Some people attach much importance to omen, particularly to bad omen because they fear that something terrible may happen to them as a result. When this is carried to unreasonable lengths, as many people carry it so, it becomes very disruptive. A person who thinks of bad omen when he hears a bad word, or when he associates it with some adverse possibility, will refrain from doing normal things in life for fear of what it may bring him. Stories are told about people staying at home for days because every time they wanted to go out, something was said or happened which they associated with bad omen. The Prophet urged us not to attach any importance to bad omen. In fact, he made it clear that such a practice is forbidden. He said: “Do not transmit disease, and do not take your omen from birds. I like good omen which is represented by a good word.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Anas quotes the Prophet as saying: “I am happy with a good omen, which is a good word.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi) Ibn Abbas reports: “God’s messenger liked good omen but never gave thought to bad omen. He liked good names.” (Related by Ahmad)
In all these Hadiths a stress is made on a good omen and its representation by a good word, or a good name. This is normal because a pleasant or kindly word encourages a good reaction, which makes people friendly. When they are friendly, they are more likely to do a good turn to each other. People’s names in particular cause a reaction. If the name has a good meaning, people are pleased. In pre-Islamic days, Arabs often gave children names that signified aggression, or hardness. In their tribal society, which saw frequent attacks by one tribe against another and much vengeance killings, they attached an important value to being able to defend oneself. Thus, a child may be named Sakhr, which means hard rock, or Murrah, which is derived from bitterness, or Harb, which means war, or Hazn, which combines connotations of hardness and sorrow. The Prophet disliked such names, and changed them when he had a chance. He made it clear that it is the responsibility of parents, particularly the father, to give a child a good and pleasant name. Hence, most names in Muslim countries are chosen on the basis of their meaning.
The first Hadith we quoted clearly states that omen must not be taken from birds. This refers to a common practice in Arabia that sought to find out whether something augurs well or badly with the use of birds. If a person intended to do something of importance and wanted to know whether he should go ahead with it or not, he would go to a man who kept birds. The man would hold a bird and ask the inquirer to think of the matter he wants to decide. Then the bird is released. If it flies to the right, this meant to them that it brought good omen, and the person concerned would go ahead with it. If the bird goes left, the man would say that negative consequences attended the matter in hand and it was left undone. The Prophet made clear that this practice is forbidden in Islam. He explained that birds do not know anything about what is likely to happen in any situation. Aishah reports: “The Prophet said: ‘Birds fly according to God’s will.’ He used to like a good omen.” (Related by Ahmad and Abu Al-Shaykh)
We need to refer again to the first Hadith we quoted, which says: “Do not transmit disease, and do not take your omen from birds.” This is indeed the correct translation of the Prophet’s statement. However, from the linguistic point of view, the statement may be understood as a negation, rather than a prohibition, which would mean: “There is no transmission of disease and no taking of omen from birds.” Indeed many scholars understand the Hadith in this way. While this is possible from the linguistic point of view, it is a wrong reading of the Hadith. The Prophet was fully aware that some diseases are communicable and some are not. Disease transmission is a fact of life. He would not negate this when it happens all the time. The same is the case with people taking their omen from birds, or associating certain things with bad omen. People just did that and there can be denying the fact. There is no need, then, to read this Hadith as a negation when the same wording also means a prohibition. It is far more appropriate that the Prophet should make clear that deliberate transmission of disease is forbidden in Islam. The same applies to bad omen, which causes people different adverse effects.
The Prophet’s own practice and his statements clearly show that he recognized that communicable diseases represent a very serious risk. He was indeed the first in human history to impose quarantine, telling his followers that should the plague occur in a particular town, they must not enter it; and if they were in it, they must not leave it until the disease has been brought under control. Al-Sharid Ibn Suwayd reports: “A man from the tribe of Thaqeef who had leprosy came to the Prophet to pledge his allegiance to him. I mentioned this to the Prophet. He instructed me to tell the man that he has accepted his pledge of allegiance, but he should return home.” (Related by Muslim and Ibn Majah)
Leprosy is a serious infectious disease, and a person who has this illness must not go around mixing with people so as not to transmit the disease to them. The Prophet wanted his companions to realize this. So, even in an important matter like accepting a pledge of allegiance, the Prophet made clear to the patient that his pledge is accepted, but he should remain in doors so as to reduce the chances of transmitting his disease to others.