“There is no infection, no serpent in a hungry belly, and no ghoul.”* Muslim transmitted it.* I have used the English word derived from the Arabic ghul. It was used of a creature which was a type of jinni or devil which was believed to appear to people in various forms and lead them astray in the desert and cause their destruction.
Medicine and Spells - Mishkat al-Masabih 4580
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings upon His final Messenger Muhammad. This noble hadith transmitted by Imam Muslim addresses three prevalent superstitions among the pre-Islamic Arabs, which the Prophet ﷺ categorically denied to purify Islamic creed from false beliefs.
Refutation of Infectious Transmission Without Divine Decree
The statement "There is no infection" negates the pre-Islamic belief that diseases spread inherently without Allah's permission. Scholars explain this does not contradict established medical facts about contagion, but rather denies the independent power of disease to spread without Allah's will. Imam Nawawi states this hadith affirms that all matters ultimately return to Allah's decree (qadar).
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani clarifies that the Prophet ﷺ later acknowledged observable contagion while maintaining its subservience to divine will, stating: "Do not mix the sick with the healthy." This demonstrates Islam's balanced approach between recognizing natural causes and affirming divine omnipotence.
Denial of Superstitious Beliefs About Snakes and Ghouls
"No serpent in a hungry belly" refutes the belief that snakes could spontaneously generate in empty stomachs. This superstition caused unnecessary fear among desert dwellers. The Prophet ﷺ taught that such phenomena occur only by Allah's design, not by inherent nature of hunger.
"No ghoul" powerfully dismisses the pre-Islamic mythology surrounding these malevolent jinn believed to shape-shift and mislead travelers. Al-Qurtubi explains this establishes that jinn have no inherent power to harm without Allah's permission, and that travelers should place their trust in Allah alone rather than fear mythical creatures.
Practical Implications for Islamic Creed
This hadith teaches complete reliance on Allah (tawakkul) while taking permissible means (asbab). The believer should neither attribute independent power to creatures nor diseases, nor neglect practical precautions approved by the Shariah.
Ibn al-Qayyim emphasizes that these negations reinforce tawhid by directing all fear and hope toward Allah alone. The Muslim's protection comes through remembrance of Allah, supplication, and righteous deeds—not through superstitious practices or fear of created beings.