- The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught that the evil eye is real (Sahih al-Bukhari 5740, Sahih Muslim 2187). It happens by Allah’s permission, as everything does.
- The first protection is the morning and evening adhkar, Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls.
- When you see something you like, say “Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah” (Quran 18:39) and pray for blessing for its owner.
- Use the dua the Prophet made for Hasan and Husayn over children (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371).
- Never use amulets, beads or charms. See a doctor for any illness. Do not blame people.
Do not use the evil eye as an explanation for illness, a bad exam, a failed business or a quarrel. Most of the time the cause is ordinary. See a doctor for physical or mental symptoms, and use this guide for what it is meant for: building a calm, steady habit of seeking Allah’s protection.
What the evil eye is
The evil eye is called al-ayn in Arabic, literally “the eye”, and nazar in Urdu, Persian and Turkish. It is the harm that can reach a person, a child, an animal, a business or a home after someone looks at it with wonder, admiration or envy. The look itself does nothing by its own power. Everything happens by Allah’s decree, and the eye is one of the means He has placed.
That belief matters, because two opposite mistakes surround this subject. One is to deny it completely, as if the authentic narrations were not there. The other is to see it everywhere, and to live in fear of every compliment. The Sunnah avoids both: it is real, and the remedy is simple and calm.
The Quran and Sunnah
The Prophet, peace be upon him, stated plainly that the evil eye is real, and he added a line that stays in the memory. “The evil eye is real; and if anything could overtake the decree, the evil eye would overtake it” (Sahih Muslim 2188). It is a warning that it is serious, and not a claim that it can overturn Allah’s will.
In the Quran, the commentators connect the subject to the advice of the Prophet Yaqub, peace be upon him, to his sons. As they prepared to enter Egypt, eleven handsome brothers together, he told them to use separate gates. Many early scholars, among them Ibn Abbas, explained that he feared the eye for them. Yet he made sure to add that the gates were a precaution, and that decision rests only with Allah.
وَقَالَ يَٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍۢ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍۢ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
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."
Quran, Surah Yusuf 12:67There is a second ayah that commentators relate to the same idea. It speaks of the disbelievers who stare at the Prophet, peace be upon him, so intensely that they would almost make him slip.
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌۭ
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, Surah Al-Qalam 68:51These are understandings that the scholars drew, and they are not the main evidence. The hadith are. And among them, the most important is the practical instruction, that the believer seeks refuge in Allah from it and asks for His protection.
Evil eye and envy
People often use “envy” and “evil eye” as one word. They are related, but they are not the same thing, and the difference matters for how you treat others and yourself.
- Envy (hasad) is wishing that a blessing leaves someone. It is a disease of the heart and a sin. Surah Al-Falaq asks for refuge “from the evil of an envier when he envies” (113:5).
- The evil eye (ayn) is the harm that passes through a look. It may come from an envious person, but it can just as well come from a person with a good heart who admires something and forgets to bless it.
So two practical lessons follow. If you are the one who admires, always say Masha Allah. And if something happens, do not rush to accuse. Ask Allah for protection, and leave people’s hearts to Him.
Signs, and why to be careful
People often ask for a list of signs of the evil eye. The honest answer is that there is no reliable list. Some mention sudden tiredness, a run of bad luck, a child who becomes ill after much admiration, or a business that suddenly stalls. But every one of those has plenty of ordinary explanations.
Nobody can look at a symptom and tell you that it is the evil eye, or magic, or anything else unseen. Anyone who says they can, and who then asks for money or personal items to “remove” it, should be avoided. Check first with a doctor, look at the practical causes, and use the protections in this guide as your daily habit.
If you are tempted to search for the person who “gave” you the eye, stop. It poisons relationships, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, never taught it.
How to prevent it
The good news is that prevention in Islam is easy, free, and available to everyone. It has four parts.
1. Keep up the daily adhkar
Recite Ayat al-Kursi before sleep (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010), and make it a habit after each obligatory prayer too. Recite Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times each morning and evening (Abu Dawud 5082). These are your armour. If you learn only one habit from this guide, make it this. The routine is set out in our guide to ruqyah on yourself.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:2552. Say Masha Allah when you admire anything
The Quran gives the words. A believing man in the story of the two gardens tells his friend what he should have said when he entered his garden:
وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًۭا وَوَلَدًۭا
And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, 'What Allah willed [has occurred]; there is no power except in Allah '? Although you see me less than you in wealth and children,
Quran, Surah Al-Kahf 18:39So say Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah. And add a blessing. The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught that if one of you sees something he likes in his brother, or in himself, or in his wealth, he should pray for blessing for it, for the eye is real (narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Majah).
مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ
Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah, Allahumma barik ‘alayh.
What Allah wills. There is no power except with Allah. O Allah, bless it.
Quran 18:39; Musnad Ahmad3. Be modest about your blessings
There is no need to announce every good thing in your life. Yaqub’s advice to his sons points to a wise discretion. Keep your engagement news, your new house, your exam result and your child’s achievements between you and those who will be sincerely glad. Share them, by all means, and say alhamdulillah, but without display. Be especially careful about showing wealth, beauty or success to those who might struggle with it.
4. Rely on Allah, and do not be afraid
A person who lives in fear of the eye has already been harmed by it. The Quran says:
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely.
Quran, Surah At-Tawbah 9:51Duas for protection
One of the most beautiful supplications is the one the Prophet, peace be upon him, used for his grandsons. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that he would seek refuge for Hasan and Husayn with these words, and say that their forefather Ibrahim used to seek refuge with them for Ismail and Ishaq (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371).
أُعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
U’idhukuma bikalimatillahit-tammati min kulli shaytanin wa hammatin, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah.
I seek refuge for you both in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and every harmful creature, and from every evil, harmful eye.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3371Change the pronoun to fit: u’idhuka for one boy, u’idhuki for one girl, u’idhukum for a group. Adults can recite the same words with the pronoun adjusted, or rely on the daily adhkar.
And for the three Quls, here is Surah Al-Falaq, which asks refuge from envy:
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ ﴿1﴾ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ﴿2﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ﴿3﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ﴿4﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿5﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-falaqi · min sharri mā khalaqa · wamin sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqaba · wamin sharri l-nafāthāti fī l-ʿuqadi · wamin sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasada
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak (2) From the evil of that which He created (3) And from the evil of darkness when it settles (4) And from the evil of the blowers in knots (5) And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Quran, Surah Al-Falaq 113:1-5بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿1﴾ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿2﴾ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿3﴾ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ﴿4﴾ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿5﴾ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ ﴿6﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-nāsi · maliki l-nāsi · ilāhi l-nāsi · min sharri l-waswāsi l-khanāsi · alladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri l-nāsi · mina l-jinati wal-nāsi
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, (2) The Sovereign of mankind. (3) The God of mankind, (4) From the evil of the retreating whisperer - (5) Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - (6) From among the jinn and mankind."
Quran, Surah An-Nas 114:1-6If it has already happened
First, remember that the diagnosis may be wrong. If the symptoms are physical, see a doctor. If you are anxious, speak to someone. Then, with those taken care of, turn to the ruqyah.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded her to seek ruqyah for the evil eye (Sahih al-Bukhari 5738). So recite over yourself or the affected person:
- Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi, and the three Quls.
- Blow lightly and wipe the body, as described in the self-ruqyah routine.
- Say the ruqyah that Jibril made for the Prophet, peace be upon him.
بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللَّهُ يَشْفِيكَ، بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ
Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘ayni hasid, Allahu yashfik, bismillahi arqik.
In the name of Allah I recite over you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah I recite over you.
Sahih Muslim 2186That is enough. You do not need a special person, a special place or a special price.
The bath-water remedy
One of the Prophetic remedies for the evil eye is washing. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “The evil eye is real... and when you are asked to wash, wash” (Sahih Muslim 2188). The details come from the story of Sahl ibn Hunayf, who was afflicted after Amir ibn Rabi’ah admired his body as he bathed, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, told Amir to wash for him. It is reported in the Muwatta of Imam Malik and the Musnad of Ahmad: the one who caused the eye washes his face, hands, elbows, knees, feet and the inside of his lower garment in a vessel, and the water is poured over the afflicted person.
Because it involves another person, it needs care.
- It applies only when the person who caused the eye is known and agrees. It is never done by force or by accusing someone.
- Scholars differ on details, including how literally the description should be applied today. Take advice from a trusted scholar before you attempt it.
- It is not a first step. Recitation, dua and medical care come first, and most people never need anything more.
- It does not involve any other ingredient, any object, or any special words besides the name of Allah.
What to avoid
Blue beads, hands, horseshoes, eye-shaped pendants, hanging garlic or lemons, tying threads, burning rue or incense, pouring molten lead, breaking eggs or reading the shapes in them. These are popular customs in many countries, but they are charms. The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned against hanging amulets for protection, because they attach the heart to something other than Allah. Replace them with the adhkar.
- Do not accuse anyone of causing the eye, in the family or among your friends.
- Do not live in fear. Watching every glance is a heavier burden than the eye itself.
- Do not turn to practitioners who ask for money, photographs or the names of your family. That route leads to the territory covered in our guide to protection from sihr.
- Do not stop medical treatment because you believe the cause is spiritual.
Children, family and social media
Children draw admiration naturally, and parents worry about it. The answer is not to hide them. Say the dua of Hasan and Husayn over them morning and evening, teach them the three Quls as soon as they can say them, and ask relatives who admire them to say Masha Allah. When you praise your own child, say it too.
In the home, keep Ayat al-Kursi and the other adhkar a normal part of the day. A house in which the Quran is recited is a different place from one in which it is not, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught about Surah Al-Baqarah (Sahih Muslim 780).
Social media deserves a mention. A photograph of your new car, house, baby or holiday passes in front of hundreds of people who may admire it, and some may feel envy, and none of them will say Masha Allah out loud. Be thoughtful about what you post. You do not need to stop sharing, but you can ask yourself whether it is for gratitude or for display, and who you are showing it to. That alone prevents a lot of what people worry about.
If you want to teach your children the protection surahs and Ayat al-Kursi with clear pronunciation, our teachers do this every day with children from age five. You can book a free 30-minute class for your child or for yourself. And if you would like to know more about the practice behind these recitations, read what ruqyah is and how it is performed.
The evil eye: your questions answered
The evil eye (al-ayn) is harm that, by Allah’s permission, can reach a person, an animal or a possession when someone looks at it with admiration, wonder or envy. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “The evil eye is real” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5740, Sahih Muslim 2187). It is a real thing in the Islamic teaching, but it is not a reason for fear or suspicion.
The Quran does not use the word ayn for it directly, but commentators connect it with two ayat: Yaqub’s advice to his sons to enter Egypt from different gates (12:67) and the disbelievers who “would almost make you slip with their eyes” (68:51). The clearest basis is the Sunnah, and the Quran’s protection surahs, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, ask for refuge from envy (113:5).
Envy (hasad) is wishing that someone loses a blessing. The evil eye (ayn) is the harm that comes through the look, and it can come even from a person who loves you and who admires something without remembering to say “Masha Allah”. Envy is a sin of the heart; the eye can come from a kind person, which is why the Prophetic remedy begins with a blessing.
There is no sure sign. People mention sudden illness, loss of energy or a run of misfortune after being admired, but those can have many ordinary causes. Do not diagnose it for yourself or others. If you are unwell, see a doctor first. If you are worried about the eye, recite the protection and make adhkar.
Begin your day with the morning and evening adhkar, recite Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls, and say “Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah” when you see something that pleases you. Be modest about your blessings, and do not display what you have without need. Parents can recite the dua the Prophet, peace be upon him, made for Hasan and Husayn over their children.
Say “Masha Allah” and “Barakallahu fih” (may Allah bless it), or “Allahumma barik alayhi”. The Prophet, peace be upon him, told us that if you see something you like in your brother, yourself or his property, you should pray for blessing for him, for the eye is real (narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Majah). This one habit removes most of the harm.
Recite Al-Fatihah, Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls over yourself, blow lightly and wipe your body, and make the dua of Jibril, “Bismillahi arqika…” (Sahih Muslim 2186). The Prophet, peace be upon him, allowed ruqyah for the evil eye (Sahih al-Bukhari 5738). If you know the person and the matter is serious, scholars mention the Prophetic bath-water remedy, with the precautions below.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “When you are asked to wash, wash” (Sahih Muslim 2188). It is described in the Muwatta of Imam Malik and the Musnad of Ahmad as the person who caused the eye washing parts of the body into a vessel and the water then being poured over the afflicted one. It needs a person who is known, willing and sincere, and it should be done with the advice of a scholar, never by force or accusation.
It is not permitted, and it can amount to shirk. Beads, hands, horseshoes and similar objects are amulets that people hang for protection, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, warned strongly against that. Protection comes from Allah, through the Quran and the supplications. Keep your home and your children free of charms, and teach them the adhkar instead.
The narrations speak of the eye affecting people, and scholars extend it to anything that may attract admiration, including children, animals, homes and wealth. There is no need to hide a child away. Say the protection dua over them, and say “Masha Allah” when you admire them.
Yes. In the narration of Sahl ibn Hunayf, it was Amir ibn Rabi’ah, a righteous companion, whose admiring look affected Sahl, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, asked him why he had not prayed for blessing. A parent or spouse can cause it unintentionally in the same way. It is not an accusation of bad character. It is a reason to say “Masha Allah” every time.
Sources
This guide is educational and was written by the teachers of Virtual Quran Center from the sources below. It is not a fatwa or medical advice. For personal questions, speak to a trusted scholar and a doctor.
- Quran: 2:255, 12:67, 18:39, 68:51, 112, 113, 114.
- Sahih al-Bukhari: 3371, 5738, 5740.
- Sahih Muslim: 2186, 2187, 2188.
- Other collections: the hadith of Sahl ibn Hunayf in the Muwatta of Imam Malik and the Musnad of Ahmad; the hadith on praying for blessing in the Musnad of Ahmad and Sunan Ibn Majah.
