Fortune telling comes from the wish to learn about
the future as the future is important for the people.
However, the future is closed for
us (it is not possible for us to learn about the
future).
As a matter of
fact, we do not know what is going to happen
tomorrow, let alone know about the future.
Throughout history, in the social life of every
culture fortune telling always had a special place.
However, it is not a subject to be dealt with
continuously, yet the human being does not give up
his love for fortune telling.
There are people who make a career in fortune
telling, who earn their living in this way and
somehow they haven
given some information about the
future too.
In Islamic countries the verses, the hadiths, the
logic of science, philosophy and the method has
excommunicated the sickness named as fortune telling
right from the start.
The reason is that in fortune
telling most of the subjects that are told are not
true and they are made up.
In
general, the information is obtained from the jinn.
Among those the information that can be considered
as angelic is so few that we can say that almost no
information is obtained.
The
ancient greeks named fortune telling as
‘’mantis’’ and its plural form is ‘’manties’’.
Fortune telling is based on the human being’s
ability to foresee and define the things. Estimations
are not within the scope of this explanation.
However, in any case it is impossible for the
individual to foresee, perceive/ know the future
unless he sets himself free from the domination of
the physical body (considering himself
only as a physical body).
When the religious orders and the prohibitions are
taken into consideration, then it wouldn’t be right
to consider fortune telling as a need, because it
is forbidden by the religion.
Religion declares to the believers that under
normal conditions it is not possible to foresee the
future, dreaming about doing
this is useless
and
if we do not give up doing this contrary to the
expectations some other beings may interfere and in
the end there will be difficulties.
There are different kinds of fortune telling. I find
it unnecessary to write about them even as a
document (to give any information about
them). Moreover, these are not within my
field of interest. Those who have established
strong bonds with the fortune tellers and who
depend on the words that will come out of their
mouths are doing a very bad thing for Islam
itself which is being lived naturally and which
enables them to stay out of problems in their daily
life .
Even the scientists are saying ‘’This is such an
age that the technology has advanced very much and
science continues to be successful, therefore the
need for fortune telling or to put it more correctly
the need to know and control the future by
means of fortune telling seems very silly.’’
In spite of the fact that the scientists are saying
so, today, fortune telling is still very popular
especially among the members of the high society.
When we come to the comparison of fortune
telling with astrology, we can easily say that
these two are not the same at all. The reason is
that the science of astrology reflects the
universality and sheds light to us by concrete
data. However, there isn’t any system in fortune
telling or magic. Yet, fortune telling and
astrology are placed on the same side of the scale.
In summary, fortune telling (magic) and astrology
are not the same. Astrology, is determining/finding
out/pointing out the existence of the universal
programming.
In
my opinion, the reason which lies beneath denying
this science is that the rituals are not in harmony
with the program of existence of the individuals.
Those who say ‘’Astrology is out of Islam’’(astrology
is not within the principals of Islam),
refer to the superstitions most of the time in
order to prove their claims and the most strange
thing is that they make use of them. Perhaps, they
are reacting (to astrology) in order to
avoid the insufficiency of their beliefs to come
out into the open. I cannot know the reason why. Perhaps,
regarding the contents of belief they are placing
importance to many other things.
There is no doubt that there can be many Muslims who
do not care for and who do not want to make use of
the science of the stars in spite of all the
things that are being told. However, even the
person who is writing these lines, although he is
not a man of complete belief, can think and
say openly that being close to the science
of the stars-astrology should not create a serious
pessimism.
Therefore, even if this person thinks and says so,
then there are many factors for the true believers
not to become worried.
As
it is just the appropriate place, I would like to
share with you a hadith regarding astrology that has
been keeping my mind busy since many years. In
this way, I believe that it is necessary to say
openly the striking truth which I have emphasized
a few times, but hesitated to analyse.
Hz.Ibni Abbas radýyallahu anhüma narrates ‘’Hz.
Rasul of Allah declared ‘Whoever takes a branch from
the science of stars beyond what Allah has declared
has taken a branch from magic. The fortune teller
is a soothsayer (diviner) and a soothsayer is a
magician and the magician is an
unbeliever.’’
While we are spending much effort in order to live
with the honest and the believable facts, we must be
very sensitive in the first place about the
statements of our Rasul (s.a.v) and the
things that he wants to tell us. Thinking the
opposite will not be appropriate and take one to
kufr (disbelief, rejection of faith, covering up
the truth).
In
short, all kinds of developments that will enter the
zone of inconfidence will put forth results that
will be very hard to correct in the future. We have
no doubt that our esteemed Rasul will shape up the
subjects for us in a very meaningful way. Without
doubt, the protection of the universe, the humankind
and the jinn are present in his words. Let us first
agree on this point.
Now,
let us sit down and talk and analyse this hadith
deeply starting from its visible aspect, then with its
inner meaning and how it has come out. Meanwhile,
there are some cross questions that come to the
minds:-
If,
the science of the stars-sun signs is a branch of the
magic, then would that science be given to the
esteemed Hz.Idris a.s who has lived much before
Hz.Rasul of Allah? Moreover, would a person who
had come as a blessing for the universes say
negative things about a science that have been given
to a nabi?
Leave aside someone like myself with a little
reasoning, even a simple person who can use his
mind should think that it shouldn’t be so. On the
other hand, starting from the companions of
Hz.Rasul who were the beloved servants of Allah as
well as all the great saints and the masters
starting with Hz. Ýbrahim Hakký Erzurumi, Hz.
Ibni Arabi, Hz. Aziz Nesefi to Hz.Abdulkadir Geylani
have been dealing with this science. Would these
esteemed people do this if they were in a position
to oppose the words of our esteemed Rasul s.a.v?
I
also think that one of the 12 imams
Hz.Cafer-i Sadýk and Hz.Ýbni Abbas (r.a)
(the person who has narrated the above hadith)
wouldn’t be attempting to deal with astrology. This
would be out of question.
Would our esteemed Rasul be using words/ statements
for influences that have only astrological
meanings such as ‘’Today, the
earth is on the back of the fish and
on the horn of the ox’’.
Would he be permitting the true
believer to remain cross with his brother for only
three days?
I
would like to give another example:. Kab Ýbni
Malik (r.a) tells ‘’Hz.Rasul of Allah s.a.v
started a journey always on Thursdays and it was
very rare when he started his trip on the other days
apart from Thursday.’’
As
can be understood, our esteemed Rasul has preferred
the most suitable day for a journey. The reason is
that Thursday starts with Jupiter,
therefore it is a more blessed, prosperous
and helping day. Moreover, it makes one light
hearted, gives comfort, optimism,
constructive feelings and ideas, therefore it is
preferred for travelling. On the other hand,
the moon hour also is a very suitable time for
travelling. The reason is that the moon makes one
act quickly and be efficient, so it would be more
reasonable to start a journey at this hour.
Now,
I am addressing those who skip these or pretend not
to see the above mentioned points:- The concept
which is named as ‘’Reading(perceiving) the
System’’ is not so easy. It is hoped that
astrology has not entered the circle of Amentü
because its program is very much loaded. This is
similar to Hz.Moses’ proposal to decrease the number
of the salaat(s) per day which had been stated as
fifty times.
There is no doubt that being fully aware is good.
However, this quality never means to oppose or to
resist.
The
surprising thing is that during the time of the
nabi Hz.Idris and after his death as well
this science has been diluted in some way and it has
diverged from its objective. Therefore, our esteemed
Rasul has found it wrong to spread it all over to
the people. Therefore, he has prohibited this
science. As you can see, in the hadith, there
is a statement which says that accepting the science
of the stars as a kind of magic and not accepting
the principal philosophy based on science can lead
to a great big mistake.
The
subject comes and gets locked up here. I am
repeating that Astrology is not the work of the
people who have accepted life as it is and who are
lazy, lethargic. The ones who are not comfortable,
who have worries and anxieties do not get interested
in astrology. On the contrary, astrology is a
branch of science in which the people who want to
renew themselves continuously and who are full of
fire are interested.
Until today, astrology could not be noticed as it
had been closed and it was accepted as a typical
means of fortune telling, but during our time the
last mujaddid has taken astrology in hand. So,
together with extensive explanations about oneness/wahdat
and thinking that it wouldn’t create any problem
it has been opened up and presented to the people.
Meanwhile, I am not expecting you to ask me an
ignorant question such as ‘’Did the mujaddid have
such a right to do this?’’ However, it is
possible that there can be partial criticisms
regarding this point and I have tried to explain the
reasons above.
It
is an open, clear fact that today the people who are
dealing with astrology are not being criticised.
Now, there is a common point of view which says
with confidence that the science of the stars-the
sun signs is neither fortune telling nor a kind of
magic. Those who approach the matter from this
point can within the framework of existence, first
of all look at astrology and determine its
elongation to universality/angelic structures, then
to oneness and destiny. Therefore, by doing so they
can look forward in a better way as well as
controlling what is behind.
Ýstanbul - 07.02.2008
sufafy@hotmail.com
sufizmveinsan@gmail.com
http://sufizmveinsan.com
