All praises to Allawh (Sub haa nahoo wa Ta’aalaa) and choicestblessings upon our beloved ProphetMuhammud (Sal lal law hu ‘alay hi wa sallam).
We have entered the second monthof the lunar calendar. 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-farul Mu-zaf-far or Sa-fa-rul Khayr, which means, pr o s p e r o u s , successful, good fortune etc. This is to eradicate the corrupt beliefs of some people who say, the month of Sa-far is bad-luck, evil, ill-omened, unfortunate etc., so marriages, major transactions etc. must not be conducted in this mo n t h .
Rasoolullawh eradicated all superstitious beliefs. Time, day, week, month, year is an estimation and effected by the will of Allawh .
If anyone does good at anytime, he will be rewarded accordingly and the effects of evil and sins will be decided byAllawh .
There are many periods of the lunar calendar and many places in the world where the rewards of good deeds are multiplied and has an
adverse result with sins. Our intellect and understanding is limited, therefore we seek divine guidance from the Glorious Quraan and Ahaadees
of Rasoolullawh . Senior scholars have explained many things to us, in accordance to the Sha-ree-’ah, which we must accept and adhere to, if we desire success in both worlds.
There is a host of corrupt beliefs regarding this month. True and sincere Muslims should refrain from them and engage in beneficial deeds. In reality, no time or individual is evil originally. All the customs and beliefs of Sa-far are baseless.
Many people have erroneous beliefs regarding this month i.e. it is a month of misfortune and calamities. The teachings of Allah Ta‘ala and His Most Beloved Rasool (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) gives us clear guidelines on such incorrect beliefs.
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) says in the Qur’an al-Kareem:
ما أصاب من مصيبة إلا بإذن الله
“No misfortune befalls except by Allah’s command...”
[Surah Tagabun, Verse 11]
These erroneous beliefs have also been condemned in the context of the following Ahadith:
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]
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 Ahadith clearly refutes all incorrect beliefs and superstitions regarding the month of Safar. These incorrect beliefs flow from the pre-Islamic period of Jahiliyyah .
The Month of Safar during the Days of Ignorance
The Muhaddithin have recorded many of the superstitions harboured by the Arabs during the Days of Ignorance. A few are mentioned below:
1. The pre-Islamic Arabs believed Safar to be a snake which lives in the stomach of a human being and when hungry, bites the person. This is the discomfort one experiences when gripped by the pangs of hunger.
2. Some said Safar are worms which originate in the liver and ribs due to which the colour of the person becomes yellow, a condition we know today as jaundice.
3. According to some, the month of Safar flanked by Muharram and Rabi al Awwal is full of calamities and misfortune.
With the advent of Islam and the teachings of Sayyadina Rasoolullah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam), all evil and incorrect beliefs common in pre-Islamic times were discarded.
Incorrect Beliefs:
Today too, there are some Muslims who hold incorrect beliefs regarding the month of Safar.
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.
What to do:
1. To shun all types of erroneous beliefs regarding the blessed month of Safar.
2. To understand that the most unfortunate person is he who disobeys Allah Ta‘ala’s commandments e.g. does not perform the five daily salaah etc. It is narrated in a hadith that Rasoolullah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Pray, 0 Allah! Cause not anyone of us to be a wretched destitute.” He then asked: “Do you know who is a wretched destitute?” Upon the request of the Sahabah (Radi Allahu Ta‘ala Anhum) he replied, “A wretched destitute is he who neglects his salaat.”
3. We should understand that all conditions which befalls us, good or bad, favourable, or unfavourable are from Allah Ta‘ala, (as a result of our actions). Allah Ta‘ala says: ” Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is due to the things your hands have wrought, and He forgives many a sin.” (Surah 42 – Verse 30).
This can also be confirmed by the following Hadith:
Sayyadina Jabir (Radi Allahu Ta‘ala Anhu) has said that, “I have heard Sayyadina Rasoolullah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam) saying, the descending of illness and evil superstition befalling in the month of Safar is untrue.”
Source: Jamiat Kwa Zulu Natal