Evil Eye And Envy (Ayn & Hasad)
THE CONCEPT OF THE EVIL EYE (AYN)
Al-A’in is a person who has been afflicted by evil eye is known as Al-Ma’yoon, and the person who has afflicted it as known Al-A’in.
In his book, Zaad al Ma’ad, Ibn Al Qayyim (RA) said:
“It is the arrow that is taken out from the soul of the envious individual, the one whom causes the affliction of the evil eye, and then it is fired upon the subject of the evil eye. This individual can be affected sometimes and manage to escape it at other times. If one encounters this and is exposed to it then there will be no protection from its effect; however it then becomes imperative if one encounters this to take care and prepare themselves with the best defence and not allow it to be implanted upon them. It is in this manner that a person can protect themselves from the envious individual and not be effected by them. Sometimes these arrows return to the one whom they belong and this archery makes the envious individual feel the same negativity in his life like the negatively he tried to push on the subject.”
Allah (SWT) says:
“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.”
(Al-Qalam: 51)
Ibn Katheer (RA) had used same verse for evidence to demonstrate that the evil eye is inevitable and real and has the power to effect people.
Again, Allah (SWT) mentions: “those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message.”
Another incident which was narrated from the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ time, when Quraish asked some folks who were identified to give the evil eye to others, that could result in illness, death or some other effect to put it on the Prophet ﷺ.
However, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ remain protected by Allah (SWT) from those who had intent to destroy him with Ayn.
Ibnul Qayyim (RA), in his book Zaad al Ma’ad, mentions that some individuals deny the effects of Ayn, he depict such people as conceited, and with less knowledge.
In words of some scholars the idea of affecting a person with the evil eye (Ayn) can easily be linked to the effect on a person when they walk into a room, and they experience discomfiture or nervousness due to people looking at them. Perhaps, also causing the face to change colour for the same reason.
Moreover, in another example, when someone turns pale with fear, on seeing someone they may fear or be scared of.
Ibnul Qayyim (RA) explained it as a bodily or spiritual impact that leaves the eye and effects the human being.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVIL EYE (AYN)
There are various kinds of Evil Eye from which person can be afflicted with. They are:
(العين) Ayn – In this type, you get eye from someone who may love, adore or know you, however may have no evil intentions towards you.
(الحســـد) Hasad –In this type, it is only envious eye from someone who may hate, dislikes or have jealousy from you or something you have but wants it from you.
(النفس) Nafs – In this type the appreciative eye from a person can afflict on them self.
(النظرة) Nathara – In this type, the evil eye only comes from the Jinn.
EVIDENCE FOR THE DIFFEREN TYPES OF EVIL EYE
AYN
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake Qadr (divine decree), it would have been the evil eye…”.
This narrative alludes to speediness of the evil eye and articulates that if something was to overtake the decree of Allah, it could have been evil eye only, i.e. in its speed.
HASAD
Iblees envied Adam (AS) as he disliked Allah’s creation and also for the fact he was asked to prostate to him. He considered himself superior because he was made from fire, while Adam (AS) was merely created from clay.
As a result of envy, Ibless made a transgression and disobeyed the order of Allah (SWT).
NAFS
The Prophet ﷺ “Whoever among you sees something in himself or in his possessions or in his brother that he likes, let him pray for blessings for it because the evil eye is real.”
It has been narrated by Ibn al-Sunni, Al-Haakim and classed as saheeh by Al-Albaani 243.
Nathara
For this kind of evil eye originates from a Jinn. We have evidences for this kind in the narration of Umm Salamah (RAA) who said the Prophet ﷺ saw a slave girl in her house with a discolouration on her face so he said: “Perform Ruqya for her, for she has been afflicted by the eye of a Jinn.”
From verse above, we can clearly see that the evil eye can be afflicted by both human, or by Jinn. However, it is also known that animals can give the evil eye too when looking at someone or something. There are various stories and encounters relating to this, however, Allah knows best.
EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTANCE OF ENVY
Allah (SWT) says:
“Many of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) wish if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed out of envy from their own selves, even after the truth has become manifest unto them (i.e that Muhammad ﷺ is Allah’s Messenger).”
(Al-Baqarah: 109)
Allah (SWT) also says:
“Or do they envy people (i.e. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his followers) for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had already given the family of Ibraheem the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.”
(An-Nisa: 54)
Allah (SWT) also says:
“And from the evil of the envier when he envies.”
(Al-Falaq: 5)
THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EVIL EYE AND ENVY
The Evil eye is known as Ayn in Arabic; and in Urdu Nathara. It is an illness which some people may carry. It leads to looking at any blessing which someone else has within themselves, or that which they may possess because of worldly possessions, with amazement or longing it.
This may lead to dwelling on the topic or even continuously looking at the person, who happens to have that thing which he feels envious for, and consequently leading to an attack best described as rays release from a person’s eyes (and their soul) and consequently distressing them physically or mentally causing them to become ill.
To give an evil eye, one doesn’t need to physically look at someone; since a blind person can also give the evil eye. Furthermore, just from listening of the blessings or descriptions, one can afflict evil eye from only listening. [Zaad Al Ma’ad: volume 4 page 149]
In a best way to describe, “Evil eye is like an arrow that comes from the soul of one who is jealous towards the one who is envied, and on whom the evil eye is afflicted. Sometimes it hits them and sometimes it doesn’t.
If the target is vulnerable and unprotected it will affect them, except if the target is cautious and armed, the envy will have no effect and may even rebound to the one who commenced it. [Extracted from Zaad Al Ma’ad]
According to Shaykh Khalid Al-Hibshi (HA), “it is something evil that comes out of the soul and then attacks the person.”
Allah (SWT) himself commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to ask for protection from Him, from the envy. He (SWT) said (interpretation of the meaning):
“And from the evil of the envier when he envies.” (Al-Falaq: 5)
Allah (SWT) says in another verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“And verily those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred).” (Al-Qalam: 51)
In a Hadith narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (RAA), it says, “A’odhu bi kalimaat-Illaah it-taamah min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli a’ynin laammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and vermin and from every envious eye).” (Bukhari – 3191)
While, meaning of vermin (haammah) is lethally poisonous animal or insect. For the meaning of envious (laammah) is that causes harm because of jealousy (i.e hasad).
The word “Haasid” (envy) is more general in meaning than the word A’in (one who puts the evil eye on another).
However, scholars disagree over whether or not the evil eye is limited only to jealousy, while agree that not every jealous person is capable of giving the evil eye. The difference of opinion is as follows:
1. One group said, “Everyone who gives the evil eye is jealous but not every jealous person gives the evil eye.” This is the Fatwa of the Permanent Committee for Research and Ifta’ in Saudi Arabia.
2. Another group said, “Not everyone who gives the evil eye is jealous and not every jealous person gives the evil eye.” This is the opinion of other group of scholars.
However, the substantiation for this is that Ayn can be afflicted on oneself, your own children and even when joking. Here is an evidence to confirm the above statement’s relevance.
“Whoever among you sees something in himself or in his possessions or in his brother that he likes, let him pray for blessings for it because the evil eye is real.” (Ibn al-Sunni in A’mal al-Yawm wal-Laylah, page 168; Al-Haakim, 4/216. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Al-Kalim at-Tayyib, page 243)
While, this Hadith explicitly explains that any person may harm himself, his wealth, his children, his wife etc by the evil eye, even unintentionally.