Muslims are encouraged to think and ponder over, not only the comet and other meteoric bodies, but every wonders of Allah’s Creation. Allah Almighty orders His servants to contemplate His creation in many occasions in the Glorious Qur’an. Read, for example,“Lo! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah – while standing, sitting, and reclining – and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou created not this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Preserve us from the doom of Fire.” (Aal-`Imran: 190-191)
Commenting on this verse, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), said, “Woe to those who read this verse and fail to carry out the order of contemplating Allah’s wondrous creation.”
Al-Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet used to say: “Occupying one’s mind with contemplation is more rewardable for a man than worshipping Allah for a whole night.” Al-Fudail also used to say: “Contemplation is a mirror that shows a person his bad deeds as well as the good ones.”
Now let us look at the universe to see the wonders of His Mighty, Glorified and Exalted Be He. Seeing the Universe does not mean enjoying the serenity of the sky or the twinkling of the stars or the sparkling of comets, otherwise man will not be better than beasts that see also the same figures. Man is different. He watches to think and contemplate, as well as praising Allah the Creator.
As regard the belief that starring at stars or comets makes one’s wishes come true, it’s a baseless idea; there is no room in Islam for such thing. Stars will never chart one’s life. Qatadah, a companion of the Prophet said that the stars were created for three tasks: to decorate the sky, to act missiles for the devils, and signs for people to know their ways and times.
Therefore we are allowed to watch comet and other meteoric showers in the sky with the aim of pondering over Allah’s wondrous creation and also for other legal purposes (e.g. study). Starring at them with belief that your wishes will materialize is haram.
To round it up, let me quote the following verses from Surat al-Mulk; they contain self-revealing facts that need no comment:
The Qur’an says: “Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and He is Able to do all things. Who hath created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, Forgiving, Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One’s creation; then look again: Canst thou see any rifts? Then look again and yet again, thy sight will return unto thee weakened and made dim. And verily We have beautified the world’s heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.” (Al-Mulk: 1-5)
Let us ponder and read the following verses and judge for yourself:
“Will they not regard the camels, how they are created? And the heaven, how it is railed? And the hills, how they are set up? And the earth, how it is spread? Remind them, for thou art but a remembrancer,”(Al-Ghashiyah: 17-20)