Arabian Tongue Institute Blog (The month of Safar)

The month of Safar

Safar is the second month of the Islamic (hijri) calendar. Although  the month of Safar does not offer any specifically significant religious dates for Muslims, It is a period of historical significance due to the events that occurred in the life of the beloved Prophet Muhammad.

It is said that the month was called Safar by Arabs of the pre-Islamic period. This is because the word comes from the same root letters as the word in Arabic for travel. Thus it was named to indicate that the Makkans would leave Makkah and travel during this month

The word Safar also translates into “whistling of the wind” referring it as the windiest time of the year. Mostly Islamic months are named after weather conditions. But the calendar is luna so the month shifts with a day gap of 11 each year, meaning seasons not anymore apply to them. For example, Rabi al-Awwal means ‘the first spring’, but it can take place in any of the seasons, since it follows the phases of the moon rather than how the earth’s position relates to the sun.

According to scholars, the Arabs had wrong superstitions about the month of Safar. First, they changed its occurrence – it was brought forward or delayed for no reason. Second, they considered it inauspicious for performing Umrah.
“It was narrated that Ibn Abbas (PBUH) said, “They (Arabs) used to think that Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the worst evils on earth. They would make Muharram Safar and say that when the backs of the camels have healed and the tracks of the pilgrims have become erased and Safar is over, Umrah becomes permissible for those who want to do Umrah.”” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1489) and Muslim (1240)

There are many misconceptions about the month of Safar that have been carried through generations. People used to and still believe that this month is inauspicious. For that reason, some people restrain from organizing weddings during the month of Safar. They engage in activities which they believe would do away with bad luck such as boiling chickpeas, making flour balls and throwing them in water and reciting Surah Muzammil 313 times. Such beliefs and superstitions, however, are self-created and cannot be verified from Quran and Sunnah, for Allah has not made any of the twelve months as inauspicious. Holding such beliefs is an act of innovation and is not permissible in Islam.
“There is no superstitious owl, bird, no star-promising rain, no bad omen in the month of Safar.” Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 5707

Some very important events took place in the month of Safar, On 27th of Safar, the Quraysh tribe planned on killing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for his faith in Islam. As they cannot let Prophet escape Makkah and further spread Islam to other cities, they gathered around the Prophet’s house. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) casted a few dust on these tribe members, escaped them and took refugee in Jabal Thawr. It is where Allah sent a spider to weave web on the entrance and save the Prophet and his companion from the Quraysh tribes.
The battle of Abwaa and the battle of Khyber both took place in Safar. Martyrdom of Khubaib Ibn Adey (RA) and Zaid Ibn Dathina (RA) took place in Safar. It also marks the acceptance of Islam by Khalid and Amr bin al-Aas. Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) daughter Fatma (RA) married Imam Ali in this month.

There is no bad thing on a particular day or night or a month, Every day is an opportunity to do good deeds and get closer to Allah. May Allah keep us on the right path