باب النهي عن إتيان الكهان والمنجمين والعراف وأصحاب الرمل والطوارق بالحصى وبالشعير ونحو ذلك
This chapter forbids turning to soothsayers, fortune-tellers, astrologers, and diviners who claim to reveal the unseen (al-ghayb). The long Arabic title catalogues their many forms: those who read the stars, draw lines in the sand, or scatter pebbles and grain to predict the future. Knowledge of the hidden belongs to Allah alone, so seeking it from these channels strikes at the heart of tawhid and trust in Him.
Notice how the hadith expose the mechanism behind the occasional 'hit': a stolen word of truth wrapped in a hundred lies. The Prophet's guidance is twofold, to refuse these practitioners entirely and to refuse to let omens steer your choices, while still going about your work in reliance on Allah. The warnings are severe, from prayers withheld for forty days to the unlawful earnings of the diviner being placed beside the most shameful gains.
Hadith 1668
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said:
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: سأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أناس عن الكهان، فقال: "ليسوا بشيء" فقالوا: يا رسول الله إنهم يحدثونا أحيانًا بشيء، فيكون حقًا؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "تلك الكلمة من الحق يخطفها الجني. فيقرها في أذن وليه، فيخلطون معها مائة كذبة" ((متفق عليه)). وفي رواية للبخاري عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أنها سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "إن الملائكة تنزل في العَنان -وهو السحاب-. فتذكر الأمر قضي في السماء، فيسترق الشيطان السمع، فيسمعه، فيوحيه إلى الكهان، فيكذبون معها مائة كذبة من عند أنفسهم" قَولُهُ: «فَيَقُرُّهَا» هو بفتح الياء وضم القاف والراء، أي: يُلْقِيها، «والعَنانِ» بفتح العين.
Some people asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about soothsayers. He (ﷺ) said, "They are of no account." Upon this they said to him, "O Messenger of Allah! But they sometimes make true predictions." Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "That is a word pertaining to truth which a jinn snatches (from the angels) and whispers into the ears of his friend (the soothsayers) who will then mix more than a hundred lies with it." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. The narration in Al-Bukhari is: "The angels descend in the clouds and mention matters which has been decreed in heaven; Satan steals a hearing (listens to it stealthily) and communicates it to the soothsayers who tell along with it a hundred lies."
In plain words
Asked about soothsayers, the Prophet dismissed them. When told they sometimes predict truly, he explained the rare true word is a snatched scrap mixed with over a hundred lies. Their accuracy is not worth trusting.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1668 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 158
Hadith 1669
وعن قبيصة بنت أبي عبيد، عن بعض أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، ورضي الله عنها، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "من أتي عرافًا فسأله عن شيء، فصدقه، لم تقبل له صلاة أربعين يومًا" ((رواه مسلم)).
Narrated Safiyyah, daughter of Abu 'Ubaid, on the authority of some of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) who said, "He who goes to one who claims to tell about matters of the Unseen and believes in him, his Salat (prayers) will not be accepted for forty days." [Muslim].
In plain words
A warning that going to one who claims knowledge of the unseen and believing him is so serious that the person's prayers are not accepted for forty days.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1669 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 159
Hadith 1670
Qabisah bin Al-Mukhariq (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن قبيصة بن المخارق رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "العِيافة، والطِّيَرة، والطرق، من الجبت" . ((رواه أبو داود بإسناد حسن)). وقال: «الطَّرْقُ» هُوَ الزَّجْرُ: أيْ زَجْرُ الطَّيْرِ وَهُوَ أنْ يَتَيَمَّنَ أو يَتَشَاءمَ بِطَيَرَانِهِ، فإنْ طَارَ إلَى جِهَةِ اليَمِين، تَيَمَّنَ، وإنْ طَارَ إلَى جِهَةِ اليَسَارِ، تَشَاءمَ. قال أبو داود: «والعِيَافَةُ»: الخَطُّ. قالَ الجَوْهَريُّ في الصِّحَاحِ: الجِبْتُ كَلِمَةٌ تَقَعُ عَلَى الصَّنَمِ وَالكاهِنِ والسَّاحِرِ وَنَحْوِ ذلِكَ.
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "The practice of 'Iyafah, the interpretation of omens from the flight of birds, the practice of divination by drawing lines on the ground and taking evil omens are all practices of Al-Jibt (the idol, the diviner, or sorcerer)." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
Reading omens from birds, drawing lines on the ground to divine the future, and taking evil omens are all named as practices tied to falsehood and idolatry.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1670 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 160
Hadith 1671
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "من اقتبس علمًا من النجوم، اقتبس شعبة من السحر زاد ما زاد" . ((رواه أبو داود بإسناد صحيح))
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who acquires a branch of the knowledge of astrology, learns a branch of magic (of which he acquires more as long as) he continues to do so." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
Learning astrology as a way to foretell the future is described as taking up a branch of magic, growing the more one pursues it.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1671 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 161
Hadith 1672
Mu'awiyah bin Al-Hakam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن معاوية بن الحكم رضي الله عنه قال: قلت يا رسول الله إني حديث عهد بجاهلية، وقد جاء الله تعالى بالإسلام، وإن منا رجالا يأتون الكهان؟ قال: "فلا تأتهم" قلت: ومنا رجال يتطيرون؟ قال: "ذلك شيء يجدونه في صدورهم، فلا يصدهم" قلت: ومنا رجال يخطون؟ قال: "كان نبي من الأنبياء يخط، فمن وافق خطه، فذاك" ((رواه مسلم)).
I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have recently emerged from ignorance and Allah has favoured me with Islam. There are still some men among us who visit the soothsayers to consult them (on matters relating to the future)." He (ﷺ) replied, "Do not visit them." I said: "There are some men who are guided by omens." He replied, "These are the ideas which come up in their minds but you should not be influenced by them (i.e., these things) should not prevent them from pursuing their works." I said: "There are some men who practise divination by drawing lines on the ground." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "There was a Prophet who drew lines, the line which agrees with the line drawn by that Prophet would be correct." [Muslim].
In plain words
A new Muslim asked about visiting soothsayers and following omens; the Prophet told him not to visit them and not to let omens stop him from his work. Trust Allah and carry on.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1672 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 162
Hadith 1673
Abu Mas'ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي مسعود البدري رضي الله عنه قال: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "نهى عن ثمن الكلب، ومهر البغي وحُلوان الكاهن" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited the price of a dog, the earning of an prostitute, and the money given to a soothsayer. [Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The earnings paid to a soothsayer are forbidden, listed alongside other unlawful gains, marking such income as something to avoid.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1673 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 163