It is not the human destiny to be afflicted with superstitions: It is just an evil consequence of unbelief.
Superstition occurs in islam also.
For example:
The Arabs were as superstitious as anyone before Islam. They would not undertake a journey or do anything important without first "determining" that it would be safe to do so -- by looking at birds and beasts. If a bird flew from right to left in front of them, that was a bad omen: flight in the other direction was a good omen. During travel, if a deer crossed going from right to left, the trip was cancelled. When they reached a destination, they would seek protection of jinn by supplicating to them. .
Much later, weakening of faith in segments of Muslim societies did lead to seeping in superstitious practices from other societies. Weakening of our understanding of --- and belief in --- the articles of faith inevitably leads to superstitions of one form or another. That, unfortunately, is the situation of large segments of our ummah today.
The illiterate masses may go to a soothsayer who tells the future with the help of a bird. The western educated elite of their country laugh at their ignorant ways, yet depend on horoscopes, sayings of Nostradamus, and predictions of Jane Dixon, etc. Both are equally ignorant and equally involved in unbelief!
There is no doubt that a believer faces the same uncertainties in life as the non-believer but he faces them with the help of Allah.
When announcing a plan, he does not knock on wood; he says Insha-Allah (if Allah wills), putting his trust in his Creator. When embarking on a journey, he makes supplication to Allah for his safety. When he is unsure about a plan, he seeks Allah's help in making up his mind. Here is the translation of the beautiful dua of Istikharah that we have been taught for the occasion:
"O Allah! I seek Your guidance (in making a choice) by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things.
"O Allah! If in Your knowledge, this matter is good for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs; immediate and in the distant future, then ordain it for me, make it easy for me and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge, this matter is bad for my religion, my livelihood, and my affairs; immediate and in the distant future, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And ordain for me the good wherever it be and make me pleased with it."
Each word of this dua invites reflection. It shows how uncertainties in our life bring us closer to Allah. In Allah we put all our hopes, not in the cryptic words of an ignorant astrologer or soothsayer.
So, its not right to make fun of other society's superstitions.
It may be laughable to one but holy or divine to other.
We should be sensitive enough to not to make fun of other's belief.
