When I first heard the statement: “The month of Safar is filled with misfortunes,” a strange confusion stirred within me. Could it really be that a month, a day—being a creation of Allah—could be inherently unlucky? The seeker within me, both the student of knowledge and the inner spiritual traveler, grew restless. In that very quest, I began exploring the verses of the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and the insights of the Sufi masters.
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And the reality that unfolded before me was indeed something that brought tranquility to the heart and liberation to the mind.
This blog is the fruit of that very search and spiritual journey—a journey in which we pierce through the fog of longstanding misconceptions surrounding the month of Safar and step into the light of truth. Let us see:
Is the month of Safar truly a symbol of magic, misfortune, and fear? Or is all of this nothing but an ancient superstition that now needs to be replaced with the awareness of truth and time?
The second month of the Islamic calendar is called Safar. It is pronounced Ṣafar (with kasrah) and is derived from a root that means “empty.” This month follows Muharram. Before the advent of Islam, during the era of the Beloved of Allah ﷺ, the month of Muharram was regarded as a sacred period during which warfare was prohibited. However, when the month of Safar arrived, the Arabs would resume their expeditions for war, leaving their homes empty—hence the month came to be called Ṣafar.
False Belief
Many people consider the month of Ṣafar al-Muzaffar to be inauspicious. They avoid holding weddings during this month, do not send their daughters off in marriage, refrain from engaging in certain other activities, and even avoid traveling. Especially the first thirteen days of the month of Safar are regarded as highly unlucky and are referred to as “Tairah Tazi” (the ominous thirteen). All of these are matters rooted in ignorance.
On the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, people celebrate excessively. They close their businesses, go on outings, cook special fried foods (pooris), bathe, dress freshly, and rejoice. They claim that the Master of the Worlds, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, took a bath of health on this day and went out for a leisurely walk outside Madinah al-Tayyibah. However, all of these notions are baseless. In fact, during those very days, the illness of Sayyid al-Arab wal-‘Ajam ﷺ had intensified. These claims are contrary to the actual events.
Not only that, but people also say that disasters descend on this day, and many other strange things are narrated. However, all such superstitions are refuted by the following authentic Hadiths. (May Allah grant us the ability to act upon the truth—Ameen.)
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is no contagious disease, no belief in evil omens, no (superstitious) owl, and no (evil) in the month of Ṣafar.”
This narration is reported by Imam Muslim.
The term “Anwa” refers to the phases or stations of the moon, which are twenty-eight in total. The Arabs used to believe that when the moon entered certain phases, rain would fall. However, the Prophet ﷺ nullified this belief, clarifying that rain falls solely by the decree of Allah.
(Mishkat, p. 39)
Another narration from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) reports that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
- “There is no contagious disease, no superstition, no (evil) in the month of Ṣafar, and no belief in the owl.”
Upon hearing this, a Bedouin asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how is it then that a healthy camel, just like a clean and clear gazelle in the desert, contracts scabies after coming into contact with a diseased camel?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
- “Then who infected the first one?”
Meaning: the origin of disease is not due to contagion alone, but due to divine will. The belief in contagious disease as an independent force is incorrect.
It is again narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
- “There is no contagion, no bad omen, no superstition about owls, no evil in Ṣafar. And flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari; Mishkat, p. 39)
Does the Month of Safar Have Any Connection with Black Magic or Misfortune?
According to Islamic teachings, there is no connection between the month of Safar and black magic or any particular kind of misfortune. However, among the general public, there are certain misunderstandings and un-Islamic beliefs associated with this, which can be clarified through the following points:
Considering the Month of Safar as Suitable for Magic
Some people believe that the month of Safar—especially its first or last Wednesday (Chaharshanbah)—is specifically suited for performing magic or that the effects of black magic become more apparent during this time. This belief is false, baseless, and rooted in ignorance.
The truth is that the effect of magic is not bound to any specific time or day. It can happen at any time, but even then, it holds no influence without the permission of Allah.
As the Qur’an states:
“وَمَا هُم بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ“
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 102)
Translation: “But they could not harm anyone with it except by Allah’s permission.”
The Belief in the Misfortune of Safar: The Root of Magical Theories
In the Age of Ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), the Arabs believed that the month of Safar brought with it calamities, illnesses, and a rise in magical activity. Traces of this belief still exist among some people today.
However, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ declared such superstitions to be false. He said:
“Lā ʿadwā wa lā Ṣafar wa lā Hāmah”
“لَا عَدْوَى وَلَا صَفَرَ وَلَا هَامَةَ “
“There is no contagious disease, no (evil) in the month of Safar, and no (omen in) owls.”
(Bukhari, Vol. 4, p. 26, Hadith: 5717)
Voluntary Prayers on the First Night of Safar
On the first night of the month of Safar, after the ʿIshāʾ prayer, every Muslim should perform four rakʿāt of voluntary prayer (nafl). In the:
- First rakʿah, after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, one should recite Sūrah al-Kāfirūn fifteen times.
- Second rakʿah, after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ fifteen times.
- Third rakʿah, after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, recite Sūrah al-Falaq fifteen times.
- Fourth rakʿah, after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, recite Sūrah al-Nās fifteen times.
After completing the prayer (by offering salām), one should recite:
- The verse “Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn” several times,
- Followed by seventy times salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ (Durūd Sharīf).
By doing this, Allah Almighty will bestow great reward and will protect the person from all calamities and afflictions.
(Rāḥat al-Qulūb)
The Prayer of the Last Wednesday of the Month of Safar
On the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, one should perform ghusl (ritual bath) after morning time and then offer two rakʿāt of voluntary (nafl) prayer at the time of Duha (forenoon prayer).
In each rakʿah, after reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, recite “Qul Huwa Allāhu Aḥad” (Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ) eleven times. After completing the prayer with salām, recite the following salutation (Durūd Sharīf) seventy times:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ
After that, recite the following supplication (duʿāʾ):
اللَّهُمَّ صَرِّفْ عَنِّي سُوءَ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ، وَاعْصِمْنِي مِنْ سَوْءَاتِهِ، وَنَجِّنِي مِمَّا أَصَابَ فِيهِ مِنْ نَحْسَاتِهِ وَكُرْبَاتِهِ، بِفَضْلِكَ يَا دَافِعَ الشُّرُورِ وَمَالِكَ النُّشُورِ، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ، وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ الْأَمْجَادِ، وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ
(Rāḥat al-Qulūb, Jawāhir ʿĪsā)
Additional Voluntary Prayers
In addition to the above, there are two more rakʿāt of nafl prayer, in which one should recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ three times after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in each rakʿah.
After finishing the prayer with salām, one should recite the following sūrahs, eighty times each:
- Sūrah al-Inshirāḥ (Alam nashraḥ)
- Sūrah al-Tīn (Wa al-Tīn)
- Sūrah al-Naṣr (Idhā Jāʾa Naṣrullāh)
- Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ (Qul Huwa Allāhu Aḥad)
It is said that by the blessings of these recitations, Allah Almighty will enrich the heart of the one who performs them.
(Jawāhir Ghaybī)
Explanation of the Sufi Masters
The Sufi saints have always maintained the following position:
“Every moment belongs to Allah, and the heart in which the remembrance of Allah resides—no magic or evil can affect it.”
Therefore, if someone experiences worry, illness, disturbing dreams, or intrusive thoughts during the month of Safar, they should not blame it on black magic or the so-called misfortune of Safar. Instead, one should turn to:
Spiritual and physical caution
Duʿāʾ (supplication)
Dhikr (remembrance of Allah)
Ṣadaqah (charity)
And medical treatment.
Protective Practices (Spiritual Safeguards – Generally Applicable, Not Just for the Month of Safar):
- Reciting Āyat al-Kursī after every obligatory prayer.
- Abundant recitation of Salutations (Durūd Sharīf) upon the Prophet ﷺ.
- Reciting Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās in the morning and evening.
- Giving charity, especially when experiencing inner whispers or doubts (waswasa).
- Regular self-accountability of one’s actions and intentions.
This informational and spiritual blog is the result of the compilation and writing of Hazrat Sarkar Pir Abu Nauman Rizvi Saifi Sahib, who, with sincerity and dedication, continues to offer religious and spiritual guidance to the Muslim Ummah.
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