In a Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ says, ‘And there is no Safar’, does this mean the month of Safar is bad omen or bad luck?
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
The classical scholars mentioned different explanations for the words of the Prophet ﷺ, And there is no Safar. One interpretation is that it is not permitted to see the month of Safar as bad, bad luck or a bad omen.
أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لاَ عَدْوَى وَلاَ صَفَرَ وَلاَ هَامَةَ»
Abu Hurairah said that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, ‘There is no (independently) transmissible (disease), And there is no Safar, and no Haamah.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5717).
In the Hadith above the Prophet ﷺ said, And there is no Safar. Some scholars linked this statement to the practice the Jahili Arabs had of switching months. Others, like Imam Qadi Iyaad added another interpretation.
ومضى الكلام فى قوله: ” ولا صفر “، وبقى منه ما حكاه بعضهم أن أهل الجاهلية كانوا يتشاءمون بصفر. (إِكمَالُ المُعْلِمِ بفَوَائِدِ مُسْلِم).
And I have already spoken about the Prophets ﷺ words, ‘And there is no Safar.’ However, it remains to be mentioned that some (scholars) narrated that it relates to the fact that the Jahili Arabs used to deem Safar to be a bad omen. (Imam Qadi Iyaad, Sharh Sahih Muslim).
Unfortunately, there are some Muslims who consider Safar to be a bad month. Therefore, they avoid marriage in this month. This is ignorance. Even if we did not have the above Hadith, then we would not accept such beliefs. Since, such beliefs require evidence. The presence or absence of blessings in a particular time, place or item is from the matters of the unseen. Only Allah (Most High) and His Messenger ﷺ can inform us regarding such matters. It is not permitted to speak of matters of the unseen without evidence from Quran and Hadith.
So, even if we did not have the Hadith above saying, And there is no Safar, it would still not be permitted to consider Safar to be a bad month. Therefore, it truly is astonishing that some Muslims hold these beliefs despite the Hadith. This really must impress upon us the importance of learning the Deen correctly and not relying on hearsay.
And Allah (Most High) Knows Best.
– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (15.09.2021)
See also:
Is the Hadith “there is no Safar” authentic?
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