Is it haram to see a psychic or medium?
Yes, it is haram to see a psychic, medium or fortune-teller to ask about the future or the unseen. Only Allah knows the unseen, and the Prophet ﷺ warned strongly against asking such people and believing them. If you visited one before becoming Muslim, that is forgiven.
Why it is forbidden
The Quran is clear that hidden knowledge belongs to Allah alone:
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever visits a diviner and asks him about anything, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights (Sahih Muslim 2230). If a person goes further and believes what the diviner says, he has nothing to do with what was sent down to Muhammad ﷺ (Sunan Abi Dawud 3904). Scholars apply these hadith to psychics, mediums, palm readers and similar practitioners.
What about mediums who speak to the dead?
Mediums claim to pass on messages from loved ones who have died. In Islam, the dead are in the barzakh, a barrier that stays in place until the Day of Resurrection (Quran 23:100), and no human can open that door.
When a reading seems to come true, the Prophet ﷺ explained that fortune-tellers are "nothing," and that whatever is true is a word snatched by a jinn and whispered to his friend, who then mixes it with a hundred lies (Sahih al-Bukhari 7561). Many readings also rely on guesswork and clever questions. They often target people in grief, which makes them especially harmful. See Can the dead hear us in Islam?
If you went before or after becoming Muslim
If you visited a psychic before you accepted Islam, it is forgiven. See Are all my sins forgiven when I become Muslim?
If you went as a Muslim, repent sincerely, stop going and delete any apps or subscriptions. Scholars explain that the "forty nights" hadith does not cancel the duty to pray. You must keep praying, but you lose the reward for those prayers. Allah accepts sincere repentance, so do not let shame keep you away from Him.
What to do instead
- Making a decision: pray istikhara, make dua and ask people with knowledge and good judgement.
- Missing someone who died: make dua for them, give charity on their behalf and talk to a counsellor or an understanding friend.
- Feeling anxious about the future: keep up your daily prayers and dhikr, and trust that Allah's plan is wiser than any prediction.
- Curious about "readings" for fun: skip them, including tarot decks, apps and "daily forecasts." See Is tarot reading haram?
Horoscopes work in the same way. See Can I still read my horoscope after becoming Muslim?
- Only Allah knows the unseen (Quran 27:65).
- Asking a diviner costs the reward of prayer for forty nights (Sahih Muslim 2230).
- Believing what a psychic says is far more serious (Sunan Abi Dawud 3904).
- Visits before becoming Muslim are forgiven; later, repent and keep praying.
People also ask
Is punishment in the grave real?
Yes, punishment in the grave is real in mainstream Sunni belief. See the Quran and hadith evidence, how to understand it and why it is also a mercy.
Read the full answer →Is Jannah the same as Christian heaven?
No, though they share hopes of everlasting life with God. Jannah is described with physical delights, levels and the greatest reward of seeing Allah.
Read the full answer →Is it haram to knock on wood or cross my fingers?
It depends: knocking on wood or crossing fingers for luck is superstition in Islam. Here is why, and what to say instead, like Bismillah.
Read the full answer →Is astral projection haram?
Yes, astral projection is generally considered haram: it is a spiritual practice with no basis in Islam and can open the door to harm from jinn.
Read the full answer →How many gates does Jannah have?
Jannah has eight gates. The hadith names Ar-Rayyan for those who fast and gates for prayer, charity and jihad. The other four are not named.
Read the full answer →