Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

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The are a number of narrations indicating that the Imams (A) had comprehensive knowledge of astrology, and you can find them in books such as volume 55 of Bihar al-Anwar. (Whether one accepts them is a personal decision, but there are no narrations to the contrary.) One narration (the "Myrobalan Fruit") implies that astrology exists as a way to prove the existence of God and the prophets' knowledge from God. 

Whether or not astrology is considered shirk has tended to depend on worldview. If someone is an atheist and believes that there is no God but that the stars and planets control their destiny, then this is shirk. If someone believes that their fate is wholly fixed by astrology, and that God cannot change it, this is also theologically inappropriate.

If someone believes that God is in command of the entire universe, and astrology is part of the divine plan, and that our ultimate fate is in the hands of God, this is not shirk.

Some Muslims today are too eager to throw around the word "shirk" without thinking about what they are actually saying.  

We don't any reference from the Best Knowledgeable who are the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his holy Progeny (AS) about such claims. People are free to place their doors and windows as they can or wish as far as it does not harm their neighbors and other people. Vaastu claims might be influenced by certain cultural factors in certain areas. It can not be correct always and every where.

Muslim should avoid taking thoughts or ideas from non Muslims unless it is in accordance of the teachings of the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

I am not aware of any narrations on this matter, although it is something you could deduce through historical records and calendrical calculations (and others have done this in the past - you can search online for the results).

However, there is a narration between Imam al-Sadiq (A) and an astrologer in which Imam al-Sadiq (A) associates Imam 'Ali and the awsiya' with Saturn. (This is not a zodiacal sign, obviously, but is thematically related.) You can read it here (part 12, number 69): https://www.al-islam.org/al-khisal-numeric-classification-traditions-cha...

There are two separate questions here: first, ruling regarding receiving astrological advice or services, and, second, belief.

(a) Ruling regarding receiving astrological advice or services. There is some variance on rulings here depending on the situation. For instance, are you reading horoscopes in the newspaper, paying an astrologer (which goes under laws of transaction) and if yes what kind of services are you paying for, etc.

Sunni scholars tend to disallow astrology.

There is somewhat more variety among Shi'i scholars, and some will distinguish between what they will consider permissible or impermissible matters. 

In general, Shi'i scholars agree that astrology is impermissible if it includes the belief that the planets and stars act independently from Allah or can override the divine decree, because this would be shirk.

Beyond that, the ruling depends on your situation and what specifically is going on. 

Contemporary Shi'i scholars generally express the view that they do not consider there to be a basis for or benefit in things like horoscope columns.

(b) Believing that astrology is real. This is slightly more complicated.

From a Shi'i perspective, the Shi'i hadith collections, like al-Kafi, contain narrations indicating that astrology, as a theoretical branch of knowledge, has a truth value and that the Imams have full knowledge of it. However, they also say that other people do not have full or correct knowledge of it, and they do not encourage people to focus on astrology or consult astrologers. Instead, they encourage people to focus on prayer, and remind us that du'a and good acts can change our destiny with Allah. 

Of course, some people might reject these narrations and say it is all pseudo science and that is fine. It is not necessary to accept it; I am simply saying there is a textual basis within the Shi'i tradition for accepting that it has a reality.

Even if there is a theoretical correctness to astrology, there is no guarantee that what is being said on social media about it has any truth value. Some things that shared on Instagram and Twitter today about astrology are either baseless (in the sense of the historical practice of astrology) and are just pop psychology, or are too general to be meaningful. 

Similarly, most horoscope columns are too general to have any usefulness to anyone since they apply to millions of people. The historical practice of astrology in the cultures where the Imams (A) lived was much more complex and nuanced than this.

So, regardless of one's views, it is good to take things that one reads online or elsewhere with a grain of salt.