Whoever acquires a branch of the knowledge of astrology acquires a branch of magic, of which he acquires more as long as he continues to do so
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Whoever acquires a branch of the knowledge of astrology acquires a branch of magic, of which he acquires more as long as he continues to do so."
«من اقتبَسَ علْمًا مِنَ النُّجُومِ اقْتبَسَ شُعبَة مِن السِّحرِ، زادَ ما زادَ».
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that if a person acquires knowledge of the stars and planets and uses their movements and entry and exit as guidance for earthly events, like the birth of someone or his demise or illness, or any other future incident, he has thus learned part of magic, and the more he acquires of it, the more magic he learns.
من اقتبسَ: من تعلّم.
شعبة: طائفة وقطعة.
The Hadīth prohibits astrology, which is telling about the future based on the conditions of the stars, for this falls under the claim of knowing the unseen.
The prohibited astrology belongs to the types of sorcery that contradict monotheism. But it is permissible to look at the stars to determine the directions, the Qiblah, or the commencement of seasons and months.
The more a person learns about astrology, the more branches of magic he learns.
There are three benefits from the stars Allah has mentioned in His Book: an adornment for the sky, signs to serve as guidance, and missiles for stoning the devils.
Sunan Abi Dawood (6/ 50) (3905).
Sunan Ibn Mājah (4/ 670) (3726).
Musnad Ahmad (3/ 454) (2000).
More (4)
الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد.
للقرعاوي (ص230).
الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد.
للفوزان (ص206).
Cited in books
2 Books- Rawh wa Rayāhīn Sharh Riyād Al-Sālihīnرياض الصالحين مع فوائد وهدايات - 8“Whoever acquires a branch of the knowledge of astrology learns a branch of sorcery of which he acquires more as long as he continues to do so.”
- The Imān (faith) that Allah has ordained on His servants, based on the noble Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah."Whoever acquires any knowledge of astrology does acquire a branch of magic, of which he gets more as long as he continues to do so."