Divination

DIVINATION. Kahanah, or for-telling future events, is unlawful in Islam. Mu’awiyah ibn Hakim relates: “I said to the Prophet, ‘O Messenger of God, we used to do some things in the time of ignorance of which we are not sure now. For example, we sued to consult diviners about future events?’ The Prophet said, ‘Now that you have embraced Islam you must not consult them.’ Then I said, ‘And we used to take bad omens?’ The Prophet said, ‘If from a bad omen you are thrown into perplexity, let it not hinder you from doing the work you had intended to do.’ Then I said, ‘And we used to draw lines on the ground?’ And the Prophet said, ‘There was one of the Prophets who used to draw lines on the ground, therefore if you can draw a line like him it is good, otherwise it is vain.'”
‘Ayishah says “the people asked the Prophet about diviners, whether they spoke true or not. And he said, ‘You must not believe anything they say.’ The people then said, ‘But O Prophet! They sometimes tell what is true?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Because one of the genii steals away the truth and carries it into the diviner’s ear; and the diviners mix a hundred lies with one truth.'” [MAGIC.]

Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam