Is it permissable to make a wish at 11:11?

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

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

Making a wish at 11:11am/pm is regarded a time where if one makes a wish at such a time it will come true. This is known as numerology. Numerology is any belief in the divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value of the letters in words, names, and ideas. It is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.

Some numerologists and New Age philosophies^{believe that events linked to the time 11:11 appear more often than can be explained by chance or coincidence and is an example of synchronicity. Some authors claim that seeing 11:11 on a clock is an auspicious sign. Others claim that 11:11 signals a spirit presence.}

In the times of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) people incorrectly believed that some other power besides Allah could cause things to occur. Consequently, due to their superstitious beliefs they expected a certain result after witnessing a particular incident. As Muslims we believe that everything occurs only by the will and command of Allah. Nothing can take place unless it is decreed by Allah Ta’ala.

There is no basis for making a wish at 11:11 in Shariah. It is merely a superstition. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prohibited us from taking bad omens or holding superstitious beliefs. Consider the following Hadith:

عن أنس رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏”‏لا عدوى ولا طِيَرة ويعجبني الفأل‏”‏ قالوا‏:‏ وما الفأل‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏”‏كلمة طيبة‏”‏

(صحيح المسلم-2224)

Translation: “There is no ‘Adwa (transmission of infectious disease without the permission of Allah) and no Tiyarah (superstitious belief in bird omens), but good omens please me.” They said, “What is a good omen?” He said, “A good word.” (Sahih Muslim-2224) 

From the above Hadith it is understood that holding superstitious beliefs is prohibited. One should resort to making Dua to Allah Ta’ala in order to fulfil his needs.^[1]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mudassir Benish

Student-Darul Iftaa
Houston, TX, U.S.A

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

 ^[1]المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 402)

وتعلم علم النجوم قدر ما يعرف القبلة، ومواقيت الصلاة لا بأس به، وفيما عدا ذلك فهو حرام.

فتح الباري لابن حجر (10/ 215)

وَذَكَرَ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي الشُّعَبِ عَنِ الْحَلِيمِيِّ مَا مُلَخَّصُهُ كَانَ التَّطَيُّرُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فِي الْعَرَبِ إِزْعَاجَ الطَّيْرِ عِنْدَ إِرَادَةِ الْخُرُوجِ لِلْحَاجَةِ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَهَكَذَا كَانُوا يَتَطَيَّرُونَ بِصَوْتِ الْغُرَابِ وَبِمُرُورِ الظِّبَاءِ فَسَمَّوُا الْكُلَّ تَطَيُّرًا لِأَنَّ أَصْلَهُ الْأَوَّلُ قَالَ وَكَانَ التَّشَاؤُمُ فِي الْعَجَمِ إِذَا رَأَى الصَّبِيَّ ذَاهِبًا إِلَى الْمُعَلِّمِ تَشَاءَمَ أَوْ رَاجِعًا تَيَمَّنَ وَكَذَا إِذَا رَأَى الْجَمَلَ مُوقَرًا حِمْلًا تَشَاءَمَ فَإِنْ رَآهُ وَاضِعًا حِمْلَهُ تَيَمَّنَ وَنَحْوُ ذَلِكَ فَجَاءَ الشَّرْعُ بِرَفْعِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11:11_(numerology)#cite_note-5