Is the Month of Safar Considered Unlucky?

Question

Some people say the month of Safar brings bad luck and that we should avoid marriage or happy occasions during it. Is Safar really considered an unlucky month in Islam?

Bottom Line

No. Safar is not unlucky. The Prophet ﷺ said clearly: “There is no Safar.” Believing otherwise is superstition and contradicts Islamic teaching.

Quick Answer

The month of Safar is like any other month created by Allah. The Prophet ﷺ rejected the idea that it brings bad luck. Superstitions about Safar, whether delaying marriage, avoiding travel, or fearing misfortune, are baseless. A Muslim should trust Allah alone, not omens.

Key Points

• The hadith “No Safar” (Bukhari 5717) rejects pre-Islamic superstitions.
• Some Arabs saw Safar as a bad omen; Islam abolished this belief.
• Only Allah decides blessing or harm in times, places, or events.
• Superstitions can weaken tawheed and even lead to shirk.
• History shows that important, positive events happened in Safar.

Detailed Answer

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There is no contagion, no Safar, and no Hāmah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5717)

Classical scholars explained this in different ways. Some linked “no Safar” to the Arabs’ practice of switching months. Others, like Imam Qadi ‘Iyad, explained it as rejecting the belief that Safar brought bad luck.

Despite this clear teaching, some Muslims still avoid marriage or gatherings in Safar, treating it as a cursed month. This has no basis. Matters of blessing and misfortune are from the unseen, and only Allah and His Messenger ﷺ can inform us of them. To claim otherwise without evidence is ignorance.

Superstitious practices like treating bird flights, animal sounds, or calendar months as omens were common in Jahiliyyah and rejected by Islam. The Prophet ﷺ warned:

“He is not one of us who seeks omens or has them sought for him, who practices divination or has it practiced for him.” (At-Tabarani)

Safar, like every other month, is a creation of Allah. It is time given to us to do good deeds. Avoiding permissible acts or believing in bad luck denies Allah’s decree and contradicts trust in Him.

Events in Safar

• The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr began the Hijrah (migration).
• The expedition to Waddan (Abwa) took place.
• The incidents of Bir Ma‘unah and Raji occurred.
• The Prophet ﷺ married Safiyyah (RA) and Umm Habibah (RA).
• Khalid ibn al-Walid and ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas embraced Islam.

These events show that Safar is not a month of misfortune but part of Islamic history filled with significant moments.

What This Means for You

Safar is not unlucky. Avoiding marriage, business, or gatherings in this month based on superstition is wrong. As Muslims, our security and blessings come from Allah alone, not from omens or months. Use every month, including Safar, as an opportunity for good deeds.

And Allah knows best.

References

Primary Sources

Qur’an

1. At-Tawbah 9:37: Condemning the practice of altering sacred months.
2. Ya-Sin 36:18-19: Superstitions are self-imposed and baseless.

Hadith

3. Sahih al-Bukhari 5717: “There is no contagion, no Safar, no Hāmah.”
4. Abu Dawud 3907: Omens and augury are forms of shirk.

Secondary Sources

5. Imam Qadi ‘Iyad, *Ikmal al-Mu‘lim* (Sharh Sahih Muslim).
6. Ibn Kathir, *Tafsir* and *As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah*.
7. Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, *Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum*.
8. As-Sakhawi, *Al-Mashhur fi Asma’ al-Ayyam wash-Shuhur*.