Can Evil Eye Backfire?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
What if a person (a Muslim) unintentionally gives his Muslim friend the evil eye and then quickly repents to Allah? Will the evil eye backfire on the person who cast it, even if his intention was not evil or wrong?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
If you learn that someone may have received the evil eye because of you, you don’t have to worry, as it is not in your control, and there is no need to repent or worry about any backfire. However, one should always say “Masha Allahu la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (ما شاء الله لاحول ولاقوة إلا بالله)” upon seeing something to ward off any release of an evil eye in the future.
Wudu with the Onlookers Wudu Water
Yahya related to me from Malik that Muhammad ibn Abi Umama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf heard his father say,
“My father, Sahl ibn Hunayf did a ghusl at Kharrar. He removed the jubbah he had on while Amir ibn Rabia was watching, and Sahl was a man with beautiful white skin. Amir said to him, ‘I have never seen anything like what I have seen today, not even the skin of a virgin.’ Sahl fell ill on the spot, and his condition grew worse. Somebody went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him that Sahl was ill, and could not go with him. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to him, and Sahl told him what had happened with Amir. The Messenger of Allah, (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘Why does one of you kill his brother? Why did you not say, May Allah bless you (Tabaraka Allah تبارك الله)? The evil eye is true. Do wudu from it.’ Amir did wudu from it and Sahl went with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and there was nothing wrong with him.” [Imam Malik, Muwatta Imam Malik]
Every Muslim can Divert Evil by Dua
‘Ubada ibn al-Samit (Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is no Muslim on earth who calls upon Allah in supplication, but that Allah will grant it to him or divert some evil away from him, so long as he does not ask for something sinful or to cut off family ties.” A man said, “In that case, we will ask for more.” The Prophet said, “Allah has even more.” [Tirmidhi]
When a Person is Amazed at Wealth and Other Bounties
Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When Allah blesses someone with a bounty, be it with regard to his family, wealth or children, and he says, ‘Masha Allahu la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (ما شاء الله لاحول ولاقوة إلا بالله)’ (no harm [including evil eye] will come to it except death)” [Haythami, Majma al-Zawaid]
Protection for Children
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to seek Allah Most High’s protection for Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn (Allah be pleased with them both) with the following words:
“.أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ”
A’udhu bi kalimatillahit taamma min kulli shaytanin wa haamma wa min kulli ‘aynil laamma
(I seek refuge with the perfect words of Allah from every devil and poisonous creature and from every evil eye.)
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn (Allah be pleased with them both) that your forefather, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), used to also seek Allah’s protection with these words for Sayyiduna Isma’il and Sayyiduna Ishaq (peace be upon them). [Bukhari]
Duas for Onlookers to Read
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is reported to have said: “When one of you sees his brother or his brother’s wealth and is amazed by it, then he should say ‘بارك اللہ Barakallah’/make dua for barakah, for verily the evil eye is true.” [Ibn al-Sunni, Mustadrak Hakim with difference in the wording]
Hizam ibn Hakim ibn Hizam (Allah be pleased with him) reports: When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) feared that his glance may affect someone, he would read: “Allahumma barik fihi wa la tadurrahu(اللّهم بارك فيه ولا تضرّه)” (O Allah! Bless him and don’t harm him) [Ibn al-Sunni]
Related:
The Evil Eye: A Reality?
Nazar Archives
Evil Eye Archives
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
