omens) but Allah Almighty removes such thoughts through having trust (in Him).”^[1]

The scholars write under this hadith:

In the age of ignorance, people would take bad omens and it was their belief that acting upon the requirements of the bad omen would benefit them. For example, if a person went out to do something and a cat blocked his path on the way. If he returned, the people at that time believed that this would benefit him. This is why taking a bad omen has been declared shirk in the Hadith. If a person takes a bad omen from something, but has the belief that only that which Allah Almighty wills occurs and there is no other power in the world that can do anything in opposition to the will of Allah Almighty, then this will be shirk khafī (meaning, a sin). However, if a person believes that, for example, the stars can have an independent effect, in opposition to the will of Allah Almighty, then taking a bad omen in this case will be shirk jalī, which is disbelief. ^[2]

4.   The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم proclaimed: مَنْ رَدَّتْہُ الطِّیَرَۃُ عَنْ شَیْءٍ فَقَدْ قَارَفَ الشِّرْکَ – “Whosoever avoids something due to a bad omen; he has yielded to shirk.” ^[3]

Dear Islamic brothers! Taking a bad omen is to take a negative sign from a person, a thing, a sound or a time. Meaning, having the belief that the misfortune of that thing will have a negative impact on a person’s state.^[4]

For more information regarding taking bad omens, refer to the book of Maktaba-tul-Madinah entitled Bad Shuguni. Read it yourself and