Star signs?

format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing

I understand how fortunetelling is shirk, but why would thinking birthdate of people to have an effect on their characters would be contradictory to islamic thought? does it also go for bloodtypes? names? genetics?

1. Star signs have no effect on your character. The associated traits for any sign applies to all people. If you read a Horoscope without the dates you would see how each applies to you. The assigning of dates only gives credence to the charaltan who promotes astrology and star signs and horoscopes.

2. By accepting star signs as truth you are giving a power to astrologers that they do not have. In other words you are promoting a lie.

3. To convince yourself that star signs affect your life, is denying the free will Allaah(swt) has given you. That is close to shirk, if not shirk as you are ascribing a power greater then Allaah(swt) to a falsehood.

It is a simple matter of why hand your fate to someone who will dictate to you how to live or what to expect.. I have dabbled in this when I was in high school and I believe I was punished for it; as the prediction of the woman came true and it was a negative one, the way I looked at it, is I deserved it for seeking that out..'seek and you shall find'
some of the more professionals of those folks use dark crafts and as mentioned in the Quran in doing so they cause them more harm. The rest just throw some crap out which I truly feel is a waste of ink and people's time.. also and Allah swt knows best your prayers aren't accepted for 40 days if you should seek the advise of one of those things..

and Allah swt knows best

format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing

I'm not talking about horoscopes. That's fortunetelling as well. I'm talking about the traits the signs supposedly give you.

3. To convince yourself that star signs affect your life, is denying the free will Allaah(swt) has given you.

Interesting. Does this also apply to genetic traits? I don't see how being born with different character traits denies free will. Why would thinking birthdate affects personal traits, within the will of god be a shirk? I don't really understand it.

Genetic traits do determine our physical appearance and abilities. But our character and persona are a matter of our own choices. we develope a personality that reflects our life choices. our body is without our choice, but what we do with it and how we grow spiritually is the result of our own free will.

Star signs or our date, time of birth have no bearing on either our body or thoughts. Location and culture we are born into will have an effect on us, but we need not succumb to them if we take the time to seperate error from truth. again it comes down to our free will, but sadly many if not most people fail to exercise their free will and simply follow the choices of their surrounding family and peers.

format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing

they may or may not have an effect on us. but the gist of my question is, why would this be considered shirk? as you've said we already have a lot of weight by genetics, and environment, and as you've said these don't challenge the notion of free will or islam.

There is often a very fine line between what is and what is not shirk. worship does not always have to be a prescribed ritual or act. It can be the simple believing that another power is equal to Allaah(swt). to believe that a force exists that can determine our will, seems very much like saying that there is a force that has powers only Allaah(swt) has. I see that very similar to ascribing an equal or partner to Allaah(swt) Just my opinion, and like always open for interpretation or disagreement. Astagfirullah

format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing

I think this is being too cautious. If someone were to cut his hand with a blade by accident, and said, this "blade cut my hand" I wouldn't say "no, god cut your hand. the blade is nothing without his will"

I don't think believing birthdate having an effect on personality is a reason to be in shirk. not necessarily anyway.

True, not necessarily shirk, but something that needs to be approached with much caution to keep it from becoming shirk. It was not that long ago that astrology was an important part of pagan religions it may be the wisest choice to avoid anything that could lead to shirk,

If you read horoscope or read tealeaves or visit fortune teller you are being tricked, Allah alone knows what is coming, if you read horoscope etc your prayers are worthless for 40 days. Thats 40 days where if you die you will die in a state of having done a bad deed, when you are resurected you will be brought back in that state. comeon people we all know its wrong, Allah and our covenant with Him is enough. Leave guessing the future to the fodder of the hell fire

format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing

i think this is being too cautious. If someone were to cut his hand with a blade by accident, and said, this "blade cut my hand" i wouldn't say "no, god cut your hand. The blade is nothing without his will"

i don't think believing birthdate having an effect on personality is a reason to be in shirk. Not necessarily anyway.

wake up

format_quote Originally Posted by ATHEISTofPEACE

Star signs can be impressive but they are so generalized.
Astrology is un Islamic. right?

Although the early Arabs laid down the foundation of modern astronomy, astrology has always been a big no-no in Islam. (Astronomy and astrology are 2 seperate animals) Muslim history shows a strong usage of astronomy for things such as navigation and measurement, but never for fortune telling or deciding a persons personality.