At-Tiyarah / Ominous
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The word Tiarah comes from the word / tayr / which neans : bird . The reason omens were called omens will be explained in the next paragraph
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This is superstitious belief in omens and bad luck , as Allah says
:
"
But whenever good came to them , they said, { Ours is this . } And if evil afflicted them , they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Mussa and those with them
. "
[ Surah al-A`raaf (7):131 ]
Before Islam , if one of the Arabs wanted to do something like traveling , he would take hold of a bird and release it . If it flew to the right , he would take it as a good omen and proceed with his plans , , but if it flew to the left , he would take it as a bad omen and cancel them
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The Prophet:salla: gave his verdict on this practice when he said
:
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At-tiyarah ( observing berds for omens ) is shirk / polytheism
. "
[ Reported by Imaam Ahmad , 1/389 ; see al-Jaami` , 3955 ]
This kind of prohibited belief that negated Tawheed ( Belief in the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah ) , also includes the practice of regarding certain times , etc. , as unluckily , such as not holding a wedding in the month of Safar , regarding the last Wednesday of every month as a day of evil omen and continuous calamity , or believing that numbers such as 13 or certain names are unluckily . It is also haraam/ Prohibited/ to believe that handicapped people are bad omens , such as going to open one`s store but turning back upon seeing a one-eyed man . All of this is haraam / prohibited / and from the types of shirk for which the Prophet disowned people . Imraam Ibn Husayn reported that the Prophet:salla: said
:
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He is not one of us who observes birds for omens or has someone else do this for him , who predicts the future or asks someone else to do it for him , ( and I think he said ) or who practices magic or asks someone else to do it for him
"
[ Reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer , 18/162 ; see also Saheeh al-Jaami` 5435 ]
The expiation required from the person who commits any of these sins is reported in the Hadeeth / Prophet speech / reported by Abdullah ibn Amr
:
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The Messenger of Allah:salla: said : " Whoever was turned away from doing something because of bad omen is guilty of shirk / polytheism /
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The people asked : " O Messenger of Allah , what expiation is there for doing that ? "
He said : " That he should say
:
]
O Allah , there is no goodness except Your goodness and no omen except your omen and there is no god but You
" [
.{
[ Reported by Imaam Ahmad , 2/220 ; as-Silsilah as-Saheehah , 1065 ]
Believing in good and bad omens is something which is a part of human nature to a greater or lesser extent ; the best cure for it is reliance upon Allah ( tawakkul ) , as Ibn Mas`ood said
:
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There is no one among us ( who does not feel this at times ) , but when we rely on Allah , He makes that feeling go away
" .
[ Reported by Abu Dawud , no. 3910 ; see also as-Silsilah as-Saheehah , 430 ]
