Pre-islamic Age of Ignorance: In the time of pre-islamic age of ignorance there were those who worshipped the sun and the stars. They believed in the existence of Allah, but they respected the stars with the idea that they were the greatest things created by Allah. This respect for the stars changed its form over time and became a special form of worship.[600] It is known that some tribes in the Hijaz region regarded different stars as sacred. The star Shira, the stars Customer, Surya, Zuhal, Marih, Zuhra and Utarid are some of them. According to the belief, the stars were related to the world. Therefore, they believed in the influence of the stars in almost every matter. The shooting or falling of a star was considered a sign of the death of an elder in that town or the coming of a great disaster.[601] Sun worship was a belief that had been known since ancient times. We learnt that this belief dates back to ancient times from the words of Hudhud who came from the Queen of Sheba. The Holy Qur’an, which gave this news, reports the situation as follows: Hudhud soon came out and said: “I have learnt something that you do not know, and I bring you a very important news from Sheba. I have met a woman who rules the people of that region. Allah has given her everything and she has a splendid throne. I saw her and her kinsmen prostrating themselves to the sun, leaving Allah aside. Satan has led them astray by making their wrong deeds seem beautiful to them, so they cannot find the right path.”[602]

ISLAM:

Objective: Satan’s aim is to prevent them from prostrating themselves to Allah, Who reveals the hidden things in the heavens and the earth and knows all their feelings, both hidden and revealed.[603]

Sun: Do not prostrate to the sun and the moon. Prostrate to the One who created them if you wish to serve Allah alone.[604]

The star: He is the Lord of the star of ‘Sirah’ (which the polytheists worshipped).[605]

Nowadays: When you criticise a person who leads an unconscious life, you witness that his answer is as unconscious as he is, and when you ask for evidence, you get the answer that the work is based on knowledge of history. For example, if you ask, “Why do you curl the edge of the prayer rug when you pray?”, the answer will be, “So that Satan does not pray. When asked, “What is your proof that this curling prevents the devil from praying?” the answer is, “I don’t know, they have been saying that since time immemorial, we have seen it that way from our ancestors, etc.” He does not say, “Whatever happened to us did not happen because the devil did not prostrate?” He accepts the fact that it is an ancient work as evidence of its feasibility. Should we attribute the fact that these worships still exist today to their historical origins or to the existence of people who serve the devil by insisting on disobeying their Lord?

This belief falls within the scope of paganism, which is derived from the Latin word “paganus”, meaning rural. It is derived from the word “rural” because it covers all areas related to nature. Everything, masculine or feminine, is considered part of the sacred whole and honoured as such. Pagans try to explain the things they express as sacred with symbols. Their worship of stars and suns are also parts of the whole within this broad circle of belief. At the centre of pagan belief is the name of seven stars on seven hills. The position of the sky at the time when people are born is called a star map. Each nation has assigned a task to these stars according to itself. Just like in the time of ignorance, they think that the sun and stars are interested in the state of the world and try to make sense of their movements. Each planet in the star chart has a different meaning. We can briefly list their meanings as follows:

The sun shows the soul and self. The sun itself means consciousness. It shows the head and essence of creation, the point symbol inside the circle. The moon is related to the ego, instinct, mother, subconscious and memory. The moon rules the subconscious. The symbol of the moon is the crescent moon, like a satellite receiver. The change of the moon is interpreted as being in a different emotional state every day, just as our emotions do not remain constant. The moon therefore shows emotions and the subconscious in astrology.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said about those who speak according to the stars: Whoever says that it rained because of the mercy of so-and-so star has denied what was revealed to Muhammad.[606]

If you think that these superstitions[607] existed far away from Muslim societies, let us give an example of it. Especially when you examine the information of people who show superstitions as religious beliefs today, you will immediately witness discourses that are also related to paganism. Sayyid Sulayman al-Husaynî, in his book Kenz’ul-Havas, says the following about the times of Sunday:

Hour I: It is the hour of the sun, at which time it is appropriate to recite and write prayers in order to receive love and friendship and to enter the favour of kings and rulers. It is appropriate to wear new clothes.

Hour 2: It is an evil hour that is reserved for Venus (Venus). Nothing should be done at this hour.

Hour 3: It is the hour of UTARIT. It is good to set out at this hour. It is also the time for reading and writing to attract people’s hearts and hearts and to do similar works.

4 o’clock: Moon time. It is not good to buy or sell anything at this time. It is good for nothing.

5 o’clock: It is an hour for ZUHAL (Saturn). It is a suitable hour for creating discord and discord, for breaking up and making enmity.

6 o’clock: It is an hour attributed to CUSTOMER (Jupiter). This hour is suitable for requesting needs from kings, rulers and state officials.

7 o’clock: It is inauspicious because it is an hour belonging to MERCER (Mars). Nothing should be done at this time.

8 o’clock: It is an hour belonging to SHEMS (Sun). It is appropriate to work at this time to fulfil all kinds of needs.

9 o’clock: It belongs to ZÜHRE (Venus) and it is an hour suitable for reading and writing prayers to attract people’s hearts and hearts.

10 o’clock: It is a time attributed to UTARIT. It is suitable for everything good and righteous.

11 o’clock: Since it is a beautiful hour belonging to the MOON, it is appropriate to draw talismans and related shapes and write amulets at that time.

12 o’clock: Since it is the hour of ZUHAL (Saturn), this hour brings the greatest bad luck. Since this hour does nothing but bring harm, one should avoid doing any work at that hour.[608]

[600] The great history of Islam from its birth to the present day, Volume 1, p. 175

[601] Ali Celik, All Aspects of Asr’ı Saadette Islam, Volume 4, pp. 25-26

[602] Surat al-Naml, Verses 22-24

[603] Surat al-Naml, Verse 25

[604] Surat al-Fussilet, Verse 37

[605] Surah Najm, Verse 49

[606] Bukhari, Adhan, 156; Muslim, Iman, 152

[607] Empty faith

[608] M. Şemseddin Günaltay, From Hurafattan Hakikate, p. 313