Why were there medieval Muslims that studied astrology?

[Highspirits19]

In Islam, astrology is considered to be haram. But when I did my research on the history of astrology, how come there were Islamic astrologers when astrology is haram?

 

[Supernova]

In Islam, astrology is considered to be haram. But when I did my research on the history of astrology, how come there were Islamic astrologers when astrology is haram?

Asalaamulaykum, I think you might be mixing Astrology with Astronomy. Where did you come across this ?

 

[Ümit]

Exactly.

Astrology:
Pseudoscience that claims to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects.
It is about horoscopes, predicting someones future, etc. (Haram)

Astronomy:
Natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena.
It is about observing the sky, a branch of science. (Halal)

As Supernova stated, you might be mixing the two up here.

 

[Scimitar]

Lol!

 

[Highspirits19]

Exactly.

Astrology:
Pseudoscience that claims to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects.
It is about horoscopes, predicting someones future, etc. (Haram)

Astronomy:
Natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena.
It is about observing the sky, a branch of science. (Halal)

As Supernova stated, you might be mixing the two up here.

oh no I’m actually referring to astrology.

https://egyptianstreets.com/2020/09/17/a-brief-visual-history-of-the-zodiac-in-islam/amp/

 

[Supernova]

oh no I’m actually referring to astrology.

https://egyptianstreets.com/2020/09/17/a-brief-visual-history-of-the-zodiac-in-islam/amp/

Very interesting, my inclination would be that many things in the write up would go against mainstream understandings of Islam.

Ps. How did you find this on the net? : )

 

[keiv]

I don’t see where the article shows how Islam and astrology are linked other than to show work done by some Arabs, all while classifying it as “Islamic astrology”.

Unless I’m overlooking something here?

 

[Highspirits19]

Very interesting, my inclination would be that many things in the write up would go against mainstream understandings of Islam.

Ps. How did you find this on the net? : )

I agree, it does go against our beliefs. I google searched “astrology in Islam,” and they were many links that popped up including the one I posted.

 

[Highspirits19]

I agree, it does go against our beliefs. I google searched “Islamic Astrology,” and they were many links that popped up including the one I posted.

Edit: Islamic astrology is what I searched specifically

 

[Flos]

I don't know what these people were studying exactly, but... there are many misunderstandings in our religion. There's big difference between believing in something as in existence and relying, trusting, worshiping and/or practicing. The example for this is magic. We all know that magic is over there. Allah told us that in Quran. But, we don't believe in it in sense of not relying, using, practicing it, etc.

As for astrology. It's part of unseen and forbidden. We are not exactly told much about it, but it's explained that we should stay away from it. Just like from the magic. Astral projection is real, too, but we're not considered to practice that.

 

[Scimitar]

Many of these shirky books were burnt, looks like this one escaped.

the professor is making a case for an exception and ignoring the rule. Islam does not condone the study of astrology and no Muslim will ever say that astrology is an “intellectual tradition”

stand safe in the knowledge that our theology determines our lives. Nothing shirky can ever be a part of Islam.

 

[Ümit]

I don't know what these people were studying exactly, but... there are many misunderstandings in our religion. There's big difference between believing in something as in existence and relying, trusting, worshiping and/or practicing. The example for this is magic. We all know that magic is over there. Allah told us that in Quran. But, we don't believe in it in sense of not relying, using, practicing it, etc.

As for astrology. It's part of unseen and forbidden. We are not exactly told much about it, but it's explained that we should stay away from it. Just like from the magic. Astral projection is real, too, but we're not considered to practice that.

Yes we all believe magic exists because the Quraan says so. we also know it is off limits for us.
However, as far as I know, we do not know whether astrology really is a thing or not. I think that I never encountered a verse or hadeeth that the sun, moon, planets or stars could have influences on certain human lives in whatever form.

So first, we do not even know whether astrology is somehow real or just fiction. I would say, it is totally fiction...because if it were true to some extends, it would be scientifically possible to predict at least some things in the future...which we can't.

So I think it is totally fiction. And of course it is forbidden, because it is all based on lies and untruth.

 

[Flos]

Yes we all believe magic exists because the Quraan says so. we also know it is off limits for us.
However, as far as I know, we do not know whether astrology really is a thing or not. I think that I never encountered a verse or hadeeth that the sun, moon, planets or stars could have influences on certain human lives in whatever form.

So first, we do not even know whether astrology is somehow real or just fiction. I would say, it is totally fiction...because if it were true to some extends, it would be scientifically possible to predict at least some things in the future...which we can't.

So I think it is totally fiction. And of course it is forbidden, because it is all based on lies and untruth.

I got great explanation of astrology by a scientist - imagine having a window, through which you see beautiful mountains. And then a fly on the windows' glass, walking through all of it. Without knowledge, you'd say the fly is walking through the mountains - that's what astrology is. Kind of a hallucination

 

[Ümit]

I got great explanation of astrology by a scientist - imagine having a window, through which you see beautiful mountains. And then a fly on the windows' glass, walking through all of it. Without knowledge, you'd say the fly is walking through the mountains - that's what astrology is. Kind of a hallucination

Yeah no. That scientist is not a real scientist, because astrology is pseudoscience. The fly, the window or mountains are not there. its pure fiction.

You've said:

Without knowledge, you'd say the fly is walking through the mountains

However in reality, there is no knowledge. People pretending to have a window to see the mountains and flies.

Surah 27:65:

Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Unseen except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.'')

Translated to your example:

The ghayb, the unseen or things of the future -----> Those beautiful mountains
Celestial bodies like sun, moon, stars, planets -----> Window
Astrology -----> "knowledge" how to use that window

Only Allah can see those beautiful mountains. Any other who claims to have a window to see those mountains....or the knowledge how to use the window, is a liar.

 

[Flos]

Yeah no. That scientist is not a real scientist, because astrology is pseudoscience. The fly, the window or mountains are not there. its pure fiction.

You've said:

However in reality, there is no knowledge. People pretending to have a window to see the mountains and flies.

Surah 27:65:


Translated to your example:

The ghayb, the unseen or things of the future -----> Those beautiful mountains
Celestial bodies like sun, moon, stars, planets -----> Window
Astrology -----> "knowledge" how to use that window

Only Allah can see those beautiful mountains. Any other who claims to have a window to see those mountains....or the knowledge how to use the window, is a liar.

Brother, you misunderstood. The scientist made fun of astrology. I know him and he is the scientist. As for the knowledge, he meant real knowledge - physics, astronomy, etc. It's impossible that stars have any impact to human life. People who believe in astrology have some kind of hallucinations, you call it fiction...

 

[Ümit]

Brother, you misunderstood. The scientist made fun of astrology. I know him and he is the scientist. As for the knowledge, he meant real knowledge - physics, astronomy, etc. It's impossible that stars have any impact to human life. People who believe in astrology have some kind of hallucinations, you call it fiction...

Ah OK. In that case, I really did misunderstand so I apologise.