المعنى الاصطلاحي

Using celestial movements as evidence on the terrestrial accidents.

الشرح المختصر

"Tanjeem" (astrology) is the claim to know what will happen in the future, such as the times of wind, rain, price changes, and other things whose knowledge is said to be determined by the movement, convergence and divergence of the planets and their alleged impact on terrestrial events. This is a claim to know the Unseen, whose knowledge is exclusive to Allah. "Tanjeem" is of two categories: 1. Study of the influence of the stars, which is divided into three sub-categories: A) Believing that the stars are effective, meaning that they are the creators of events and evils. This is major "shirk" (polytheism). Indeed, anyone claiming the existence of a creator besides Allah has monstrously associated partners with Him. This person has thus considered a created subjected being as a creator who subjects others. B) Believing that the stars are tools of knowing the unseen, and foretelling the future based on their motions and locomotions. Claims would thus be made that certain things will take place because of star positioning. It would likewise be claimed that someone would live a good or bad life under given zodiacal signs. This is a way of using astrology to know the Unseen. The claim to knowing the Unseen is major disbelief that takes a Muslim out of the fold of Islam. C) Believing that the stars partly cause good and evil, and claiming that things, after they occur, have been caused by them. This is minor "shirk". 2. Study of the positions and movements of the stars (astronomy), which is divided into two sub-categories: A) Getting evidence from the movement of the stars that serve religious purposes. If it helps to fulfill religious obligations, such as identifying the prayer direction, then learning it will be obligatory. B) Getting evidence from the movements of the stars that serve worldly purposes. This is permissible. It has two sub-categories: a) Using it to determine directions such as the north pole and the pole star. This is permissible. b) Using it to identify the seasons, in what is known as "phases of the moon." Some of the righteous predecessors disliked this usage, whereas others allowed it. The sound opinion, however, is that it is not disliked.

التعريف اللغوي المختصر

"Tanjeem": Derived from "najjama", which means observing the stars. It indicates rising and emergence.

التعريف

To claim knowledge of hidden matters, citing astronomical conditions as indications of future events on earth.