Question:
Assalam u alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh Mufti Sahab,
Is it allowed to use the methods which are also practiced by Hindus to ward off the effects of evil eye. For example:
- burning seven chillies
- ritual of breaking coconuts
- making your children wear black threads
- putting a black mark on baby’s face
- hanging lemons and chillies outside your house for protection from evil eye etc.
Would appreciate your help in this regard.
JazakAllahu khairan
Answer:
Bismillāhi Taʿālā
Assalāmu ʿalaykum waraḥmatullāhī wabrakātuh,
Evil eye is a reality. It has been established through aḥadīth. [1] Rasūlullāh ﷺ has also provided some solutions for the evil eye, albeit these solution are contextual. Just as a doctor would not necessarily apply one medication for every ailment, similarly, this is a domain for specialist within the field.
It is thus, in principle, as long as the solution/treatment has been well researched by specialists and it does not have un-islamic elements, then utilizing such avenue is permissible. [2]
However, it must be kept in mind that if these solutions are taken from other religions, there is a fair chance of it having taʿẓīm (honoring) of their deities involved. In such a case it will be absolutely prohibited. Moreover, if the procedures is customarily known to be associated with non-muslim culture, then it will be impermissible to use it as well. [3]
In view of the above, all the points which you have mentioned must also follow the same guideline. If the procedure is culturally known to be depictive of hindu customs, then you must avoid them.
We advise you to stick to Qur’anic recitation for Muʿawizzatayn (Surah al-Falaq and Surah al-Nās) along with daily recital of al-Manzil (al-Ruqiya). You may read it, or listen to it at https://qsi1.com/Manzil/Manzil_v2.0.asp
May Allah Taʿālā keep you and your family in ʿāfiyyah and complete protection from all evils, Āmīn.
And Allāh Taʿālā Knows best,
Wassalamu ʿalaykum,
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi
[1]
صحيح البخاري (7/ 132) ، رقم الحديث 5740
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «العين حق» ونهى عن الوشم
[2]
مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح (7/ 2870) رقم الحديث 4530
(وعن عوف بن مالك الأشجعي) : قال المؤلف: أول مشاهده خيبر، وكان، مع راية أشجع يوم الفتح، سكن الشام ومات بها سنة ثلاث وسبعين، روى عنه جماعة من الصحابة والتابعين. (قال: «كنا نرقي في الجاهلية فقلنا: يا رسول الله! كيف ترى في ذلك؟ فقال: اعرضوا علي رقاكم» ) : بضم الراء جمع رقية (لا بأس بالرقى ما لم يكن فيه شرك) : أي: كفر. (رواه مسلم) .
مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح (7/ 2880)
وأما ما كان من الآيات القرآنية، والأسماء والصفات الربانية، والدعوات المأثورة النبوية، فلا بأس، بل يستحب سواء كان تعويذا أو رقية أو نشرة،
[3]
سنن أبي داود (6/ 144) رقم الحديث 4031
عن ابن عمر، قال: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -:، من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم