PART 2 – THE EVIL EYE AND ENVY
5. Relation between Love of Dressing Well and Envy
Question:
There is a woman who loves to wear distinct clothes, but does not want other women to be better dressed than she is, or even as equally dressed as she is. However, she has never desired any harm to befall other people‘s possessions. Is this envy or pride? Mind you, she hates both envy and pride.
Answer:
We do not know what is in her heart that makes her behave the way she does. If it is envy, it is forbidden. If it is pride or arrogance that prevents her from accepting others as equals in that trait, it is forbidden as well. Condemned pride is that which denies the truth and disdains others. However, love of dressing beautifully is different; Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty.
If she is seeking fame by being distinctively dressed, her motives can be investigated. She may be one of those who have such craving without necessarily having forbidden motives. (Al-Jibreen’s Al-Kinz Aththameen (The Precious Treasure), Vol. 1 p. 231)
6. Guarding Against Evil Eyes vs. Trust in Allah
Question:
Does the Muslim have to guard against the evil eye though it is a fact as established by the Sunnah? Does such guarding contradict trust in Allah?
Answer:
The Hadith states, “The evil eye is a fact. Should anything precede destiny, it would be the evil eye. If you (suspected of being the eye-caster) are asked to wash (and to give your wash water to be used as a cure for the effect of your cast), you should do that.’’ (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Assalam (Book of Peace), Hadith No. 2188.)
The evil eye is the human eye that harmful affects objects, but by Allah‘s permission as destined.
How the eye produces evil is known only to Allah. However, a possible explanation is that some people have evil selves, which emit, when poisoned, poisonous material, which, by Allah‘s permission, harms the object it reaches, e.g., causes the object to get pain.
One should be on his guard by taking the necessary measures for protection from evil. Of these measures is seeking protection in Allah; the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to do that for his grandchildren, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein.(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith Al-Anbiya’ (Book of Prophet), Hadith No. 3371.) He used to seek protection from Jinn and human evil eyes.(Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, Kitab Attib (Book of Medicine), Hadith No. 5058.) Also when Jibreel – may His peace be upon him – performed Ruqyas unto the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he would say, “In the name of Allah I am doing this Ruqya unto you to get rid of all that is harming you and of the evil of all spirits and eyes. May Allah cure you; in His name I am doing this Ruqya unto you.’’ (Op. Cit.)
Thus, on the one hand, one should seek Allah‘s protection by saying relevant prayers and taking precautionary measures. On the other hand, if under the influence of the evil eye, one is to seek treatment. If he suspects a person as the possible eye-caster, he should ask that person to have, for example, his shirt washed in water to be used for treatment. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says, “If you (suspected of being the eye-caster) are asked to wash (and to give your wash-water to be used as a cure for the effect of your cast), you should do that.’’ (Op. Cit.) & (Al-Jibreen’s Al-Kinz Aththameen (The Precious Treasure), Vol. 1 p. 232-233.)
7. Disbelievers Cast Evil Eyes
Question:
Is it true that the Kafir (disbeliever) cannot envy or cast an evil eye on a Muslim? What evidence is there?
Answer:
No, it is not true. The truth is that a Kafir, like others, can cast an evil eye. (Ibid, p. 234.)
8. Some People Can Effectively Cast Evil Eyes Anytime They Want
Question:
We have heard that some people can effectively cast evil eyes on whomever they want any time they want. Is this true?
Answer:
No doubt the evil eye is a fact, for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says, “The evil eye is a fact. If anything could precede destiny, it would be the evil eye.’’ He also says, “The evil eye can take a man to his grave, and can make the camel perish.’’(Sahih Muslim, Kitab Assalam (Book of Peace), Hadith No. 2188.) Thus, it can cause death, yet only Allah knows its truth.
Some people can cast the evil eye, while others cannot. Also, the eye-caster may intentionally desire harm to occur, and it does. He may not intend any harm to happen, yet it does. In other cases, he may attempt to cause harm, but he fails.
Allah has instructed people to seek refuge in Him from the evil eye among other things when he says, “And from the evil of the envier when he envieth.’’ (Abu-Naeem’s Al-Hilyah (The Ornament), Hadith No. 7/90.) This seeking of refuge leads to protection from the effects of the evil eye. (Al-Falaq Surah, Aya 5.)
By Khaled al-Jeraisy
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