Skip to content
Assabile

Riyad as-SalihinThe Book of the Prohibited actions

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not believe in evil omens

Chapter: Forbiddance of Believing in Ill Omens

Authentic Riyad as-Salihin 1676

Narrator:Buraydah

وعن بريدة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يتطير‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه أبو داود بإسناد صحيح‏)‏‏)‏

Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not believe in evil omens.

Reported by Abu Dawud (No. 3920). Cited in Riyad as-Salihin (No. 1676).

Copy
Copy:
Report an error

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never took anything as a bad omen. Islam has prohibited pessimism, the kind that prevents one from doing what he intended to do as practiced in the pre-Islamic era, taking evil omens, and divination by arrows. It offered the substitute represented in the Istikhārah prayer.

Explanation in Arabic

كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يتشاءم من شيء مطلقًا، والمراد التشاؤم الذي يصد عن عمل شيء كما كان يفعله أهل الجاهلية، وقد جاء الإسلام بالنهي عن التشاؤم والتطير والاستقسام بالأزلام، وشرع لهم بديلًا منها وهو الاستخارة.

  • عدم التَّطير، والحث على الاقتداء به -صلى الله عليه وسلم- في عدم التَّطير من أي شيء، والتفاؤل في كلِّ شيء.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Differing grades Sunan Abu Dawud 3920

The Prophet (ﷺ) did not take omens from anything, but when he sent out an agent he asked about his name. If it pleased him, he was glad about it, and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face. If he disliked his name, his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. When he…

لاَ يَتَطَيَّرُ مِنْ شَىْءٍ وَكَانَ إِذَا بَعَثَ عَامِلاً سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهِ فَإِذَا أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمُهُ فَرِحَ بِهِ وَرُئِيَ بِشْرُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهُ رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَةُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ…

Narrated by Buraydah

Not graded Mishkat al-Masabih 4588

Buraida told that the Prophet did not take omens from anything; but when he sent out an agent he asked about his name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked his name his displeasure on that account was visible in…

وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ لَا يَتَطَيَّرُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا بَعَثَ عَامِلًا سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهِ فَإِذَا أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمه فَرح بِهِ ورئي بشر ذَلِك على وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ…

Narrated by Buraydah

Also reported by… (1)
  • السنن الكبرى للبيهقي (15187)لا يَتَطَيَّرُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ، وَكَانَ إِذَا بَعَثَ عَامِلا سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهِ ، فَإِذَا أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمُهُ فَرِحَ بِهِ ، وَرُئِيَ بِشْرُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ ، وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهُ رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَةُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ ، وَإِذَا دَخَلَ قَرْيَةً سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهَا ، فَإِنْ أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمُهَا فَرِ

On the same subject

Topics

Sunday, October 18, 2026 7 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ