Chapter: What Has Been Reported Concerning Tatayyur (Belief in Omens)

Allah the Exalted says: “Lo! their evil omen is with Allah, but most of them do not know.” ⦗7:131⦘ And He says: “They said, ‘Your evil omen accompanies you.’” ⦗36:19⦘.

— The remainder of the second verse reads: “Is it because you have been admonished? No, you are a people given to excess.” ⦗36:19⦘.

Relevance of this chapter to the Book of Tawḥīd: Because tatayyur is a form of shirk that conflicts with pure monotheism—or at least diminishes its perfection—the author devoted a separate chapter to warn against it.

“What has been reported concerning tatayyur” refers to the threat of punishment attached to it. Tatayyur is the verbal noun of tataṭayyara and denotes harboring pessimism on account of something one sees or hears.

A-lā: a particle of alert.

Innamā: a particle of exclusivity.

Ṭāʾiruhum: the decree that has been passed against them and allotted to them.

ʿInda Allah: the misfortune came to them from Him, by His universal decree, because of their disbelief and rejection of His signs and messengers.

Lā yaʿlamūn: a description of their ignorance and lack of awareness.

Ṭāʾirukum: your portion—i.e., the evil that has overtaken you.