(325) Chapter: Prohibition of Attributing Rain to the Stars

Zaid bin Khalid (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the Fajr prayer at Al-Hudaibiyyah after a rainfall during the night. At the conclusion of prayer, he turned towards the people and said, "Do you know what your Rubb has said?" They replied: "Allah and His Messenger know better." Upon this he remarked, "He has said: 'Some of My slaves have entered the morning as My believers and some as unbelievers. He who said: We have had a rainfall due to the Grace and Mercy of Allah, believes in Me and disbelieves in the stars; and he who said: We have had a rainfall due to the rising of such and such star, disbelieves in Me and affirms his faith in the stars."' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Commentary: 1. Since Allah is the Real Creator and Maker of all things and events, these should without any exception be attributed to Him Alone. If a reference is made to the cause or causes which occasion an incident or event, it is permissible but to ascribe them entirely to some factor or factors is the conduct of polytheists and amounts to Shirk and Kufr. 2. People of the Period of Ignorance used to ascribe the rain which occurred at the appearance or setting of some star, to that star and would thus accept it as the real cause of it. In this Hadith, such ascription has been regarded as Kufr and Shirk.