’The truth is, my friend Maulavi Sahib, the Hindoos, like a very great part of every other nation, are very much disposed to attribute to supernatural influences effects that the wiser portion of our species know to rise from natural causes.’

The Maulavi was right.  In the Mishkat-ul-Masabih,[9] the authentic traditions of their prophet,[10] it is stated that Ayesha, the widow of Muhammad, said, ’I heard His Majesty say, “The angels come down to the region next the world, and mention the works that have been pre-ordained in heaven; and the devils, who descend to the lowest region, listen to what the angels say, and hear the orders predestined in heaven, and carry them to fortune-tellers; therefore, they tell a hundred lies with it from themselves “’[11]

’Ibn Abbas said, “A man of His Majesty’s friends informed me, that whilst His Majesty’s friends were sitting with him one night, a very bright star shot; and His Highness said, “What did you say in the days of ignorance when a star shot like this?” They said, “God and His messenger know best; we used to say, a great man was born to-night, and a great man died."[12] Then His Majesty said, “You mistook, because the shootings of these stars are neither for the life nor death of any person; but when our cherisher orders a work, the bearers of the imperial throne sing hallelujahs; and the inhabitants of the regions who are near the bearers repeat it, till it reaches the lowest regions.  After the angels which are near the bearers of the imperial throne say, “What did your cherisher order?” Then they are informed; and so it is handed from one region to another, till the information reaches the people of the lowest region.  Then the devils steal it, and carry it to their friends, (that is) magicians; and these stars are thrown at these devils; not for the birth or death of any person.  Then the things which the magicians tell, having heard from the devils, are true, but these magicians tell lies, and exaggerate in what they hear".’

Kutadah said, ’God has created stars for three uses; one of them, as a cause of ornament of the regions; the second, to stone the devil with; the third, to direct people going through forests and on the sea.  Therefore, whoever shall explain them otherwise, does wrong, and loses his time, and speaks from his own invention and embellishes’.[13]

Ibn Abbas. [’The prophet said,] “Whoever attains to the knowledge of astrology for any other explanation than the three aforementioned, then verily he has attained to a branch of magic.  An astrologer is a magician, and a magician is a necromancer, and a necromancer is an infidel."’[14]

This work contains the precepts and sayings of Muhammad, as declared by his companions, who themselves heard them, or by those who heard them immediately from those companions; and they are considered to be binding upon the faith and conduct of Musalmans, though not all delivered from inspiration.