Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Only Allah Most High knows the unseen (Ghayb). He (Most High) gives some of this knowledge to Prophets (peace be upon them). It is strictly prohibited for any other people whether they are pious or not to predict the future and to claim knowledge of the unseen. Many classical scholars considered such claims to be Kufr (disbelief). Therefore, no person should attempt to predict future events that are considered to be part of the unseen.
Only Prophets are given knowledge of the unseen
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِنْ رُسُلِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِنْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
And Allah does not reveal the unseen to you, rather Allah selects from his Messengers whomsoever he wills. And if you believe and have Taqwa (piety) then you will have abundant reward. (Surah Ali Imran, 179).
The future is from the Ghayb (unseen). Therefore, Islam does not permit any person who is not a Prophet to claim knowledge of it. This is different to future events that are predicted based on current conditions. For example, the weather can be predicted. This is part of the material sciences.
The prohibition is upon claiming to have spiritual gifts that give one access to the unseen (Ghayb). Here one claims to have special knowledge from Allah Most High that gives him access to the unseen realm (Ghayb). This is tantamount to claiming revelation. As such, it is strictly prohibited.
Claiming knowledge of the unseen
وبالجملة: العلم بالغيب أمر تفرد به الله تعالى، لا سبيل إليه للعباد، الا باعلام منه تعالى، وإلهام بطريق المعجزة أو الكرامة أو ارشاد الى استدلال بالامارات فيما يمكن ذلك فيه. ولهذا ذكر فى الفتاوى أن قول القائل عند رؤية هالة القمر «يكون المطر» مدعيا علم الغيب لا بعلامة: كفر. والله أعلم. (شرح العقائد النسفية)
In general, knowledge of the unseen is unique to Allah Most High. People have no path to it except if He Most High reveals to them through a miracle or Karamah or inspiration to learn something through its signs when that is possible.
It is due to this that he (the author) said in al-Fataawa, that a person looking at the circle around the moon and saying, it is going to rain, claiming thereby knowledge of the unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb) and not pointing to a sign is a Kafir. And Allah Most High Knows Best. (Imam Sa’d al-Deen al-Taftaazaani, Sharh Aqaid al-Nasafiyah).
يَكْفُرُ بِقَوْلِهِ عِنْدَ رُؤْيَةِ الدَّائِرَةِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ حَوْلَ الْقَمَرِ يَكُونُ مَطَرٌ مُدَّعِيًا عِلْمَ الْغَيْبِ كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ الرَّائِقِ. (الفتاوى الهندية)
He will become a Kafir (disbeliever) by saying, it is going to rain when looking at the circle around the moon and claiming thereby knowledge of the unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb). This has been mentioned in al-Bahr. (Fatawaa al-Hindiyah).
وَبِقَوْلِهِ عِنْدَ رُؤْيَةِ الدَّائِرَةِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ حَوْلَ الْقَمَرِ يَكُونُ مَطَرٌ مُدَّعِيًا عِلْمَ الْغَيْبِ. (البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق)
(He will become a Kafir) by saying, when looking at the circle around the moon, it is going to rain. Claiming thereby knowledge of the unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb). (Imam Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Raiq).
As seen in the Nusoos above, the issue with people predicting the future is giving the impression that they have knowledge of the unseen (Ghayb). If giving such an impression is considered Kufr, then explicitly claiming it is worse still.
Such claims are unique to the Prophets of Allah (Most High). Additionally, even the Prophets were incredibly reserved when speaking about such gifts from Allah (Most High). How, then, can so called Shaykhs and mystics be so brazen about such claims?
Does a Wali know the unseen?
In light of the above, it must be highlighted that Sunni Muslims believe in the Karamat of the Awliyaa (miracles of the righteous). However, there are significant differences between that belief and the issue at hand. This has been addressed in numerous answers and videos in the past.
I will highlight two differences here. Firstly, a Karaamah is not a permanent state, rather it occurs incidentally. Whereas people claiming to have ‘the gift’ say that it is always with them and they access it when needed.
Secondly, a Wali will hide his Karaamah whereas these fake Shaykhs broadcast it and attempt to bring people to them. People who behave in such a manner are deemed soothsayers and fortune-tellers, not Awliyaa.
People claiming to know the unseen are misguided
عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ، عَنْ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
(Sayidah) Safiyah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) reported from a wife of Allah’s Apostle ﷺ that Allah’s Apostle ﷺ said, ‘He who visits a clairvoyant (Arraf) and asks him about anything, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights.’ (Muslim, 2230 – 125).
وَفِي الْبَزَّازِيَّةِ: يَكْفُرُ بِادِّعَاءِ عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ وَبِإِتْيَانِ الْكَاهِنِ وَتَصْدِيقِهِ. وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة: يَكْفُرُ بِقَوْلِهِ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ الْمَسْرُوقَاتِ أَوْ أَنَا أُخْبِرُ عَنْ إخْبَارِ الْجِنِّ إيَّايَ اهـ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)
He said in al-Bazaziyyah: one becomes a disbeliever by claiming knowledge of the unseen, and by going to a fortune-teller and believing him. He said in al-Tataarkhaniyah: he becomes a disbeliever by saying I know where stolen items are, or I inform people because the Jinn inform me. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Mukhtaar).
وَمَنْ ادَّعَى الْغَيْبَ لِنَفْسِهِ يَكْفُرْ حَتَّى يُؤْمَرَ بِتَجْدِيدِ النِّكَاحِ. (مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر)
Whoever claims knowledge of the unseen for himself has become Kafir (a disbeliever). Such that he is commanded to renew his Nikah (marriage contract). (Majma al-Anhur).
If it is Kufr to claim Ilm al-Ghayb (knowledge of the unseen) for yourself and it is also Kufr to claim it for others. However, you can claim this for one of the blessed Prophets of Allah (Most High). Unfortunately, there is widespread confusion amongst uneducated Muslims regarding this matter.
Such confused people often visit those who predict the future for them and they are led to believe that these people are righteous Awliyaa. Additionally, these people do not realise that out beloved Prophet ﷺ explicitly prohibited such practices.
Knowledge from the Jinn?
An explanation often provided to people who visit such ‘Shaykhs’ is that they receive knowledge of unseen matters from Jinn. This has been mentioned as a form of Kufr by leading Hanafis scholars. But once again, people do not question permissibility when it is presented to them as part of Islamic spirituality.
(قَوْلُهُ وَبِقَوْلِهِ أَنَا أُخْبِرُ عَنْ إخْبَارِ الْجِنِّ إيَّايَ)
قَالَ فِي الْبَزَّازِيَّةِ لِأَنَّ الْجِنَّ كَالْإِنْسِ لَا تَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنْ {لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ}. (منحة الخالق)
His saying: I inform people because the Jinn inform me. He said in al-Bazaziyyah, the Jinn do not know the unseen. Allah Most High said: If they knew the unseen. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Minhatu al-Khaliq).
Using astrology
Another deceptive explanation provided by people who claim to have access to knowledge of the future is using means that have no religious or scientific basis. For example, the movement of the planets or stars (i.e. astrology). These practices have been repeatedly prohibited by the blessed Prophet ﷺ yet Muslims engage with such people and practices.
فالعلم بالغيب أمر تفرد به سبحانه ولا سبيل للعباد إليه إلا بإعلام منه وإلهام بطريق المعجزة أو الكرامة أو إرشاد إلى الاستدلال بالأمارات فيما يمكن فيه ذلك، ولهذا ذكر في الفتاوى أن قول القائل عند رؤية هالة القمر، أي دائرته يكون مطر: مدعيا علم الغيب لا بعلامة كفر. (منح الروض الأزهر في شرح الفقه الأكبر)
Knowledge of the unseen is unique to Him Most High. People have no path to it except if He Most High reveals to them through a miracle or Karaamah or inspiration to learn something through its signs when that is possible.
It is due to this that he mentioned in al-Fataawa, that a person looking at the circle around the moon and saying, it is going to rain, claiming thereby knowledge of the unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb) and not pointing to a sign is a Kafir. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar).
Conclusion
The issue of predicting the unseen (Ghayb) jeopardises one’s Iman as seen in the evidence and references above. It is an issue that requires repeated clarification. This is because it is an issue that is often promoted by people who have some knowledge of Islam. Further, such an issue is disguised as Islamic spirituality. However, this clearly contradicts Quran, Sunnah, and the classical scholars of Islam.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (22.06.23)
