Astrology and Islam

Regarding the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “When the stars are mentioned, withhold…”

The stars have three purposes (as mentioned below), whoever goes further than that, he is moving towards one of the branches of Kufr, i.e. magic and fortune-telling.

So withhold from learning about the stars except that which they are created for.

Abu Qataadah mentioning Allaah’s statement:

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ

"And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayaateen (devils), and have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire." [Surah al-Mulk (67): 5]

Abu Qataadah said: “The creation of these stars is for three purposes, and they are:

1) as decoration of the nearest heaven;

2) as missiles to hit the devils;

3) as signs to guide travellers.

So, if anybody tries to find a different interpretation, he is mistaken and just wastes his efforts and troubles himself with what is beyond his limited knowledge.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Book (59): The Beginning of Creation. Chapter (3): About the Stars]


وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

"It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, Revelations, etc.) for people who know." [Surah al-An`aam (6): 97]

Narrated Zaid bin Khaalid رضي الله عنه: We went out with Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم in the year of Al-Hudaibiyah. One night it rained and Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم led us in the Fajr prayer and (after finishing it), turned to us and said: “Do you know what your Lord has said?”

We replied: Allaah and His Apostle know it better. He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah said: (Some of) My slaves got up believing in Me, And (some of them) disbelieving in Me. The one who said: We have been given Rain through Allaah's Mercy and Allaah’s Blessing and Allaah’s Bounty, then he is a believer in Me, and is a disbeliever in the star. And whoever said: We have been given rain because of such and- such star, then he is a believer in the star, and is a disbeliever in Me.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (846, 1038, 4147, 7503) and Saheeh Muslim (132, 133, 134, 135,)]

Narrated `Abdullaah ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “If anyone acquires any knowledge of the stars (i.e. astrology), he acquires a branch of magic; the more he learns (about astrology) the more he learns (the magic).”

[Sunan Ibn Maajah (3726) and Sunan Abu Dawood (3905) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]