Medicine and Spells

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.)

“There is no infection, no hama, no star promising rain, and no serpent in a hungry belly." Muslim transmitted it.

"Augury from the flight of birds, the practice of pessomancy,* and taking evil omens pertain to divination."**Abu Dawud transmitted it.* Tarq. It is used of the practice of divinantion in which women threw stones. It is also used of geomancy by drawing lines.** Min al-jibt. Jibt means devil and also divination. An alternative translation would be that these practices come from the devil.

"Taking evil omens is polytheism (saying it three times). None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi told that he heard Muhammad b. Isma'il* say that Sulaiman b. Harb used to say about this tradition that in his opinion "None of us fails to be affected by it, but God removes such influence by trust in Him" are Ibn Mas'ud’s words.* i.e. Bukhari.

"There is no hama, no infection and no evil omen; but if anything is affected by an evil omen it is a house, a horse, and a woman." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told that when the Prophet went out to attend to some business he was delighted to hear someone say, “O rightly guided one! O successful one!” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas told that a man said, “Messenger of God, we were in an abode in which our numbers and our goods were many and changed to an abode in which our numbers and our goods have become few.” He replied, “Leave it, for it is reprehensible.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

“If anyone resorts to a diviner (arraf) and asks him about anything prayer will not be accepted from him for forty days.”*Muslim transmitted it.* Literally, Nights.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has not sent down any blessing from heaven without a section of the people disbelieving in it. God sends down the rain but they say it comes by means of such and such a star.” Muslim transmitted it.