The Month of Safar
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Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of
Allaah.
The month of Safar is one of the twelve Hijri months, and it is the month
which comes after Muharram. Some of the (scholars) said that it is so named
because of the emptying (isfaar) of Makkah (i.e., its people would all
leave) when they travelled during this month. It was also said that this
month is named Safar because they used to raid other tribes at this time,
and they would leave those whom they encountered bereft of their possessions
(sifran min al-mataa') – i.e., they would take all their belongings away and
they would leave them with nothing.
(See *Lisaan al-'Arab* by Ibn al-Mandhoor, part 4, p. 462-463)
Our discussion of this month will cover the following points:
1. What has been narrated concerning it from the Arabs of the *
Jaahiliyyah* .
2. What has been narrated in Islam that contradicts the views of people
of the *Jaahiliyyah* concerning this month.
3. Innovations and corrupt beliefs concerning this month that exist
among people who claim to be Muslims.
4. What happened in this month of military campaigns and important
events in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him).
5. False ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning Safar.
*___________ _________ _________ ______*
1. What has been narrated concerning it from the Arabs of the *Jaahiliyyah* .
The Arabs were guilty of two serious wrongdoings concerning the month of
Safar. Firstly, they played about with it, bringing it forward or postponing
it, and secondly, they had superstitions concerning it.
(i) It is known that Allaah created the year and the number of its months is
twelve, four of which Allaah has made sacred, in which it was forbidden to
fight, out of respect for these months. These months are: Dhu'l-Qi'dah,
Dhu'l-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
This is confirmed in the Book of Allaah, where Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so
was it ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the
earth; of them four are Sacred (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th
months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not
yourselves therein..."
*[al-Tawbah 9:36]*
The mushrikeen were aware of that, but they used to postpone it or bring it
forward according to their whims and desires, such as putting Safar in place
of Muharram!
They used to believe that 'Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the
most evil of actions. There follow some of the comments of the scholars on
that.
(a) It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both)
said: "They used to think that 'Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of
the most evil of actions on earth. They would make Muharram Safar, and they
used to say, 'When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return
from Hajj) and the footprints of the camels vanish and the month of Safar
passes away then (at that time) 'Umra is permissible for the one who wishes
to perform it."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1489; Muslim, 1240)
(b) Ibn al-'Arabi said:
"The second issue: how postponing (*al-nasiy*) was done:
(i) It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas that Junaadah ibn 'Awf ibn Umayyah
al-Kinaani used to come on this occasion each year, and he would call out
that no one could criticize Abu Thamaamah or reject what he said, and that
Safar in the first year would not be sacred, then we would make it sacred
one year and not the next year. They were with Hawaazin, Ghatafaan and Bani
Sulaym.
According to another version, he used to say, "We have brought Muharram
forward and postponed Safar." Then the next year he would say, "We will make
Safar sacred and delay Muharram." This was the postponement.
(ii) Adding. Qutaadah said: Some of the people of misguidance deliberately
added Safar to the sacred months. Their spokesman would stand up on this
occasion and say, "Your gods have made Muharram sacred this year," and they
would regard it as sacred that year. Then the next year he would stand up
and say, "Your gods have made Safar sacred," so they would regard it as
sacred that year. And they would say (that there were) two Safars. Ibn Wahb
and Ibn al-Qaasim narrated something similar from Maalik, who said: the
people of the Jaahiliyyah used to have two Safars, hence the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "(There is) no Safar." Ashhab
also narrated something similar from him.
(ii) Changing the time of Hajj. Mujaahid said with a different isnaad: " *'The
postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief'
[al-Tawbah 9:37 – interpretation of the meaning]* – they would perform Hajj
in Dhu'l-Hijjah for two years, then they would perform Hajj in Muharram for
two years, then they would perform Hajj in Safar for two years. They would
perform Hajj in each month for two years until, when Abu Bakr performed Hajj
that was in Dhu'l-Qi'dah, then when the Prophet performed Hajj it was in
Dhu'l-Hijjah. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said in his sermon, according to the saheeh hadeeth:
"Time has completed a cycle and assumed the form of the day Allaah created
the heavens and the earth." Narrated by Ibn 'Abbaas and others. This version
was narrated by him. And he said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
'O people, listen to what I say, for I do not know whether I will meet you
again after this day in this place. O people, your blood and your wealth are
sacred until the Day when you meet your Lord, as sacred as this day of yours
in this month of yours in this land of your. You will meet your Lord and He
will question you about your deeds. I have conveyed (the message). Whoever
has had something entrusted to him, let him fulfil that trust.
All riba is abolished. You shall have your capital sums, deal not unjustly
and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. Allaah decreed that there should
be no riba. The riba of 'Abbaas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib is abolished. All
claims for blood-vengeance belonging to the jaahiliyyah period have been
abolished. The first of those murdered among us whose blood-vengeance I
remit is Ibn Rabee'ah ibn al-Haarith ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, who was suckled
among Banu Layth and killed by Hudhayl." He was the first one whose
blood-vengeance of the jaahiliyyah was abolished.
"O people, the Shaytaan has despaired of ever being worshipped in your land,
but he will be pleased to be obeyed in any matter other than that, in
matters that you may think of as insignificant. So beware of him in matters
of your religion. The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition
to disbelief, by which the disbelievers are led astray... Time has completed a
cycle and assumed the form of the day Allaah created the heavens and the
earth. The number of months with Allaah is twelve, of which four are sacred,
three consecutive months, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and
Sha'baan..." and he mentioned the rest of the hadeeth.
(*Ahkaam al-Qur'aan*, 2/503-504)
2. With regard to superstitions concerning the month of Safar, these were
well known among the people of the Jaahiliyyah, and still exist among some
of those who claim to be Muslims.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "(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 Haamah, 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 by al-Bukhaari, 5387; Muslim, 2220)
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"The word 'Safar' was interpreted in several ways:
(i) that it refers to the well-known month of Safar, concerning which the
Arabs were superstitious.
(ii) That it refers to a stomach disease of camels, which is passed from one
camel to another, and that this mentioned in conjunction with the word 'adwa
(contagion) in the sense of mentioning something specific in conjunction
with something general.
(iii) That 'Safar' means the month of Safar, and that what is referred to
here is the postponing of Sacred Months by which those who disbelieved were
led astray, when they would delay the sacred months and make Safar sacred
one year and not the next.
The most correct of these views is that what is meant is the month of Safar,
concerning which there were many superstitions during the Jaahiliyyah.
Times have no effect (on people's lives) and Allaah never decreed that it
should have any effect. Like any other month, both good and bad may be
decreed during this month.
If a particular action is completed on the twenty-fifth of Safar – for
example – some people note the date and say, "It has been finished on the
twenty-fifth of this good month of Safar." This is like refuting one
innovation with another, because there are no good or bad months. Hence some
of the salaf denounced those who, when they hear the hooting of an owl, say,
"It is good, in sha Allaah." It cannot be said that this is good or bad, it
is simply the sound of a bird, like any other bird.
The four things which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) denied (in the hadeeth referred to above) indicate that we must put our
trust in Allaah and be sincere and determined; the Muslim should not feel
helpless when faced with these things.
If a Muslim does pay any attention to such things, one of the following must
apply in his case:
Either he pays attention to them in deciding whether to go ahead or refrain,
in which case he is basing his actions on something that is not real.
Or he does not pay attention to them with regard to deciding whether to go
ahead or refrain, but he still feels some kind of worry or anxiety. Although
this is not as bad as the first case, he should not pay any attention to
these things at all, rather he should depend only on Allaah.
The denial of these four things is not a denial of their existence, for they
do exist; it is a denial of their having any effect on things, for the One
Who affects things is Allaah. If there is a reason that is known to have
effects, then this is a real reason, and any reason which is merely imagined
is a false reason. So we deny its effect and it has no effect. "
(*Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen*, 2/113, 115)
2. What has been narrated in Islam that contradicts the views of people of
the *Jaahiliyyah* concerning this month
We have quoted above the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah narrated in *al-Saheehayn* ,
which explains that the belief of the people of Jaahiliyyah concerning Safar
was reprehensible, and that is it simply one of the months of Allaah and it
has no will of its own, it simply passes, subject to the control of Allaah.
3. Innovations and false beliefs concerning this month that exist among
people who claim to be Muslims.
(1) The Standing Committee was asked:
Some of the scholars in our country claim that in the Islamic religion there
is a *naafil* (supererogatory) prayer which is prayed on the last Wednesday
of the month of Safar, at the time of *Duha* (mid-morning) prayer,
(consisting of) four *rak'ahs* with one *tasleem*. In each rak'ah one
recites *Soorat al-Faatihah* , *Soorat al-Kawthar* seventeen times, *Soorat
al-Ikhlaas *50 times, *al-Mi'wadhatayn* (the last two soorahs of the
Qur'aan) one time each. This is done in each rak'ah, then one says salaam,
and when one says salaam it is prescribed to recite *"And Allaah has full
power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not" [Yoosuf 12:21
– interpretation of the meaning]* 360 times, and *Jawhar al-Kamaal* (the
essence of perfection) three times, and to finish by saying,
*"Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of honour and power! (He is free) from
what they attribute unto Him! *
*And peace be on the Messengers! *
*And all the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Lord of the 'Aalameen
(mankind, jinn and all that exists)" [al-Saaffaat 37:180-182 –
interpretation of the meaning].*
And they give charity to the poor, and they say that this aayah is
especially for warding off the calamities which come down on the last
Wednesday of the month of Safar.
They say that every year, 320,000 calamities come down, and all of that
comes down on the last Wednesday of Safar, so that is the most difficult day
of the entire year. But whoever prays this prayer in the manner described,
Allaah will protect him by His generosity from all the calamities that come
down on that day, and they will not come around him, but they will affect
those who could not do this prayer, like small children. Is this true?
The scholars of the committee replied:
Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger and upon
his family and his companions.
We do not know of any basis in the Qur'aan or in the Sunnah for the naafil
prayer mentioned in the question. We have no proof that any one among the
salaf of this ummah or the righteous people of its later generations did
this naafil prayer. Rather it is a reprehensible innovation.