When the evil eye is mentioned it may be a joke for some people nowadays. Others start mocking saying that it is the tales of the old. By saying it, they are not mocking the person who mentioned it, but rather they are mocking Allah and His messenger (May peace be upon him) because the evil eye is mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
The evil eye refers to when one person harms another by means of the eye. Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “The origin of the evil eye is liking something, then the evil soul follows it, pursues it and seeks to do harm to it, seeking help to apply its poison by looking at the object.” Ibn Manzoor said: “It is said “So-and-so was struck by the evil eye” if an enemy or an envious person looks at him and he is affected by that and becomes ick as a result.” Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: “What is meant by the evil eye is looking at something with admiration contaminated with envy from one who is evil in nature so it results in harm.” In addition to that, a person can put evil eye intentionally or unintentionally. Evil eye can be touched by the envier who envies or intentionally putting evil eye by looking or causing evil eye unintentionally through words or a look. It is no doubt that today, there are more enviers in our society. There are many evidence about the evil eye. Allah says in the Quran:
وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِن بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَا أُغْنِي عَنكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّـهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ [ سورة يوسف : 67 ]
Translation: “And he said: “O my sons! Do not enter by one gate, but enter in different gates, and I cannot avail you against Allah at all. Verily! The decision rests only with Allah. In him, I put my trust and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him.”” (Yoosuf: 67)
The majority of Mufassireen are agreed that the brother of Yoosuf were handsome and good looking, and Ya’qoob feared that the people might affect them with the evil eye, for the evil eye is something real. Allah also says in the Quran:
وَإِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ﴿٥١﴾ وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾ [سورة القلم : 51-52]
Translation: “And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they hear the Reminder (the Quran), and they say: “Verily, he (Muhammad) is a madman!” But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the ‘Aalameen (mankind, Jinn and all that exists).’” (Al-Qalam: 51-52)
Ibn ‘Abbaas, Mujaahid and others said: “Make you slip with their eyes” means, they will put the evil eye on you. This Verse is evidence that the effect and impact of the evil eye is something real and happens by Allah’s will.
The evil of the evil eye is great indeed. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu a’nhu) said: The Messeger of Allah said:
العَينُ حَقٌّ وَنَهَى عَنِ الْوَشْمِ
Translation: “The evil eye is real,” and he forbade tattoos.
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah (radiallahu ‘Anha) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
اسْتَعِيْذُوا بِا للهِ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ فَإِ نَّ الْعَيْنَ حَقٌّ
Translation: “Seek refuge with Allah from the evil eye, for the evil eye is real.”
It was narrated that Abu Dharr (Radiallahu ‘Anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:
إِنَّ الْعَيْنَ لَتُوْلِعُ بِالِّرجُلِ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ حَتَّى يَصْعَدَ حَالِقًا فَيَتَرَدَّى مِنْهُ
Translation: “The evil eye may follow a man by Allah’s Leave, until he climbs up a high mountain then falls from it.”
This is how dangerous the evil eye is. Moreover, the prophet (peace be upon him) has advised to seek protection against the evil eye. He has also taught supplications for this reason. I will mention some supplications here.
أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التِّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّمَا خَلَقَ
Translation: “I seek refuge with Allah’s Perfect Words from the evil of what He has created.”
أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ
Translation: “I seek refuge with Allah’s Perfect Words from every devil and evil soul and from every evil eye.”
The prophet (peace be upon him) instructed us to read these supplications 3 times in the morning and evening.
The word Haasid (envier) is more general in meaning that the word ‘Aa’in (one who puts the evil eye on another), hence in Surah Al-Falaq mention is made of seeking refuge with Allah form the evil of the one who envies.
The Haasid (envier) is an envious man whose envy is accompanied by resentment, so he wishes that the blessings be taken away, whereas the ‘Aa’in (the one who puts the evil eye on another) simply likes a thing. Hence the evil eye may come from a righteous man or woman, and a man may put the evil eye in his own wealth, child or family without realizing it. But the evil eye and envy have the same effect, which is causing harm to the thing that is liked or envied. By His wisdom, Allah has made man’s face a mirror which reflects the thoughts that are hidden in his mind and heart. There are ways in which an envier can be recognized. The characteristics of the envier are:
- The envier is always angry at the decrees of Allah.
- The envier always complains and rarely thanks Allah even if he owns the whole world.
- He follows up the mistakes of the one whom he envies, and tries to seek out his faults, and exposes them and exaggerates about them before others.
- He conceals or ignores or belittles the good qualities and distinguishing characteristics of the person whom he envies.
- So you will notice that the envier cannot speak in from of the one whom he envies without addressing him in a laughing, jocular manner, but deep down he is filled with hatred and resentment that is clear from the way in which he looks at him.
- He clearly criticizes the one whom he envies, with or without evidence.
- He looks for opportunities and makes the most of any chance to harm the one whom he envies in himself or his wealth.
- Finally, the envier is a troubled man, due to the resentment that is always festering in his heart, so depression and dullness show on his face.
It is narrated that the prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لاَ تَحاَسَدُوْ وَلاَ تَقَا طَعُوْا وَلَاَتبَاغَضُوْا وَلَا تَدَابَرُوْا وَكُوْنُوْا عِبَادَ اللهِ إِخْوَانًا
Translation: “Do not envy one another, do not cut off ties with one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another; be, O slaves of Allah, brothers.”
And it is narrated that he (peace be upon him) said:
اسْتَعِيْنُوْا عَلَى قَضَاءِ حَوَائِجِكُمْ بِالْكِتْمَانِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ ذِي نِعْمَةٍ مَحْسُوْدٌ
Translation: “Seek to achieve your aims by being discreet, for every one who has been blessed is envied.”
Allah says in the Quran:
وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّن بَعْدِ إِيمَانِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّ [سورة البقرة : 109 ]
Translation: “Many of the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) wish that if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their own selves, even, after the truth (that Muhammad Peace be upon him is Allah’s messenger) has become manifest unto them.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 109)
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