Hadith saying illness and calamities come down on Tuesdays?

There is a Hadith saying that illness was created on Tuesday. However, Imam al-Sayuti considered it to be fabricated. There is a more generic Hadith in Sahih Muslim mentioning that disliked matters were created on Tuesday. As for a Dua to protect one from calamities on Tuesdays, there does not seem to be a prophetic Dua for this.

When a person narrates a Hadith then the onus is upon that person to prove the authenticity of the narration. Unfortunately, too many Muslims do not understand this and therefore fail to request sound and thorough referencing regarding Hadith.

Worse still, some people feel it is disrespectful to ask for proof that a Hadith is indeed authentic. I will remind such people that our love for our Prophet ﷺ dictates that we protect the noble Sunnah. And the fear of this or that person being offended must not lead to us compromising our relationship with our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

Having said this, one should always be respectful when questioning people of knowledge. It is necessary to seek clarification and authentication regarding religious matters. It is also essential that one do so with respect. Regardless, no genuine scholar will be offended when asked to prove the authenticity of Hadith narrations he has quoted.

Any person who deems it disrespectful to seek verification in religious matters has misunderstood the tradition of Ahl al-Sunnah. From the time of the Sahabah to this day, we have not had an issue with respectfully questioning those who teach the Deen. This misrepresentation of respect has caused many people to go astray, and the Deen of Allah (Most High) being misunderstood by entire communities.

خلق اللهُ الأمراضَ يوم الثلاثاء، وفيه أنزل إبليس إلى الأرض، وفيه خلق جهنّم. (ذيل الآلئ المصنوعة)

Allah (Most High) created illnesses on Tuesday, and in it Iblees (the devil) descended to Earth, and in it hellfire was created. (Imam Jalal al-Deen al-Sayuti, Ziyaadaat ala al-Mowdo’aat).

The narration above regarding illnesses being created on a Tuesday was included by Imam al-Sayuti in his book on fabricated Hadith narrations. Therefore, it is not permitted to narrate it, unless one is warning people against it. 

فإنّي لمّا فرغتُ مِن اختصار كتاب الموضوعات للحافظ أبي الفرج ابن الجوزي، وتحريرِ أحاديثه وما يُتعقَّب عليه على الوجه الأتمِّ؛ أردفتُه بهذا الذيل مورِداً فيه جملةً من الموضوعات التي لم يُلِمَّ بِذكرها. (ذيل الآلئ المصنوعة)

When I completed the abridgement of the book of fabricated Hadith by al-Hafidh Abi al-Faraj Ibn Jowzi, and completed the required research and refutational work, I added this supplement. In it I added fabricated narrations that he did not include. (Imam Jalal al-Deen al-Sayuti, Ziyaadaat ala al-Mowdo’aat).

However the fact that disliked matters were created on Tuesday is well established in Sahih Muslim. But one must not conflate between Hadith narrations, especially if one is fabricated and the other is authentic. Rather each one should be narrated clearly and separately.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِي فَقَالَ: «خَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ التُّرْبَةَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ، وَخَلَقَ فِيهَا الْجِبَالَ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ، وَخَلَقَ الشَّجَرَ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ، وَخَلَقَ الْمَكْرُوهَ يَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ، وَخَلَقَ النُّورَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ، وَبَثَّ فِيهَا الدَّوَابَّ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، وَخَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ، فِي آخِرِ الْخَلْقِ، فِي آخِرِ سَاعَةٍ مِنْ سَاعَاتِ الْجُمُعَةِ، فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ

Abu Hurairah (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my hand and said, ‘Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created the earth on Saturday. He (Most High) created the mountains on Sunday, the trees on Monday. He (Most High) created disliked matters on Tuesday, light on Wednesday and He filled it with animals on Thursday. He (Most High) created Adam (peace be upon him) after Asr on Friday, at the end of creation, it was the last period of Friday between the afternoon and the night.’ (Sahih Muslim, 2789 – 27).

The following Dua (supplication) is often linked to Hadith and some people encourage others to recite it on Tuesdays:

اللهم يا كافي البلاء اكفنا البلاء قبل نزوله من السماء

O Allah, O sufficer of calamities. Suffice from us calamities before their descending from the heavens.

I have not found this Hadith with a sound chain in an original book of Hadith. Therefore, people who promote this as a Dua from Hadith must provide evidence that it is indeed found in original Hadith works with an acceptable chain.

It must be sourced to an original book of Hadith not a secondary or tertiary source. It is unfortunate to see that many people who should know better, because they have studied in Islamic institutions, do not understand this fundamental point regarding Hadith authenticity. Rather they provide non-primary sources when asked to source a Hadith narration (see the link below for details).

And Allah (Most High) knows best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (21.10.2022)

See also:
Referencing Hadith correctly

See also video: