Safar ul Muzaffar - 2nd month of the Lunar calendar

@ssalamoalekum!

Today was the 1st of Safar ul Muzaffar - the 2nd month of the Lunar Islamic calendar. A month's already gone by and by now we should have developed proactive plans and to-do lists to act out the resolutions we made during Moharram ul Haraam at the start of the Muslim new year 1432 A.H.

Safar means "Empty" and it was so called because houses used to be empty as the ban on going to war and conquering new lands was lifted after having prevailed throughout Moharram - the month of peace-keeping. It also means "Yellow" as when the months were named it was autumn and the scenery had shades of ochre. 

LINGERING MISCONCEPTIONS OF JAHILIYYAH (the illiterate)

Arabs of pre-Islamic times were illiterate and it was the age of darkness and ignorance. Some really absurd superstitions and myths were harbored in the Arab psychology at that time. There were misconceptions about Safar being a month of misfortune and calamities when evils would descend from the skies; ghouls, spirits and diseases! Excuse me, this isn't Halloween we're talking about, are we? Ghosts and witches roaming the earth? 

These superstitions have lingered and have found their way into the psychology of Muslims today. I have heard people say Safar is not a good month for marriages and celebration because it signifies calamities and evils. Some say it's a bad omen because Prophet Mohammad (saww) fell ill in this month before he passed away in Rabi ul Awwal; the month that followed.

REFERENCES FROM QURAN & SUNNAH TO REFUTE THE MYTHS

Allah (swt) says in the Quran: "No kind of calamity can occur, except by the will of Allah" (Surah 64 - Ayah 11) I personally looked up all Search Results from Sahih al Bukhari Online and got the following Ahadith references. Rasool Allah (saww) said: The pre-Islamic Arabs used to superstitiously fear worms which they say originated in lungs and ribs and caused a person's color to change to yellow! Also they used to fear a snake called Safar which they said lived in the stomach of man and used to bite when he was hungry. This was their explanation for hunger pangs! Ahadith certified that there was no such thing. So your hunger pangs are contractions of your stomach wall NOT the snake! "(There is) no 'Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah's permission). nor is there any bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Hamah, nor is there any bad omen in the month of safar, and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion '' (Narrated from Abu Hurairah) Diseases were considered to be superstitious bad omens. And RasoolAllah (saww) rectified that they were from Allah (swt) and only by His command they could infect another. "There is no 'Adha (no disease is conveyed from the sick to the healthy without Allah's permission), nor safar, nor Hama." A bedouin stood up and said, "Then what about my camels? They are like deer on the sand, but when a mangy camel comes and mixes with them, they all get infected with mangy." The Prophet said, "Then who conveyed the (mange) disease to the first one?" (Narrated from Abu Hurairah)

INCORRECT BELIEFS TODAY1. A Nikaah (marriage) performed in Safar would be unsuccessful. 2. Safar is full of misfortunes and calamities. 3. The month would bring bad luck if any trade is commenced in it. 4. The 1st to the 13th of Safar are bad luck. 5. A person who distributes food and money on the 13th would be saved from misfortune. 6. The last Wednesday of Safar is to celebrated and regarded as a holiday  So basically the kind of superstitions we have heard of come from the drama of innovation (Bida'ah) and that is exactly what we are supposed to avoid. There is no aspect of our Deen that reflects negativity and sadness and depression. And there are no days of morose and gloom. Each day is a blessing of life from Allah (swt) and certain days like the two Eids are for extra celebration.  The only misfortune and calamity for a Believer is to be shunned by Allah (swt).  Rasool Allah (saww) said: "Pray, O! Allah! Cause not anyone of us to be a wretched destitute" And then asked the Companions (Sahaba): "Do you know who a wretched destitute is? A wretched destitute is he who neglects his Salah."  We should seriously understand and believe in the Qadar of Allah (swt) - that He is Qadir over all that happens and that only He can send calamity or happiness. There is no power in any star, or person, or day or time which can become a harbinger of calamity for us. The good and bad that come our way are not omens; they are trials and tribulations destined for us to bear. Allah (swt) says in the Quran: "Whatever misfortune befalls you, it's due to the things your hands have wrought, and He forgives many a sin." (Surah 42 - Verse 30)