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The question

Is it permissible, in Islamic law, to rely on the results of matching numbers with letters to make a decision about marriage?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

There is no legal basis in Islamic law for methods resembling the prohibited practice of seeking divination by arrows (istisqām bi al-azlām). Allah Almighty said: "And that you seek divination by arrows - that is a grave disobedience" (Quran 5:3). And He said: "O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to idols], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful" (Quran 5:90).

It is prescribed for a Muslim to rely upon Allah, supplicate to Him, seek His guidance (istikhārah), and exert lawful means. Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned that the prohibited seeking of divination by arrows (istisqām bi al-azlām) includes anything used to infer whether to do an act or leave it, such as striking pebbles, or a tablet, or written papers, because it falls under the category of seeking divination by arrows. Rather, it is sunnah to seek guidance from the Creator, consult the created, and deduce from the legal evidences.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

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Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
183089
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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