Future is one of the biggest uncertainties for human beings. The fear of the unknown coming is so intense sometimes, that people go to soothsayers to quench their thirst of curiosity. Can future be predicted? There are some thousands of years old religions or cults that totally believe in fortune telling. Some books were found in ancient tombs predicting about future events. The 2012 hoax about eh end of world was the last prediction available in mayan calandre, an age old cult/ religion. But world did not end in 2012. Nothing of this sort happened.
The business of soothsayers has been progressed by the weak beliefs of people not because of the accuracy of information of soothsayers. There is now become a trend even in muslim countries that during bigger and important world events, soothsayers are specially paid to predict the results. For example, in the 2011 fifa football worldcup, there was an octopus baba who would predict about the coming successes. Similarly, in 2011 cricket world cup, there was a parrot baba in india who predicted the success of india. There was a man called mamu in pakistan, who predicted that pakistan will be the world champion similarly a baba in india also predicted the same.
Every year, people visit such fake baba's to know about their year ahead. Do all these babas and animals know the future? The simple answer is, knowledge of future belongs of Allah swt. No one can share even a shred of knowledge HE have. No one can predict the upcoming nor can change it. Then how do these sooth sayers sometimes give the right information? There is a hadith about this;
Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 650:
Mostly, people fall prey for the tricks and lies of the fortune tellers because of the experience of fortune tellers. How? In different societies, the overall concerns about most people are same. For example, in indian subcontinent, marriage, children, job etc. are the main concerns. Now if someone wants help in these matters, fortune tellers know exactly how to trap the person by saying the right words. The earning from this business is not halal. It is said by beloved prophet Muhammad pbuh in the following hadith;
Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 63, Number 258:
The business of soothsayers has been progressed by the weak beliefs of people not because of the accuracy of information of soothsayers. There is now become a trend even in muslim countries that during bigger and important world events, soothsayers are specially paid to predict the results. For example, in the 2011 fifa football worldcup, there was an octopus baba who would predict about the coming successes. Similarly, in 2011 cricket world cup, there was a parrot baba in india who predicted the success of india. There was a man called mamu in pakistan, who predicted that pakistan will be the world champion similarly a baba in india also predicted the same.
Every year, people visit such fake baba's to know about their year ahead. Do all these babas and animals know the future? The simple answer is, knowledge of future belongs of Allah swt. No one can share even a shred of knowledge HE have. No one can predict the upcoming nor can change it. Then how do these sooth sayers sometimes give the right information? There is a hadith about this;
Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 650:
Narrated 'Aisha:Thus, no human can have the ability to know what is coming but the devils over hear the talks in sky. They hear one or two words and then the fake soothsayers multiply that with lies. This is very true. The knowledge of past or future, which is hidden is not to be known to anyone if it is not the will of Allah swt. So, if someone does a trick and tells you the secret, he may be the liar.
Some people asked the Prophet regarding the soothsayers. He said, "They are nothing." They said, "O Allah's Apostle! Some of their talks come true." The Prophet said, "That word which happens to be true is what a Jinn snatches away by stealth (from the Heaven) and pours it in the ears of his friend (the foreteller) with a sound like the cackling of a hen. The soothsayers then mix with that word, one hundred lies."
Mostly, people fall prey for the tricks and lies of the fortune tellers because of the experience of fortune tellers. How? In different societies, the overall concerns about most people are same. For example, in indian subcontinent, marriage, children, job etc. are the main concerns. Now if someone wants help in these matters, fortune tellers know exactly how to trap the person by saying the right words. The earning from this business is not halal. It is said by beloved prophet Muhammad pbuh in the following hadith;
Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 63, Number 258:
Narrated Abu Mas'ud:All the hidden knowledge and secrets are known to Allah swt only. What is unknown to man and is not told to mankind is not the kind of information we should look for. Those who say that they know such and such things of the secret, they are biggest liars. Their abode will surely be hell fire if they do not repent. Allah swt say in Holy Quran;
The Prophet prohibited taking the price of a dog, the earnings of a soothsayer and the money earned by prostitution.
[006:050] Tell them, “I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of Allah or the knowledge of the unseen future! And I do not claim to be an angel. I only just pursue and follow the revelation sent to me.” Say, “Can a blind man and the one endowed with sight ever be equal? Do you then not ponder?”The true source of knowledge and solution of all the problems is Quran. This is not just a book, but a code of life. Every time you open it, you will find yet a new information.
[069:042] Nor is it the word of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is that you remember!