Evil EYE
لاَّ تُدْرِكُهُ الأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الأَبْصَارَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ
فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئاً وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
وَإِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ وَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
Prophet's Guidance on treating those touched by the Evil Eye
روى مسلم فى "صحيحه" عن ابن عباس، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "العَيْنُ حَقٌ ولو كان شَىْءٌ سَابَقَ القَدَرِ، لَسَبَقتْهُ العَيْنُ".
Sahih Muslim narrated that Ibn Abaas Radi Allaho Anh reported that the Messenger of Allah Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said:
"The evil eye is true, and if there is anything that would precede pre-destination, it would be the evil eye".
وفى "صحيحه" أيضاً عن أنس: "أنَّ النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم رخَّصَ فى الرُّقية مِن الحُمَةِ، والعَيْنِ والنَّملةِ
In addition, Muslim narrated that Anas Radi Allaho Anh reported "Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam has allowed using Islamic prayer formulas (Ruqyah ~ The Divine Remedy) against fever, the evil eye and sores".
وفى "الصحيحين" من حديث أبى هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "العَيْنُ حَقٌ".
The two sound books narrated that Abu Hurayrah Radi Allaho Anh said that the Messenger of Allah Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam said, "The evil eye is true".
وفى "سنن أبى داود" عن عائشة رضى الله عنها، قالت: كان يُؤمَرُ العائِنُ فيتوضَّأ، ثم يَغْتَسِلُ منه المَعِينُ.
Abu Dawood reported that Aishah Radi Allaho Anha said: "The person who touched others with the evil eye was commanded to perform ablution and the person whom he touched by the evil eye would wash himself with that water".
وفى "الصحيحين" عن عائشة قالت: أمرنى النبىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أو أَمَرَ أن نَسْتَرْقِىَ من العَيْن.
Further, Aishah Radi Allaho Anha narrated, as the Sahihain reported: "Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam commanded me, or commanded that we should use Islamic prayer formulas for the evil eye.
وذكر الترمذى، من حديث سفيان بن عُيَينةَ، عن عمرو بن دينار، عن عروة بن عامر، عن عُبيد بن رفاعة الزُّرَقىِّ، أنَّ أسماء بنت عُمَيْس قالت: يا رسولَ الله ؛ إنَّ بَنِى جعفر تُصيبُهم العَينُ، أفأسترْقِى لهم ؟ فقال: "نعم فَلَوْ كان شَىْءٌ يَسْبِقُ القضاءَ لسَبَقَتْهُ العَيْنُ" قال الترمذى: حديث حسن صحيح.
In addition, Tirmizi narrated that Asma Bint Umays Radi Allaho Anha said, "O Messenger of Allah, the children of Ja'far (Radi Allaho Anh) are usually touched by the evil eye. Should I perform an Islamic prayer formula for them"? He said: "Yes. If there is anything that precedes Predestination, it would be the evil eye.
وروى مالك رحمه الله، عن ابن شهابٍ، عن أبى أُمامةَ بن سهل بن حنيفٍ، قال: رأى عامرُ بن ربيعة سَهْلَ بن حُنَيف يغتسلُ، فقال: واللهِ ما رأيتُ كاليوم ولا جِلْدَ مُخَبَّأة، قال: فلُبِطَ سَهْلٌ، فأتى رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عامراً، فتَغَيَّظَ عليه، وقال: "عَلامَ يَقْتُلُ أحدُكُم أخاهُ ؟ ألاَ بَرَّكْتَ ؟ اغْتَسِلْ له"، فغسل له عامرٌ وجهَه ويديه ومِرفَقَيْه ورُكبتيه، وأطرافَ رِجليه، وداخِلَة إزاره فى قدح، ثم صبَّ عليه، فراحَ مع الناس
In addition, Imam Malik narrated that Amir bin Rabee'ah Radi Allaho Anh once saw Sahl bin Hunaif take a bath and said, "By Allah! I have never observed the skin of a person that is softer than what I have just seen". Sahl fell to the ground. Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam then came to Amir while angry and said to him: "Why would one of you kill his own brother? Why have you not said Tabarak Allah, (may Allah bless it) ? Take a bath for it". Amir then washed his face, hands, elbows, knees, feet and a part of his garment in a pot for what he had done and then poured the used water on Sahl. Soon after, Sahl started moving about with the people. [Ibn Majah, Ahmad].
Malik also narrated;
وروى مالك رحمه الله أيضاً عن محمد بن أبى أُمامة بن سهل، عن أبيه هذا الحديث، وقال فيه: "إنَّ العيْنَ حقٌ، توضَّأْ لهُ"، فتوضَّأ له
"The evil eye is true, so perform ablution for it".
وذكر عبد الرزَّاق، عن مَعْمَرٍ، عن ابن طاووس، عن أبيه مرفوعاً: "العَيْنُ حَقٌ، ولو كان شىءٌ سَابَقَ القَدَرَ، لَسَبَقَتْهُ العَيْنُ، وإذا اسْتُغْسِلَ أحدُكمْ، فَلْيَغْتَسِلْ"، ووصْله صحيحٌ
Another Hadith narrated by Abdul Razzaq reads: "The evil eye is true, and if there is anything that precedes Predestination, it would be the evil eye. When one is touched by the evil eye, he should take a bath for it".
ويُذكر عن جابر يرفعه: "إنَّ العَيْنَ لتُدْخِلُ الرجُلَ القَبْرَ، والجَمَلَ القِدْرَ".
Narrated by Jabir Bin Abdullah Radi Allaho Anh, "The Evil Eye can take a person into grave (can cause death), & takes the camel into the cooking pot (meaning death)".
قال الزُّهْرى: يُؤْمَر الرجل العائن بقدح، فيُدخِلُ كفَّه فيه، فيتمضمض، ثم يَمُجّه فى القدح، ويغسِلُ وجهه فى القدح، ثم يُدخِل يده اليُسرى، فيصُبُّ على رُكبته اليُمنى فى القَدَح، ثم يُدخِلُ يده اليُمنى، فيصُبُّ على رُكبته اليُسرى، ثم يَغْسِلُ داخِلَة إزارِهِ، ولا يُوضع القَدَحُ فى الأرض، ثم يُصَبُّ على رأس الرجل الذى تُصيبه العينُ من خلفه صبةً واحدةً.
Zuhri said: "The person who touched others with the evil eye should be commanded to submerge his hand in a pot of water and then wash his mouth, then spit the water back into the pot. He should then wash his face in the pot, then submerges his left hand in it and pour some water on the right knee above the pot, and then submerge his right hand and pour water on his left knee. He should then wash his garment inside the pot and the water should not be spilled on the ground. Rather, it should be poured on top of the person whom he touched by the evil eye from behind all at once".
فقد صح عن أُمِّ سلمةَ، أنَّ النبىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى فى بيتها جاريةً فى وجهها سَفْعَةٌ، فقال: "اسْتَْرقُوا لها، فإنَّ بها النَّظرَة".
Umm Salamah Radi Allaho Anha said that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam once saw a young girl, who had a certain expression on her face and said: "Seek an Islamic prayer formula for her, because she is touched by the evil eye". [Bokhari, Muslim, Abu Naim & Tabarani]
وعن أبى سعيد، أنَّ النبىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يتعوَّذ من الجان، ومن عَيْن الإنسان
Abu Said Radi Allaho Anh narrated that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam used to seek refuge from the Jinn and the evil eye of mankind. [Tirmizi and Nasa'ii]
Some people who do not have sound comprehension or correct sight and hearing have rejected the fact that the evil eye causes harm, claiming that this is a superstitious, untrue belief. These people are indeed among the most ignorant people who have the least sound comprehension and the thickest minds. They are the farthest from acquiring knowledge of the soul and the heart and the effect of each on the natural world.
The best minds in every nation do not dispute the fact that the evil eye is true, although they differ on its causes and true effects. Some people say that when people who touch others by the evil eye feel evilness in their hearts, then their eyes transform the evil thoughts into harmful rays just like the type of snake that looks at its prey and causes it to perish.
Another group says that it is possible that invisible powers emit from the person who touches others with the evil eye and then enters the body of the person whom they touched and harms them.
However, other people say that Allah Creates the harm on the person touched by the evil eye without any rays that emit from the eye of the person who touched him; yet, this is the method of those who deny the existence of the various spiritual powers that exist in this world. Allah Has Created special powers in some of the creation that have profound effects on other creations. For instance, the soul has such a profound effect on the body that no one can deny. In addition, have you not noticed how the face of a shy person turns red if his sight falls on what is not suitable for him, and turns yellow when he looks at someone he fears? You can in addition witness the effect of the evil eye has on people and the weakness it causes in their bodies.
The evil eye is actually the effect exerted by the soul on the victim. Souls vary in their essence, powers, characteristics and qualities. Therefore, the soul of an envious person can harm a victim profoundly, and this is why Allah Has Commanded His Messenger to seek refuge with Him from the evil eye.
The harmful effect of an envious person on the envied person can't be denied, except by those who are far away from reality. It is a fact that an evil envious soul touches the envied person in such an evil manner that it causes them harm. Similarly, the poisonous viper (snake) gets so enraged and evil when it meets the enemy that it has a special effect on the victim, sometimes leading to aborting the fetus or causing blindness. Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam described the short tailed viper and the striped viper as having the ability that they can affect sight and abort pregnancy. Some types of snakes have a negative effect on people by their mere sight, because of the viciousness of such creatures and the effect of this viciousness on people.
These effects that we mentioned are not restricted to physical contact, as some of those who have little knowledge in the natural world and the religion think. Rather, these effects could be caused by physical contact, sight, the soul directing its power to the victim, through imagination and evil omens, and so forth.
The envious person might be blind, yet when something is described to him or her, his envious soul affects the described object and harms it even though the blind person cannot see it. Allah said to His Messenger :
وَإن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُواْ الذِّكْرَ
"And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they bear the Reminder (the Quran)" (69:51)
Furthermore, Allah Said :
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِى الْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إذَا حَسَدَ
Say: “I seek refuge with (Allah); the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He Has Created. And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; (or the moon as it sets or goes away), and from the evil of those who practice witchcraft when they blow in the knots. And from the evil of the envier when he envies".
Every person who touches others by the evil eye is an envious person, but not vice versa. Since envy includes the evil eye in its general meaning, seeking refuge from it includes seeking refuge from the evil eye.
The evil eye includes throwing arrows of envy that depart the envious heart and soul in the direction of the envied person, sometimes falling on its target. If the envied person is unarmed, the evil eye will cause him harm. If the envied person is prepared to defend himself and he is armed, the arrows might turn back on the one who threw them. This is similar to what actually occurs when one shoots real arrows. The resemblance is that this occurs through the soul while the arrows are shot in the material world. The evil eye starts when the envious person likes something, then follows it with his evil thoughts and desires and then the evil eye touches the envied object.
Sometimes a person might even touch his own self with the evil eye, which is one of the worst types of envy. Sometimes, one might touch others with the evil eye just by his envious nature. Some of our scholars say that such envious people should be imprisoned and should be given what they need of sustenance until they die.
Prophetic Medicine for treating the evil eye was of several types
روى أبو داود فى "سننه" عن سهل بن حُنَيفٍ، قال: مررْنا بَسيْلٍ، فدخلتُ، فاغتسلتُ فيه، فخرجتُ محموماً، فنُمِىَ ذلك إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: "مُرُوا أبا ثابتٍ يَتَعَوَّذُ". قال: فقلتُ: يا سيدى ؛ والرُّقَى صالحة ؟ فقال: "لا رُقيةَ إلا فى نَفْسٍ، أو حُمَةٍ، أو لَدْغَةٍ".
Abu Dawood narrated that Sahl Ibn Hunaif said:
"We come by a water spot and I went in it and took a bath, but when I finished, I came down with a fever. When the Messenger of Allah was informed, he said, Command Abu Thabit to seek refuge (with Allah for Sahl) with an Islamic prayer formula. I said, "O my master! Does an Islamic prayer formula bring about benefit? He said, There is no Islamic prayer formula except to fend off an evil eye and against fever and a (snake or a scorpion) bite.’ [In addition, Al-Hakirn narrated this Hadith].
There are several types of Islamic prayer formulas, such as reciting FATIHAH ~ the first chapter in the Quran, the Mu’awwathatain ~ Surah Falaq & Surah Naas (last 2 chapters # 113 and 114 of Quran) and Ayat Al-Kursi (2:255).
In addition, there are several types of Prophetic Islamic prayer formulas. For instance, one might recite:
"أعوذُ بكلماتِ اللهِ التامَّاتِ مِن شرِّ ما خَلق".
"I seek refuge with Allah’s Prefect Words from the evil of what He has created".
In addition, one could recite:
"أعوذُ بكلماتِ اللهِ التامَّةِ، مِن كُلِّ شيطانٍ وهامَّةٍ، ومِن كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لامَّةٍ".
I seek refuge with Allah’s Prefect Words from every devil and evil soul and from every evil Eye".
Also, one might recite,
"أعوذُ بكلماتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ التى لا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌ ولا فاجرٌ، مِن شَرِّ ما خلق وذرَأ وبرَأ، ومِن شَرِّ ما ينزلُ من السماء، ومِن شَرِّ ما يَعرُجُ فيها، ومِن شَرِّ ما ذرأ فى الأرض، ومِن شَرِّ ما يخرُج مِنها، ومِن شَرِّ فِتَنِ الليلِ والنهار، ومِن شَرِّ طَوَارق الليلِ، إلا طارقاً يَطرُق بخير يا رحمن".
"I seek refuge with Allah’s Prefect Words, which no righteous or evil soul could ever encompass (or supersede), from the evil of what He Has Created, Made and Started; from the evil of whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends to it; from the evil of what He Has Created on the earth and what comes out of it; from the evil of the trials of the night and the day; and from what comes by at night or during the day, except whoever comes with a righteous matter. O Merciful One".
In addition, this includes the supplication:
"أَعُوذُ بكلماتِ اللهِ التامَّةِ مِن غضبه وعِقَابه، ومِن شرِّ عباده، ومِن هَمَزات الشياطينِ وأن يَحضُرونِ".
"I seek refuge with Allah’s Perfect Words from His Anger and torment, from the evil of His slaves and from the whispers of the devils or that they might attend me".
Furthermore, one may also say the following supplication.
"اللَّهُمَّ إنى أعوذُ بوجْهِكَ الكريم، وكلماتِك التامَّاتِ من شرِّ ما أنت آخِذٌ بناصيته، اللَّهُمَّ أنتَ تكشِفُ المأثَمَ والمَغْرَمَ، اللَّهُمَّ إنه لا يُهْزَمُ جُنْدُكَ، ولا يُخلَفُ وعدُك، سبحانَك وبحمدِك".
"O Allah! I seek refuge with Your Honorable Face and Your Prefect Words from the evil of every creation that is only in Your Grasp (or Control). O Allah! You Expel the sins and loss. O Allah! Your soldiers will never be defeated, nor will Your Promise ever be broken. All praise and glorification is due to You".
Furthermore, one might supplicate :
"أَعُوذُ بوجه اللهِ العظيمِ الذى لا شىءَ أعظمُ منه، وبكلماتِه التامَّات التى لا يُجاوزُِهن بَرٌ ولا فاجرٌ، وأسماءِ الله الحُسْنَى، ما علمتُ منها وما لم أعلم، مِن شَرِّ ما خلق وذرَأ وبرأ، ومن شَرِّ كُلِّ ذى شرٍّ لا أُطيق شرَّه، ومِن شَرِّ كُلِّ ذى شَرٍّ أنتَ آخِذٌ بناصيته، إنَّ ربِّى على صِراط مستقيم
"I seek refuge with Allah’s Most Exalted Face which is Greater than everything else. And with His Perfect Words that no righteous or evil being could ever overcome; and with Allah’s Most Prefect Names, those which I know and those which I have no knowledge of, from the evil of what He Has Created, Shaped and Made, from the evil of every creation that I cannot overcome and from the evil of every evil creation that only You Control (or grasp its forelock). Certainly, my Lord Is on a Straight Path".
In addition, the Prophetic Islamic prayer formulas include
"اللَّهُمَّ أنت ربِّى لا إله إلا أنتَ، عليك توكلتُ، وأنتَ ربُّ العرشِ العظيم، ما شاء اللهُ كان، وما لم يشأْ لم يكن، لا حَوْلَ ولا قُوَّة إلا بالله، أعلم أنَّ اللهَ على كُلِّ شىء قديرٌ، وأنَّ الله قد أحاط بكل شىء علماً، وأحصَى كُلَّ شىءٍ عدداً، اللَّهُمَّ إنى أعوذُ بِكَ مِن شَرِّ نفسى، وشَرِّ الشيطانِ وشِرْكه، ومِن شَرِّ كُلِّ دابةٍ أنتَ آخذٌ بناصيتها، إنَّ ربِّى على صِراط مستقيم".
O Allah! You Are my Lord; there is no deity worthy of worship except You. I depend on You (for every thing). You are the Lord of the Mighty Throne. What Allah Wills, occurs, and what He Does not Will to happen, will never exist. There is no power or strength except with Allah. I know that Allah is Able to do everything, that His Knowledge Has encompassed everything and that He Has Kept count of everything. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the evil within myself, from the evil and the Shirk (polytheism) of Shetaan, and from the evil of every creation that only You Grasp its forelock. Surely, my Lord Is on the Straight Path.
Or, one might recite the following supplication,
"تحصَّنتُ باللهِ الَّذى لا إله إلا هُوَ، إلهى وإله كُلِّ شىء، واعتصمتُ بربى وربِّ كُلِّ شىء، وتوكلتُ على الحىِّ الذى لا يموتُ، واستَدْفَعتُ الشرَّ بلاحَوْلَ ولا قُوَّةَ إلا بالله، حسبىَ اللهُ ونِعْمَ الوكيلُ، حسبىَ الربُّ مِن العباد، حسبىَ الخَالِقُ من المخلوق، حسبىَ الرازقُ مِنَ المرزوق، حسبىَ الذى هو حسبى، حسبىَ الذى بيده ملكوتُ كُلِّ شىءٍ، وهو يُجيرُ ولا يُجَارُ عليه، حسبىَ الله وكَفَى، سَمِعَ الله لمنْ دعا، ليس وراء اللهِ مرمَى، حسبىَ الله لا إله إلا هُوَ، عليه توكلتُ، وهُوَ ربُّ العرشِ العظيم".
“I seek refuge with Allah, other than Whom there is no god. He is my God and the God of everything. I seek refuge with my Lord and the Lord of everything. I depend on the Ever-Living Who never Dies. I seek to fend off the evil with no power or strength except from Allah. Allah is enough of a Supporter for me, and indeed, what an Excellent Helper. Allah is enough for me from the people. The Creator is enough for me from the creation. The Sustainer is enough for me from the sustained. Allah is indeed enough for me. He Who Owns everything. Who Grants refuge while no one can ever grant refuge against Him is (indeed) sufficient for me. Allah is sufficient for me. Allah’s Hearing who ever supplicates to Him is sufficient for me. There is no goal to reach greater than Allah. Allah, other than Whom there is no God, is sufficient for me, I depend on Him (for each and everything), and He Is the Lord of the Mighty Throne".
Those who try these different types of supplications and Islamic prayer formulas will surely understand their great value and benefit, and consequently, will recognize the great need for them. These supplications will shield one from the effects of the evil eye and will fend off its harm if the evil eye touched them, but according to the degree of Faith, strength of soul, degree of reliance (on Allah) and strength of heart of whoever recites them. These supplications are types of weapons, and their effectiveness depends on the skill of whoever uses them.
If the person fears that he might touch other people by the evil eye, let him fend off its harm by saying
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عليه , ما شاء الله لا قُوَّة إلا بالله
Allahumma Baarik Alaihe (May Allah Bless him), Masha'Allah (what Allah Has Willed), La Quwwata illa Billah (There is no power except from Allah) also helps fend off the evil eye. Hisham bin Urwah narrated that his father used to say, "What Allah Wills will certainly come to pass, there is no power except from Allah" upon seeing something that he likes and upon entering one of his gardens.
In addition, angel Jibreel once said an Islamic prayer formula for Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam, which Muslim narrated in his sound book:
"باسمِ اللهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ يُؤذيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نفسٍ أو عَيْنِ حَاسدٍ اللهُ يَشفِيكَ، باسمِ اللهِ أرْقِيكَ".
"In the Name of Allah, I say Islamic prayer formulas for your benefit, from every illness that might harm you and from the evil of every evil soul or envious person’s eye. Allah Will Cure you. In the Name of Allah, I say Islamic prayer formulas for your benefit. [Tirmizi and An-Nasa'ii]
Some of our rightly guided ancestors stated that there is no harm if some Ayah (Verse) from the Quran were written in ink and then washed with water and that the sick person drinks that water. Mujahid issued a statement to that fact, and so did Abu Qilabah. It was reported that Ibn Abbas Radi Allaho Anh once commanded that two verses from the Quran to be written for a woman who had hard pregnancies and that the Verses were then washed with water and she was to drink the water. In addition, Ayyub said, "I saw Abu Qilabah write some verses from the Quran, wash it with water and then give the water to a person who was suffering from some type of illness to drink it".
In addition, the person who touches other people with the evil eye should be commanded to wash his limbs and the end of his garments, from the right side. He then pours the water on the head of the person whom he touched with the evil eye from behind him without notice. This is a type of cure that the doctors cannot produce with their medicine. Those who reject such type of Islamic prayer formulas would never benefit from it because they do not believe that the Islamic prayer formulas carry any benefit.
Since the doctors cannot explain many natural occurrences in this world, why would the hypocrites among them reject such powers and affects that the religion produces? Added to this is the fact that washing with water has a real benefit, experience testifies to its usefulness. Similarly, the anger will be washed away from the heart if one places his hand on the angry person’s chest.
This is similar to confronting a man who is carrying a lit torch that he wants to throw at you, but you keep pouring water on it while it is still in his hand until you extinguish it. This is why Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam commanded the person who touches people by the evil eye to ask Allah, to bless whatever he has envied, so that the evil thoughts that he feels go away and are replaced by the supplication, which is a type of good charity.
The cure should be compatible to the disease, so that it has an affect on it. It is possible that when one touches others by the evil eye, a certain power appears on the end of his garment, and that it is then transferred to the affected person or object. When it is washed by water, the evil power will be removed. Yet again, and as we have stated, this matter has a lot to do with evil spirits, which will be stopped from producing harm if washed by water. Washing with water serves to cool the heart and thus cures the person who was about to touch others with the evil eye. Sometimes, when a poisonous insect bites someone and then the insect is killed, the bitten person feels a little relief afterwards. In short, when the person who touches others with the evil eye is washed, the evil that he thought of or felt will be washed away with the water.
If someone asks, "if washing with water helps the aggressor, then what about the victim of the evil eye" ?
We say that pouring the water on victims of the evil eye helps cool the effect (of the evil eye) on the victim just as it extinguished the veiled thoughts from the aggressor's heart. Water, which is used to cool burning iron rods, is often used as a medicine with which the doctors would concur. It is natural that the same water used to extinguish the evil eye is used to rid the victim of the evil eye of its effect.
Therefore, comparing the Prophetic medicine to regular medicine that doctors use is just like comparing the doctor’s medicine to folk medicines. Rather, the comparison is even less appropriate, for the difference between the Prophets and doctors is profoundly greater than the difference between the doctors and those who are not qualified to practice medicine. You should have discovered by now the brotherly relation between religion and wisdom, and that they never contradict each other. Allah Guides whom He Wills to the straight path and opens the doors of success to those who knock on such doors. He Alone is the Source of all bounties and irrefutable proofs. Fighting the evil eye is more likely to be successful if one conceals his blessings from the people.
For instance, Al-Baghawi narrated that once Usman Radi Allaho Anh saw a handsome boy and commanded, "Blacken his chin so that the evil eye does not touch him".
Al-Khattabi narrated in Gharib ul Hadith, "It was narrated that Usman Radi Allaho Anh once saw a handsome boy and that he said, "Hide his cleft chin with black color". Usman Radi Allaho Anh wanted to hide the cleft chin of the handsome boy using black color so that he was not touched by the evil eye.
Another Islamic prayer formula that helps ward off the evil eye was related by Abu Abdullah, he was once traveling for Hajj or Jihad using a good animal. There was a man in the caravan who would never look at something but would bring it to its demise. Abu Abdullah was then told, "Preserve your camel from this man’s eye. He said, "My camel cannot be touched by harm". The person who touched with the evil eye was informed of Abu Abdullah's response and he waited for a chance when Abu Abdullah was not present and looked at the camel which soon fell on its feet. When Abu Abdullah came and was told that the person had touched it with the evil eye and that his camel was suffering, as was evident, he said, ‘Show me the man.’ When he came by him, he said,
بسمِ اللهِ، حَبْسٌ حابسٌ، وحَجَرٌ يابِسٌ، وشِهابٌ قابِسٌ، ردَّت عين العائن عليه، وعلى أحبِّ الناس إليه، فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ إلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئاً وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
"In the Name of Allah, a restraint that restrains, a hard rock and a blazing star: I ask that the evil eye returns to the person who started it and on the dearest people to him (meaning the envious person himself. Then look again: Can you see any rifts? Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and wow out" (67:3, 4)
Then, the person known for the evil eye lost his sight and the camel was cured.
