Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, “There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, “A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Medicine and Spells - Mishkat al-Masabih 4576
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family, and companions.
Hadith Text
Abu Huraira told of hearing God's messenger say, "There should be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen." He was asked what a good omen was and replied, "A good word which one of you hears." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Prohibition of Superstitious Omens
The Prophet (peace be upon him) begins by prohibiting tiyarah, which refers to taking bad omens from sights, sounds, or events. This was a common pre-Islamic practice where people would abandon journeys or important matters based on perceived bad signs. Islam categorically rejects such superstitions as they contradict tawakkul (reliance on Allah) and constitute a form of shirk by attributing real effects to other than Allah.
The Exception: Good Omens
The exception made for "good omen" (fa'l) demonstrates Islam's balanced approach. While bad omens are forbidden as they lead to despair and weak faith, good omens are permitted when they increase hope and positive expectation from Allah. The scholars clarify that fa'l differs from tiyarah in that it stems from optimism in Allah's mercy rather than superstitious belief in the omen itself having inherent power.
Definition of Good Omen
When asked to define a good omen, the Prophet specified "a good word which one of you hears." This includes hearing Quranic verses, words of remembrance, encouraging speech, or any utterance that inspires hope in Allah's bounty. For example, hearing "Ya Rahman" (O Most Merciful) before undertaking a task, or words like "success" and "blessing" that strengthen one's heart with positive expectation from Allah alone.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam Nawawi explains that fa'l is recommended because it reflects beautiful thoughts of Allah, while tiyarah is forbidden as it indicates misgivings about Allah's decree. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that the difference lies in the psychological effect: good omens strengthen resolve and trust in Allah, while bad omens cause hesitation and doubt. The essence is that believers should interpret all matters through the lens of divine wisdom and mercy, never through superstitious lenses.
Practical Application
The believer should train themselves to reject negative interpretations of events and instead seek positive meanings that increase their reliance on Allah. When hearing a beautiful name or encouraging word, one may take it as a sign to proceed with hope in Allah's assistance. This hadith teaches us to cultivate optimism rooted in faith, while completely abandoning the pessimistic worldview of pre-Islamic ignorance.