The beliefs of Muslims in Yaring District, Pattani province about Witchcraft and Soothsaying

Abstract

This research is to study about the beliefs of Muslims in Yaring district, Pattani province in Al-kahanah(witchcraft)and Al-Irafast(soothsaying) by studying about the accuracy and concordance with the teaching of Islam. The aims of this research are: 1) to study the standpoint of Islam to Witchcraft and Soothsaying and 2) to study the case study of the belief of Muslims in Yaring district according to  Witchcraft and Soothsaying . The methods of the research are Qualitative research and Quantitative research. The researcher divided the methods of the research into two steps; 1) study the data sources about Witchcraft and Soothsaying from Al-quran,Al-hadith and the viewpoints of the important and famous Islamic scholars both in the past and nowadays. The researcher emphasized using primary source (masdar) and secondary source (muraji’) to refer mainly.  2) Survey research by studying data about the belief of sample groups (Muslim villagers in Yaring district of Pattani province) to Witchcraft and Soothsaying by using the questionnaires and take the data to analyze in order to answer the questions of the aims with the details about population and sample groups, instruments in research, collecting data and analyze the data.

        The results of the research about the principle of Islam and the belief of Muslim villagers in Yaring district of Pattani province about Witchcraft and Soothsaying are: 1) Islam resists forecasters and fortune tellers. The beliefs in Witchcraft and Soothsaying are forbidden things for Muslims because they Yaring district of Pattani province about Witchcraft and Soothsaying cause them to be polytheism (syirik) to Allah. 2) The belief of Muslims in Yaring district of Pattani province in Witchcraft and Soothsaying mostly consistent to the principle of the Islamic teachings.