DAILY POST #104
Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani – rahimahullaah – said:
It is reported from Aisha radiyallaahu anha- who said – The Messenger of Allah -salallaahu alayhi wasallam said:
“Being Superstitious is a part of bad character”.
Transmitted and recorded by Imaam Ahmad in his “Sunan”#24026 with a weak chain of narrators. And Imaam Al-Albaani also declared the hadith to be weak in Adda’ifah#793.
COMMENTARY
The hadith shows the importance of the following:
1. It shows that being superstitious is a part of bad character and it is discouraged in Islam. The origin of superstition or belief in evil omens is that whenever one of the Arabs want to do something during the jahiliyya period( pre Islamic era), he would go to a bird’s nest and try to make it fly away. If the bird flies to the right direction, he would take this as a good omen and go ahead with his work or intention. But if the bird flies to the left direction, he would take this as a bad omen and will hold back from doing what he intended to do.
2. It indicates that being superstitious contradicts Islam. This is because everything is in the Hands of Allah and He controls everything and Islam encourages Complete Tawakkul on Allah. And also superstition can be considered as major Shirk or minor shirk depending on whether one believes that the thing that make him have evil omen has an influence by itself or not.
If he believes and relies in that which makes him have evil omen and he also believes that it has influence in itself and is capable of causing good or bad to him, then, this is major shirk. However, if he believes that everything is in the hands of Allah and occurs only with His permission, and he still might find fear in his heart because the thing that causes him to feel unsecured often brings him evil, then in this case, it is a minor Shirk.
The only solution for this, is for him to seek refuge with Allaah and go ahead with his intention or work, placing his complete trust in Allaah.
3. It encourages having total trust in Allah and to believe that Allah controls everything.
Allaahu A’alam!
Baarakallaahu feekum!
