Hadith Text

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took a man who was suffering from tubercular leprosy by the hand; he then put it along with his own hand in the dish and said: Eat with confidence in Allah and trust in Him.

Source Reference

Sunan Abi Dawud 3925 - Book: Divination and Omens (Kitab Al-Kahanah Wa Al-Tatayyur)

Scholarly Commentary

This noble hadith demonstrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) practical teaching against superstition and false beliefs regarding contagion. The people of pre-Islamic ignorance (Jahiliyyah) believed diseases could spread through mere contact or proximity, attributing independent power to created things rather than to Allah's divine decree.

By taking the leper's hand and placing it in the same dish, the Prophet (ﷺ) taught that true protection comes only from Allah's will, not from avoiding contact with the sick. His statement "Eat with confidence in Allah and trust in Him" establishes the proper Islamic creed - that we must rely completely on Allah while taking permissible means for protection.

This action does not negate taking medical precautions, as other authentic texts confirm quarantine for contagious diseases. Rather, it negates the superstitious belief that things have inherent power to harm or benefit without Allah's permission. The comprehensive Islamic position balances trust in Allah with taking appropriate means while avoiding both superstition and negligence.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

This hadith forms part of the Islamic condemnation of tatayyur (considering birds or other omens as bad signs) and other superstitious practices. It teaches that Muslims should not attribute events to created things but recognize everything occurs by Allah's decree.

The practical lesson is to maintain strong trust (tawakkul) in Allah while fulfilling our responsibilities. We take reasonable precautions as taught in medicine, but our ultimate reliance must be on Allah alone, not on avoiding certain people, places, or times due to superstitious beliefs.