المعنى الاصطلاحي

Refers to any celestial body.

الشرح المختصر

"Najm" (star) is any of the celestial bodies that astrologers use to foretell earthly occurrences and what influences them. This is known as astrology and is divided into: 1. That of influence: which is further divided into three subcategories: A) To believe that these "nujoom" (stars) have influence, meaning that they create occurrences and evils. This is considered major "shirk" (disbelief). B) To take these "nujoom" as indicators of the unseen, by claiming to know future affairs through their movements and changes. As this form take "nujoom" as a means of claiming knowledge of the Unseen, it is an act of disbelief that causes apostasy. C To think that they trigger good and evil. So when something happens, an astrologer attributes it to the "nujoom", but only after that thing happens. This is minor "shirk" (disbelief). 2. Astronomy: which is divided into two subcategories: A) To use "najm" movements to achieve religious purposes. This is required; however, if this is needed to achieve a religious duty, such as knowing the direction of the "qiblah" (prayer direction) for prayer, it becomes obligatory. B) To use this to achieve a worldly purpose. This is permissible and is further subdivided into two types: a) To use them as indicators of directions or so, which is permissible. b) To use them to determine different seasons. This is known as knowledge of the lunar mansions. Some of the "salaf" (pious predecessors) classified this as "makrooh" (disliked), while others classified it as permissible, which is the right opinion.

التعريف اللغوي المختصر

"Najm": rising star. Original meaning: a celestial body, but it was later used as a name for the Pleiades.

التعريف

A name that applies to every planet, but subsequently became associated with the Pleiades.