Explained: The significance of ‘spitting’ in Islam, how it can ward off evil spirits!

New Delhi: Spitting in public, that too in edibles, or on other persons is considered as an offending as well as unhygienic act in general. In many countries around the world spitting in public can bring you a hefty amount of fines or even some jail time.

In Singapore, the monetary fine for spitting in public places could go up to a huge sum of $1000. Spitting is widely looked down upon as the world is striving due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, wherein spitting can be a major vector for the spread of the infection.

However, in Islam, spitting holds a crucial religious as well as historical significance, especially, to ward off the ‘evil spirit’ or ‘Satan’.

As per the various Hadiths, spitting in a particular manner can ward off bad dreams, or could even fend off the intrusion of Satan (Shaitaan) himself.

In Sahih-al-Bukhari, the Prophet of Islam said that “A good dream is from Allah, and a bad or evil dream is from Satan; so if anyone of you has a bad dream of which he gets afraid, he should spit on his left side and should seek Refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him.”

Some other references are listed below:

1. Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 12, Number 801  

Narrated Mahmud bin Ar-Rabi: “I remember Allah’s Apostle and also the mouthful of water which he took from a bucket in our house and ejected (on me).”

2. Sahih-al-Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 50, Number 891

… Urwa returned to his people and said, “O people! By Allah, I have been to the kings and to Caesar, Khosrau and An-Najashi, yet I have never seen any of them respected by his courtiers as much as Muhammad is respected by his companions. By Allah, if he spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them (i.e. the Prophet’s companions) who would rub it on his face and skin; if he ordered them, they would carry out his order immediately; if he performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining water…”

3. Sahih-al-Bukhari: Volume 5, Book 59, Number 428

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: “… So I came (to my house) and Allah’s Apostle too, came, proceeding before the people. When I came to my wife, she said, “May Allah do so-and-so to you.” I said, “I have told the Prophet of what you said.” Then she brought out to him (i.e. the Prophet) the dough, and he spat in it and invoked for Allah’s Blessings in it. Then he proceeded towards our earthenware meat-pot and spat in it and invoked for Allah’s Blessings in it.”

4. Sahih-al-Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 8, Number 373

“In the Islamic hadiths, there is also reference to people using the water Prophet Muhammad used to clean himself on themselves.”

5. Narrated by Abu Juhaifa

“I saw Allah’s Apostle in a red leather tent and I saw Bilal taking the remaining water with which the Prophet had performed ablution. I saw the people taking the utilized water impatiently and whoever got some of it rubbed it on his body and those who could not get any took the moisture from the others’ hands.”