❖ Clarifying the Concept of “Nahoosat” (Bad Omen) in Light of the Prophetic Ḥadīth ❖
Narrated by ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
"Bad luck is in three things: woman, house, and horse."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 5093)
Similarly, a similar narration is attributed to Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
(al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ by al-Ṭabarānī, Ḥadīth: 7710)
At first glance, these reports seem to affirm superstition (nahoosat), but other ḥadīths and clarifications by the Companions reveal the true meaning and refute this notion.
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) responded to the narration attributed to Abū Hurayrah by explaining:
"The Prophet ﷺ actually said: 'May Allah curse the Jews! They say that bad luck lies in a woman, a house, and a horse.'”
(Musnad al-Ṭayālisī, Ḥadīth: 1630; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, 3/67)
This shows that Abū Hurayrah only heard the latter portion of the statement and missed the critical introduction — which attributed this belief to Jewish superstition, not Islam.
Narrated by ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
"If there were any bad omen, it would be in the woman, the house, and the horse."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 5094)
The use of the word "if" (لَوْ) in this narration makes it conditional and hypothetical, not a statement of truth. This grammar construction indicates rejection, not affirmation.
Similarly, Sahl ibn Saʿd (رضي الله عنه) narrated a version of this ḥadīth found in:
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, Ḥadīth: 132)
Islam fundamentally rejects the belief in bad omens (nahoosat):
✔ The Prophet ﷺ married multiple women and treated them with honor and kindness
✔ He lived in homes and used horses and other mounts — clearly demonstrating no belief in bad luck from such things
"There is no bad omen in anything. Rather, blessings may be found in three things: in a woman, a horse, and a house."
(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth: 1993; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Ḥadīth: 1930)
☑ This directly refutes superstitious thinking, affirming that these are sources of comfort and blessing, not misfortune.
During Jāhiliyyah (the Age of Ignorance), both Jews and pagan Arabs considered:
The Prophet ﷺ corrected these misguided beliefs and eliminated superstition from Islamic thought.
A comprehensive study of the ḥadīths shows that:
✔ Islam teaches that nothing possesses inherent bad luck
✔ Blessing and trial are both from Allah, not from objects or people
❀ The Confusion Around a Commonly Misunderstood Ḥadīth
Narrated by ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
"Bad luck is in three things: woman, house, and horse."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 5093)
Similarly, a similar narration is attributed to Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
(al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ by al-Ṭabarānī, Ḥadīth: 7710)
At first glance, these reports seem to affirm superstition (nahoosat), but other ḥadīths and clarifications by the Companions reveal the true meaning and refute this notion.
❖ Clarification by Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها)
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) responded to the narration attributed to Abū Hurayrah by explaining:
"The Prophet ﷺ actually said: 'May Allah curse the Jews! They say that bad luck lies in a woman, a house, and a horse.'”
(Musnad al-Ṭayālisī, Ḥadīth: 1630; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, 3/67)
This shows that Abū Hurayrah only heard the latter portion of the statement and missed the critical introduction — which attributed this belief to Jewish superstition, not Islam.❖ Further Clarifications from Other Ḥadīths
Narrated by ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
"If there were any bad omen, it would be in the woman, the house, and the horse."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 5094)
The use of the word "if" (لَوْ) in this narration makes it conditional and hypothetical, not a statement of truth. This grammar construction indicates rejection, not affirmation.
Similarly, Sahl ibn Saʿd (رضي الله عنه) narrated a version of this ḥadīth found in:
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, Ḥadīth: 132)
❖ Islamic Belief: Rejection of Superstition
Islam fundamentally rejects the belief in bad omens (nahoosat):
✔ The Prophet ﷺ married multiple women and treated them with honor and kindness
✔ He lived in homes and used horses and other mounts — clearly demonstrating no belief in bad luck from such things
❖ A Clear Prophetic Statement Against Nahoosat
"There is no bad omen in anything. Rather, blessings may be found in three things: in a woman, a horse, and a house."
(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ḥadīth: 1993; al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Ḥadīth: 1930)
☑ This directly refutes superstitious thinking, affirming that these are sources of comfort and blessing, not misfortune.
❖ Superstition in Pre-Islamic Cultures
During Jāhiliyyah (the Age of Ignorance), both Jews and pagan Arabs considered:
- Women as the cause of misfortune
- Houses as unlucky if deaths or troubles occurred there
- Horses or mounts as a cause of calamity
The Prophet ﷺ corrected these misguided beliefs and eliminated superstition from Islamic thought.❖ Conclusion: The Real Message of the Ḥadīths
A comprehensive study of the ḥadīths shows that:- The Prophet ﷺ did not affirm "nahoosat" in women, houses, or horses
- Incomplete narrations have caused misunderstandings
- The Prophet ﷺ’s true intent was to refute Jewish superstition and warn Muslims against adopting similar notions
✔ Islam teaches that nothing possesses inherent bad luck
✔ Blessing and trial are both from Allah, not from objects or people
