Dear Islamic brothers, taking bad omens from various things is an old practise of non-Muslims. These superstitious people would find superstition in almost everything. For example, if a person left his house for work and an animal passed by or he heard the sound of a specific bird, he would immediately return home.

Similarly, it was popular to consider some days and months as unlucky. These forms of baseless superstitious beliefs are common amongst us also. Islam does not permit holding such beliefs, just as it does not permit other useless customs.^[1]  Now, let us discuss two blessed hadith of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم regarding ill omens:

1.   “When you are jealous, do not be excessive (in said jealousy). When you develop bad assumptions, do not believe in them. When an inclination towards a bad omen arises within you, do not fall prey to it and rely upon Allah.”^[2]

2.   “Three things will definitely remain within my ummah; (believing in) bad omens, jealousy and thinking ill of others.” A Companion رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ asked: “O Messenger of Allah  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ! If someone possesses these three traits, how does he free himself from them?” In reply, it was explained, “When you are jealous, seek forgiveness from Allah. When you think bad of someone, do not remain fixed upon it. When you come across an ill omen, (disregard it and) complete your tasks.”^[3]

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه The actions of our pious predecessors are the perfect blueprint to follow in this regard. These blessed individuals never believed a specific person, place, or time to be a bad omen of any kind. At the same time, they did not fall into superstition by believing in horoscopes, as these things are not only wrong, but sources of immense mental anguish