Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 1010 [Read full issue]
Hopeful Optimism
Anas reports that the Prophet said: 'Do not cause disease transmission, nor entertain bad omens. I like hopeful optimism based on good words'. [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi]
This hadith prohibits the intentional transmission of disease. This is perhaps concerned with the individual level, when someone tries to infect a healthy person with the disease he is already suffering from. The hadith makes clear that this is forbidden in Islam. As for spreading a disease among the population of a large area, as in germ warfare, this is a crime against humanity.
The other thing the Prophet refers to in this hadith is about feeling optimistic when hearing a good word or a piece of good news. Words that speak of a good thing happening to us soon are bound to have a good effect on us. We note here that such words may be without foundation, but the fact that they give us a sense of optimism is beneficial, provided that we attribute all future events to God's will. To give an example, a mother says to her daughter on the morning she is taking her exams, 'I feel in my heart that you will do well'. The daughter feels optimistic and approaches her exam in good spirits. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as the daughter does not attribute her fine results to her mother's words or feelings.
Compiled From:
"Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality" - Adil Salahi