What is meant by taking an omen as a bad sign, and what is its ruling?
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The questioner : The questioner, Mahmoud Yusuf, has two questions. The first question is: What is meant by taking an omen as a bad sign, and what is its ruling?
The Shaykh : Taking an omen as a bad sign is pessimism; pessimism regarding something seen or heard, or a time or a place. Its origin is from birds. The Arabs in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to be pessimistic and drive away birds. If a bird flew and headed in a certain direction, they would take an omen from it. It was such that a person might have tied up his luggage and dismounted his mount intending to travel, but he would take an omen. If the bird inclined toward a certain direction, he would leave off the journey and say, "This is a journey of evil." This is the origin of the meaning of taking an omen as a bad sign. For this reason, it is obligatory for a person, if pessimism occurs in his heart, to rely upon Allah, to depend on Him, and not to care about these illusions that Satan drags the servant into in order to disturb his tranquility. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 3539 And he said: . Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Taking an omen as a bad sign is pessimism; pessimism regarding something seen or heard, or a time or a place. Its origin is from birds. The Arabs in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to be pessimistic and drive away birds. If a bird flew and headed in a certain direction, they would take an omen from it. It was such that a person might have tied up his luggage and dismounted his mount intending to travel, but he would take an omen. If the bird inclined toward a certain direction, he would leave off the journey and say, "This is a journey of evil." This is the origin of the meaning of taking an omen as a bad sign. For this reason, it is obligatory for a person, if pessimism occurs in his heart, to rely upon Allah, to depend on Him, and not to care about these illusions that Satan drags the servant into in order to disturb his tranquility. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
There is no ‘Adwa, no omen, no Hamah and no Safar.
لا عدوى ولا طِيرة ولا هامة ولا صفرHe is not one of us who takes an omen as a bad sign, or for whom an omen is taken, or who practices sorcery, or for whom sorcery is practiced.
ليس منا من تطيّر أو تُطيّر له أو سحر أو سُحِر لهThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.