Evil eye refers to the harm or injury caused by one person to another by means of their eyes.

A person who possesses the evil eye (Hasid) looks at a person sometimes with a bad feeling or intent and sometimes with a good feeling or intent. This intent or feeling travels from the Hasid and causes harm to the other person.

Ibn Al Qayyim (R.A) said: “The origin of the evil eye is liking something, and then the evil intent follows it, pursues it, and harms it by applying its poison by looking at that object or person.”

He also said: “Nazr is like a poisonous arrow that comes out of the eyes of the Hasid and penetrates another person and if said person does not possess the strength or has the protection to fight Nazr, then that arrow embeds itself firmly in that person causing distress, illness and harm. However if a person possesses the strength to fight Nazr, this arrow turns itself and heads straight towards the shooter instead.”

Al Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: “What is meant by the evil eye is looking at something with admiration contaminated with envy from one who is evil in nature and this in turn, results in harm.”

Evidence of Nazr in the light of the Quran and Sunnah

Evidence in the light of Quran

In Surah Yusuf (12:67) Allahﷻ says:

وَقَالَ يَـٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍۢ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍۢ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُون

And he said, “O my sons, do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates; and I cannot avail you against [the decree of] Allah at all. The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely [indeed] rely.”

In Surah Qalam (68:51-52) Allahﷻ says:

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌۭ وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِين

The disbelievers would almost cut you down with their eyes when they hear ˹you recite˺ the Reminder, and say, “He is certainly a madman. But it is simply a reminder to the whole world.”

In Surah Falaq Allahﷻ says:

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ  ٱلْفَلَقِ 

Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak

مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ 

From the evil of that which He created

وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ 

And from the evil of darkness when it settles

وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ 

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ 

And from the evil of an envier when he envies.”

Evidence in the light of Sunnah

Hazrat Aisha (R.A) narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

استعيذوا باللهِ من العينِ فإنَّ العينَ حقٌّ

Seek refuge from Allah from the evil eye, for the evil eye is real”

صحيح الجامع | : 938 | أخرجه ابن ماجه (3508

Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

العَيْنُ حَقٌّ. ونَهَى عَنِ الوَشْمِ

“The evil eye is real and he forbade tattoos”

صحيح البخاري5740

Ibn Abbas (R.A) narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said :

الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ، ولو كانَ شيءٌ سابَقَ القَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ العَيْن

“The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it is the evil eye.”

صحيح مسلم/ 2188

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said :

أكثرُ مَن يموتُ من أُمَّتي بعدَ قضاءِ اللهِ و قدَرِه بالعيْنِ

“Most of those who die of my ummah, after the will and decree of Allah, will die because of the evil eye”

صحيح الجامع/1206

And

العين حق، تُدخل الجمل القدر

رواه أبو نعيم في الحلية، وحسنه الألباني في

“The evil eye will put a man into his grave and a camel into a cooking pot”

صحيح الجامع 4023

So it is clear in the light of the Quran and Sunnah, evil exists and can cause damage and distress to the person it affects. It can overpower a healthy man in such a way that it can lead to his death. It can make a healthy camel or any other animal sick or injured so the owner has no choice but to sacrifice it. It can cause grave injuries, chronic diseases and incurable diseases also. This highlights the importance of protecting oneself by way of daily Azkaar and reciting the Ruqyah Sharia (QURANIC RUQYAH).