Regarding a Member of the Clergy Who Claims Strange Things and Performs Suspicious Actions

September 26, 2022

Question:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

To: The Office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani (May Allah prolong his life)

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh

A member of one of the seminaries who wears religious attire and a turban (i.e., that of a clergy), who appeared to be righteous and trusted by his friends and colleagues, recently started claiming strange things and performing suspicious actions. Warning him and giving him advice did not work. The following are some of his claims:

He claims to be an expert in constellations or celestial signs and acts upon this so-called expertise. This has led to the separation of spouses and break-up of families.
He relies upon, supports, and promotes a lady who claims to have the ability to read people’s minds.
He claims that His Eminence al-Sayyid al-Sistani accepts those who claim such things if they are believers, and typically manages social affairs in Iraq through this method.

Please advise us of the religious standpoint towards this person and how we should deal with him, and whether there is truth in what he attributes to His Eminence.

A group of believers

14 Muharram al-Haram 1444 AH

 

Answer: 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The actions described above are invalid and have no religious justification. The attribution of their validity to His Eminence is definitely false, and the believers must avoid the person in question and not rely on him. Allah is the source of guidance.

Seal of the Office

The Holy City an-Najaf

29 Muharram al-Haram

 

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