Explanation of the Hadith: “There is no ‘adwa, no tiyarah, no hama, and no Safar”
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Question:
I heard a hadith about taking an omen as a bad sign, which says, in its meaning:Muwatta Malik 50:19 I hope you will mention the hadith in full and explain the words in it that I do not understand.
Answer:
It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sunan Ibn Majah 3539, , .
The meaning is the invalidation of what the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed, namely that things transmit [disease] by their nature. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that this matter is invalid, and that the One who controls the universe is Allah alone. So some of those present said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): “O Messenger of Allah, camels are in the desert as if they were gazelles, and a scabby camel enters among them and makes them scabby.” So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. The meaning is that the One who sent the scab to the first [camel] is the One who sent it to the other.
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to them that mixing [with the sick] may be a cause for the transfer of disease from the sick to the healthy, by the permission of Allah ; for this reason he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2221a. The meaning is the prohibition of bringing sick camels and the like, with scab and the like, into the company of healthy camels; because this mixing may cause the transfer of the disease from the sick to the healthy by the permission of Allah. And from this is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 16:270; and that is because mixing with him may cause the transfer of the disease from him to others. And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he ate with a leper and said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1817Da'if (Darussalam) to make it clear that the transfer of leprosy from the sick to the healthy only happens by the permission of Allah, and it is not something inevitable.
In summary: the hadiths in this chapter indicate that there is no transmission of disease in the way the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believe, namely that diseases transmit by their nature. Rather, the matter is in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); if He wills, the disease transfers from the sick to the healthy, and if He (Glorified and Exalted is He) wills, that does not happen. But Muslims are commanded to take the beneficial means and to leave what may lead to harm.
As for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):, the meaning is the invalidation of what the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed regarding taking an omen as a bad sign from things seen and heard that they dislike and that deter them from their needs, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
And he said in the other hadith:Sunan Abi Dawud 3910Sahih (Al-Albani). And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 3919Da'if (Al-Albani). And it was narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: .
As for the hama: it is a bird called the owl. The people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance claimed that if it hooted over one of their houses, the master of that house would die, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
As for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):, it is the known month, and some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance took it as a bad omen. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that it is like the other months and contains nothing that necessitates taking an omen as a bad sign.
And some of the scholars said: it is a creature that is in the belly, called: Safar. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed that it transmits [disease], so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
As for the naw’ (star): it is the singular of anwa’ (stars), which are the stars. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance took some of the stars as bad omens, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has clarified in the great Qur’an that He created the stars as adornment for the sky, as missiles for the devils, and as signs by which one is guided on land and sea, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [al-Mulk:5], and He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al-An'am 6:97] the verse [al-An’am:97]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [an-Nahl:16].
As for the ghul: it is a type of jinn that confronts people in the desert, misleads them from the paths, and frightens them. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed in them, and that they act by their own power, so Allah invalidated that.
And it was narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: and the meaning is: that the remembrance of Allah drives them away. And likewise, seeking refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He created protects from their evil and the evil of others, along with taking the means that Allah has made means of protection from all evil.
As for the fal (good omen): it is that a person hears a good word, which pleases him, but does not deter him from his need. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained the fal by that, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1615Sahih (Darussalam) End of quote.
And among the examples of that is that a sick person hears someone say: “O healthy one, O free from illness,” and that pleases him. And likewise, if he hears someone searching for a lost item say: “O finder,” or “O successful one,” or “O fortunate one,” that pleases him and he takes it as a good omen. And success is from Allah.
I heard a hadith about taking an omen as a bad sign, which says, in its meaning:
no hama and no serpent in a hungry belly
ولا هام ولا صفرAnswer:
It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
There is no ‘Adwa, no omen, no Hamah and no Safar.
لا عدوى ولا طيرة ولا هامة ولا صفرAnd no Anwa, and no Ghul.
ولا نوء ولا غولand I like the fal (good omen)
ويعجبني الفألThe meaning is the invalidation of what the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed, namely that things transmit [disease] by their nature. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that this matter is invalid, and that the One who controls the universe is Allah alone. So some of those present said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): “O Messenger of Allah, camels are in the desert as if they were gazelles, and a scabby camel enters among them and makes them scabby.” So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
So who infected the first one?
فمن أعدى الأولThen he (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to them that mixing [with the sick] may be a cause for the transfer of disease from the sick to the healthy, by the permission of Allah ; for this reason he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
A sick person should not be taken to one who is healthy
لا يورد ممرض على مصحFlee from the leper as you would flee from a lion.
فر من المجذوم فرارك من الأسدNarrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took the hand of a leper and put it in the Qas'ah. Then he said: 'Eat in Allah's Name, trusting in Allah and relying upon Him.'" [Abu 'Eisa said:] This is a Gharib Hadith, we do not know of it except through the report of Yunus bin Muhammad, from Al-Mufaddal bin Fadalah, a Shaikh from Al-Basrah. There is another Shaikh from Al-Basrah named Al-Mufaddal bin Fadalah, who is more reliable han this one and more popular. Shu'bah reported this Hadith from Habib bin Ash-Shahid, from Ibn Buraidah: "That Ibn 'Umar took the hand of a leper" and the narration of Shu'bah is more appropriate to me and more correct.
كل بسم الله ثقة باللهIn summary: the hadiths in this chapter indicate that there is no transmission of disease in the way the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believe, namely that diseases transmit by their nature. Rather, the matter is in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He); if He wills, the disease transfers from the sick to the healthy, and if He (Glorified and Exalted is He) wills, that does not happen. But Muslims are commanded to take the beneficial means and to leave what may lead to harm.
As for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
No bad omen
ولا طيرةAnd he said in the other hadith:
Taking omens is polytheism; taking omens is polytheism
الطيرة شرك، الطيرة شركIf one of you sees anything he dislikes, he should say: O Allah, no one brings good things except Thee, and no one averts evil things except Thee and there is no might and power but in Allah.
إذا رأى أحدكم ما يكره فليقل: اللهم لا يأتي بالحسنات إلا أنت، ولا يدفع السيئات إلا أنت، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بكWhoever is deterred from his need by taking an omen as a bad sign has associated partners with Allah. They said: What is the expiation for that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: That he should say: O Allah, there is no good except Your good, and no omen except Your omen, and there is no god but You
من ردّته الطيرة عن حاجته فقد أشرك، قالوا: وما كفارة ذلك يا رسول الله؟ قال: أن يقول: اللهم لا خير إلا خيرك، ولا طير إلا طيرك، ولا إله غيركAs for the hama: it is a bird called the owl. The people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance claimed that if it hooted over one of their houses, the master of that house would die, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
As for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
and there is no Safar
ولا صفرAnd some of the scholars said: it is a creature that is in the belly, called: Safar. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed that it transmits [disease], so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
As for the naw’ (star): it is the singular of anwa’ (stars), which are the stars. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance took some of the stars as bad omens, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated that.
And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has clarified in the great Qur’an that He created the stars as adornment for the sky, as missiles for the devils, and as signs by which one is guided on land and sea, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاء الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَاطِينِAnd it is He who placed for you the stars that you may be guided by them through the darknesses of the land and sea
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُواْ بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِAnd landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.
وَعَلامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَAs for the ghul: it is a type of jinn that confronts people in the desert, misleads them from the paths, and frightens them. And some of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance believed in them, and that they act by their own power, so Allah invalidated that.
And it was narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
When the ghaylan appear, hasten with the adhan
إذا تغولت الغيلان فبادروا بالأذانAs for the fal (good omen): it is that a person hears a good word, which pleases him, but does not deter him from his need. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained the fal by that, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
and I like Fa'l." They said: "O Messenger of Allah! What is Fa'l?" He said: "A good statement."
ويعجبني الفأل. قالوا: يا رسول الله، وما الفأل؟ قال: الكلمة الطيبةAnd among the examples of that is that a sick person hears someone say: “O healthy one, O free from illness,” and that pleases him. And likewise, if he hears someone searching for a lost item say: “O finder,” or “O successful one,” or “O fortunate one,” that pleases him and he takes it as a good omen. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.