Superstitions and its incorrect beliefs and practises constituted an integral part of the belief system of the Pagans. Prior to the advent of Islam, the Arabs were steeped in superstitious beliefs, beliefs that regulated their social, economic and political activity. Superstitions created a mysterious value system that gave rise to fear, suspicion and enmity. It deprived man of rational thinking and every ailment, accident or calamity was attributed to some evil force bent on destroying their lives. The situation was further aggravated by wicked “Spiritual Doctors” who exploited the unwary masses and ran lucrative businesses treating and exorcizing the “evil forces”. Even today there are people who claim to know the future and try to impress people with their “divine powers”. Belief in superstition detracts from Imaan in Taqdeer and the Qudrat and Power of Allah.
The Holy Quraan states:
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
No affliction can happen on earth nor to your souls, which is not recorded in a Book, before We bring it into existence; surely that is easy for Allah. [Hadid 57: 22]
Disaster and misfortune take place according to the Will and Plan of Allah. No other force or power can direct your destiny or cause harm to you except with the permission of Allah.
The alternation of day and night, the change of seasons is a great sign of the Power of Allah. This is also a great favour of Allah to human beings.
It is mentioned in the Quran:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًا
He is the One who made the day and the night following each other, for the one who wishes to be mindful or wishes to show gratitude. [Al Furqan 25: 62]
Undoubtedly, Allah made some days, nights, and months more sacred than others. The reward of good deeds at that particular time is much more than that at other times. But Allah did not make any day or night or any month evil. Time is Allah’s favour and kindness. By doing good deeds, anybody can make his time blessed and fruitful. It is a habit of Jahiliyyah to regard any day or night or month as evil or to take any particular time a carrier of misfortune for a particular work. Is there any month in a year when no great person was killed? Then, are all months of a year evil? Regarding the month of Safar people of Jahiliyyah thought that it was bad and evil. This type of misconception is undoubtedly superstition, which is refuted by Islam. Thus, Islam rescued people from a big danger and made the path to peace and happiness easy.
Superstition means to believe something only based on conjectures without any evidence and take its influence in real life. It is a dangerous disease that makes people’s minds full of imaginary things. It drowns people in depression and despair and imposes upon them different kinds of unbearable customs. Following these conjectures is not only the root cause of many false beliefs and many bidah (innovations), it is also the root cause of major sins like Shirk.
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