(304) Chapter: Forbiddance of Believing in Ill Omens

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Not the transmission of disease of one person to another and no evil omen, but I am pleased with good omens." He was asked: "What is good omen?" He replied, "A good word."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:
1. The phrase "Not the transmission of disease of one person to another'' either negates the idea that disease can travel from one person to another or it signifies that one should not attribute the illness of one person to the illness of another. The right approach is that one should think that a person falls ill with the Will of Allah. This does not mean that this Hadith denies the infectious character of certain diseases but it attempts to correct one's belief, namely that if Allah wills something, it will certainly occur. Thus, this Hadith proves that even in infectious diseases it is not the disease itself which is the real cause but the Preordainment and Will of Allah.

2. Similar is the case of bad omens. These have no significance at all. If any suspicion crosses one's mind by seeing something, he should neither attach any importance to it nor act what the suspicion demands. Good omen is permissible for the reason that it inclines one to associate good hopes with Allah, which is a highly commendable tendency. Thus, it also induces one to always utter something nice and to listen to what is nice so that in both cases it occasions good omens. One should always abstain from saying what is repulsive to the listeners and tends to be a bad omen.