Soothsaying & Augury
الكهانة والعرافة
Kahāna, ‘irāfa and sand-reading: the pagan trade in the unseen through jinn and stars — all forbidden by the Prophet.
At a glance
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Overview
Kahana (soothsaying), 'irafa (augury) and telling of hidden events: the Jahiliyya's ways of claiming knowledge of the unseen; Islam annulled them and forbade going to their practitioners.
The story
The Jahiliyya practiced kinds of unseen-reading: the kahin claims a familiar of the jinn brings him news; the 'arraf claims to know things by signs; the stone-caster turns pebbles and tells of happenings 1.
The Prophet forbade going to soothsayers and augurs and believing them, and counted believing that stars cause rain a kind of unbelief in God, in the anwa' hadith 2.
For young visitors
The Jahiliyya's soothsayers claimed to know the unseen through jinn and stars; Islam forbade asking or believing them.
People and things also explored
al-Anwāʾ (Star Rains)Divining Arrowsal-Hāma (Vengeful Owl)al-HumsJāhilī Marriage FormsMaysar (Gambling)al-Nasīʾ (Intercalation)Consecrated Livestock
Sources
- Mirqat al-Mafatih — Ali al-Qari
- Sharh Sahih Muslim — al-Nawawi
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Soothsaying & Augury”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/kahana/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.