Is It Disbelief (Kufr) to Sit Near People Watching an Astrology Show?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
If my family member is watching an astrology show at the dining table, I sit there but ignore what the astrologer is saying. I keep in mind that he’s either telling through Jinn or astrological knowledge based on assumptions, etc. Do I become a kafir by sitting there with this intention?
Please consider that I didn’t sit there intentionally, it was Sunday, and everyone sat together for breakfast. I couldn’t go to sit separately.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
One does not become disbeliever (kafir) unless one firmly believes in it. However, if one sits with the intention to take knowledge and findings from it, one will be sinful. If possible, you should speak to your family members about it being sinful and destructive to one’s faith.
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Follow the prophetic guidance about enjoining good and forbidding evil. If one’s advice does not worsen the situation, such as watching the program more or showing disdain for the religion. In such cases, it would be better — or at times obligatory — to remain silent to choose the less harmful of two matters. Of course, one must still hate the wrong in one’s heart.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith.” [Muslim]
Whoever Has Faith in Stars, Disbelieves in Allah
Zayd ibn Khalid reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah said: Among my servants are those who awaken with faith in me and disbelief in me. Whoever said we have been given rain due to the favor and mercy of Allah, he is a believer in me and a disbeliever in the stars. Whoever said we have been given rain due to the rising of this star, he has disbelieved in me and has put his faith in the stars.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Related:
What is the Ruling on Vedic Astrology and their Predictions?
Is It Permissible to Believe In Astrology and Horoscopes?
What Are the Criteria for Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil?
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
