What is the Evil Eye?

The evil eye is very common. Imām Aḥmad (raḥimahullāh) said: ‘Very rarely will a house be found without anyone being affected by the evil eye or jealousy.’ Evil eye comes from either a resentful feeling or one of excessive adoration. This is manifested by casting a gaze, stare or look that is envious. An envier causes harm or misfortune to an unsuspecting person through their eyes, without needing their hands or tongue. The intensity of the effect differs according to the weakness of the victim and the power of the envier’s jealousy, hatred, anger, or even love.

Have you ever wondered if the cause of it could be the evil eye (also known as ‘ayn or nazar)? It is not always the cause, but often can be.

Sometimes we dismiss the evil eye and think of it as being superstitious. However, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The evil eye is true. If anything could outdo the decree, it would be the evil eye.” (Muslim)

He ﷺ also said, “The evil eye is true. It can cause a mountain to collapse.” (Aḥmad)

He ﷺ said, “Most of those who die amongst my Ummah do so – after the will and decree of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) – because of the evil eye.” (Bazzār)

EVIL EYE

Yahya related to me from Malik that Muhammad ibn Abi Umama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf heard his father say, 

"My father, Sahl ibn Hunayf did a ghusl at al-Kharrar. He removed the jubbah he had on while Amir ibn Rabia was watching, and Sahl was a man with beautiful white skin. Amir said to him, 'I have never seen anything like what I have seen today, not even the skin of a virgin.' Sahl fell ill on the spot, and his condition grew worse. Somebody went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him that Sahl was ill, and could not go with him.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to him, and Sahl told him what had happened with Amir. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Why does one of you kill his brother? Why did you not say, "May Allah bless you?" (ta baraka-llah) The evil eye is true. Do wudu from it.' Amir did wudu from it and Sahl went with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and there was nothing wrong with him."

Muwatta Malik

EVIL EYE 

Abu Umama b. Sahl b. Hunaif told that ‘Amir b. Rabi'a saw Sahl b. Hunaif bathing and said, “I swear by God that I have seen no skin to compare with what I have seen to-day, not even that of a secluded girl.” Sahl fell to the ground and people went to God’s messenger and said to him, “Messenger of God, can you do anything for Sahl b. Hunaif? We swear by God that he cannot raise his head ” He asked if they suspected anyone, and when they replied that they suspected ‘Amir b. Rabl‘a. God’s messenger summoned ‘Amir, and speaking roughly to him, said, “Why does one of you kill his brother? Why did you not invoke a blessing? Bathe on his behalf ” ‘Amir then washed on his behalf his face, hands, elbows, knees and toes, and inside his lower garment, collected the water in a vessel and poured it over him, so he recovered and went away with the people none the worse.*

It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna. Malik transmitted it, and in his version he said, “The evil eye is real. Perform ablution for him.” He therefore did so.

* The trouble was due to the words of praise which were not qualified by any reference to what God might will, and accordingly attributed to the evil eye.

Mishkat al-Masabih 4562

Grade: صَحِيح (الألباني)

#IslamicHelper #EvilEye #DailyDawah

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