Chapter 1.0
16 hadiths
Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, “There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, “A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا طِيَرَةَ وَخَيْرُهَا الْفَأْلُ» قَالُوا: وَمَا الْفَأْلُ؟ قَالَ: «الْكَلِمَةُ الصَّالِحَة يسْمعهَا أحدكُم»
He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no evil omen, no <i>hama</i>*, and no serpent in a hungry belly*; but flee from one who has tubercular leprosy as you would from a lion." Bukhari transmitted it. * The word means an owl, or a night-bird which frequents graves. The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that when vengeance had not been taken for one who had been killed a bird called <i>hama</i> came forth from the dead and screeched demanding vengeance. ** The word is <i>safar</i>. The pre-Islaraic Arabs used the word as meaning a serpent which bites a man from within when he is hungry and causes the sense of stinging a man feels when hungry. It was also used of a serpent within the belly which was believed to cause a disease more contagious than mange or scab.
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا طِيَرَةَ وَلَا هَامة وَلَا صقر وفر الْمَجْذُومِ كَمَا تَفِرُّ مِنَ الْأَسَدِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ
He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no <i>hama</i>, and no serpent in a hungry belly." A nomadic Arab asked, “Messenger of God, how is it that when camels are in the sand as if they were gazelles* and a mangy camel comes among them it gives them mange?" God’s messenger replied, “Who infected the first one?" Bukhari transmitted it. * The comparison is used to indicate the clearness of their skin.
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا هَامَةَ وَلَا صفر» . فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِي: يَا رَسُول فَمَا بَالُ الْإِبِلِ تَكُونُ فِي الرَّمْلِ لَكَأَنَّهَا الظباء فيخالها الْبَعِير الأجرب فيجر بِهَا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَمن أعدى الأول» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ
He reported God’s messenger as saying:
“There is no infection, no <i>hama</i>, no star promising rain, and no serpent in a hungry belly." Muslim transmitted it.
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا هَامَةَ وَلَا نَوْءَ وَلَا صفر» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Jabir told that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say:
“There is no infection, no serpent in a hungry belly, and no ghoul.”* Muslim transmitted it. * I have used the English word derived from the Arabic ghul. It was used of a creature which was a type of jinni or devil which was believed to appear to people in various forms and lead them astray in the desert and cause their destruction.
وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا صَفَرَ وَلَا غُولَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
‘Amr b. ash-Sharid told on his father’s authority that there was a man with tubercular leprosy in the deputation of Thaqif and the Prophet (ﷺ) sent to him a message:
"We have taken your oath of allegiance, so go home." Muslim transmitted it.
وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الشَّرِيدِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: كَانَ فِي وَفْدِ ثَقِيفٍ رَجُلٌ مَجْذُومٌ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّا قد بايعناك فَارْجِع» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Ibn ‘Abbas told that God’s messenger took good omens but not evil ones, and that he liked a pleasing name. It is transmitted in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i>.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَفَاءَلُ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُ وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ الِاسْمَ الْحَسَنَ. رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السّنة
Qatan b. Qabisa told on his father’s authority that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Augury from the flight of birds, the practice of pessomancy,* and taking evil omens pertain to divination."** Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Tarq. It is used of the practice of divinantion in which women threw stones. It is also used of geomancy by drawing lines. ** Min al-jibt. Jibt means devil and also divination. An alternative translation would be that these practices come from the devil.
وَعَن قَطن بن قَبيصةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الْعِيَافَةُ وَالطَّرْقُ وَالطِّيَرَةُ مِنَ الْجِبْتِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying:
"Taking evil omens is polytheism (saying it three times). None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi told that he heard Muhammad b. Isma'il* say that Sulaiman b. Harb used to say about this tradition that in his opinion "None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him" are Ibn Mas'ud’s words. * i.e. Bukhari.
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الطِّيَرَةُ شِرْكٌ» قَالَهُ ثَلَاثًا وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُذْهِبُهُ بِالتَّوَكُّلِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ يَقُولُ: كَانَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ يَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ: «وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُذْهِبُهُ بِالتَّوَكُّلِ» . هَذَا عِنْدِي قَوْلُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ
Jabir told that God’s messenger took a man who was suffering from tubercular leprosy by the hand, and putting it along with his own in the dish said:
"Eat with confidence in God and trust in Him." Ibn Majah transmitted it.
وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ مَجْذُومٍ فَوَضَعَهَا مَعَهُ فِي الْقَصْعَةِ وَقَالَ: «كُلْ ثِقَةً بِاللَّهِ وَتَوَكُّلًا عَلَيْهِ» . رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه
Sa'd b. Malik reported God’s messenger as saying:
"There is no <i>hama</i>, no infection and no evil omen; but if anything is affected by an evil omen it is a house, a horse, and a woman." Abu Dawud transmitted it.
وَعَن سعدِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا هَامَةَ وَلَا عَدْوَى وَلَا طِيَرَةَ وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الطِّيَرَةُ فِي شَيْءٍ فَفِي الدَّارِ وَالْفرس وَالْمَرْأَة» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Anas told that when the Prophet (ﷺ) went out to attend to some business he was delighted to hear someone say, “O rightly guided one! O successful one!” Tirmidhi transmitted it.
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ إِذَا خَرَجَ لِحَاجَةٍ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ: يَا رَاشِدُ يَا نَجِيحُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ
Buraida told that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not take omens from anything; but when he sent out an agent he asked about his name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked his name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. When he entered a village he asked about its name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked its name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.
وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ لَا يَتَطَيَّرُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا بَعَثَ عَامِلًا سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهِ فَإِذَا أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمه فَرح بِهِ ورئي بشر ذَلِك على وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهُ رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَةُ ذَلِكَ على وَجْهِهِ وَإِذَا دَخَلَ قَرْيَةً سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهَا فَإِنْ أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمُهَا فَرِحَ بِهِ وَرُئِيَ بِشْرُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهَا رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَة ذَلِك فِي وَجهه. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Anas told that a man said, “Messenger of God, we were in an abode in which our numbers and our goods were many and changed to an abode in which our numbers and our goods have become few.” He replied, “Leave it, for it is reprehensible.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.
وَعَن أنس قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا فِي دَارٍ كَثُرَ فِيهَا عَدَدُنَا وَأَمْوَالُنَا فَتَحَوَّلْنَا إِلَى دَارٍ قَلَّ فِيهَا عَدَدُنَا وَأَمْوَالُنَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ذروها ذميمة» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Yahya b. ‘Abdallah b. Bahir said he was informed by one who had heard Farwa b. Musaik tell that he said, “Messenger of God, we have land called Abyan* which is the land where we have our fields and grow our crops, but it is very unhealthy.” He replied, “Leave it, for destruction comes from being near disease.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * To the east of Aden some early riders held it was either a place on the rocks of Adea, or a name of Aden itself.
وَعَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَحِيرٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي مَنْ سَمِعَ فَرْوَةَ بْنَ مُسَيْكٍ يَقُولُ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عِنْدَنَا أَرْضٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا أَبْيَنُ وَهِيَ أَرْضُ رِيفِنَا وَمِيرَتِنَا وَإِنَّ وَبَاءَهَا شَدِيدٌ. فَقَالَ: «دَعْهَا عَنْكَ فَإِنَّ من القَرَف التّلف» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
‘Urwa b. ‘Amir told that when taking omens was mentioned in the presence of God’s messenger he replied that the best type was the good omen, adding that a Muslim is not turned back from anything because of an omen. He told them that when any of them saw anything he disliked he should say, “O God, You alone bringest good things, You alone avertest evil things, and there is no might or power but in God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in <i>mursal</i> form.
عَن عُرْوَة بن عَامر قَالَ: ذُكِرَتِ الطِّيَرَةُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ:
أَحْسَنُهَا الْفَأْلُ وَلَا تَرُدُّ مُسْلِمًا فَإِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ مَا يَكْرَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ لَا يَأْتِي بِالْحَسَنَاتِ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلَا يَدْفَعُ السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ