Question About Palm Reading in Islam

[shaibi]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I hope you’re all doing well.

I had an interesting conversation with a cousin recently. We were talking about old traditions and superstitions, and the topic of palm reading came up — you know, when someone looks at the lines on your hand and tries to tell you things about your personality or future.

Back in the day, this was usually done by a person — a palmist or palm reader. But now I’m seeing apps and websites that claim to use AI to read your palm. You just upload a photo of your hand and it gives you a “reading.” It’s honestly strange how far technology is going.

This got me thinking:

•  What is the Islamic view on palm reading?
• Does it fall under shirk or is it just considered a superstition that should be avoided?
• And does it make any difference if it's a human doing the reading or a machine/AI?

I’ve never taken it seriously, but I wanted to understand the proper Islamic perspective on this, especially since it’s being marketed now in such modern ways.

Jazakum Allahu khairan in advance for any guidance.

I am 18 year old and now learning islam from start.

[aziz takbir]

Salam It's haram, and a form of magic. I wouldn't think it would matter if it's done by AI or not.

[Ashvazdanghe]

On 6/16/2025 at 9:02 AM, shaibi said:

This got me thinking:

•  What is the Islamic view on palm reading?
• Does it fall under shirk or is it just considered a superstition that should be avoided?
• And does it make any difference if it's a human doing the reading or a machine/AI?

I’ve never taken it seriously, but I wanted to understand the proper Islamic perspective on this, especially since it’s being marketed now in such modern ways.

Salam 

• It's forbidden whether through traditional or modern means likewise AI.
• it's considered a superstition that should be avoided .
• There is no difference between doing it by the human or the machine/AI which AI uses all recorded data by the human sources so then makes a conclusion based on it's resources .

This is just changing means  & fantasizing &  creating illusion while it doesn't change the fact that it's just a superstition whether by modern or traditional ways .

Of course, it is not a bad idea to point out that in the past, some sciences such as astronomy were used in this direction, and religious sources have made references to matters such as these predictions based on the conditions of the stars, etc., and religious leaders have not only warned their followers against such superstitious and harmful practices, but have also called accepting the words of such people a violation of divine teachings. (1)

(1) Kafi v 8 p293

https://www.pasokhgoo.ir/node/62951

Quote

2 عن الحسین بن زید عَنِ الصَّادِقِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ فِی حَدِیثِ الْمَنَاهِی أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلی الله علیه و آله نَهَی عَنْ إِتْیَانِ الْعَرَّافِ و قال مَنْ أَتَاهُ وَ صَدَّقَهُ فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ صلی الله علیه و آله

الفقيه ج۴ص۶

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) forbade going to عَرَّاف fortune-tellers and said: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and believes him is averse to what Allah has revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny)!”

✍Explanation:عَرَّاف “Fortune-teller” is someone who tells about the past and the future, about hidden and secret matters, and guides people to lost things, etc.

Al-Faqih v4 p6

Quote

3 عن أبی بصیر عن أبی عبداللَّه قال مَنْ تَکَهَّنَ أَوْ تُکُهِّنَ لَهُ فَقَدْ بَرِئَ مِنْ دِینِ مُحَمَّدٍ

خصال ج١ص١٩

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Anyone who informs about the past or the future or about hidden matters, or anyone for whom these things are done, is averse to the religion of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)."

khisal V 1 P 19

✅ It should be noted that some doctors claim that they can detect certain diseases of the body from the shape, posture, and changes in the palms of the hands, tongue, etc. Although the accuracy of this claim depends on the science of medicine and the specialists in this science, diagnosing a disease based on changes and external conditions of the body is not divination and is not included in the above hadiths.

https://feghh14.com/3822

 

Edited July 3 by Ashvazdanghe

[Ashvazdanghe]

Addendum

1- Regarding palmistry, it should be said: Palmistry is problematic, and it is forbidden to consult a palmist or fortune teller for palmistry and fortune telling. (Ayatollah Makarem, Istifta’at, Vol. 1, Questions 563 and 564)

We reject palmistry because it is problematic according to Islamic law. Palmistry is a form of superstition and causes the person being consulted to be deceived and, instead of solving their problems through real means, to be caught up in illusions and fantasies. Although it is possible that the palmist may say things that are in accordance with the morals or illness of the person being consulted.  

https://www.tebyan.net/news/536980/آیا-کف-بینی-برای-ازدواج-صحیح-است#:~:text=لطفا منو از نگرانی دربیارید. ۱- در باره,رد می کنیم که شرعا اشکال دارد .

Question 1781 What is the ruling on palmistry and consulting a palmist?

✅Answer: Palmistry is a type of astrology that people claim can use to learn about someone’s fate, future, past, and morals, and even matters such as the number of children and lifespan of a person, by looking at the lines on their palms!

✅First, pay attention to the following narrations:

Quote

1 عن نصر بن قابوس قال سمعت أباعَبْداللَّهِ یَقُولُ الْمُنَجِّمُ مَلْعُونٌ و الْکَاهِنُ مَلْعُونٌ و السَّاحِرُ مَلْعُونٌ...

خصال ج١ص٢٩۶

Nasr bin Qaboos says: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: The astrologer (who claims to predict and predict by stars) is cursed, the soothsayer (who tells about the past, the future, and the hidden) is cursed, and the sorcerer is cursed...

khisal v 1 p 296

https://feghh14.com/3822

Edited July 3 by Ashvazdanghe