LessonsSincerity, Trust in Knowledge, Social Reform, and Responsibility (Hadith 229–238)Quiz

مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
Translation: Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks about something is warned that their prayer is not accepted for forty nights.

Source: مسلم

أَتَى means “went to”; عَرَّافًا refers to one who claims knowledge of hidden matters, and فَسَأَلَهُ means “then asked him.” لَمْ تُقْبَلْ negates a verb using لَمْ, which gives it a past-time negative sense. أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً specifies forty nights.

Seeking supposed certain knowledge of hidden fate or the unseen from fortune-tellers encourages superstition. The warning about acceptance of prayer does not remove the duty to pray. One must continue fulfilling the obligation; acceptance and legal obligation are distinct matters.

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Hadith 232: Fortune-telling and the duty to pray

Sincerity, Trust in Knowledge, Social Reform, and Responsibility (Hadith 229–238)

مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلَاةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
Translation: Whoever visits a fortune-teller and asks about something is warned that their prayer is not accepted for forty nights.

Source: مسلم

أَتَى means “went to”; عَرَّافًا refers to one who claims knowledge of hidden matters, and فَسَأَلَهُ means “then asked him.” لَمْ تُقْبَلْ negates a verb using لَمْ, which gives it a past-time negative sense. أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً specifies forty nights.

Seeking supposed certain knowledge of hidden fate or the unseen from fortune-tellers encourages superstition. The warning about acceptance of prayer does not remove the duty to pray. One must continue fulfilling the obligation; acceptance and legal obligation are distinct matters.