Difficulties in the month of Safar
Question
Title: Difficulties in the month of Safar Question: It is a popular belief that difficulties of a religious nature befall people at a greater frequency in the month of Safir. Only those who are regular in their prayers are relatively safe from this occurrence. Is there any basis for this belief? Atif Rahman Pakistan Answer: There is absolutely no basis for this belief in the Qur'an or any of the traditions ascribed to the Prophet and his Companions. In fact, forms of this belief were actually present in pre-Islamic Arabia. For example: Bukhari Volume 2, Book 26, Number 635: Narrated Ibn Abbas : The people (of the Pre-Islamic Period) used to think that to perform ' Umra during the months of Hajj was one of the major sins on earth. And also used to consider the month of Safar as a forbidden (i.e. sacred) month and they used to say, "When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return from Hajj ) and the signs of those wounds vanish and the month of Safar passes away then (at that time) ' Umra is permissible for the one who wishes to perform it." Some scholars have also interpreted the word " Safar " in the following hadith as a reference to the superstitions in the month: Bukhari Volume 7, Book 71, Number 608: Narrated Abu Huraira : Allah's Apostle said, '(There is) no ' Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah's permission). Nor is there any bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Hamah , nor is there any bad omen in the month of Safar , and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion '' Some innovations that have crept into Muslim practices include judging events based on their occurrence on the 25th day of Safar , reciting special prayers and duas on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar , giving charity to the poor to deflect calamities that come during the month, abstaining from traveling during the month and other superstitious innovations. I urge you and others to educate others about these beliefs and practices that have no basis in the Islamic sources. I hope this helps, Magdi Salhab April 21, 2001
Answer
Title: Difficulties in the month of Safar Question: It is a popular belief that difficulties of a religious nature befall people at a greater frequency in the month of Safir. Only those who are regular in their prayers are relatively safe from this occurrence. Is there any basis for this belief? Atif Rahman Pakistan Answer: There is absolutely no basis for this belief in the Qur'an or any of the traditions ascribed to the Prophet and his Companions. In fact, forms of this belief were actually present in pre-Islamic Arabia. For example: Bukhari Volume 2, Book 26, Number 635: Narrated Ibn Abbas : The people (of the Pre-Islamic Period) used to think that to perform ' Umra during the months of Hajj was one of the major sins on earth. And also used to consider the month of Safar as a forbidden (i.e. sacred) month and they used to say, "When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return from Hajj ) and the signs of those wounds vanish and the month of Safar passes away then (at that time) ' Umra is permissible for the one who wishes to perform it." Some scholars have also interpreted the word " Safar " in the following hadith as a reference to the superstitions in the month: Bukhari Volume 7, Book 71, Number 608: Narrated Abu Huraira : Allah's Apostle said, '(There is) no ' Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah's permission). Nor is there any bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Hamah , nor is there any bad omen in the month of Safar , and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion '' Some innovations that have crept into Muslim practices include judging events based on their occurrence on the 25th day of Safar , reciting special prayers and duas on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar , giving charity to the poor to deflect calamities that come during the month, abstaining from traveling during the month and other superstitious innovations. I urge you and others to educate others about these beliefs and practices that have no basis in the Islamic sources. I hope this helps, Magdi Salhab April 21, 2001
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