23. Medicine and Spells

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا طِيَرَةَ وَلَا هَامة وَلَا صقر وفر الْمَجْذُومِ كَمَا تَفِرُّ مِنَ الْأَسَدِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no evil omen, no hama*, and no serpent in a hungry belly*; but flee from one who has tubercular leprosy as you would from a lion." Bukhari transmitted it. * The word means an owl, or a night-bird which frequents graves. The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that when vengeance had not been taken for one who had been killed a bird called hama came forth from the dead and screeched demanding vengeance. ** The word is safar. The pre-Islaraic Arabs used the word as meaning a serpent which bites a man from within when he is hungry and causes the sense of stinging a man feels when hungry. It was also used of a serpent within the belly which was believed to cause a disease more contagious than mange or scab.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا هَامَةَ وَلَا صفر» . فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِي: يَا رَسُول فَمَا بَالُ الْإِبِلِ تَكُونُ فِي الرَّمْلِ لَكَأَنَّهَا الظباء فيخالها الْبَعِير الأجرب فيجر بِهَا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَمن أعدى الأول» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

He reported God's messenger as saying, “There is no infection, no hama, and no serpent in a hungry belly." A nomadic Arab asked, “Messenger of God, how is it that when camels are in the sand as if they were gazelles* and a mangy camel comes among them it gives them mange?" God’s messenger replied, “Who infected the first one?" Bukhari transmitted it. * The comparison is used to indicate the clearness of their skin.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا هَامَةَ وَلَا نَوْءَ وَلَا صفر» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

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

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا صَفَرَ وَلَا غُولَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

“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.

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الشَّرِيدِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: كَانَ فِي وَفْدِ ثَقِيفٍ رَجُلٌ مَجْذُومٌ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّا قد بايعناك فَارْجِع» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

"We have taken your oath of allegiance, so go home." Muslim transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَفَاءَلُ وَلَا يَتَطَيَّرُ وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ الِاسْمَ الْحَسَنَ. رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السّنة

Ibn ‘Abbas told that God’s messenger took good omens but not evil ones, and that he liked a pleasing name. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَن قَطن بن قَبيصةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الْعِيَافَةُ وَالطَّرْقُ وَالطِّيَرَةُ مِنَ الْجِبْتِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

"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.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الطِّيَرَةُ شِرْكٌ» قَالَهُ ثَلَاثًا وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُذْهِبُهُ بِالتَّوَكُّلِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ يَقُولُ: كَانَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ يَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ: «وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُذْهِبُهُ بِالتَّوَكُّلِ» . هَذَا عِنْدِي قَوْلُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ

"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.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ مَجْذُومٍ فَوَضَعَهَا مَعَهُ فِي الْقَصْعَةِ وَقَالَ: «كُلْ ثِقَةً بِاللَّهِ وَتَوَكُّلًا عَلَيْهِ» . رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

"Eat with confidence in God and trust in Him." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن سعدِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا هَامَةَ وَلَا عَدْوَى وَلَا طِيَرَةَ وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الطِّيَرَةُ فِي شَيْءٍ فَفِي الدَّارِ وَالْفرس وَالْمَرْأَة» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

"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.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ إِذَا خَرَجَ لِحَاجَةٍ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ: يَا رَاشِدُ يَا نَجِيحُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ

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.

وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ لَا يَتَطَيَّرُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا بَعَثَ عَامِلًا سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهِ فَإِذَا أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمه فَرح بِهِ ورئي بشر ذَلِك على وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهُ رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَةُ ذَلِكَ على وَجْهِهِ وَإِذَا دَخَلَ قَرْيَةً سَأَلَ عَنِ اسْمِهَا فَإِنْ أَعْجَبَهُ اسْمُهَا فَرِحَ بِهِ وَرُئِيَ بِشْرُ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ اسْمَهَا رُئِيَ كَرَاهِيَة ذَلِك فِي وَجهه. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Buraida told that the Prophet did not take omens from anything; but when he sent out an agent he asked about his name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked his name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. When he entered a village he asked about its name and if it pleased him he was glad about it and his cheerfulness on that account was visible in his face, but if he disliked its name his displeasure on that account was visible in his face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن أنس قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا فِي دَارٍ كَثُرَ فِيهَا عَدَدُنَا وَأَمْوَالُنَا فَتَحَوَّلْنَا إِلَى دَارٍ قَلَّ فِيهَا عَدَدُنَا وَأَمْوَالُنَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ذروها ذميمة» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

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.

وَعَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَحِيرٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي مَنْ سَمِعَ فَرْوَةَ بْنَ مُسَيْكٍ يَقُولُ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عِنْدَنَا أَرْضٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا أَبْيَنُ وَهِيَ أَرْضُ رِيفِنَا وَمِيرَتِنَا وَإِنَّ وَبَاءَهَا شَدِيدٌ. فَقَالَ: «دَعْهَا عَنْكَ فَإِنَّ من القَرَف التّلف» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Yahya b. ‘Abdallah b. Bahir said he was informed by one who had heard Farwa b. Musaik tell that he said, “Messenger of God, we have land called Abyan* which is the land where we have our fields and grow our crops, but it is very unhealthy.” He replied, “Leave it, for destruction comes from being near disease.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * To the east of Aden some early riders held it was either a place on the rocks of Adea, or a name of Aden itself.

عَن عُرْوَة بن عَامر قَالَ: ذُكِرَتِ الطِّيَرَةُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: " أَحْسَنُهَا الْفَأْلُ وَلَا تَرُدُّ مُسْلِمًا فَإِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ مَا يَكْرَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ لَا يَأْتِي بِالْحَسَنَاتِ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلَا يَدْفَعُ السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ". رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

‘Urwa b. ‘Amir told that when taking omens was mentioned in the presence of God’s messenger he replied that the best type was the good omen, adding that a Muslim is not turned back from anything because of an omen. He told them that when any of them saw anything he disliked he should say, “O God, Thou alone bringest good things, Thou alone avertest evil things, and there is no might or power but in God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in mursal form.

عَن مُعَاوِيَة بن الحكم قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُمُورًا كُنَّا نَصْنَعُهَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ كُنَّا نَأْتِي الْكُهَّانَ قَالَ: «فَلَا تَأْتُوا الْكُهَّانَ» قَالَ: قُلْتُ: كُنَّا نَتَطَيَّرُ قَالَ: «ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ يَجِدُهُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَلَا يصدَّنَّكم» . قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَخُطُّونَ قَالَ: «كَانَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ يَخُطُّ فَمَنْ وَافَقَ خَطَّهُ فَذَاك» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Mu'awiya b. al-Hakam told that he said, “Messenger of God, there were things we used to do in the pre-Islamic period. We used to visit kahins.” He replied, “Do not visit kdhins” He said, “We used to take omens.” He replied, “That is an idea a man has, but it must not turn you aside from your purposes.” He said, “Among us there were men who practised divination by drawing lines on the ground.” He replied, “There was a prophet who drew lines, so if anyone does it in the same way as he did, that is allowable.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن عَائِشَة قَالَتْ: سَأَلَ أُنَاسٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْكُهَّانِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّهُمْ لَيْسُوا بِشَيْءٍ» قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُمْ يُحَدِّثُونَ أَحْيَانًا بِالشَّيْءِ يَكُونُ حَقًّا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تِلْكَ الْكَلِمَةُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَخْطَفُهَا الْجِنِّيُّ فَيَقُرُّهَا فِي أُذُنِ وَلَيِّهِ قَرَّ الدَّجَاجَةِ فَيَخْلِطُونَ فِيهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِائَةِ كذبة»

'A’isha told that when God’s messenger was asked by some people about kahins he replied, “They are of no account.” They said, “Messenger of God, they sometimes tell a thing which is true.” He replied, “That is a word pertaining to truth which a jinni snatches and cackles into the ear of his friend as a hen does; then they mix more than a hundred lies with it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهَا قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَنْزِلُ فِي الْعَنَانِ وَهُوَ السَّحَابُ فَتَذْكُرُ الْأَمْرَ قُضِيَ فِي السَّماءِ فتسترق الشياطينُ السمعَ فَتُوحِيهِ إِلَى الْكُهَّانِ فَيَكْذِبُونَ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ كَذْبَةٍ من عِنْد أنفسهم. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

“The angels descend in al-’anan, i e. the clouds, and mention a matter which has been decreed in heaven, then the devils listening by stealth and hearing it communicate it to the kahins who tell along with it a hundred lies of their own making.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وعن حفصة قالت : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " من أتى عرافا فسأله عن شيء لم تقبل صلاة أربعين ليلة " . رواه مسلم

“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.

وَعَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ قَالَ: صَلَّى لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَاةَ الصُّبْحِ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ عَلَى أَثَرِ سَمَاءٍ كَانَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ: «هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ ربُّكم؟» قَالُوا: الله وَرَسُوله أعلم قَالَ: أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِي مُؤْمِنٌ بِي وَكَافِرٌ فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَلِكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِي كَافِرٌ بِالْكَوْكَبِ وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ: مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَذَلِكَ كَافِرٌ بِي وَمُؤمن بالكوكب "

God’s messenger led us in the morning prayer at al-Hudaibiya after rain which had fallen during the night, and when he finished he turned to the people and said, “Do you know what your Lord has said?” On their replying that God and His messsenger knew best he told them that He had said, “This morning there were among my servants one who believes in me and one who disbelieves. The one who said, ‘We have been given rain by God’s grace and mercy' is the one who believes in me and disbelieves in the star, but the one who said, ‘We have been given rain by such and such a rainy star’ is the one who disbelieves in me and believes in the star.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)