Good and Evil Omens - Section 1

English translation

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.)

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

‘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.

English translation

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>.

English translation

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.

English translation

‘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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

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.

English translation

‘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.