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f:287 -    Concept of Tera Tezi
 Country : Muscat,
Name : Mujeebuddin
Question:     People consider the month of Safar to be unlucky and the 13th of Safar is especially considered unlucky and a day of hardships.  At night, while sleeping, eggs, oil, nails, etc are kept near the head of the bed and they are given away in charity the next day.  This is called as "Tera Tezi."  I want to know the truth about this in the light of the commandments of Islam?
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Answer:     Islam is the true religion which has illuminated the world with the Oneness of Allah Most High and the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Islam has dispelled the darkness of blind beliefs, superstitions and all such things which have no basis.  Among the superstitions of the pre-Islamic days was that people would consider Safar to be unlucky.  

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has strictly prohibited against considering anything unlucky.  There is a Hadith in Zujajatul Masabeeh on the authority of Sunan Abu Dawood:

Translation:  It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Considering anything unlucky is like associating something with Allah Most High (i.e. Shirk)

Hadhrat Mulla 'Ali Qari (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes in the interpretation of this Hadith:

Translation: Considering anything unlucky is "Shirk" because in the days of ignorance, people believed that by acting upon such consideration, they would receive some benefit, that is they would commit "Shirk" and this called "Shirk Khafi" (Covertly associating things with Allah Most High) and if any person thinks that someone/something is capable of exerting influence on its own without the will of Allah Most High, then it is called "Shirk Jali" (Openly associating something with Allah Most High).

Imam Qazi Iyaz (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says: The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) declared this as "Shirk" because those people held the belief that the thing they consider as unlucky has influence in bringing hardships.  Generally taking these things into consideration is hidden "Shirk" and especially when ignorance and wrong beliefs are included, then its "Shirk" is even more clear.

(Mirqatul Mafateeh, Vol. 4, Pg No. 522/523)

There is a Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawood that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Considering anything unlucky is from Satan.

(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No: 5757; Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 3, Pg No. 445)

There is a Hadith in Zujajatul Masabeeh on the authority of Sahih Bukhari:

Translation:  It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: No disease is contagious (in itself) and there is nothing called inauspiciousness, there is no inauspiciousness in owls and there is no inauspiciousness in Safar.

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No: 5757; Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 3, Pg No. 447)

Our master Muhaddith-E-Deccan Abul Hasanaat Hadhrat Abdullah Shah Sahab Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) writes in the interpretation of this Hadith in Zujajatul Masabeeh:

Translation: Imam Abu Dawood describes in his Sunan that when Muhaddith Baqiya asked his teacher Ustadh Muhammad bin Rashid about this Hadith, he said: In the days of ignorance, people would consider the arrival of the month of Safar as unlucky, so the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) clarified the truth about this by saying that the month of Safar is not unlucky.  Qazi Iyaz (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) said that with this Hadith the superstitions about Safar, that difficulties and hardships descend in large numbers in this month, are negated.

(Zujajatul Masabeeh, Haashiya Zujajatul Masabeeh, Vol. 3, Pg No. 447)

The above mentioned Hadith make it clear that considering Safar unlucky and not having any important/happy celebrations like marriage, etc. are all the beliefs of the pre-Islamic days, which have no basis in Islam.  In the same way, keeping eggs, oil etc. in the name of "Tera Tezi" is also useless and ought to be avoided.  Apart from this, giving charity to the poor and needy to gain the pleasure of Allah Most High is permissible and commendable in this month as it is in other months.

And Allah Most High knows best.

Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder-Director Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]
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