THE EVIL EYE

Salam aleykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

Have you heard about the evil eye? It has been subject to many dissentions and controversies. I do not know what you believe, but there are sufficient evidence which point to the existence of the evil eye. It is recorded by Al-Bukhari that Ibn Abass reported the prophetic tradition where the prophet SAW said that the evil eye is real! If any other thing were to compete with destiny, the evil eye is it(Bukhari). The evil eye can either be of man or of jinn, and Allah SWT has made it possible for them to be capable of causing afflictions with the evil gaze.

Another tradition of Al Bukhari has it that Jabir had recorded the holy prophet as saying that a predominant number of those who die in my ummah, aside from the dictate of fate, are victims of the evil eye. Allahu akbar.

In Ahmed and Tabrani, ibn Abass had reported the prophet SAW saying the evil eye is real, it brings down the rising one!

This emphasizes the magnitude of evil embedded in the gaze of the evil eye. It becomes paramount upon us to protect ourselves and our families from the evil gaze/ eye. Alhamdulilah for Islam which provides a solution to everything.

Sometimes we unintentionally cast an evil gaze on someone as a result of the admirable thing we see or notice, the danger in this is that the shaytan will cash in on this opportunity to do evil to the recipient on behalf of the beholder. That's why the prophet SAW, as relayed by Amir ibn Rabiah and recorded in Muslim, counseled that when you envy any admirable thing in yourself, your wealth or your brother, seek Allah's blessings. For the evil eye is real.

Masha Allah.

This brings me to remember an incident, it may or not be as a result of the evil eye, but telling it is worthy of note. A friend of mine had exceptionally long and luscious hair...almost of the same quality as that of Indians. Naturally of course, we all gather to admire her hair, either in words or in our hearts. Suddenly, we noticed that her hair began to whither and fall off. It lost its lush and shine, we blamed it on the weather but that weather passed and the hair did not restore its lost glory. With benefit of hindsight, I now realize that she might have been a victim of an evil eye, but we thank Allah that the extent didn't exceed this.

As Muslims, it is incumbent, paramount and very important for us to constantly shield ourselves. In subsequent posts, I'll enumerate the time tested means of protecting oneself and ones family from the evil eye as provided for us in both the Quran and the sunnah. Insha Allah.