The Evil Eye

An Introduction to the Evil Eye

The evil eye (in Arabic: al-'Ayn, in Urdu: Nazar) is a kind of an illness which some people (not everyone) carry. When they are jealous or amazed of someone, instead of just feeling a twinge of jealousy or a feeling of amazement, they actually cause harm to that person.
The scholars disagreed over whether or not the evil eye is restricted only to jealousy, whilst agreeing that not every jealous person gives the evil eye:
- One group said, "Everyone who gives the evil eye is jealous, but not every jealous person gives the evil eye." This is the fatwaa of the Permanent Committee for Research and Ifta' in Saudi Arabia.
- Another group said, "Not everyone who gives the evil eye is jealous, and not every jealous person gives the evil eye." This is the opinion of a group of scholars, and it was the opinion of Shaykh 'Adil al-Muqbil. I hold this to be the correct opinion - and Allah knows best.
According to some scholars (particularly those who follow the second opinion), it can even be given to yourself, or your own children, and even when joking.
At times, it can be worse than magic.
However, we should avoid blaming everything.

The Islamic Definition of the Evil Eye

"The Arabic word al-'Ayn refers to when a person harms another with his eye. It starts when the person likes a thing, then his evil feelings affect it, by means of his repeated looking at the object of his jealousy."^{Adapted from Zaad-ul-Ma'aad by Ibn-ul-Qayyim}

How Does the Evil Eye Occur?

"The evil eye is like an arrow which comes from the soul of the one who envies and the one who puts the evil eye upon another, towards the one who is envied and upon whom the evil eye is put; sometimes it hits him and sometimes it misses. If the target is exposed and unprotected, it will affect him, but if the target is cautious and armed, the arrow will have no effect and may even come back on the one who launched it."^{Adapted from Zaad-ul-Ma'aad by Ibn-ul-Qayyim}

The Evil Eye in the Qur'an

The evil eye is not mentioned explicitly in the Qur'an. However, there are some passages in which it is alluded to:
"And from the evil of an envier when he envies" [al-Falaq 113:5 ]. Envy is more general than the evil eye. However, the meaning of the evil eye is included within the aayah.
"And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say, 'Indeed, he is mad.'" [al-Qalam 68:51 ]. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen and others interpreted this passage as referring to the evil eye, and affirming that the evil eye can come from non-Muslims, as well as Muslims.

The Evil Eye in the Sunnah

Asma' bint 'Umays said, "O Messenger of Allah, the children of Ja'far have been afflicted by the evil eye, shall we recite ruqyah for them?" He said, "Yes, for if anything were to overtake the divine decree it would be the evil eye."^{Recorded by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi.}

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That the evil eye is something real.
The severity of the evil eye.
That the evil eye afflicts children as well as adults.
That ruqyah is an effective treatment for the evil eye.
That ghusl and wudoo' are not necessary (even if they are preferred) for treating the evil eye, especially when the person is not known.

Sahl ibn Haneef narrated that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out and travelled with him towards Makkah, until they were in the mountain pass of al-Kharaar in al-Juhfah. There, Sahl ibn Haneef did ghusl, and he was a handsome white-skinned man with beautiful skin. 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah, one of Banu 'Adiyy ibn Ka'b, looked at him whilst he was doing ghusl and said: "I have never seen such beautiful skin as this, not even the skin of a virgin," and Sahl fell to the ground. They went to Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, can you do anything for Sahl, because by Allah he cannot raise his head?" He said, "Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?" They said, "'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah looked at him." So the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called 'Aamir and rebuked him strongly. He said, "Why would one of you kill his brother? If you see something that you like, then pray for blessing for him." Then he said to him, "Wash yourself for him." So he washed his face, hands, forearms, knees and the sides of his feet, and inside his izaar (lower garment) in the vessel. Then that water was poured over him, and a man poured it over his head and back from behind. He did that to him, then Sahl got up and joined the people and there was nothing wrong with him.^{Recorded by Ahmad no. 15550, Malik no. 1811, An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Hibban.}

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That the evil eye can come from amazement, as well as jealousy.
That the evil eye can come from men, as well as women.
That the evil eye can come from someone who is pious, as well as someone who is wicked.
That the evil eye is something real.
That one of the affects of the evil eye can be to incapacitate a person completely.
The permissibility of accusing someone of the evil eye, even based on circumstantial evidence.
That the evil eye can kill.
That the way to prevent the evil eye from occurring is to pray for blessings for the person. The scholars differed over how this is to be done, with the most apparent being to say baarak Allahu lak (may Allah bless you in it), or something similar. However, a group of the scholars said that it is enough to mention the name of Allah, with the intention of affirming that such blessings come from him, such as saying maa shaa' Allah, as Allah said in the Qur'an: "And why did you not, when you entered your garden, say, 'What Allah willed [has occurred]; there is no power except in Allah'? Although you see me less than you in wealth and children" [al-Kahf 18:39 ].
One of the methods of washing.
The method of pouring the water over the afflicted person.
That by using this treatment, all of the effects of the evil eye can be reversed, by the permission of Allah.

Ibn 'Abbas narrated that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The evil eye is real, and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to make ghusl, due to the influence of the evil eye, make ghusl."^{Recorded by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and Ahmad.}

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That the evil eye is something real.
The severity of the evil eye.
The obligation of making ghusl or wudoo' when requested; whether or not you think that you gave someone the evil eye.

'Aa'ishah said: The person who had put the evil eye on another would be ordered to do wudoo', then the person who had been afflicted would wash himself (with that water).^{Recorded by Abu Dawood.}

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

The permissibility of making wudoo', instead of ghusl, as a treatment for the evil eye.

Abu Sa'eed reported that Jibreel came to Allah's Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: "O Muhammad, have you fallen ill?" Thereupon he said: "Yes." Jibreel said: "In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah on you, from everything that would harm you, and from the evil of every person or envious eye, may Allah cure you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah on you."^{Recorded by Muslim, no. 908.}

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

One of the authentic forms of du'aa for ruqyah, including ruqyah for the evil eye.
The permissibility of someone performing ruqyah upon another, and that if it is without asking, it does not fall under the ruling of seeking ruqyah.
That it is not from the Sunnah to refuse ruqyah, quoting the hadeeth of the 70,000.
That the cure in ruqyah is from Allah, not from the raaqi - no matter who they are.

'A'ishah reported that Allah's Messenger may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded the use of ruqyah for curing the influence of an evil eye.

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That ruqyah is an effective treatment for the evil eye.
That ghusl and wudoo' are not necessary (even if they are preferred) for treating the evil eye, especially when the person is not known.

Umm Salama, the wife of Allah's Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), reported that Allah's Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a small girl in the house of Umm Salamah that he had seen on her face black stains and told her that that was due to the influence of an evil eye, and he asked that she should be cured with the help of ruqyah, so that her face would become spotless.

Jabir bin 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted permission to the family of Hazm to do ruqyah (in mitigating the effect of the poison of) the snake, and, he said to Asma' daughter of 'Umais: "What is this that I see the children of my brother [Ja'far] lean? Are they not fed properly?" She said: "No, but they fall under the influence of an evil eve." He said: "Use ruqyah." She recited (the words of incantation before him), whereupon he (by approving them) said: "Yes, use this incantation for them."

'Urwah ibn az-Zubayr told him that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered the house of Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). There was a child weeping in the house, and they told him that it was from the evil eye. 'Urwah said that the Messenger of Allah, (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Why do you not find someone to make ruqyah to protect [the child] from the evil eye?"

From the benefits of these hadeeth:

Some of the symptoms of the evil eye, and the way that it affects people, including children.
That ruqyah is an effective treatment for the evil eye.
That ghusl and wudoo' are not necessary (even if they are preferred) for treating the evil eye, especially when the person is not known.

In the hadeeth of Ruwayfi' ibn Thabit, he narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "You may live for a long time after I am gone, Ruwayfi', so, tell people that if anyone ties his beard or wears round his neck a string to ward off the evil eye, or cleanses himself with animal dung or bone, Muhammad has nothing to do with him."

From the benefits of these hadeeth:

The prohibition of warding off the evil eye by means of strings, amulets, cloth, the 'Hand of Fatimah', and other similar things.

Jaabir narrated that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Most of those who die among my ummah (followers) die because of the will and decree of Allah, and then because of the evil eye." ^{Recorded by al-Bazzaar, with a fair chain of narration.}

From the benefits of these hadeeth:

The severity of the evil eye.
That most of the people of this ummah will die from it.
The etiquette of saying 'the will of Allah, and then...', like saying, "the person was saved by the will of Allah and then your help."

Diagnosing the Evil Eye

Signs of the evil eye include someone with some praiseworthy attribute being affected in that attribute, or becoming suddenly very sick. For example, a person with a beautiful recitation suddenly being unable to recite, or a beautiful child suddenly becoming very sick.
They may also be affected in the whole body, like the hadeeth of Sahl; either because the person was jealous or amazed at the person's body, or because of the severity of the evil eye in that case.
It can present itself in the ways mentioned in the previous section, and it is also said through jaundice in the eye and/or flushing and burning in the cheeks.
Is often much more easily diagnosed from the circumstances. For example, a person went to a wedding, or walked past a group of people, and they were struck. This is much more likely to be the evil eye than anything else.
It can often be combined with other problems (like magic), can be an initial vulnerability that leads to possession.

What If a Person Refuses to Wash?

We have already heard that it is an obligation for a person to make ghusl or wudoo', whether or not they believe that they are the culprit.
However, some ignorant or evil people will refuse.
Some of the scholars (including Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen) said that in this case, something of their body can be taken from them without their knowledge, such as some of their hair, or a date stone that they have spat out, and that this can be put in water, and used the same as the water from a ghusl.
This has been tried and tested and proven to be effective.
However, we don't advise using it, except in the most extreme and needy circumstances, and certainly not as a replacement for the methods mentioned in the Sunnah.

Miscellaneous Issues Relating to the Evil Eye

If the evil eye happens when amongst a group of people, it is worth considering asking all of them to make wudoo', if the number is small enough, and then using the water one by one, or combining the water.
The evil eye happens to objects as well as people. However, the washing or ruqyah should be done upon the owner of the object, not the object itself, because the jealousy is aimed towards the owner, and if the object were sold, it would likely be fine.
Some of the scholars held the opinion that the jinn can give the evil eye, and while this requires further research, there is some evidence to suggest that this is the case.
There is a weak hadeeth which suggests that the shaytaan can follow the evil eye, and therefore that the person becomes vulnerable to being afflicted by the shaytaan. Experience suggests that this is true - and Allah knows best.
There are some extreme forms of the evil eye; perhaps the most extreme of all are people who know that they give the evil eye, and they intend to do so. We have even heard of cases where people take money to afflict others, and this is similar to magic.