Reflection

BITS ‘N’ PIECES

Narrated Anas (R.A):

The Prophet (S.A.W) used to say, “O Allah! Our Lord! Give us in this world that, which is good and in the Hereafter that, which is good and save us from the torment of the Fire.” (2.201)

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 47

DID YOU KNOW?

The number 13 and the date Friday the 13th are considered unlucky in some cultures.

Researchers estimate that as many as 10 per cent of people in the United States fear the number 13. The even more specific fear of Friday the 13th, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, is said to cost millions annually as some people avoid travelling, marrying or even working on that day. But how did this superstition begin?

One popular story links the fear to the ancient Code of Hammurabi, one of the world’s oldest legal texts. It was long believed that the code omitted a thirteenth law, which many saw as evidence of the number’s bad reputation. In reality, this was simply a translation error. The original code did not number its laws at all.

Others point to the importance of the number 12 in ancient cultures. Twelve was often viewed as a complete or perfect number. There are 12 months in a year, two 12-hour periods in a day and 12 signs of the zodiac. The ancient Sumerians also developed a counting system based on 12, parts of which still influence how we measure time today. Since 13 follows so closely after this “perfect” number, some believe it came to seem irregular and unlucky.

Religious and mythological stories also shaped these beliefs. According to Christian tradition, there were 13 people at the Last Supper, including Jesus and his 12 apostles. Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus, is often said to have been the thirteenth guest. In Norse mythology, the trickster god Loki arrived as an unexpected thirteenth guest at a feast in Valhalla, bringing chaos and misfortune.

Interestingly, fear of 13 is largely a Western phenomenon. Some cultures viewed it positively. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, considered 13 a lucky number associated with the afterlife. In many parts of East and Southeast Asia, people fear the number 4 instead, a superstition known as tetraphobia, because the word for four sounds similar to the word for death in several languages.

The fear of 13 has influenced modern life. Many hotels, hospitals and skyscrapers skip a thirteenth floor or room number. In the late nineteenth century, Captain William Fowler even founded the Thirteen Club to challenge these superstitions. Members deliberately met on the 13th and dined under ladders to prove such fears were irrational.

Whether based on religion, myth or coincidence, the mystery of 13 continues to fascinate people today.