QUESTION:

As Salaamu Alaikum,

With regards to evil eye, please may you confirm from the Qurʾān, Sunnah and Ijmāʿ what one should say when complimenting others and what one should say if they see something within themselves that they like.

We are confused as many different scholars are saying different things (e.g. you should only say allahuma barik and anything other than this is invalid, or you should only say mashallah etc.)

Jazākallāhu khayran

 

 

ANSWER:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

With respect to what you have asked, there are traditions of the Prophet (SAS) which provide guidelines about what should be said.

In this regard, it is narrated from Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAS) said, ‘When one of you sees something in his brother which he likes (or makes him happy), then let him pray for blessing for him’ (that is, let him make dua of barakah (blessings) for him) (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith No. 3509; An Nasa’i Hadith No. 7617)

In another Hadith, Sahl bin Hunaif (R.A) states that the Prophet (SAS) said, ‘When one of you sees in himself, or in his wealth, or in his brother, that which pleases him (that which he likes), then pray for blessing for him, for indeed the evil eye is real. (Ibn Sunni in ‘Amal Al Yawm wa al lail Hadith No. 205; Musnad Ahmad Had. No. 15700).

Based on the above, the Scholars have stated that when one sees something good in another person and wishes to compliment him, then he should say ‘Allahumma Barik’
(O Allah bless this person in what you have given him). This will protect the person from the evil eye.

Another tradition which is narrated from Anas bin Malik (RA) states that the Messenger of Allah (SAS) said, ‘When Allah blesses a servant with a favor/bounty,
in regards to his family, wealth or children and he says, ‘Maa Shaa Allah Laa Quwwata illa billah,’ then no harm will come to him, except death’ (Jami As Sagheer (Suyuti) Hadith No. 7823).

Although the above Hadith has been graded as weak by Scholars of Hadith, some
have considered it permissible to say such words (that are mentioned in the hadith) when a person sees something that delights him (makes him happy) and he fears that a
calamity or an evil eye may affect it, or he fears that such a favour may cause pride and vanity to enter his heart.

 

In his famous Tafseer, on the commentary of verse 39 of Sura Al Kahf which states, ‘If only when you entered your garden, you had said, ‘Maa Shaa Allah Laa Quwwata illa billah’ (That which Allah will, (will come to pass). There is no strength save in Allah,’ Hafiz Ibn Katheer (A.R) wrote, ‘Some of the pious predecessors have stated, ‘Whoever becomes happy/ delighted with anything from his condition or his children or wealth, let him say, ‘Maa Shaa Allah, Laa Qawwata illa billah’. This is taken from this verse’. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer Vol 4 page. 194 Dar Al Kitab Al Arabi Beirut 2013).

 

Allamah Jalaludeen As Suyuti (A.R) has also mentioned in his magnificent Tafseer that Imam Al Baihaqi has stated in Shu’ab Al Iman from Urwa (A.R) that whenever he saw anything from his wealth which pleased him, or he entered one of his gardens, he would say, ‘Maa Shaa Allah Laa Quwwata illa billah,’ while interpreting it from verse 39 of Sura Kahf. Allama Suyuti has mentioned the same as the practice of Ibn Shihab As Zuhri. (Ad Durr Al Manthoor Fi At Tafseer bil Ma’thoor Vol. page. 1822 Dar Ibn Hazm Beirut 2018).

 

 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen has also written on this and said, ‘When a man sees what delights him and he fears the envious eye (or the evil eye), then he should say ‘Maa Shaa Allah Tabaarakallah’. When he says this, the thing will not be afflicted with an evil eye’.

 

Similarly, when a person sees that which delights him (and makes him happy) from his wealth, let him say ‘Maa Shaa Allah laa Quwwata illa billah’. (Fatawa Noor Ala Ad Darb)
– islamqa.info)

He (Shaikh Al Uthaimeen) also wrote, ‘And it is the best when a person fears that his eye may cause harm to someone because he is happy with something that the person has, he should say, ‘Tabarakallahu Alaika’ (Liqa’at Al Bab Al Maftooh – islamqa. info)

And Allah knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

19/5/2023