Shortened Question:

According to Western superstitions a bird flying into your window is a sign of someone dying. What is the Islamic perspective on this?

Question:

I am superstitious. On two occasions one or two birds (I am not certain how many) flew into my window. In fact I am not certain if it was birds, but I assume because I saw dirt marks. In Western superstitious this is a sign of death. Does this superstition have any bearing in Islam?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In the times of Jahiliyah (ignorance) people incorrectly believed that some other force besides Allah could cause things to happen. Consequently, due to their superstitious belief they expected a certain result after witnessing a particular incident. These beliefs are not found in Shariah.

As Muslims we believe in Taqdir (destiny).  Everything, good and bad, happens exclusively by the command of Almighty Allah Subhana wa Ta’Ala. Nothing can or will happen unless it is decreed by Allah Subhana wa Ta’Ala. As Muslims we believe in Allah and His angels and the different Books that were revealed. We believe in His (Allah(SWT)) messengers, in the Day of Judgement and we believe in destiny.[1]

The superstitious western belief that birds flying in one’s window is a sign of someone dying has no basis in Islam.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub

Islamic Solutions

Jamaica

[1]: قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ. قَالَ: «أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ» . قَالَ صَدَقْتَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ. قَالَ: «أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ»   مشكاة المصابيح (1 / 9)