Question:
Assalamualaikum ustaz. I’m a spinster, 40 years old. My mom is worried that I’ll never get married and went to see a shaman to get rid of my bad luck. Is it the right thing to do?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam. Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
One thing that we need to take note in life is, we can always plan for everything, but Allah SWT is the best planner. Anything related to marriage, sustenance, life and death has been decreed by Allah SWT since the beginning of time. This is what the Prophet PBUH said, from Abdullah bin Mas’ud RA:
إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ اللهُ مَلَكًا فَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُ: اكْتُبْ عَمَلَهُ وَرِزْقَهُ وَأَجَلَهُ وَشَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ.... إلخ
“(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion).”
Sahih al-Bukhari (3208)
Your mother’s action of going to a shaman to get rid of your bad luck is absolutely wrong. This issue has been explained by the Prophet PBUH in a narration by Safiah R.Anha, from a few of the prophet’s wives. He said:
مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
“Whoever that went to shamans and asked anything, then his prayers are not accepted for forty nights,”
Sahih Muslim (5957)
Imam al-Nawawi said the narration meant that the prayers performed will not be rewarded. (Refer Syarh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, 14/227)
In another narration, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ أَتَى كَاهِنًا، أَوْ عَرَّافًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلى الله عَليه وسَلم
“Whoever went to shamans or fortune tellers and believe what was told to them. Indeed, he has transgressed what has been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH”
Musnad Ahmad (9667)
It is clear in the hadith reporting the warning from the Prophet PBUH regarding the matter of seeing shamans, witch doctors or anyone like them. Al-Hafiz Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani when commenting on the hadith said:
“The words in the hadith clearly shows the warning and threat (to those who went to see shamans and the like)”. (Refer Fath al-Bari (3/364)
Through these hadiths, we would like to advice against ever seeing shamans and the likes of them since they would be using magic or sorcery. Please note that using magic or sorcery is a great sin, as stated by the Prophet PBUH:
اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ المُوبِقَاتِ، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُنَّ؟ قَالَ: الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ اليَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ المُحْصَنَاتِ المُؤْمِنَاتِ الغَافِلاَتِ
"Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquire, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What are they? "He said, "To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, (according to Islamic law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to give back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.
Sahih al-Bukhari (2766)
Another point that we would like to highlight is, there is no such thing as bad luck in Islam. The Prophet PBUH said:
لا عَدْوَى وَلاَ طِيرَةَ ولا صَفَرَ وَلاَ هَامَّةَ
“There’s no contagious diseases, nor that animals bring fortune or misfortune, nor any evil omen in the month of Safar, nor disaster because of owls,”
Sahih al-Bukhari (5570), Muslim (2220), Abu Daud (3913) and al-Sunan and Ahmad (3031)
Rely only in Allah SWT by always praying to Him and put your hope and trust in Allah. Don’t ever rely on anything other than Allah especially shamans, witch doctors, fortune tellers or whatever else the names used for the likes of them.
To learn more on other issues regarding shamans, we have discussed them in a few other articles:
- Bayan Linnas Series 87 [1]
- Irsyad al-Fatwa Series 249 [2]
- Irsyad al-Fatwa Series 189 [3]
As a believer, we are encouraged to always pray to Allah SWT for anything that we wished for:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
“And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you."
Surah Ghafir (60)
Syeikh Dr Wahbah al-Zuhaili said:
“Prayer is a form of worship. Prayer is asking Allah for benefits and to be kept away from disasters. Praying to anything or anyone other than Allah couldn’t give anything in return. The only one that can respond to our prayers is only Allah. And He asks us to call upon him for surely, He would respond. And the words of Allah are true.” (Refer al-Tafsir al-Munir (24/150)
Never underestimates the power of doa (supplication). Just look at how the Prophet Musa prayed to Allah. His prayer is recorded in the Quran by Allah SWT:
فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
“……and prayed, "My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need."
Surah al-Qasas (24)
Not only did Prophet Musa AS is rewarded for helping them but he was offered by the man to marry one of his daughters. Continue praying to Allah and at the same time put in some effort in finding your prospective husband.
Other than that, we advise not to be too choosy when choosing the right candidate to be your husband. If he is a good guy religiously, responsible and has the capability to be a husband then do istikharah for Allah’s guidance. The Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا خَطَبَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَنْ تَرْضَوْنَ دِينَهُ وَخُلُقَهُ فَزَوِّجُوهُ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوا تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ عَرِيضٌ
"When someone whose religion and character you are pleased with proposes to (someone under the care) of one of you, then marry her to him. If you do not do so, then there will be turmoil (Fitnah) in the land and abounding discord (Fasad)."
Sunan al-Tirmizi (1004)
May Allah bless you with the best in your life. Wallahu’alam.
[1]http://www.muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/bayan-linnas/932-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-87-upacara-perbomohan-yang-dilakukan-oleh-datuk-ibrahim-mat-zin-raja-bomoh?highlight=WyJyYWphIiwicmFqYSciLCIncmFqYSIsInJhamEnLiIsImJvbW9oIiwiYm9tb2gnIiwiJ2JvbW9oJyIsInJhamEgYm9tb2giXQ==
[2]http://www.muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-fatwa/irsyad-fatwa-umum/2656-irsyad-al-fatwa-249-hukum-jumpa-tukang-sihir-untuk-ubati-sihir?highlight=WyJzaWhpciJd
[3]http://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-fatwa/irsyad-fatwa-umum/907-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-189-hukum-berubat-dengan-perawat-islam-dan-meminta-pertolongan-jin