39/33. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2220a — No Adwa, No Safar, No Hama
There Is No 'Adwa, No Tiyarah (Evil Omens), No Hamah. No Safar, No Nawa', And No Ghoul, And No Sick Camel Should Be Brought To A Healthy Camel
No Adwa Hadith: Trust Allah and Leave Superstitious Fear
Sahih Muslim : 2220a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2220a
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي الطَّاهِرِ - قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ حِينَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ عَدْوَى وَلاَ صَفَرَ وَلاَ هَامَةَ " . فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَمَا بَالُ الإِبِلِ تَكُونُ فِي الرَّمْلِ كَأَنَّهَا الظِّبَاءُ فَيَجِيءُ الْبَعِيرُ الأَجْرَبُ فَيَدْخُلُ فِيهَا فَيُجْرِبُهَا كُلَّهَا قَالَ " فَمَنْ أَعْدَى الأَوَّلَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There is no infection, no safar, no hama. A desert Arab said: Allah's Messenger, how is it that when the camel is in the sand it is like a deer-then a camel afflicted with scab mixes with it and it is affected by scab? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Who infected the first one? Note: The majority of scholars interpret this to mean that these things in and of themselves do not transmit or cause harm through supernatural or hidden means but that Allah is ultimately in control and any fearful superstition around these is false.
[1] Meaning one will not automatically be infected by another's ailment, rather only if Allâh has decreed it. [2] Evil omens derived mostly from the flight of birds. [3] Scholars mention different meanings for this pre-Islamic belief: It is a worm that comes out of the murdered person's head seeking vengeance; it refers to the owl which was considered a bad omen if seen in certain circumstances; or it was a bird that came from the bones of a dead person which would fly away. See Fath Al-Bârî and An-Nihâyah . [4] Şafar it refers to the tape worm or a similar parasite. The Arabs used to say that it was more contagious than leprosy. So the negation was not of its existence, but of the superstitions surrounding it. There are also other sayings defining it, see no. 5797 and for more see Fath Al-Bârî , Chapter 25 in the Book of Medicine. [5] The belief that a star's position brings rain. [6] Most of the scholars explain that it refers to a certain type of Jinn that murders travelers during the night after leading them astray on their journey.Reference : Sahih Muslim 2220aIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 140USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5507
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2220a
This no Adwa hadith teaches that harm is not to be feared as if it works by its own hidden power. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said there is no infection, no Safar, and no Hama. A desert Arab asked about healthy-looking camels that become affected after a scabby camel mixes with them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered with a question: “Who infected the first one?” The note in the text explains that many scholars understand this to reject fearful superstition and hidden independent causes, while Allah remains in control. So the hadith is not a call to ignore reality. It teaches the heart not to give disease, omens, or old beliefs power that belongs only to Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not believe harm works by itself outside Allah’s control.
- Questions can be answered in a way that makes people think.
- Superstitious fear around Safar and Hama is rejected.
- The first cause of harm is not independent of Allah.
