Days of misfortune mentioned in the Qur’an
We already understand and have kept firmly in mind that in Islam there is no concept of unlucky days, unlucky stars, or harmful dates. Islam does not recognize such things. However, when we look at certain verses of the Qur’an, at first glance it may appear as though there are days of misfortune mentioned in the Qur’an. If those verses are not understood properly, then people may fall into the mistaken belief that Islam also recognizes good days and bad days.
Therefore, what we must examine today is this: when Allahﷻ uses certain words that appear to refer to a “day of misfortune,” how should we understand them? Should we understand them in their literal meaning, or should we understand them in another sense based on literary expression? That is what we will explore today.
The Story of the People of ‘Ād
Allahﷻ sent a messenger named Prophetﷺ Hūd to a community known as the people of ‘Ād. They rejected the message of Hūd. Because they refused to accept him, Allahﷻ punished them by sending a violent windstorm.
This was not just a brief wind. It was a storm that continued for seven nights without interruption, a relentless wind that destroyed them completely. Allahﷻ describes this incident in the Qur’an.
Allahﷻ says that the people of ‘Ād denied the truth. They rejected the messenger Hūd. Then Allahﷻ asks rhetorically:
“How then was My punishment and My warning?”
In other words, Allahﷻ is saying: They rejected My messenger. Did I simply leave them alone? No. See how I punished them.
Allahﷻ says that He sent upon them a violent windstorm. And when describing that moment, Allahﷻ uses the phrase “on a day of misfortune.”
The verse states that the windstorm began on a day of misfortune and that it continued afterward. The Arabic wording suggests a misfortune-filled day that continued, meaning that what began on that day persisted for several days. The storm did not last just one day—it continued for an entire week. Through that windstorm, those people were destroyed.
Allahﷻ describes them as being tossed about like uprooted palm trunks, as if the wind lifted and threw them down like fallen trees.
People of ‘Ād behaved arrogantly
This description appears in Surah Al-Qamar (54:18-20).
Allahﷻ also speaks about this same incident in another place, Surah Fussilat (41:15-16). There Allahﷻ says that the people of ‘Ād behaved arrogantly on the earth without justification. They boasted proudly, saying:
“Who is stronger than us?”
They thought no one on earth was stronger than them. Allahﷻ asks rhetorically whether they did not realize that the One who created them was stronger than them.
Because they rejected Allahﷻ ’s signs, Allahﷻ sent against them a violent wind during days of misfortune so that they would taste humiliation in this world, and the punishment of the Hereafter would be even greater.
Notice here that Allahﷻ says “days of misfortune” in plural, whereas in the earlier verse it says “a day of misfortune.”
Seven nights and eight days
In yet another place, Surah Al-Haqqah (69:6-7), Allahﷻ explains how long the storm lasted. Allahﷻ says it continued for seven nights and eight days, striking them continuously.
Thus, the Qur’an describes the same event in three places:
- In one place it says “a day of misfortune.”
- In another place it says “days of misfortune.”
- In another place it explains the duration: seven nights and eight days.
When people read these verses superficially, they may think that there are certain days that are inherently unlucky. People already have beliefs like that. Some think:
- If something begins on Friday, it will succeed.
- If it begins on Monday, it will not succeed.
- Some think Tuesday is unlucky for certain activities.
Others divide time further. They say:
- From 10 to 11 is a good time.
- From 12 to 1 is a bad time.
They assign good and bad qualities to days, hours, and months.
For example:
- Some say the month of Safar is an unlucky month.
- Some say the Tamil month Aadi is unlucky.
- Some Muslims even refuse to conduct marriages in Safar.
- Others refuse to conduct marriages in the first ten days of Muharram, saying it is because Husayn was martyred then.
These are beliefs that exist among people. When they say a day is unlucky, they mean that anything done on that day will not succeed.
When Allahﷻ says “a day of misfortune,” does He mean the day itself is unlucky? Or is He using a literary expression?
Before answering that, we must ask: Does Islam accept the concept of unlucky days?
If there truly were such a thing as a “bad day,” then on that day everyone should suffer misfortune. But in the story we mentioned, while the people of ‘Ād were destroyed, Prophet Hūd(Alahis Salam) and the believers were saved. Allahﷻ separated them and rescued them before the destruction came.
So on the very same day:
- One group was destroyed.
- Another group was saved.
If the day itself were inherently unlucky, then everyone present on that day should have suffered equally. But that did not happen.
Even in our everyday life, we see the same thing.
At the same moment:
- In one house, a wedding celebration may be taking place.
- In another house, someone may die.
For one family it is a happy day. For another it is a day of grief.
One person may be admitted to a hospital, while another person at the same time may be discharged after recovery.
Thus, at any given moment in the world:
- Good things happen to some people.
- Bad things happen to others.
There is no moment in the world when only good happens to everyone, and no moment when only bad happens to everyone.
Therefore, when the Qur’an says “a day of misfortune,” it does not mean the day itself possesses a special destructive power.
It means that on that day misfortune befell those people.
The misfortune belongs to the event, not to the day itself.
That is the literary style of the Qur’an.
The storm lasted seven nights and eight days.
If those were “unlucky days,” then all days of the week would have been unlucky. Within eight days you would pass through every weekday.
That would mean:
- Wednesday unlucky
- Thursday unlucky
- Friday unlucky
- Saturday unlucky
Everything would be unlucky.
If that logic were true, then all 365 days of the year would be unlucky, because those weekdays repeat throughout the year.
Clearly that is not the meaning.
The Islamic Understanding of “Good Day”
In Islam, the expression “good day” can be used in a different sense.
Suppose a poor man becomes wealthy on a certain day. People may say: “That was a good day for him.”
The day itself is not good for everyone. It was good for that person because something good happened to him.
Similarly:
- A man’s wedding day is a good day for him.
- The day a child is born is a joyful day for the parents.
Thus the phrase “good day” refers to what happened to someone, not to a mystical power in the day itself.
Islam does recognize that certain times are special for worship.
For example:
- Friday is special because of the Jumu‘ah prayer.
- Ramadan is special because good deeds receive greater reward.
- Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.
But even here, the meaning is not that worldly actions will succeed if started on those days.
The meaning is that acts of worship performed then receive greater reward from Allahﷻ .
Therefore, Islam does not teach that certain days are inherently lucky or unlucky.
You may conduct a marriage on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. The success or failure of your life will not depend on the day you chose. Progress and success come only by the will of Allahﷻ . Days and times themselves have no independent power to cause success or failure.
Now the question arises: Why can Friday be called a special or good day?
The answer is that on that day, the acts of worship performed receive greater reward. That is one meaning of a “good day” in Islam.
The second meaning of a “good day” or “bad day” in Islam is this: if something bad happens to a particular person, then for that person it can be called a bad day. But this must be said after the event has happened, not before it happens.
For example, suppose someone’s hand was cut off on a Friday. After the event, you may say: “For him, that Friday was a bad day.” It was a bad day for him, because misfortune occurred to him. But the mistake people make is that when they talk about good days and bad days, they speak about the future. They say: “Do not do anything on that day; if you do something on that day, such and such will happen.” They use these ideas of good and bad days to predict hidden future events. That is what Islam condemns.
After a misfortune occurs to someone, you may say it was a bad day for that person. But you must specify the person. You may say: “It was a bad day for the people of ‘Ād.” But you must not say that the day on which they were destroyed was a bad day for everyone.
This misunderstanding exists because people do not understand the matter correctly.
Hadith about Blaming Time
The Prophetﷺ ﷺ explained this clearly. A hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4826) states that Allahﷻ says: “The son of Adam harms Me. He hurts Me.”
The Prophetﷺ ﷺ narrates this as Allahﷻ speaking, which is called a Hadith Qudsi. In a Hadith Qudsi, the words are attributed to Allahﷻ but narrated by the Prophetﷺ ﷺ. It is still a hadith, not Qur’an, but its meaning comes from Allahﷻ .
Allahﷻ says: “The son of Adam hurts Me by cursing time.”
People say things like:
“This Friday is a cursed day.”
“This month of Safar is an unlucky month.”
“This Tuesday is a bad day.”
When people speak like this, they are blaming time.
Allahﷻ says: “He curses time, but I am time. In My hand are all affairs. I alternate the night and the day.”
In other words, when someone blames time, he is actually blaming Allahﷻ , because Allahﷻ is the One who controls time and events. Night and day occur only because Allahﷻ causes them to alternate.
Therefore Allahﷻ says: Do not curse time.
If someone says a particular day, month, or hour is bad and nothing good will happen then, he is actually blaming time. But time itself does nothing. Allahﷻ is the One who decrees everything.
The Prophetﷺ also warned people not to say things like “time’s cruelty” (in Tamil people say kāla koḍuvinai). When someone dies or a disaster occurs, people say: “This is the cruelty of time.”
But how did time do anything? Time did nothing. The person’s lifespan ended because Allahﷻ decreed it. Therefore, blaming time is wrong.
Example from the Battle of Uhud
Allahﷻ also addressed this issue in the Qur’an. During the time of the Prophetﷺ , Muslims suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Uhud. Earlier in the Battle of Badr, the Muslims had achieved victory and the disbelievers suffered great losses. But in Uhud, the situation reversed.
Many companions were killed, including about seventy martyrs. The Prophetﷺ himself was injured; his tooth was broken. A rumor even spread that the Prophetﷺ had died. Some companions retreated toward Madinah because of the chaos.
When Muslims saw this defeat, they became deeply distressed. Allahﷻ then revealed a verse reminding them that victory and defeat alternate among people.
Allahﷻ says in Qur’an 3:140: “If a wound has touched you, a similar wound has already touched the other people. Such days We alternate among people.”
Allahﷻ compares time to a wheel. The nature of a wheel is that what is on top eventually goes down, and what is below eventually rises up. Victory and defeat rotate among people.
Therefore, there is no day in which everything will always go well for one group. When one group rises, another may fall.
Nothing Happens Except by Allahﷻ ’s Decree
Allahﷻ also commands the Prophetﷺ ﷺ to say in Qur’an 9:51: “Say: Nothing will happen to us except what Allahﷻ has written for us.”
If misfortune occurs, it does not occur because of a particular day or time. It occurs because Allahﷻ decreed it.
Everything Is Written in the Record
Allahﷻ says in Qur’an 57:22 that any calamity that occurs on earth or within ourselves is already written in the divine record before it happens. Allahﷻ wrote it beforehand, and then it occurs according to that decree.
Allahﷻ says that this is easy for Him. Recording events beforehand and bringing them into existence later is easy for Allahﷻ .
Similarly, Allahﷻ says that every event, even the falling of a leaf, is known to Him and written in a clear record.
People attach events to meaningless signs. For example:
- If someone sees a certain person before starting a task and the task fails, he says: “Because I saw his face, the work failed.”
- If a cat crosses the road, they think it is a bad omen.
- If they see a widow or a certain person, they think it is unlucky.
All these are foolish superstitions.
If Allahﷻ has written success for you, you will succeed regardless of whom you saw or what crossed your path. If Allahﷻ has written failure, then it will happen regardless of such things.
Example from the Month of Shawwal
During the time before Islam, some Arabs considered the month of Shawwal to be unlucky. They avoided marriage in that month.
But Aisha (Mother of Believers) said that the Prophetﷺ married her in the month of Shawwal and consummated the marriage in Shawwal. She pointed out that among the wives of the Prophetﷺ , she was very close to him. If Shawwal were an unlucky month, how could her marriage have been so blessed?
Because of this, Aisha (Mother of Believers) encouraged people to conduct marriages in Shawwal in order to break the false belief that it was unlucky.
Similarly, today if people avoid marriage in the month of Safar, then to break the superstition we should say: perform the marriage in Safar.
Superstitions About Birds
In pre-Islamic Arabia people also practiced omens involving birds. They would throw a stone at a bird and watch which direction it flew.
- If the bird flew to the right, they considered it a good sign.
- If it flew to the left, they abandoned their plan.
The Prophetﷺ rejected this and said there is no such thing as omens determining success or failure.
The Hadith of Jibreel (Alahis Salam)
A famous incident illustrates the correct belief. One day the angel Jibreel (AS) came to the Prophetﷺ in human form. The companions noticed a man with very white clothes and very black hair. He did not appear like a traveler, yet none of them recognized him.
He sat very close to the Prophetﷺ , placing his knees against the Prophetﷺ ’s knees, and began asking questions.
He asked: “O Messenger of Allahﷻ , what is Islam?” The Prophetﷺ answered that Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allahﷻ and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allahﷻ , to establish prayer, to give zakat, and to fast Ramadan.
The man said: “You have spoken the truth.”
Then he asked: “What is faith (Iman)?”
The Prophetﷺ replied that faith is to believe in Allahﷻ , His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine decree (Qadar)—that everything happens according to Allahﷻ ’s decree.
Thus one of the essential components of faith is to believe that everything happens according to Allahﷻ ’s decree, not because of lucky days or unlucky times.
Therefore, the belief that certain days or months themselves bring success or failure is false. Everything happens according to Allahﷻ ’s decree, which was written beforehand.
Days, months, birds, omens, or people’s faces do not determine outcomes. Only Allahﷻ does.
When we speak about Ihsan, the Prophetﷺ explained it in a powerful way. You have not seen Allahﷻ , yet how should you fear Him? You must worship Allahﷻ as though you are seeing Him. If you were actually seeing Allahﷻ standing before you, watching you, imagine how much fear and reverence you would feel. That is the level of awareness you must have. Even if you do not see Him, remember that He sees you. Because He is watching you, you must worship Him as if you are standing in His presence.
When the Prophetﷺ said this, the questioner responded: “You have spoken the truth.”
Then he asked another question: “What are the signs of the Day of Judgment?”
The Prophetﷺ replied, “The one who is being asked does not know more about it than the one asking.” In other words, only Allahﷻ truly knows when the Day of Judgment will occur. However, the Prophetﷺ then mentioned some of its signs.
After finishing the questions, the man left.
Then the Prophetﷺ asked the companions: “Do you know who that man was?”
They said: “Allahﷻ and His Messenger know best.”
The Prophetﷺ then said: “That was Jibreel (AS). He came to teach you your religion.”
Why is this hadith mentioned here? Because Allahﷻ arranged for Jibreel (AS) himself to come and teach what faith (Iman) truly means. Among the essential elements of faith that were taught in that hadith is the belief in Qadar — the divine decree.
From childhood we are taught believe in Allahﷻ , believe in the Messenger, believe in the angels, believe in the scriptures, and believe in the divine decree.
If someone truly believes in divine decree, how can he then go around searching for good days and bad days? If something happened, he should say: “Allahﷻ arranged it this way, and it has already passed.”
Everything Is Written Before It Happens
The Prophetﷺ also explained how a human being is created.
When a child is in the womb of its mother, for the first forty days the initial formation occurs. After that period, it develops further and becomes like a clot. Then it becomes a lump of flesh. After 120 days, Allahﷻ sends an angel.
That angel is commanded to write four things about that child:
- His provision (rizq)
- His lifespan — when his life will end
- His deeds — whether he will be righteous or sinful
- His final destiny — whether he will be among the people of Paradise or Hell
All of this is recorded while the child is still in the womb.
Think about the meaning of that. Our sustenance is not limited to a certain day or moment. It includes every second of our lives. Our wealth, our livelihood, our reputation, and everything that will come to us are written.
So if everything is already written, how can someone imagine that by choosing a particular day he can manipulate destiny? If Allahﷻ has written that you will face a loss, what difference does it make whether you start your business on Friday or Saturday? What has been written will occur.
Believing that success depends on picking a “good day” is almost like trying to outsmart Allahﷻ ’s decree.
The Prophetﷺ ’s Example When Facing Loss
There was a time when the grandson of the Prophetﷺ — the child of his daughter Zaynab — was very ill and close to death. Zaynab sent a message asking the Prophetﷺ to come.
At first, he said he was busy, but when she insisted he went, accompanied by some companions such as Sa‘d and others.
When they arrived, the child was breathing his final breaths. The Prophetﷺ took the child in his arms and said: “What Allahﷻ takes belongs to Him, and what He gives also belongs to Him. Everything occurs according to an appointed time.”
This child, whether Allahﷻ takes him back or leaves him with us, belongs to Allahﷻ . Even if Allahﷻ gives a child to us, the child still belongs to Him.
Then the Prophetﷺ told Zaynab to be patient and hope for reward from Allahﷻ . Whenever a believer shows patience during hardship and says, “O Allahﷻ , I accept this with patience,” Allahﷻ grants him reward.
Belief in Destiny Removes the Idea of Good and Bad Days
The first lesson from all this is that we must believe in divine decree. Someone who truly believes in destiny cannot believe in good days and bad days.
We simply begin our work whenever it becomes possible. If Allahﷻ wills good for us, good will happen. If Allahﷻ wills otherwise, then that is what will occur. Ultimately, we have no control over the outcome.
Allahﷻ arranged the system of destiny to show that He alone is the One who decides.
However, a question arises. If everything happens according to destiny, then why does Allahﷻ punish people? If someone commits a crime, couldn’t he say, “I did it because it was written for me?” If Allahﷻ wrote that someone would steal or lie, how can he be punished?
This question naturally arises.
Allahﷻ says destiny exists, yet He also commands people to do good and avoid evil. He says you are responsible for your actions.
At first glance, this appears contradictory. The Prophetﷺ explained that the full reality of destiny is beyond human understanding. One day the companions were discussing destiny among themselves. When the Prophetﷺ heard this discussion, he became very angry. His face turned red with anger.
He said: “Is this what you were commanded to do? Were you sent to argue about destiny?”
Then he warned them that previous communities were destroyed because they argued about such matters. He instructed them not to debate endlessly about destiny, because human intellect cannot fully comprehend it.
Even Science Struggles with This Question
Interestingly, modern science has begun studying similar issues.
Scientists examine the brains of criminals and sometimes find certain patterns in their brains. They say that certain behaviours are influenced by how the brain is structured. For example, someone who lies frequently might have certain neurological patterns that incline him toward that behaviour.
Some scientists even argue that criminals act the way they do because their brain programming pushes them toward those actions.
But here is the contradiction: if a scientist’s own father were murdered, would he say, “The killer’s brain made him do it, so he is not responsible”? No. He would still take the case to court and demand justice.
Thus, even scientists themselves acknowledge the contradiction. On one hand they say the brain determines actions; on the other hand, they still hold individuals responsible.
This shows that the matter is too complex for human understanding.
The Balanced Islamic Approach
Islam gives a balanced principle:
- For the future, act as though everything depends on your effort. Work hard, seek treatment, strive in business, and make decisions.
- For the past, accept destiny. When something has already happened, say: “This was written by Allahﷻ .”
For example: If someone has already eaten five pieces of bread, we can say afterward: “Allahﷻ had written that he would eat five pieces.” But before it happens, we cannot say with certainty what he will eat.
The past becomes clear; the future remains unknown.
The Psychological Benefit of Believing in Destiny
Allahﷻ explains the wisdom of belief in destiny in the Qur’an.
Believing in destiny prevents extreme grief when something is lost and prevents arrogance when something is gained.
If someone loses wealth, health, or a loved one, belief in destiny helps him say: “Allahﷻ decreed this. What can I do?” This belief reduces overwhelming sorrow. Without this belief, a person might remain depressed for months or even years.
Similarly, when someone becomes wealthy, belief in destiny prevents arrogance. Instead of boasting about his abilities, he remembers that Allahﷻ willed this success.
Studies on Suicide
There have even been studies on suicide rates in certain regions. One such study in Kerala examined suicide rates among different communities.
The research found that Muslims had the lowest suicide rate compared to others. Why? Because from childhood Muslims are taught to believe that everything happens according to Allahﷻ ’s decree. When hardship strikes, they are more likely to endure it patiently rather than despair.
The Meaning of “A Day of Misfortune”
Therefore, when the Qur’an says that the people of ‘Ād were destroyed on a day of misfortune, it does not mean that the day itself possessed a mystical power of misfortune.
It simply means that misfortune happened to them on that day.
On that same day:
- the disbelievers were destroyed
- the believers were saved
Thus, the day itself was not cursed.
The phrase “a day of misfortune” is a literary expression, similar to when we say in everyday speech, “Your time is not good today.” It refers to what happened to someone, not to a supernatural quality in the day itself.
Insha’Allahﷻ , we will continue with the remaining discussion in the next session.