Omens and Superstitions
Total Hadiths 34
Authentic Hadiths on Omens and Superstitions
These authentic prophetic traditions clarify Islamic teachings on contagious illness, evil omens, and false superstitions. According to Islamic scholars, pre-Islamic concepts like 'safar' or 'hama' hold no inherent power to cause harm, as ultimate control belongs solely to Allah. When a companion questioned how scabies spreads among camels, the Prophet beautifully redirected their focus to divine decree by asking who infected the first one. Additionally, the narrations balance faith with practical caution; while affirming that diseases do not transmit independently by supernatural means, the Prophet explicitly advised that a sick person or animal should not be brought near healthy ones to prevent the spread of harm.
حَدَّثَنَاهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ .
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2221cIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 145USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5512
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلُ بْنُ، خَالِدٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . مِثْلَهُ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ عُقَيْلٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . وَلَمْ يَقُلْ سَمِعْتُ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَمَا قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2223bIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 151USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5518
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، وَحَمْزَةَ، ابْنَىْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِمَا، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، وَحَمْزَةَ، ابْنَىْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ، إِسْحَاقَ ح وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الشُّؤْمِ . بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ لاَ يَذْكُرُ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ فِي حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ الْعَدْوَى وَالْطِّيَرَةَ غَيْرُ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ .
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Zuhri with other chains of transmitters but with slight variations of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2225cIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 158USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5525
وَحَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ " حَقٌّ " .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters but there is no mention of the word" Haqq"" (fact).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2225eIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 160USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5527
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَ رِوَايَةِ مَعْقِلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2228cIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 170USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5537
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
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، وَحَسَنٌ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَغَيْرُهُ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ عَدْوَى وَلاَ طِيَرَةَ وَلاَ صَفَرَ وَلاَ هَامَةَ " . فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There is no transitive disease, no evil omen, no safar, no hama. A desert Arab said: Allah's, Messenger.... The rest of the hadith is the same.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2220bIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 141USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5508
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي سِنَانُ بْنُ أَبِي سِنَانٍ الدُّؤَلِيُّ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ عَدْوَى " . فَقَامَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ . فَذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ وَصَالِحٍ . وَعَنْ شُعَيْبٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي السَّائِبُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ابْنُ أُخْتِ نَمِرٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ عَدْوَى وَلاَ صَفَرَ وَلاَ هَامَةَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There is no transitive disease. Thereupon a desert Arab stood up. The rest of the hadith is the same and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Zuhri' the Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said: There is no transitive disease, no safar, no hama.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2220cIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 142USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5509
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، وَحَسَنٌ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ عَبْدٌ حَدَّثَنِي وَقَالَ، الآخَرَانِ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - يَعْنُونَ ابْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ - حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ، شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ عَدْوَى " . وَيُحَدِّثُ مَعَ ذَلِكَ " لاَ يُورِدُ الْمُمْرِضُ عَلَى الْمُصِحِّ " . بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There is no transitive disease and he also reported along with it: The ill should not be taken to the healthy.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2221bIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 144USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5511
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - يَعْنُونَ ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ عَدْوَى وَلاَ هَامَةَ وَلاَ نَوْءَ وَلاَ صَفَرَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There is no transitive disease, no huma, no star promising rain, no safar.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2220dIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 146USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5513
