Clairvoyants in Barah attempt to foretell council vote results

A group of clairvoyants or soothsayers in the island of Barah in Haa Alif Atoll, Maldives is said to have summoned the jinn to predict local council election results in their constituency.       

The black arts practitioners did so by constantly beating a possessed person with a traditional eakle broom while reciting a magic spell, and questioning the evil spirit believed to be speaking through the haunted person.        

According to the island sources, the incident took place two days before the local council election. The local superstition states that jinns have the power to foretell the future, and the clairvoyants wanted it to tell the names of the candidates who would win the council vote.  

Another group of superstitious people in the island believes the party to which the first vote falls into the ballet box will win the election. So, they started queueing up for the vote just after sunset, with the hope of becoming the first person to vote in the following morning.         

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The belief that demons or jinns have the power to foresee future, visiting fortunetellers, astrologers and palmists, wearing amulets or charms to ward off evil are forms of Shirk or associating partners with Allah, because none other than Allah knows the Unseen, not even the angels.    

“Say! None in the heavens nor the earth knows the unseen except Allah..” (Surah an-Nahl 27:65)

The ignorant among the masses believe that Prophets possessed the power to foretell future and bring good or bad luck. However, the Final Revelation, clearly states the Prophets do not have any such power. It is mentioned in the Quran that Allah instructed Prophet Mohamed to say he does not have any such power.            

“Say! I have no power to bring good to myself nor avert harm but it is only as Allah wills. If it were that I knew the unseen, I would have multiplied the good and no evil would have touched me.” (Surah al-A’raaf 7:188)

Islam allows exorcism provided the practice does not involve any form of sorcery, Shirk or invocation on false deities. It is mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawud that Allah’s Messenger said, “The Last Hour will not come until some groups of my nation worship idols.”  

Muslims have been warned of to avoid beliefs and practices that involve Shirk.   

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim
7 February 2011, Monday
4 Raby` al-awal 1432