the future concerning matters like marriage, business, travel,
etc, and actually claim they can divine the result.

• Believing in omens, astrology and horoscopes.

• Using items i.e. amulets and charms that are supposed to make one more
appealing, have mental control over someone else, protect one from harm, etc.

Belief in astrology and the casting of horoscopes, the sayings of

fortune-tellers or soothsayers and employing amulets and charms
are in clear opposition to the letter and spirit of Islam. Ignorance,
gullibility and weakness of Iman lead the unsuspecting soul to seek
out these paths.

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Essentially these ways represent a vain attempt to escape Qadr or in
other words, fate. Ignorance leads to the belief that if one knows
what is in store for him or her tomorrow, he or she can prepare for it
today. In that way, one may avoid the bad and ensure the good. Yet,
Allah commanded His Messenger B:

Say [O Prophet]: “It is not within my power to bring

benefit to, or avert harm from, myself, except as Allah
may please. And if I knew that which is beyond the
reach of human perception (al Ghaib), abundant good
fortune would surely have fallen to my lot, and no evil
would ever have touched me. I am nothing but a
warner, and a herald of glad tidings unto people who
will believe.”
Surah Al A'raf, 188

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Al Ghaib

What is Al Ghaib?

Literally, Al Ghaib in Arabic means “a thing not seen”. In the

commentary of the Noble Qur’an by Hilali and Khan this is further
expatiate on:

Al Ghaib: literally means a thing not seen. But this word includes vast
meanings: Belief in Allah, Angels, Holy Books, Allah’s Messengers, Day of
Resurrection and Al-Qadar (Divine Pre-ordainments). It also includes what
Allah and his Messenger B informed about the knowledge of the matters of
past, present, and future e.g., news about the creation of the heavens and earth,
botanical and zoological life, the news about the nations of the past, and about
Paradise and Hell. 1

Al Ghaib is the Unseen Knowledge possessed only by Allah (swt). It

is that knowledge that neither man, Jinn or Angels possess.

Physically, man acquires knowledge through the sense organs

endowed on him by Allah (swt).

Sense Organs, in humans and other animals, faculties by which outside

information is received for evaluation and response. This is accomplished by
the effect of a particular stimulus on a specialized organ, which then transmits
impulses to the brain via a nerve or nerves.2

Al Ghaib is that which is impossible for one to know within the

normal operations of these senses, events that are beyond human
perception. It includes:

• the knowledge of the past that has not been revealed by Allah (swt) through any
of His messengers,

• knowledge of events in the present that do not occur in the presence of the
person claiming such awareness without prior information and

• knowledge of the future – the favourite of fortune-tellers and soothsayers. This

excludes information that has come down to us through the Qur’an al Karim or
through the Messenger of Allah B, since this does not constitute new ghaib.

1 The Noble Qur’an, English Translation, Hilali/Khan.

2 Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003.

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The last is the most popular with fraudsters, as it entails potential
benefit that will supposedly accrue to the unsuspecting victim.

Allah has informed us of al Ghaib in the Qur’an in very clear commands to his
Messenger B and several examples. We learn from the beginning of Suratul Baqarah,
Allah (swt) declares:

This is The Book in which there is no doubt. It is a

guide for those who are God conscious, who believe in
[the existence of] that which is beyond the reach of
human perception, and are constant in prayer, and
spend on others out of what We provide for them as
sustenance;
Surah Baqarah, 2-3

M. Asad’s commentary on the third Ayah’s reference to al Ghaib is comprehensive

and concise:

Al Ghaib (commonly, and erroneously, translated as [simply] “the Unseen”) is

used in the Qur’an to denote all those sectors or phases of reality which lie
beyond the range of human perception and cannot, therefore, be proved or
disproved by scientific observation or even adequately comprised within the
accepted categories of speculative thought: as, for instance, the existence of
God and of a definite purpose underlying the universe, life after death, the real
nature of time, the existence of spiritual forces and their inter-action, and so
forth. Only a person who is convinced that the ultimate reality comprises far
more than our observable environment can attain to belief in god and, thus, to a
belief that life has meaning and purpose. By pointing out that it is “a guidance
for those who believe in the existence of that which is beyond human
perception”, the Qur’an says, in effect, that it will – of necessity – remain a
closed book to all whose minds cannot accept this fundamental premise.3

In essence, the absence of facilities to perceive that which Allah

(swt) informs us in the Qur’an or that which the Prophet B has
mentioned in Ahadith, does not negate the existence of entities
belonging to the al Ghaib category. For instance, the existence of
Angels and there form. We do not “perceive” Angels through sight,
touch or smell. These are faculties the majority of humanity takes
for granted. Yet a believer must acknowledge these sense organs
as a gift from Allah (swt). If we believe in earnest, then where is the
3 The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.
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difficulty in accepting the limitations set by Allah (swt) on such
faculties?

The advance of technology allows us to believe in the existence of

radio waves since we now have equipment that indicates there
existence, e.g. radio receivers, television sets, etc. We still cannot
see or hear these waves without the conversion of equipment from
waveform to sound, in the case of radio or visual content as in TV.
We easily believe in the existence of radio waves because we can
now perceive their converted form through our sense organs.

Allah (swt) requires that we believe unreservedly and entirely, in

what He (swt) has hidden from us, yet we are aware of through the
Qur’an and the Sunnah. We should not follow the trend of western
thinking were by “if I can’t see it, it isn’t there”. We as Muslims are
required only to accept and believe:

The Apostle, and the believers with him, believe in what

has been bestowed upon him from on high by his
Sustainer: they all believe in Allah, and His angels, and
His revelations, and His apostles, making no distinction
between any of His apostles; and they say: “We have
heard, and we pay heed. Grant us Thy forgiveness, O
our Sustainer, for with Thee is all journeys’ end!
Surah Baqarah, 285

Exclusivity of Al Ghaib to Allah (swt)

Allah (swt) has informed us about the position of al Ghaib in the

Qur’an:

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 Say: “None in the heavens or on earth knows the hidden
reality (al Ghaib) [of anything that exists: none knows
it] save God.” And neither can they [who are living]
perceive when they shall be raised from the dead.
Surah An Naml, 65

This is a categorical declaration by Allah (swt) to the effect that al

Ghaib is known to him exclusively. Even the Prophet Muhammad B
is excluded in this knowledge, except that which Allah (swt) informs
him:

Say
[O
Prophet]: “I do not say unto you, ‘God’s treasures are
with me’; nor [do I say], ‘I know the things that are
beyond the reach of human perception’ (al Ghaib); nor
do I say unto you, ‘Behold, I am an angel’: I but follow
what is revealed to me.” Say: “Can the blind and the
seeing be deemed equal? Will you not, then, take
thought?”
Surah Al An am, 50

And also:

Say
[O
Prophet]: “It is not within my power to bring benefit to,

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 or avert harm from, myself, except as God may please.
And if I knew that which is beyond the reach of human
perception (al Ghaib), abundant good fortune would
surely have fallen to my lot, and no evil would ever have
touched me. I am nothing but a warner, and a herald of
glad tidings unto people who will believe.”
Surah Al A'raf, 188

Ibn Kathir comments in his Tafsir to this Ayah:

The Messenger does not know the Unseen, and He cannot bring benefit or harm
even to himself.

Allah commanded His Prophet to entrust all matters to Him and to inform,
about himself, that he does not know the unseen future, but he knows of it only
what Allah informs him. Allah said in another Ayah,

(He Alone is) the All-Knower of the Ghaib (Unseen Knowledge), and He
reveals to none His Ghaib.) (Surah Al Jinn, 26) 4

The elaboration by Asad on the same Ayah is definitive of the

reasoning regarding the sole ownership of al Ghaib by Allah (swt):

He [alone] knows that which is beyond the reach of a

created being’s perception, and to none does He
disclose aught of the mysteries of His Own
unfathomable knowledge.
Suratul Jinn, 26

The possessive pronoun “His” in the phrase ‘ala ghaybihi’ evidently indicates
God’s exclusive knowledge of “that which is beyond the perception of any
created being” (al-Ghaib)…5

Asad also commented on Suratul Al A'raf Ayah 188:

“The repeated insistence in the Qur’an on the humanness of the Prophet is in

tune with the doctrine that no created being has or could have any share,
however small, in any of the Creator’s qualities or powers.”6

Allah (swt)’s Attributes

4 Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

5 The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.
6 The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.
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------------ Explain attributes and why ghaib is one. ----------------

We shall elaborate further on the Prophet B’s response to any claim

on his behalf for a share in the knowledge of al Ghaib. The Prophet
B’s interpretation of the Qur’an al Karim is – quite rightly – the most
accurate as evident in the following Ahadith relating to Allah (swt)’s
unshared power over al Ghaib, to the exclusion of all.

Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet B said:

The Keys of the Ghaib (unseen knowledge) are five, nobody

knows them but Allah. Nobody knows what will happen
tomorrow except Allah; nobody knows what is in the womb
except Allah; nobody knows when it will rain except Allah; no
soul knows at what place he will die except Allah; and nobody
knows when the (Final) Hour will begin except Allah.)7

Narrated Masruq:
'Aisha said, "If anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his
Lord, he is a liar, for Allah says: 'No vision can grasp Him.'
(6.103) And if anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen the
Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: "None has the knowledge of
the Unseen but Allah."8

Narrated Ibn Umar:

The Prophet said, "The keys of the unseen are five and none
knows them but Allah: (1) None knows (the sex) what is in the
womb, but Allah: (2) None knows what will happen tomorrow,
but Allah; (3) None knows when it will rain, but Allah; (4) None
knows where he will die, but Allah (knows that); (5) and none
knows when the Hour will be established, but Allah."9

The above ahadith speak for themselves. Given that al Ghaib is

beyond the jurisdiction of any human being, as attested to by these
Ayahs and Ahadith, and the fact that the Prophet B, being the final
Messenger of Allah (swt) and the best of all humanity, was
commanded to declare his limitation with regard to it, who then can
claim otherwise?

Muhammad’s B Prophecies & Miraculous Feats

7 Sahih Bukhari 2.149

8 Bukhari 9.477
9 Bukhari 9.476
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There is no doubt as to evidence about the Messenger of Allah’s B
miraculous feats. The number of ahadith covering this subject is
numerous and is not the subject of our discussion. The miracles
performed by the Messenger of Allah B are signs of his prophethood.
Also, they are not exclusive signs of such prophethood. His exalted
character alone is unmatched in history and could easily stand on its
own merit to that effect.

The tendency of man is to be overly impressed with the

supernatural and forget the content of the fulfilment of the
Messenger of Allah’s B mission. Some may try to point at the fact
that the Prophet B predicted numerous events, and that he also told
his Sahaba (the Companions) and even the Jews residing in Madina
about past peoples and events and about the Hereafter. All this is
true but does not contradict the various Ayats and ahadith
proclaiming the exclusivity of the Unseen Knowledge to Allah (swt).
We shall elaborate on this further.

Others still present the miracles performed by Allah’s Messenger B

as evidence of his knowledge of al Ghaib. The fact remains that the
Qur'an and Hadith tell us Allah’s Messenger B performed these feats
by Allah Subhanahu wa ta'Ala’s leave.

All this does not mean that Allah’s Messenger B knows al Ghaib.
Miracles and prophecies are signs of messengership; they in
themselves are not certification of partnership to the attributes of
Allah (swt). It may have occurred to some of us that some of Allah
(swt)’s other prophets are even more famous than Prophet
Muhammad B as regards miraculous feats. Prophet Musa (as) and
Isa (as) for instance. Thus if we follow this line of reasoning, the
more miracles one performs the greater he is! Of course, we know
that is not so.

Allah reminds us that the unbelievers of the Messenger B’s era

asked:

And they say, “Why has no miraculous sign been

bestowed on him from on high by his Sustainer?” Say:
“Behold, Allah has the power to bestow any sign from
on high.” Yet most human beings are unaware of this.
Surah Al-An’am, 37

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In order to render this in perspective we need to look at the
subsequent Ayah:

Although there is no beast that walks on earth and no

bird that flies on its two wings which is not (Allah’s)
creature like yourselves: no single thing have We
neglected in Our decree. And once again: Unto their
Sustainer shall they [all] be gathered.
Surah Al-An’am, 38

Several things are derived from this Ayah:

The demand for miracles as proof is from unbelievers.

The response, as instructed by Allah (swt) refers us to look at nature
and everyday events around us as a sign or miracle of Allah (swt),
not necessarily what we consider “miraculous”, what the Qur’an
refers to as the Sunnat Allah10.
Most of us are unaware of this fact.
A reference to Qadr: “No single thing have We neglected in Our
decree.”

Ayah 44 of Surah Al-i-Imran regarding the story of custodianship of

Maryam clarifies:

This is a part of the news of the Ghaib (Unseen, i.e. the

news of the past nations of which you have no
knowledge) which We reveal to you (O Muhammad). You
were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens
as to which of them should be charged with the care of
Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they
disputed.

Here, the Creator declares “you were not with them”, i.e. the
Messenger B was not there in relation to time nor physically when
the events related in the Ayah took place. It also defines another
facet of Al Ghaib; news of the past can also be Al Ghaib – it is not
limited to the future. Again in Surah An-Najm Ayahs 2-5:

10 The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.

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 • Your companion (Muhammad) is neither astray, nor
misguided,
• Nor does he speak out of his own desire.
• That (which he conveys to you) is but (a divine)
inspiration with which he is being inspired –
• He is being taught by one who is mighty, powerful
(angel Gabriel);
Surah An-Najm, 2-5

This explicitly indicate that Allah informs his Messenger B only what
He (swt) wishes from al Ghaib.

Allah (swt) also instructs His Messenger to declare his humanity in

several places in the Qur’an, I will quote one:

Say thou, [O Prophet:] "I am but a mortal like you. It

has been revealed to me that your God is the One God:
go, then, straight towards him and seek His
forgiveness!" And woe unto those who ascribe divinity
to aught beside Him.
Surah Ha-Mim, 6

In the Hadith of Abdullah bin Salam’s conversion to Islam, the

Prophet attests to the Ayahs further:

When 'Abdullah bin Salam heard the arrival of the Prophet at

Medina, he came to him and said, "I am going to ask you about
three things which nobody knows except a prophet: What is the
first portent of the Hour? What will be the first meal taken by
the people of Paradise? Why does a child resemble its father,
and why does it resemble its maternal uncle" Allah's Apostle
said, "Gabriel has just now told me of their answers."…11

And proceeds to enumerate the answers in this long Hadith. Our

point of concern is the Prophet’s B mentioning that “Gabriel has just
now told me of their answers”. He B did not claim any mystical
knowledge relating to the questions of Abdullah bin Salam. He

11 Sahih Bukhari 4.546

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plainly admits to being informed of the answers by Allah (swt)
through Angel Gabriel (as), elucidating further on Ayahs 2-5 above.

Narrated the Mother of the Believers, Um Salama:

Allah's Apostle heard some people quarrelling at the door of his
dwelling. He came out and said, "I am only a human being, and
opponents come to me (to settle their problems); maybe
someone amongst you can present his case more eloquently
than the other, whereby I may consider him true and give a
verdict in his favour. So, If I give the right of a Muslim to
another by mistake, then it is really a portion of (Hell) Fire, he
has the option to take or give up (before the Day of
Resurrection)."12

This indicates that the Prophet B declared his capacity to make a

mistake – as a human being due to misinformation – and thus warns
the Sahaba. If our Leader, the Noble Prophet B, new in advance
who was in the right he would not have uttered this cautionary
statement.

Narrated Ar Rubai bint Muauwidh:

The Prophet came to me after consummating his marriage with
me and sat down on my bed as you (the sub-narrator) are
sitting now, and small girls were beating the tambourine and
singing in lamentation of my father who had been killed on the
day of the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls said, "There is a
Prophet amongst us who knows what will happen tomorrow."
The Prophet said (to her), "Do not say this, but go on saying
what you have spoken before."13

The Messenger of Allah (swt) did not condone anyone overstepping

the bounds of Allah (swt), which is why he cautioned the girl
concerning her saying he B was aware of what is to happen
tomorrow.

The following hadith puts a cap to this argument:

Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him) said: While I was standing beside the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) one of the rabbis of the Jews came
and said: Peace be upon you, O Muhammad. I pushed him back
so hard that he nearly fell over. Upon this he said: Why do you
12 Sahih Bukhari 3.638
13 Sahih Bukhari 5.336
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 push me? I said: Why don't you say: O Messenger of Allah? The
Jew said: We call him by the name which he was given by his
family.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: My name is

Muhammad, which is how I was named by my family. The Jew
said: I have come to ask you (something). The Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) said: Will it be of any benefit to you,
if I tell you that? He (the Jew) said: I shall lend my ears to it.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) drew a line with
the help of the stick that he had with him and then said: Ask
(whatever you like). Thereupon the Jew said: Where will the
human beings be on the Day when the Earth changes into
another earth and the Heavens too (change into other
heavens)? The Messenger of Allah B. said: They will be in
darkness beside the bridge. He (the Jew) again said: Who
amongst the people will be the first to cross (this bridge)? He
said: They would be the poor amongst the refugees. The Jew
said: What would constitute their breakfast when they would
enter Paradise? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: A caul of fish-
liver. He (the Jew) said: What would be their food after this? He
(the Holy Prophet) said: a bullock which was fed in the different
quarters of Paradise would be slaughtered for them. He (the
Jew) said: What would be their drink? He (the Holy Prophet)
said: They would be given a drink from the fountain which is
named Salsabil. He (the Jew) said: I have come to ask you
about something which no one amongst the people on Earth
knows except an apostle or one or two men besides him. He
(the Holy Prophet) said: Would it benefit you if I tell you that?
He (the Jew) said: I would lend my ears to that.

He then said: I have come to ask you about the child. He (the
Holy Prophet) said: The reproductive substance of a man is
white and that of a woman (i.e. ovum central portion) is yellow.
When they have sexual intercourse and the male's substance
(chromosomes and genes) prevails upon the female's
substance (chromosomes and genes), it is the male child that is
created by Allah's Decree. When the substance of the female
prevails upon the substance contributed by the male, a female
child is formed by the Decree of Allah. The Jew said: What you
have said is true; verily you are an Apostle. He then turned
round and went away. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) said: He asked me about such and such things of which I
had no knowledge until Allah gave it to me.14
14 Sahih Muslim, 146
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The Prophet and Messenger of Allah has spoken the truth, with
wisdom and humility.

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The Understanding of the Sahaba

The Sahaba, or companions of the Prophet B, also understood that

the Messenger of Allah B knew only what Allah (swt) has taught him.
This is evident from several Ahadith narrated by them from the
context of experiences during the lifetime of the Messenger B and
after his death.

Let us start with the Hadith regarding the martyrdom of 70

companions whom the Messenger of Allah B had sent to the tribes
of Ril, Dhakwan and some other tribes, with whom he B had
concluded a treaty. Afterwards the tribes plotted and killed the 70
companions. Anas bin Malik narrates through Asim Al Ahwal:

…The Prophet had sent some people called Al-Qurra who were
seventy in number, to some pagan people who had concluded
a peace treaty with Allah's Apostle. But those who had
concluded the treaty with Allah's Apostle violated the treaty
(and martyred all the seventy men). So Allah's Apostle said Al-
Qunut after Bowing (in the prayer) for one month, invoking evil
upon them…15

One of the 70 companions prayed to Allah (swt), asking Him to

inform His Messenger B regarding the hypocrisy of the tribes:

------------------ Bukhari 5.412 – on Asim martyrdom ---------------

In Sahih Bukhari Al Juaid bin Abdur Rahman narrates the following:

I saw As-Sa'ib bin Yazid when he was ninety-four years old,

quite strong and of straight figure. He said, "I know that I
enjoyed my hearing and seeing powers only because of the
invocation of Allah's Apostle . My aunt took me to him and
said, 'O Allah's Apostle! My nephew is sick; will you invoke Allah
for him?' So he invoked (Allah) for me."16

Note that As-Sa'ib’s aunt asked Allah’s Apostle B to invoke Allah (swt). She did not
offer any invocation towards the Prophet B himself. The next Hadith also sheds
further light on this premise.

15 Sahih Bukhari, 5.422, truncated for relevance.

16 Sahih Bukhari, 4.740
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Narrated Abu Huraira:

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "From my followers there will

enter Paradise a crowd, seventy thousand in number whose
faces will glitter as the moon does when it is full." On hearing
that, 'Ukasha bin Mihsan Al-Asdi got up, lifting his covering
sheet, and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He may
make me one of them." The Prophet said, "O Allah, make him
one of them." Another man from the Ansar got up and said, "O
Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make me one of them." The
Prophet said (to him), "'Ukasha has preceded you." 17

These Ahadith clearly indicate that when the Sahaba ask, they only
ask the Prophet B to invoke Allah (swt) on their behalf. They do not
ask from anyone for what they know is Allah (swt)’s alone to give.
Naturally, what they do ask from the Prophet B is his invocation to
Allah (swt) because of his exalted position.

17 Sahih Bukhari, 8.550

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Fortune-tellers

There are people among the Zalimun (wrongdoers) that profess a

mystical understanding of al Ghaib, either through some holier-than-
thou means or through claimed super-intellect. Some even refer to
themselves as scholars. We must seek to differentiate real Ulama
and these fortune-tellers or soothsayers.

Many have fallen into the traps of fortune-tellers, some knowingly

and others unknowingly. In both cases it demonstrates the serious
ignorance of such Muslims, an ignorance that would finally lead to
Hell Fire, may Allah (swt) guide and protect us. Also, our emotional
attachment to deceased family members is a driving force in this
regard. Some of us attempt to find out the condition of loved ones
after death or believe that the dead can shed light on some future
event in this world, which they have now left behind. Subsequently,
they close their eyes to the truth and invite fortune-tellers to
‘intercede’ with their dead relatives.

The fact that some predictions of soothsayers come true is not a

criterion for believing them. Neither is the multitude of people that
heed the words of soothsayers a reason, nor the important social
standing of such followers, or their apparent worldly scholarship.
There is no imperative that permits one to believe in the ramblings
of a soothsayer or fortune-tellers. The only decisive factors for a
Muslim to believe or disbelieve in anything are the Al Qur’an and the
words of our beloved Prophet, Muhammad B.

And yet, some [people] have come to attribute to all

manner of invisible beings a place side by side with God
– although it is He who has created them [all]; and in
their ignorance they have invented for Him sons and
daughters! Limitless is His glory, and sublimely exalted
above anything that men may devise by way of
definition.
Surah Al An’am, 100

3
In his tafsir to this ayah, Ibn Kathir says:

This Ayah refutes the idolators who worshipped others besides Allah and
associated the Jinns with Him in worship. Glory be to Allah above this Shirk
and Kufr. If someone asks, how did the idolators worship the Jinns, although
they only were idol worshippers The answer is that in fact, they worshipped the
idols by obeying the Jinns who commanded them to do so. Allah said in another
Ayat:

(They invoke nothing but female deities besides Him, and they invoke nothing
but Shaytān, a persistent rebel! Allāh cursed him. And he [Shaytān] said: ``I
will take an appointed portion of your servants. Verily, I will mislead them, and
surely, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit
the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by
Allāh.'' And whoever takes Shaytān as a protector instead of Allāh, has surely
suffered a manifest loss. He [Shaytān] makes promises to them, and arouses in
them false desires; and Shaytān's promises are nothing but deceptions. 18 (An-
Nisaa, 117 – 120)

Narrated Aisha:
Some people asked the Prophet regarding the soothsayers. He
said, "They are nothing." They said, "O Allah's Apostle! Some of
their talks come true." The Prophet said, "That word which
happens to be true is what a Jinn snatches away by stealth
(from the Heaven) and pours it in the ears of his friend (the
foreteller) with a sound like the cackling of a hen. The
soothsayers then mix with that word, one hundred lies."19

Dr. Abu Aminah Bilal Philips’ exposition on fortune-tellers is most

enlightening:

18 Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

19 Sahih Bukhari 9.650
2
 There are among mankind, people who claim knowledge of the unseen and the
future. They are known by various names, among them: fortune-teller,
soothsayer, foreseer, augur, magician, prognosticator, oracle, astrologer,
palmist, etc. Fortune-tellers use various methods and mediums from which they
claim to extract their information, among them: reading tea-leaves, drawing
lines, writing numbers, palm-reading, casting horoscopes, crystal ball gazing,
rattling bones, throwing sticks, etc.

Practitioners of occult arts, which claim to reveal the unseen and predict the
future, can be divided into two main categories:

1. Those who have no real knowledge or secrets but depend on telling their
customers about general incidences which happen to most people. They often
go through a series of meaningless rituals, then make calculatedly general
guesses. Some of their guesses, due to their generality, usually come true. Most
people tend to remember the few predictions that come true and quickly forget
the many which do not. This tendency is a result of the fact that after some time
all the predictions tend to become half-forgotten thoughts in the subconscious
until something happens to trigger their recall. For example, it has become a
common practice in North America to publish, at the beginning of each year the
various predictions of famous fortune-tellers. When a survey was taken of the
various predictions for the year 1980, it was found that the most accurate
fortune-teller among them was only 24% accurate in her predictions!

2. The second group are those who have made contact with the Jinn. This group
is of most importance because it usually involves the grave sin of Shirk, and
those involved often tend to be highly accurate in their information and thus
present a real Fitnah (temptations) for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.20

We shall devote the next section to the Jinn due to the importance of
these beings as regards there association with human beings to
falsely mislead yet others into believing that a combination of Jinn
and Man can unlock the secrets of al Ghaib. May Allah (swt) protect
us from the evil of shayateen and their hosts.

The Jinn

The noun Jinn comes from the verb Janna or Yajunnu which denotes
“to cover, to hide or conceal”21. That is to say the Jinn are hidden
from our perception. While there is sufficient evidence in the Qur'an
and Sunnah for their existence, some chose not to believe in Jinns
but are quite ready to believe in the dead returning as ghosts and
poltergeists.

20 Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Fortunetelling.

21 Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Fortunetelling.
2
In taking such a stand by doing wrong ta’weel (different
interpretation of an obvious meaning of a word)22, they give various
explanations ranging from complete rejection of their existence to
claims that what is meant is simply the evil inclinations of corrupt
human souls23. The amount of evidence in the Quran and Hadith
regarding their existence as separate, invisible – in all the meanings
of the word – entities from us and from angels is beyond argument.
Shaykh ash-Sha'rawi quoted by Mustafa Ashour in his book “The Jinn
in the Qur’an and Sunna”, says:

‘It is obligatory to believe in the judgements of the deen in unseen matters. It

does not matter that we do not fully understand them. Belief has a peak and its
peak is to believe in Allah. If you believe in Allah by choice and reach the peak
with your intellect, then you accept all that Allah tells you whether or not your
intellect can grasp it.’24

Both Man and Jinn were created by Allah (swt) for one purpose: to
worship Him.

I only created the Jinn and Men to worship Me.

Surah Az-Zariyat, 56

The Jinn share certain qualities with man; they have intellect, the
freedom to choose from right and wrong or truth from falsehood.25

Say (O Prophet): It is revealed unto me that a company

of Jinns listened (to the Qur'an). They say ‘We have
really heard a wonderful Recital!’

‘Which guides to the Right Way. We have believed in it

and henceforth shall worship none besides our Lord.’
Surah Al-Jinn, 1-2

‘A company of Jinns’ indicates that the listeners from among the Jinn
became believers. An aside in the first Ayah says, “It is revealed
unto me…” indicates the Prophet B’s reliance on Allah (swt) for that
information also. Within the same Surah it is further clarified that
the Jinn can choose from right and wrong:

‘There are some among us who are righteous and some

to the contrary; we have sects following different ways.’
22 Ibn Taimiyah, Al Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah.
23 The Jinn in the Qur’an and Sunna, Mustafa Ashour.
24 The Jinn in the Qur’an and Sunna, Mustafa Ashour.
25 Ibid.
3
 Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 11

The hadith in Sahih Bukhari speaks about the revelation of Suratul

Jinn and how the Jinn used to listen in on the news of heaven.

The Prophet set out with the intention of going to Suq 'Ukaz
(market of 'Ukaz) along with some of his companions. At the
same time, a barrier was put between the devils and the news
of heaven. Fire commenced to be thrown at them. The devils
went to their people, who asked them, "What is wrong with
you?" They said, "A barrier has been placed between us and
the news of heaven. And fire has been thrown at us." They
said, "The thing which has put a barrier between you and the
news of heaven must be something which has happened
recently. Go eastward and westward and see what has put a
barrier between you and the news of heaven."

Those who went towards Tuhama came across the Prophet at a

place called Nakhla and it was on the way to Suq 'Ukaz and the
Prophet was offering the Fajr prayer with his companions.
When they heard the Qur'an they listened to it and said, "By
Allah, this is the thing which has put a barrier between us and
the news of heaven." They went to their people and said, "O
our people; verily we have heard a wonderful recital (Qur'an)
which shows the true path; we believed in it and would not
ascribe partners to our Lord." Allah revealed the following
verses to his Prophet (Sura 'Jinn') (72): "Say: It has been
revealed to me." And what was revealed to him was the
conversation of the Jinns.26

The Ayahs and Ahadith above, prove at least 2 things we are

concerned with; a) the existence of the Jinn as a separate, created
entity and b) the fact that they also know nothing of al Ghaib save
what Allah (swt) allows them to grab from the heavens.

Horoscopes & Astrology

The futile study of heavenly bodies to learn what influence they may
have on human life is called astrology. Ancient Mesopotamians,
Egyptians, and Greeks studied the regular movements they saw in
the sky.

26 Sahih Bukhari 1.740

1
 An individual's astrological horoscope – that is, the natal, or birth, chart – is
determined by the position of all the planets at the exact moment of birth.
Astrologers divide the year into 12 equal sections, called the zodiac, which
originally corresponded to 12 constellations lying in a great belt around the
heavens (see Constellation). This scheme was based on the notion that the sun
passes through the 12 constellations of the zodiac during the course of a year.
Each constellation was regarded as the house of a particular planet, though
some planets ruled more than one constellation. Each planet was believed to
have either a strong or a weak influence on a person's life, depending on its
position in the heavens. Each of the 12 signs of the zodiac was also believed to
have a relation to parts of the human body and to the four classical Greek
elements – earth, air, fire, and water. Greek astrologers associated feminine or
masculine traits with each birth sign.

The divisions of the zodiac are called signs because ancient astrologers assigned
descriptive names, mostly of animals, to various constellations and devised
abstract symbols to fit these names. The position of the sun in one of these 12
constellations at the moment of birth determines an individual's sun sign. 27

If one believes in the predictions of horoscopes, whether spoken by

an astrologer or written in books of astrology, he falls directly into
kufr (disbelief).

We have decorated the heaven of this world with lamps

and We made them as missiles for pelting the shaitans
and thus prepared for them the scourge of flames.

Mulk 67.6

the Messenger of Allah B stated:

'Whoever approaches an oracle or fortune-teller and believes in

what he says, he has nothing to do with what has been sent
down to Muhammad.'28

This means whomsoever believes in fortune-telling has fallen into

disbelief. Dear brothers and sisters, the road to kufr is more
accessible than the one true path of Hidayah (guidance). This is
further proven by the narration of Abu Hurairah:

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, He who comes to

a menstruating woman, or to a woman from her backside (for

27 Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia 98.

28 Sunan Abu Dawood Book 29, Number 3895 – as quoted in Al-Hidaayah Publication.
3
 sexual intercourse), or to a kahin (soothsayer), he disbelieved
that which was revealed to Muhammad.
Tirmidhi 194. In Ibn Majah and
Darimi's version it says: ...Kahin, believing what he says, he committed Kufr.29

Like the Westerners, our local newspapers carry sections on

horoscopes. Knowing your Gregorian birth date, you are supposed
to lookup predictions for your specific birthday that fall into
categories such as Sagittarius, Pisces, etc. Some may think this
harmless and a mere pass time as long as you do not actually
believe in what you read. To those I say consider the following
Hadith narrated Safiyyah:

Safiyyah reported from some of the wives of Allah's Apostle

(peace be upon him) that Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him)
said: He who visits a diviner (Arraf) and asks him about
anything, his prayers extending to forty nights will not be
accepted.30

We have already established that it is haram to believe in the

sayings of soothsayers and their like. The key in the above Hadith is
“He who visits a diviner and asks him about anything…” and it does
not require that you believe what he says before your prayers are
not accepted for forty nights. They are vitiated for merely asking
him something to foretell.

The use of items like key chains and teacups that carry signs of the
Zodiac should also be avoided by Muslims. One should not
associate himself with things that clearly proclaim their origins of
kufr. There is no such thing as “harmless” shirk. Anything or
anyone that leads to associating Allah (swt) with his creations
should be rejected. Allah (swt) knows best.

Charms & Amulets

Difficult times it seems have begotten a slew of ways to shirk.

Charms for various worldly luxuries and needs are sold to unwary,
ignorant Muslims. These requirements are always worldly; we pay
so much attention to the attainment of pleasure in this world that it
sometimes leads us to shirk. Allah (swt), Most Exalted warns:

29 Fiqh-us-Sunnah.
30 Sahih Muslim, 1041.
4
 Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet:
women and sons; heaped-up hoards of gold and silver;
horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth
of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions
of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best
of the goals (to return to).
Surah Al-i-Imran, 14

And know that your worldly goods and your children are
but a trial and a temptation, and that with Allah there is
a tremendous reward.
Surah Anfal, 28

Asad comments on the above Ayah:

Inasmuch as love of worldly goods and a desire to protect one’s family may
lead a person to transgression (and, thus, to a betrayal of the moral values
postulated in Allah’s message), they are described as fitnah – which, in this
context, is best rendered by the words “trial and temptation”. This reminder
connects with verse (Al Anfal 25), “beware of that temptation to evil which
does not befall only those who are bent on denying the truth,” since it is
acquisitiveness and a desire to confer benefits on one’s family which often
tempt an otherwise good person to offend against the rights of his fellow-men.
It is to be borne in mind that, contrary to the New Testament, the Qur’an does
not postulate a contempt for worldly attachments as apre-requisite of
righteousness: it only demands of man that he should not allow these
attachments to deflect him from the pursuit of moral verities.31

With total disregard for these Ayahs, many Muslims resort to what
they consider a mubah (allowed) tradition, of seeking out charms
and methods of gaining the favour of their husbands, employers, etc
by magical or supernatural means. This is haram.

31 The Message of the Qur'an, Muhammad Asad.

2
Some unfortunate and misguided individuals forget that it is Allah
(swt) that places them in positions of importance like governors,
ministers and chief executives and thus expend money, time and
effort seeking kufr ways of maintaining their coveted positions.
They forget Allah Subhanahu wa Ta 'Ala’s warning and counsel that
the world is but a trial and temptation.

The use of amulets and charms with the excuse that “it is for a good
cause” is also prohibited.

It is reported from Ibn Mas'ud that "once, when he entered his

home, he noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her
neck. He took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The
family of 'Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now
associate with Allah those for whom He has sent down no
authority.' Then, he added: 'I have heard the Messenger of
Allah, peace be upon him, saying: 'Verily, incantations,
amulets, and love charms are acts of shirk (associating false
gods with Allah).' The people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are
familiar with incantations and amulets, but what is a love
charm (altawlah)?' He replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula
by which women sought to gain their husbands' love'."
(Related by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban, and both consider it a sahih hadith.)32

There are women that go from house to house, selling soaps, local
perfumes and other paraphernalia. It is within these items that you
find charms & amulets sold to wives with audacity. Several items
will come with instructions as to time of application, concealment of
charms in victims vicinity, incantations of doubtful origin and so on.
These all fall into the category we have already mentioned: the most
heinous of sins, i.e. shirk. So husbands beware! For Allah, Most
Merciful has rendered the responsibility of wives and children
squarely on your shoulders, and surely you will account for them:

Allah's Apostle said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is

responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over
people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a
guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is
a guardian of her husband's house and children and is
responsible for them; a slave ('Abu) is a guardian of his
master's property and is responsible for it; so all of you are
guardians and are responsible for your charges."33
32 Fiqh-us-Sunnah.
33 Bukhari 3.730.
4
Do you pray the five fard (obligatory) prayers in mosques but you
remain unaware of whether your wife has observed hers at home?
Do you relate to your wife what you have been taught in the
mosque? Are you afraid of your wife’s anger if you are to correct
her mistakes? My advice: Be afraid of Allah’s (swt) very real
punishment and not the stern stare of your wife.

Abdullah narrated:

I asked Allah's Apostle "What is the biggest sin in the sight of

Allah?" He said, "To set up rivals unto Allah though He alone
created you." I said, "In fact, that is a tremendous sin," and
added, "What next?" He said, "To kill your son being afraid that
he may share your food with you." I further asked, "What
next?" He said, "To commit illegal sexual intercourse with the
wife of your neighbour."34

It will not be fair to categorize all the activities of people that sell
local medication as haram; some items, like herbs that aid in normal
medical treatments are allowed in Islam, as long as they are not
associated with anything that fall into the categories of shirk.
Though it is crucial to consider the Prophet’s B Hadith narrated by
An Numan bin Bashir:

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'Both legal and illegal things are
evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious)
things and most of the people have no knowledge about them.
So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves
his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these
suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals)
near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any
moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king
has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is His illegal
(forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body
if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good
but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the
heart. 35

34 Sahih Bukhari 9.611.

35 Sahih Bukhari 1.49.
5
Qadr: Allah (swt)’s Divine Decree

Qadr, or Divine Decree of Allah (swt), is a subject that has been interpreted by many
in various ways. We shall continue to try to stay with evidence from Qur’an and
Sunnah.

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: The first thing which Allah created was
the Pen. He commanded it to write. It asked: What should I write? He said: Write the
Decree (al-Qadr). So it wrote what had happened and what was going to happen up to
eternity. 36

The first principle which Islam lays down in regard to Taqdir (derived from Qadr,
Divine Decree/Destiny) is that man is neither completely the master of his fate nor is
he bound to the blind law of predestination. So far as the sovereignty of Allah's Will is
concerned, it is all-pervading and nothing falls outside its orbit. Not even a leaf,
therefore, stirs without His Will:

For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created
being’s perception: none knows them but He. And He knows all that is on land
and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain
in the earth’s deep darkness, nor anything living or dead, but is recorded in
[His] clear decree.
Suratul An’am Ayah 59

Ibn Taimiyah says about Al Qadr:

If they were truly rightly guided they would know that we have been commanded to
be contented with Al-Qadr (the Measure of Allah) and be patient with its injunction
only in the calamities which afflict us such as poverty, sickness, and fear. Allah
Ta'aala said:
No calamity can occur but with the leave of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah,
He guides his heart (aright). [At-Taghaabun:11]
Some of the righteous predecessors said about this: "It is the man who was afflicted
with a calamity, but he knows it is from Allah (AWJ) and therefore contentedly
accepted it."
Allah Ta'aala said:
No misfortune can happen on earth or in yourselves but it is recorded in a Scripture
before We bring it forth into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. In order that you
may not be sad over matters that you fail to get, nor rejoice because of that which has
been given to you. [Al-Hadeed:22-23] 37

His mighty grasp is, therefore, over everything. The Almighty Lord, Who has created
everything and has determined its nature and course, has in His infinite wisdom and
mercy conferred upon man a limited autonomy according to which a man is free to do
or not to do a certain thing. It is because of this autonomy enjoyed by man that he is
36 Transmitted by Ahmad and Tirmidhi, also in Al – Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah by Ibn Taimiyah.
37 Al Uboodiyyah, Ibn Taimiyyah.
6
held accountable for his deeds. The concept of human responsibility and that of his
answerability for his deeds and misdeeds becomes meaningless if he is supposed to be
deprived of this autonomy. There are a large number of verses in the Holy Qur'an
which make a pointed reference to the autonomy conferred upon man.

Man shall have nothing but that what he strives for (liii. 39).
Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (viii.
53; xiii. 11).
Those who strive in His path, are guided in the right path, while those who persist in
denial and sinful living have their hearts sealed against faith (ii. 7, 26; iv. 155; v;. i.
102).
Allah does not compel belief and leaves the people free to believe or disbelieve (vi.
35, 150; xvi-. 9).
Whoever has done an atom's weight of good shall meet with its reward and whoever
has done an atom's weight of evil shall meet with its consequences (xcix. 7-8).

Ali (ra) reported: We were in a funeral in the graveyard of Gharqad that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to us and we sat around him. He had
a stick with him. He lowered his head and began to scratch the earth with his
stick, and then said: There is not one amongst you whom a seat in Paradise or
Hell has not been allotted and about whom it has not been written down
whether he would be an evil person or a blessed person. A person said: Allah's
Messenger, should we not then depend upon our destiny and abandon our
deeds? Thereupon he said: Acts of everyone will be facilitated in, that which
has been created for him so that whoever belongs to the company of the blessed
will have good works made easier for him and whoever belongs to the
unfortunate ones will have evil acts made easier for him. He then recited this
verse (from the Qur'an):" Then, who gives to the needy and guards against evil
and accepts the excellent (the truth of Islam and the path of righteousness it
prescribes), We shall make easy for him the easy end and who is miserly and
considers himself above need, We shall make easy for him the difficult end".
(Suratul – al-Lail, 5-10).38

It is narrated on the authority of Yahya ibn Ya'mar that the first man who
discussed Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basrah was Ma'bad al-Juhani. Humayd ibn
AbdurRahman al-Himyari and I set out for Pilgrimage or for Umrah and said:
Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we shall ask him about what is
talked about Taqdir (Division Decree).

Accidentally we came across Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, while he was
entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us (stood)
on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would
authorize me to speak. I therefore said: AbuAbdurRahman! There have
appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue
38 Sahih Muslim, Kitab ul Qadr (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/smtintro.html)
2
 knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such
people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not
predestined.

He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: When you happen to meet such people tell them
that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And
verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief). Abdullah ibn Umar swore
by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the
Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and
then spent it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed
his faith in Divine Decree. He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab,
told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (peace be
upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes,
his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None
amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Apostle (peace be upon him)
He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: “Muhammad,
inform me about al-Islam.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Al-Islam implies that you
testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of
Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and
perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the
expense of) the journey. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He
(Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and
then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about
Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah,
in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you
affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer)
said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about al-
Ihsan (performance of good deeds). He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you
worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He,
verily, sees you. He (the enquirer) again said: Inform me about the hour (of the
Doom). He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: One who is asked knows no more
than the one who is inquiring (about it). He (the inquirer) said: Tell me some of
its indications. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl will give birth to
her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds
vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings. He (the
narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but
I stayed with him (the Holy Prophet) for a long while. He then, said to me:
Umar, do you know who this inquirer was? I replied: Allah and His Apostle
knows best. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He was Gabriel (the angel). He
came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion.39

The Hadith informs us that one’s Iman is not complete until he believes in six things
as outlined and which include belief in Qadr (Destiny/Divine Decree). We have to
understand that voicing out belief in something is negated by acting out it’s opposite.
39 Sahih Muslim, 1218.
3
For instance, one does not believe in Qadr if he tries to change its outcome by visiting
a fortune-teller.

4
Du’a: The Solution to the Unknown

It is man’s character to fear the unknown; countless accounts of

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and alien abduction abound,
movies have made millions of dollars portraying attack by such alien
forces. Equally, and usually the cause of such sightings and
experiences, the jinn – unseen, powerful and mysterious, play a
major role in folklore and the horror stories genre. Our fascination
and awe of the jinn often leads the gullible to false solutions like
fortune-tellers and the accompanying horoscopes.

Allah (swt) did not leave us with a paucity of methods for asking for
His protection, provision and guidance. This is provided through the
Qur'an al Karim and explained and practiced by the Prophet of Islam
B in his Sunnah. Allah (swt) declares:

And if My servants ask thee about Me – behold, I am

near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he
calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and
believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way.
Surah Baqarah, 186

Say: “Invoke God, or invoke the most Gracious: by

whichever name you invoke Him, [He is always the One-
for] His are all the attributes of perfection.” And [pray
unto Him; yet] be not too loud in thy prayer nor speak it
in too low voice, but follow a way in-between;
Surah Al Israa, 110

Allah’s Messenger B advised his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas to rely

on Allah (swt) alone. Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) relates it to us:

Once I was riding (on an animal) behind the Prophet (peace be

upon him) when he said:
Boy, I would like to teach you something. Be careful and follow
Allah's commands perseveringly. Allah will protect you. You
should safeguard His rights, and you will always find Him with
you; if you need something, ask Allah, and when you need
help, solicit Allah alone for the same. Bear it in mind that if all
the people combined together to grant you some benefit, they
would not be able to do so except that which Allah has
determined for you and that if all of them were combined
together to do you harm, they would not be able to do so
5
 except that which Allah has determined for you. The pens have
been set aside and the writings of the book of fate have
become dry. 40

The significance of this Hadith touches on a number of the issues previously

discussed; reliance on Allah (swt) alone, no one else can determine good or bad for
you and finally, Qadr is mentioned: “The pens have been set aside and the writings of
the book of fate have become dry.” Man or jinn cannot modify what Allah (swt) has
decreed for him or for anyone else.

Du’a is answered by Allah in three forms:

Yahya related to me from Malik that Zayd ibn Aslam used to

say, "No-one makes a dua without one of three things
happening. Either it is answered, or it is stored up for him, or
wrong actions are atoned for by it."41

Conditions for Acceptance of Du’a

Allah (swt) has set conditions for His acceptance of the du’a
(supplication) of his servants:42

Sincerity in supplication

Supplicate only to Allah (swt), through no intermediary, neither man,

jinn or angel.

Eating lawful (halal) food

Allah (swt) commands in the Qur'an:

O you apostles! Partake of the good (pure) things of

life, and do righteous deeds: verily, I have full
knowledge of all that you do.
Surah Al Muminun, 51

“Partake of the good” means only the halal or lawful things, as

clarified by the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah:

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: O people, Allah is

Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good. And
Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the
Messengers by saying: "O Messengers, eat of the good things,
40 Tirmidhi.
41 Al Muwatta Malik, 15.36.
42 Du’a, the Shield of a Believer, Salamah M. Abul-Kamal.
2
 and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do" (23.51)
And He said: 'O those who believe, eat of the good things that
We gave you" (2.172). He then made a mention of a person
who travels widely, his hair dishevelled and covered with dust.
He lifts his hand towards the sky (and thus makes the
supplication): "O Lord, O Lord," whereas his diet is unlawful, his
drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful and his
nourishment is unlawful. How can then his supplication be
accepted?43

Trusting (Yaqeen) that Allah (swt) will answer your supplication.

A necessary component of Iman is putting ones trust in Allah (swt).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu

Ubayd, the mawla of Ibn Azhar, from Abu Hurayra that the
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said, "You will be answered as long as you are not impatient
and say, 'I have made a dua and I have not been answered .'
"44

Not breaking blood ties

Many ignore this important point. The Prophet B informs us in

numerous Ahadith that Allah (swt) does not accept the supplication
of one who breaks ties with his blood relations. We shall give one
example:

Ahmad records that Abu Sa'id reported that the Prophet, peace
be upon him, said, "Any Muslim who makes a supplication
containing nothing that is sinful and nothing that involves
breaking ties of blood relationships, will be given for it by Allah
one of these three things: He may accept his request, or assign
its reward for him in the next world, or turn away from him an
equivalent amount of evil." Those who heard it said, "We
would, then, make many supplications." The Prophet, peace be
upon him, replied, "Allah is more than ready to answer what
you ask."45

Most of the other conditions are covered in this single Hadith.

Supplicate for something good

43 Saheeh Muslim, no. 500.

44 Muwatta Malik.
45 Fiqh-us-Sunnah.
2
Do not ask Allah (swt) for something that is haram; for instance
asking Allah (swt) for the ability to steal. Refer to the above Hadith.

Do not be impatient

Do not be in a haste for Allah (swt)’s resolution of a matter. Refer to

the Hadith regarding trusting in Allah (swt) above.

Du’a -al-Istikhara

Allah (swt), has not left us to our own designs, which will always fall
either short or be completely off-course – which is usually the case.
Through our beloved Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, the Almighty bestowed du’a al-Istikhara for our
requirements concerning choices of the unknown. Choices ranging
from marriage partners to jobs fall into the domain for performing al-
Istikhara. Since only Allah (swt) knows what is best for us, it is only
natural to pray to Him for the right choice in matters of selection.
Matters for what we usually become anxious and desirous for there
resolution are usually of al Ghaib substance.

Qatadah said:

"Every people who seek the pleasure of Allah and consult with one another are
guided to the best course in their affairs."

Ibn Taimiyyah said, "He who seeks guidance from the Creator and consults the
creatures (other people) will never regret it."46

Visiting a fortune-teller vitiates our good deeds and is an exercise

not in futility alone but in a matter even worse: an exercise that
leads to Hell Fire.

We must draw a distinction between saheeh (authentic) Istikhara

and others practiced mostly by the same deceptive fortune-tellers,
which are fabrications. No evidence for the various types of
Istikhara they perform exists and as such this nullifies any claim for
its recognition. May Allah (swt) guide us away from darkness, into
the light of knowledge and Jannatul Firdaus.

46 Fiqh-us-Sunnah.
3
Al-Istikhara is a most comprehensive du’a as narrated by Jabir bin
Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah used to teach the Sahaba as
he taught them the Ayahs of the Qur’an47. Please note the
association of Istikhara and the Qur’an in this Hadith. This shows
the importance the Messenger of Allah (swt) attaches to Du’a-Il-
Istikhara.

The author of Fiqh -us-Sunnah elaborates further on this most vital

Du’a:

It is a Sunnah that, if one must choose between permissible alternatives, one

may pray two non-obligatory rak'at, even if they are of the regular Sunnah
prayers or a prayer for entering the mosque, and so on, during any time of the
day or night, and to recite therein whatever one wishes of the Qur'an after
reciting al-Fatihah. Then one praises Allah and sends salutations to the Prophet
sallallahu alaihi wasallam and recites the following supplication which has been
recorded by al-Bukhari in Jabir's narration:

“The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam would teach us al-

istikhara for all of our affairs as he would teach us a surah from
the Qur'an.”

He said: 'If one of you is deliberating over an act, he should pray two non-
obligatory rak'at and say:

"O Allah, I consult You as You are All-Knowing and I appeal to You to give
me power as You are Omnipotent, I ask You for Your great favour, for You
have power and I do not, and You know all of the hidden matters. O Allah! If
you know that this matter (then he should mention it) is good for me in my
religion, my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: 'for my
present and future life,') then make it (easy) for me. And if you know that this
matter is not good for me in my religion, my livelihood and my life in the
Hereafter, (or he said: 'for my present and future life,') then keep it away from
me and take me away from it and choose what is good for me wherever it is and
please me with it."

There is nothing authentic concerning something specific that is to be recited in

the prayer nor is there any authentic report concerning how many times one
should repeat it.

An-Nawawi holds that "after performing the istikharah, a person must do what
he is wholeheartedly inclined to do and feels good about doing and should not
insist on doing what he had desired to do before making the istikharah. And if
his feelings change, he should leave what he had intended to do, otherwise he is
not completely leaving the choice to Allah, and would not be honest in seeking
47 Sahih Bukhari 2.263.
3
 aid from Allah's power and knowledge. Sincerity in seeking Allah's choice,
means that one should completely leave what he himself had desired or
determined.”48

Al-Istikhara

If one desires something, let him seek it from Allah, ArRahmaanir-

Raheem. Anas reports that the most frequent invocation of the
Messenger of Allah (swt) is part of Ayah 201 in Suratul Baqarah:

48 Fiqh-us-Sunnah
4
In Bukhari’s words, Anas relates:

The most frequent invocation of The Prophet was: "O Allah!

Give to us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter
that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire."49

This invocation eclipses any supplication by anyone else besides the

Messenger of Allah (swt). It encompasses both an appeal for what is
best in this world and the Hereafter. What more does any person of
Iman want? We should take heed not to belong to the group Allah
(swt) warns us about in the Ayah immediately preceding this one,
who only seek the best in this world and ignore the Final Abode
(Suratul Baqarah Ayah 200).

49 Sahih Bukhari 8.398

2
Conclusion : The Purpose of Man’s Creation

The Qur’an informs us that the Almighty did not put us on earth as
mere sport – we are here for a purpose: to worship Him.

○ Did you, then, think that We created you in mere idle

play, and that you would not have to return to Us?

○ Know, then. [that] Allah is sublimely exalted. The

Ultimate Sovereign, the Ultimate Truth: there is no
deity save Him, the Sustainer, in bountiful
almightiness enthroned!

○ Hence, he who invokes, side by side with Allah, any

other deity [- a deity] for whose existence he has no
evidence – shall but find his reckoning with his
Sustainer: [and,] verily, such deniers of the truth will
never attain to a happy state!

Surah Muminoon, 115 – 117

4
We are not put on earth for entertaining Allah (swt), He has no need
for being entertained. Note the word need. To connote need by
Allah (swt) is to suggest a deficiency on His part, may He protect us
from this unwholesome thought!

○ And (know that) We have not created the heavens

and the earth and all that is between them in mere
idle play:
○ (for,) had We willed to indulge in a pastime, We would
indeed have produced if from within Ourselves-if such
had been Our will at all!
Surah Anbiya, 16-17

Know that those that attribute the opposite to the declarations in the
Ayahs above are the disbelievers as mentioned in Surah Sad:

We have not created the heaven and the earth and all
that lies between them in vain. That is the fancy of the
unbelievers. Such disbelievers should be aware of the
hellfire.
Surah Sad, 27

Temporal World

Another perspective is drawn to our attention about this world in

comparison to the Hereafter through this ayah:

The life of this world is nothing but pastime and play! It

is the life of the hereafter that is the true life: if they
but knew it.
Surah Ankabut, 64

Furthermore, we are again reminded of the exclusivity of Al Ghaib to Allah (swt) in

conjunction with the fleeting nature of this world:

Allah Alone has knowledge of the unseen things of the

Heavens and the Earth. As for the taking place of the
Hour of Judgement, it will be like a twinkling of an eye
or even quicker: surely Allah has power over everything.
Surah Nahl, 77

Yusuf Ali comments on this Ayah saying:

3
 “Lures of this world and its fleeting pleasures often make man forget that the
life hereafter is an imminent reality. Many of those who claim to believe in the
life to come act and behave as if it belonged to a distant future, and had no
relevance to their present activities and mode of living. The Qur’an repeatedly
reminds man that the Hour of Reckoning is not a distant possibility, but very
close to man, and could come to pass any moment. The wisest course for man,
therefore, is to be always alert and watchful and steer clear of all forms of sin
and impiety, for when the Promised Hour comes it will come all of a sudden
and without any prior notice.”50

For those that had previously believed in fortune-telling, astrology

and horoscopes, one should pray for Allah’s (swt) forgiveness. Allah
(swt) has declared that the only unforgivable offence is to die a
mushrik (one who associates Allah [swt] with His creations).

○ And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a

garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared
for the righteous
○ Who spend [in the cause of Allah ] during ease and
hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the
people - and Allah loves the doers of good;

50 Yusuf Ali.
2
 ○ And those who, when they commit an immorality or
wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah
and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can
forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist
in what they have done while they know.
○ Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord
and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise],
wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the
reward of the [righteous] workers.51
Surah Ali Imran, 133-136

In conclusion, one should avoid anyone that claims the ability to see
into the future, or the past. Avoid those that claim ability to know of
things that are otherwise naturally hidden from them that is without
any scientific or other proven method. For example if someone in
New York declares: “your brother is having tea while reading the
evening paper in his pyjamas, in London right now” without recourse
to a telephone or any tangible evidence of similar facility for
communicating over such large distances, then that should not be
accepted, even if it turns out to be true. Al-Ghaib is Allah’s (swt)
reserve.

We will all be judged by Almighty Allah, in accordance with His

commandments contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah. If we pay
heed to His (swt) warnings we benefit none but ourselves. If we
ignore the counsel of His last Prophet and Messenger B, we wrong
none but ourselves.

Neither Prophet Muhammad B or all the other prophets and

messengers of Allah before him claimed the knowledge of Ilmul
Ghaib. And since there is none else that is elevated to their blessed
ranks, it is folly for anyone to claim this knowledge.

May Allah (SWT) guide us away from hellfire towards his mercy and
Jannah.

51 Saheeh International.
1
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