Question:

Is it okay to watch astrology tv shows to get guidance or indicators for how events may happen based on star movements? The idea is to get guidance as per

And it is He who placed for you the stars that you may be guided by them through the darkness’s of the land and sea. We have detailed the signs for a people who know. 6:97

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The Ayah 6:97 [1] is not referring to Astrology, rather Navigation.

Since pre-Islamic era travelers have been using position of stars for the purpose of navigation, such as finding the north star, and thereby finding one’s direction for travel.

This is one of the benefit attributed to stars. Imam Bukhari rh. pens down a ta’leeq (note) quoting Qatada rh. when making the chapter about Bab fi al-Nujum (Chapter regarding stars) and mentions:

…Stars are created for three reasons. (1) a beautification for the heavens, (2) a pelting arsenal for Shayateen [i.e evil jins who would try to eavesdrop for wahi, and then bring fortune tellers this information] and (3) indicators/markers for navigating. So whosoever have interpreted these stars for something other than these (three), has erred and has lost a share from his Imaan…. (Sahih al Bukhari 4/107) [2]

While explaining this, Allamah al-`Ayni rh has mentioned in Umdah al-Qari Sharh Sahih al Bukhari, a narration from Sayiduna Ali rd. saying that Nabi ﷺ prohibited me to seek into stars.[Umda al-Qari 15/115] [3]

An indication of using of stars for navigation has been mentioned by al-`Ayni rh on authority of Hasan rd. who asked Qus Ibn al-Sa’ida (who was pre-islamic Nasrani) “Do you look into stars?” Qus replied, “Yes, I look into stars for the reason of navigation, and not for fortunetelling”. [Umda al-Qari 15/115]

Consider that this is even in that pre-islamic stage, and Islam’s emphasis on Tawheed is more stringent.

A Sahih narration is mentioned from Sayiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas rd. in Sunan Abi Dawud saying that Rasulullah ﷺ said Whosoever acquires the science of astrology, then he has indeed acquired a branch of Magic (Sihr), and it increases as long as he keeps indulging in it [4]

So the ayah of the Qur’an cannot be interpreted as astrology, rather far from it. The ayah itself explicitly indicates that it is for navigation in the night time where there is no means of direction.

لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ
so that you may find guidance through them in darkness on land and in seas

The land and seas clearly stipulates the guidance for physical directions and not some fortune telling.

May Allah give us the correct understanding of our Aqeedah and the Qur’an, Ameen.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hameed al-Mahmudi

1.{وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ} [الأنعام: 97]

2. صحيح البخاري (4/ 107)
وقال قتادة: {ولقد زينا السماء الدنيا بمصابيح} [الملك: 5] خلق هذه النجوم لثلاث: جعلها زينة للسماء، ورجوما للشياطين، وعلامات يهتدى بها، فمن تأول فيها بغير ذلك أخطأ، وأضاع نصيبه، وتكلف ما لا علم له به

3. عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري (15/ 115)
وفي (ذم النجوم) للخطيب البغدادي من حديث إسماعيل بن عياش عن البحتري بن عبيد الله عن أبيه عن أبي ذر عن عمر مرفوعا: لا تسألوا عن النجوم. ومن حديث عبد الله بن موسى عن الربيع بن حبيب عن نوفل بن عبد الملك عن أبيه عن علي، رضي الله تعالى عنه: نهاني رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم، عن النظر في النجوم. وعن أبي هريرة وابن مسعود وعائشة وابن عباس نحوه. وعن الحسن: أن قيصر سأل قس بن ساعدة الأيادي: هل نظرت في النجوم؟ قال: نعم نظرت فيما يراد به الهداية ولم أنظر فيما يراد به الكهانة

4. سنن أبي داود ت الأرنؤوط (6/ 51)
عن ابن عباس، قال: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -: “من اقتبس علما من النجوم اقتبس شعبة من السحر، زاد ما زاد”