How to Protect Yourself from the Evil Eye

  Hijab is an obligation

You should know that hijab is obligatory , and no one has the right to choose the rulings that they like and leave those for which they feel no inclination, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan (Satan). Verily, he is to you a plain enemy” [al-Baqarah 2:208]

Ibn Kathir said:

“Allah commands His believing slaves to adhere to all the rulings and laws of Islam, to follow all the commandments and heed all the prohibitions.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/566).

The believing women are forbidden to show any of their beauty to non-mahrams. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“… and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their women, or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful” [al-Nur 24:31]

Obeying Allah’s command to observe hijab will protect you from the evil eye by Allah’s leave in this world, and will protect you from the punishment of Allah in the Hereafter.

Does wearing Quranic verses protect from the evil eye?

With regard to wearing Quranic verses or certain shapes , Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever wears an amulet, may Allah not fulfil his need, and whoever wears seashells [for protection from the evil eye] may Allah not protect him.”

According to another report, a group came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he accepted the bay’ah [allegiance] of nine of them, but not from one of them. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, you accepted the bay’ah of nine and not from this one.” He said, “He is wearing an amulet.” Then he took it in his hand and broke it, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) accepted his bay’ah. He said, “Whoever wears an amulet is guilty of shirk.” (From Fatawa al-‘Ayn wa’l-Hasad, p. 277)

Du’a for evil eye protection

With regard to dealing with the evil eye and hasad (destructive envy), there is no doubt that when a person is close to Allah, always remembering Him (dhikr) and reading Quran, he is less likely to be affected by the evil eye and other kinds of harm from the devils of mankind and the jinn. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah for himself, and the greatest means of seeking refuge that is available to the Muslim is reading the Book of Allah, above all the Mu’wwadhatayn (the last two Surahs of the Quran, al-Falaq and al-Nas), Surat al-Fatihah and Ayat al-Kursiy [al-Baqarah 2:255].

Among the sahih du’as for refuge that have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are:

“A’udhu bi kalimat Allah al-tammati min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created).” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Dhikr wa’l-Du’a, 4881)

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn. He said: ‘Your father [i.e., Ibrahim] used to seek refuge with Allah for Isma’il and Isha-aq with these words: A’udhu bi kalimat Allah al-tammah min kulli shaytanin wa hammah wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every bad eye).’”(Narrated by al-Bukhari, Ahadith al-Anbiya, 3120).

With regard to the meaning of lammah (translated here as “bad”), al-Khattabi said: “What is meant here is every disease or harm that a person may suffer such as insanity or mental disturbance.”

It was narrated from Abu Sa’id that Jibreel came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “O Muhammad, are you ill?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Bismillahi arqeeka min kulli shayin yudheeka, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin hasid Allahu yashfik, bismillahi arqeek (In the name of Allah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allah heal you, in the name of Allah I perform ruqyah for you).” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Salam, 4056)

Undoubtedly, when a person persists in reciting the adhkar (dhikr) for morning and evening, and the adhkar for going to sleep, and others, this will have a great effect in protecting him from the evil eye, because it will be like a stronghold for him, by Allah’s leave. So everyone should strive to recite these adhkar.

One of the best treatments is the use of ruqyah , which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) permitted for protection from the evil eye and he instructed people to use it.

It was narrated that ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded me, or he commanded (the people) to use ruqyah to deal with the evil eye.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, al-Tibb, 5297)

And it was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The man who cast the evil eye would be commanded to do wudoo’, and then the man who was affected would wash himself with (the water).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tibb, 3382. Al-Albani said, in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, its isnad is sahih. No. 3282)