Protection from Envy

Translated by Abû Rumaysah

Ibn al-Qayyim mentions ten ways in which a person can save himself from the harm of envy:

1) Taking refuge with Allah

2) Taqwa of Allah, fulfilling what He has ordered and avoiding what He has proscribed.

3) Bearing what he is afflicted with steadfastly, being patient and not fighting or killing the envier.

4) Placing one’s reliance, tawakkul, in Allah because He suffices anyone who places his trust in Him.

5) Avoid thinking about it and trying to concentrate on other things. This is one of the best ways of removing the evil.

6) Turning to Allah, being sincere to Him, loving Him and making this his priority

7) Repenting to Allah since what has afflicted him is because of what his own hands have worked.

8) Giving charity because this has an amazing effect in removing trial.

9) Being kind to the envier and doing good to him. This is especially effective in extinguishing the fire of envy but it is also incredibly hard for a person to do.

10) Making one’s Tawhid solely for Allah and knowing that everything lies in His hands. This is the bedrock of all that has preceded.

Safeguarding Against the Evil-Eye

There are numerous ways to save oneself from the evil eye:

1) Reciting the Surah al-Falaq and Surah al-Nas.

2) Supplication. `A’ishah (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said,

“Caution is of no avail against the decree but supplication benefits those things that have occurred and have not yet occurred. While tribulation is descending, the supplication meets it and they remain locked in struggle until the Day of Judgement.” [Hakim #813]

Ibn `Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) that he said,

“Supplication brings about benefit to those things that have occurred and those things that have not yet occurred. So, servants of Allah, devote yourselves to supplication.” [Tirmidhi #3548]

Thawban reported that the Prophet (SAW) said,

“Nothing but supplication averts the decree and nothing but righteousness increases the life-span. A person is deprived of provision due to performing sins.” [Ibn Majah #90-4022]

3) Ruqya, incantation. `A’ishah said, ‘

The Prophet (SAW) ordered me – or ordered – that a person do ruqya from the evil-eye.’ [Bukhari #5738]

Umm Salamah said,

‘The Prophet (SAW) saw a slave-girl in my house whose face was blackening. He said, “Perform ruqya on her because she has been afflicted by the gaze.”’ [Bukhari #5739]

4) To take a bath. Tirmidhi #2062 records from ibn `Abbas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) would say,

“If there was anything that could precede the decree, it would have been the evil eye and when you are asked to bathe, bathe.”

`A’ishah reports that the person with an evil eye would be ordered to perform ablution and then for the afflicted to take a bath from that water. [Abu Dawud #3880]

5) Truffles, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said,

“Truffles are a type of manna and their water is a cure for the evil eye.” [Bukhari #4478-4639-5708]

Finally, when a person sees something pleasing he should invoke blessings for it by saying barakAllah (may Allah bless you) and in this way prevent the evil-eye affecting it. [Ibn Majah #3509] Many scholars said that a person can also say masha Allah (it is as Allah willed) or masha Allah la quwwata illa bi’llah (it is as Allah willed, there is no strength but in Allah), basing their view on the following verse,

“Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say, “It is as Allah wills, there is no strength but in Allah”?” [al-Kahf (18): 39]

Reference

Ibn al-Qayyim, Bada’i` al-Fawa’id, vol. 2, pp. 764-776 summarised

<< Back