What is the ruling on a soothsayer (Araf) who guesses and speaks presumptuously?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of the Apostate
Primary text
The soothsayer is considered to be practicing a branch of sorcery. Ahmad, in the narration of Hanbal, holds that the soothsayer, the diviner who receives information from Jinn (Kahinf), and the sorcerer must be asked to repent from these deeds. He initially preferred imprisonment until they repent, stating, 'No, he is imprisoned, perhaps he will return.'
Supporting text
However, a second narration indicates that the sorcerer and the diviner are both subject to execution or imprisonment until they repent, based on the statement, 'Execute every sorcerer and diviner,' attributed to Umar. There is a difference of opinion; one view dictates execution if they do not repent, while another view suggests the death penalty is not applied because their ruling is lighter than that of the sorcerer, making the remission of execution more fitting for them.