In a world often burdened by anxiety and fear of the unknown, the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stand as a radiant beacon of hope and positive expectation. One of the most beautiful and deeply empowering aspects of his message was his consistent encouragement for believers to seek good omens—and to completely avoid bad omens or pessimistic interpretations of events.
🌿 The Prophet’s Love for Good Omens
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a man of hope, and he loved optimism. Among the many manifestations of this was his deep appreciation for tayyur—positive signs or good omens. He was known to interpret things positively and encourage his companions to do the same.
In a well-known hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“I like a good omen.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
When asked what he considered a good omen to be, he replied:
“A good word.”
This shows that even something as simple as hearing a name or word that had a good meaning could be taken as a hopeful sign. For example, if he heard someone named Yasir (meaning “ease”) or Najah (meaning “success”), he would interpret it as a positive sign from Allah.
His attitude wasn’t superstition—it was a reflection of deep tawakkul (trust in God) and a mindset trained to seek beauty and hope in everything.
❌ The Prohibition of Bad Omens
In sharp contrast, the Prophet ﷺ completely rejected tiyarah—the practice of interpreting signs as bad omens. He warned against seeing ill-fated messages in birds, dates, numbers, dreams, or events. In fact, he made it very clear:
“There is no tiyarah.”
(Sahih Muslim)
This wasn’t just discouraged—it was outright forbidden. Why? Because seeking bad omens contradicts the core Islamic principle that only God determines what will happen, and that the believer should never fall into despair or fear based on imagined signs.
Instead of falling into negativity, the Prophet ﷺ taught that if someone is struck by a fearful thought or a so-called bad omen, they should say:
“O Allah, there is no bringer of good except You, and no remover of harm except You. There is no might nor power except with You.”
This removes any perceived power from the omen and returns trust to where it belongs—with Allah.
🌅 A Sunnah of Hope and Positivity
The Prophet ﷺ’s teachings were revolutionary. At a time when people believed in curses, bad luck, and inauspicious dates, he changed the paradigm. He taught people that:
- You are not bound by fear or superstition.
- Good signs are encouragements from Allah.
- Bad omens are to be rejected and ignored.
- Your mindset should be full of trust, gratitude, and optimism.
🧠 Why This Matters Today
Even in our modern world, we still see remnants of superstition: fearing the worst (without evidence), assuming doctors know everything, and thinking negative thoughts constantly.
But the prophetic way is clear—Muslims are to live with husn al-dhann (good opinion) of Allah and interpret life through a lens of hope.
Every moment is a chance to receive a positive sign—a smile, a kind word, a meaningful coincidence. These are the divine nudges that lift the heart.
✨ Final Thoughts
The Prophet ﷺ taught us to walk through life with confidence, not fear; with eyes open for blessings, not curses. This isn’t naive—it’s faithful. It’s a Sunnah. And it’s powerful.
So the next time something beautiful crosses your path, smile and say: This is a good sign.
And if a shadow of fear tries to whisper otherwise, remember: There is no power and no might except with Allah.
