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EVIL EYE (Nazar) - True Status in Shariah


Is evil eye just a superstition or can it really harm us?

In order to know and understand the reality of Evil eye, it is worth while to first study at least the following ten references from the Qur'an and traditions (Hadith) of Rasool Allah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) related to this subect:

 

1. In the Holy Quran, Allah says:

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه

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(Surat al-Qalam 68: 51)


Translation: And it seems that the infidels will necessarily stumble you with their bad looks, when they hear Quran and they say, 'He is surely faraway from wisdom'.

In their commentaries of this verse, Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and others have said that "they will inflict you with evil eyes".

2. In an other surah Allah says:

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(Surah Yusuf 12: 67)


Translation: And said he (Jacob / Yaqoob, peace be upon him), 'O my sons, enter not through one door and enter through separate gates. I cannot save you from Allah. The command belongs to Allah. In Him I have put my trust, and in Him let the trusting put their trust.

In his commentary on this verse, Imam Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:
Ibn 'Abbas, and Muhammad ibn Ka'b, and Mujahid, and Zahak and Qatadah, and Sudi, and some others (may Allah be pleased with them all) said: Since his sons were large in number and were all very handsome, therefore Jacob (peace be upon him) feared that people might harm his sons with evil eyes, because evil eye is a reality, which can make an expert horseman fall  off his horse ".

3. ​It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:        
                                                                        " العين حق "
 Translation:  The evil eye is a reality.                   (Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah)

 

 

4. The same hadit is also narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  
                                                                         " العين حق "
 Translation:  The evil eye is a reality.                     (Muslim)

5. Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
                                        الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ وَلَوْ کَانَ شَيْئٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ وَإِذَا اسْتُغْسِلْتُمْ فَاغْسِلُوا 
 Translation:  The eye is a truth, and if there were a thing which could surpas destiny, it would be evil eye, and when you are asked to wash (do ghusl to cure ab evil eye ), then do it.'              (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Habban)
(washing or doing ghusl for evil eye treatment is explained in an other hadith below)


6. Mother of Monineen, Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded me or ordered me to breathe (do ruqya / called damm in Urdu) for evil eye (when someone suffer from an evil eye).                              (Bukhari and Muslim)

7.

   عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَى فِي بَيْتِهَا جَارِيَةً فِي وَجْهِهَا سَفْعَةٌ ، فَقَالَ : اسْتَرْقُوا لَهَا ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا النَّظْرَةَ

 Translation:   Mother of Monineen, Hazrat Umm Salmah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw a girl in my house with black spots on her face. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Breathe on her  (do ruqya / called damm in Urdu) because she has been struck by an evil eye."                    (Bukhari and Muslim)

8.

           عن انس بن مالك ، قال: رخص رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في الرقية من العين والحمة والنملة              Translation:   It is narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) permitted ruqya (called damm in Urdu) for evil eye, and stinging (poison) and hamma (hamma is a pox like disease in which rib wounds occur).                                                                                                                                                                 (Muslim)

9.
عَنْ جابر بن عبد الله ، يقول: " رخص النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لآل حزم في رقية الحية، وقال لاسماء بنت عميس: " ما لي ارى اجسام بني اخي ضارعة تصيبهم الحاجة؟، قالت: لا، ولكن العين تسرع إليهم، قال: " ارقيهم "، قالت: فعرضت عليه، فقال: " ارقيهم

 Translation:   It is narrated on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave permission to the People of Hazm to chant for the sting (serpent) and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)said to Asma bint Umays (wife of Ja'far ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with her): What is the reason that I see my brother's children weak? (i.e the children of Ja'far ibn Abu Talib), Are they not well fed? She replied "The are prone to evil eye". The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Breath something" (do ruqya / called damm in Urdu). I presented a ruqya to Him and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Breathe (do it).                                             (Muslim)


10. Once, Hazrat Sahl bin Hanif  ( a companions of the Holy Prophet,may Allah be pleased with him), was taking a bath. Another companion Hazrat Amir ibn Rabi'ah (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by him, so he saw Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) and said "without any pretense, i never seen such a fine skin. Your skin (or body) is better than the skin of a veiled girl". At that very moment, Sahl bin Hanif  (may Allah be pleased with him) fell to the ground unconscious. He was taken to the presence of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told that he was unconscious. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) inquired
                                                                                 مَنْ تَتَّهِمُونَ بِهِ:

                                                                 Do you folks blame anyone?

The companions replied, "Yes, to Amir ibn Rabi'ah." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) summoned Amir ibn Rabi'ah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Why do any of you seek to kill your brother? When one of you sees something good for his brother, pray for his blessing." 
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered him to perform Wudhu and Ghusl for him (Sahl).


Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) performed wudhu, also washed both his knees and the lower part of his waist, and washed both his legs from the sides. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then ordered that the used water be poured on Sahl. The water used in ablution and washing was poured on Sahl (r.a) from the back of his head. Sahl returned with the people as if nothing had happened to him. 
   

     (Adapted from the traditions of Ibn Majah, Ibn Habban, Muwatta Imam Malik, Musnad Ahmad).
 

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