All praises to Allah Most High and may His choicest blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s peace be upon him).
We have entered the second month of the lunar calendar, Safar. Sa-far with a “Sawd” either means “To turn yellow” or “To be empty/vacant”. It was in Autumn when the leaves turn yellow or the homes of the Arabs were empty of their menfolk, that this month was named Safar.
This month is also known as, Sa-fa-rul Mu-zaf-far or Sa-fa-rul Khayr, which convey meanings of success, good fortune etc. This is contrary to the corrupt beliefs of some people who say the month of Safar is bad-luck, evil, ill-omened, unfortunate etc., such that marriages, major transactions and the like must not be conducted in this month.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) opposed false and superstitious beliefs. Time, day, week, month, year are all terms or spans that indicate the will of Allah Most High.
If anyone does good at any time, he will be benefit and merit reward from Allah. Likewise, the effects of evil and sins whether in this world or the next will be decided by Allah.
We must remember that our intellects and understanding are limited especially regarding matters of the unseen, therefore we seek divine guidance from the Glorious Quran, and Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him).
We have been informed by the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) of many times in the lunar calendar and many places in the world where the rewards of good deeds are multiplied. The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) has also informed us of times unfit for certain rituals like salah (prayers) and he (Allah’s peace be upon him) has informed us of times, such as close to the time of Maghrib, when certain precautions should be taken.
Thus, based on such facts, senior scholars have explained many things to us, in accordance to the Sharia which we accept and adhere to seeking success in both worlds.
Yet our scholars have not conveyed anything adverse about the month of Safar from the Quran or the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) because nothing adverse has been authentically transmitted from those sublime sources of guidance and truth.
Nevertheless, there have arisen a host of corrupt and baseless beliefs regarding this month. Sincere Muslims should refrain from them and instead engage in beneficial deeds and the pursuit of the Pleasure of Allah as they should in all months.
As was mentioned, some people erroneously believe that Safar is a month of misfortune and calamities. Among such incorrect beliefs are that:
1. A nikah performed in this month would not be successful.
2. This month is full of misfortune and calamities.
3. To commence any important venture, business etc. during this month will bring bad luck.
4. The first to the thirteenth of Safar is ill-fortune and evil.
5. The person who distributes food or money on the 13th of Safar will be saved from its ill-fortune.
6. To celebrate the last Wednesday of Safar and regard it as a holiday.
Yet Allah Most High says in the Qur’an al-Kareem:
ما أصاب من مصيبة إلا بإذن الله
“No misfortune befalls except by Allah’s command…” [Surah Taghabun 64: 11]
Further such baseless superstition is explicitly refuted by the following words from the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him):
لا عدوى ولا طيرة ولا هامة ولاصفر
There is no superstitious owl, bird, no star-promising rain, no (bad omen in the month of) Safar. [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 5707]
He (Allah’s peace be upon him) has also said:
لا عدوى ولا صفر ولا غول
There is no bad omen in the month of Safar and no Ghouls (evil spirits). [Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2222]
The above hadiths clearly refute all incorrect beliefs and superstitions regarding the month of Safar. These incorrect beliefs flow from the pre-Islamic period of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) when people believed all sorts of nonsense that were, unfortunately, like some contemporary superstitions mentioned above.
What to Do
Given the facts as we have mentioned them, the following is advisable regarding this month of Safar:
1. All types of erroneous beliefs regarding the blessed month of Safar should be shunned.
2. We should remember that the truly unfortunate person is he who disobeys Allah Most High’s commandments by, for example, not performing the five daily salahs and so on. It is narrated in a hadith that the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) said: “Pray (saying), “0 Allah! Cause not anyone of us to be a wretched destitute person.” He then asked: “Do you know who a wretched destitute person is?” Upon the request of the Sahabah (Allah’s pleasure be upon them) he replied, “A wretched destitute is he who neglects his salat.”
3. We should understand that all conditions which befall us, good or bad, favorable or unfavorable are from Allah Most High (because of our actions or states or as a test based on Divine wisdom). Concerning misfortunes, Allah Most High says: “Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is due to the things your hands have wrought, and He forgives many a sin.” (Surah Shura 42:30). And our master Jabir (Allah’s pleasure be upon him) has said that, “I have heard our master the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace be upon him) saying, ‘The descending of illness and evil befalling in the month of Safar are untrue.’”
We there ask Allah to protect us in this month and in all others from the misfortunes of ignorance and disobedience and that He increase us in knowledge and keep us firmly upon the Sunnah of His Messenger (Allah’s peace be upon him) until He returns us to Himself.
Source: Jamiatul Ulama
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