Fatwa

  1. Fatwa
  2. Islamic Creed
  3. Envy and the Evil Eye

Evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah on the effect of the evil eye
Fatwa No: 16755

Question

Is it possible for the evil eye to delay or prevent a person’s marriage?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

 

Firstly, it should be known that everything in this universe happens according to the Will and Predestination of Allaah. Whatever He wishes will occur and whatever He does not wish, will never take place. Allaah Says (what means): {Indeed, all things We created with predestination.}[Quran 54:49]

Therefore, a believer should have this belief and creed, and lead a courageous and confident life, while having full trust in Allaah that it is He Who predestined the provisions and life-span of all creatures.   Allaah Says (what means): {Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allaah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allaah let the believers rely.}[Quran 9:51]

However, out of His absolute Wisdom, Allaah The Almighty permits the evil eye to affect, as proved in the Quran and the Sunnah:

Evidence from the Quran:

Allaah Says (what means): {And he [Ya‘qoob (Jacob)] said, "O my sons, do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates}[Quran 12:67] The scholars mentioned that Ya‘qoob ordered his sons to do so lest they will be affected by an evil eye.
Allaah Says (what means): {And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."}[Quran 68:51]

Evidence from the Sunnah:

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that the evil eye really affects, and had there been anything which precedes destiny, it would have been the evil eye.  [Ahamd and Muslim]
It was narrated on the authority of Jaabir that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, mentioned that the effect of the evil eye may cause the death of a person or the slaughter of a camel.  [Abu Na‘eem and Ibn ‘Adiyy]  

Nevertheless, the influence of the evil eye is nothing but a cause decreed by Allaah and the decree of Allaah can only be reversed by another Decree. That is to say, the effect of the evil eye can be reversed by supplicating and reciting the legislated mention of Allaah, which are also all causes decreed by Allaah. 

Additionally, Allaah has commanded us to seek refuge with Him from the envier when he envies, so He ordered us to seek refuge in Him in order to repel the envy of the envier when he envies.

Allaah Knows best.

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