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Opening the Mus-haf for good omens is impermissible

Question

Is it permissible to seek good omen by opening the Mus-haf randomly?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Scholars disagree on the ruling on this act:

- The Maaliki scholars like Ibn Al-‘Arabi and Al-Tartooshi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them consider it prohibited;

- Ash-Shaaf‘i and other scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them consider it reprehensible

- Abu ‘Ubayd Allaah ibn Battah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him considered it permissible

- Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him stated that it is prohibited and attributed this opinion to certain scholars.

The dominant opinion is that of Ibn Al-‘Arabi and the other scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them who consider this act to be prohibited, because, had the act been good, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions would have done it. In addition, a person who does this act seeking a good omen may find the opposite and fall into forbidden pessimism. For example, a person may see the following verses. Allaah the Almighty Said (what means):

• {He will say, "Remain despised therein and do not speak to Me.}[Quran 23:108]

• {Those are in extreme error.}[Quran 14:3]

Allaah Knows best.

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