SAEDNEWS: Islamic narrations also contain various expressions that affirm the existence of such a phenomenon. In one hadith, Asma bint Umays approached the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and said that, at times, the children of her husband, Ja‘far, were affected by the evil eye.
According to Saednews, Many people believe that certain individuals possess a special power in their eyes. When they look at something with intense admiration or envy, their gaze may supposedly cause harm, destroy or damage the object, or even make a person ill or mentally disturbed.
From a rational perspective, some proponents argue that such a phenomenon cannot simply be dismissed as impossible. They claim that certain eyes may possess a special form of magnetic energy and that, through training and practice, this power could potentially be developed. Practices such as “magnetic sleep” have also historically been attributed to this supposed force.
In a world where invisible laser radiation can accomplish things that were once thought impossible with conventional weapons, believers argue that the idea of a force emitted through the eyes and affecting another person through particular waves should not necessarily seem extraordinary. Some people have also claimed to have personally witnessed individuals who supposedly possessed this mysterious ocular power and could incapacitate people, animals, or objects through their gaze.
One story concerns the village of Zagheh in Malayer County, Hamadan Province, Iran. It is said that, in ancient times, villagers digging underground shelters sometimes encountered large rocks that obstructed their work.
According to the story, a family in the village was known for having the “evil eye.” When the villagers encountered a large rock, they would ask members of this family to come to the excavation site and look at the rock with amazement. The rock would supposedly break apart, allowing the villagers to continue digging.
Supporters of the belief therefore argue that the possibility of the evil eye should not be categorically rejected, either from a rational or scientific perspective.
Islamic traditions also contain various statements that have been interpreted as affirming the existence of the evil eye. One narration states that Asma bint Umays told the Prophet Muhammad that the children of Ja'far, her husband, were sometimes affected by the evil eye. She asked whether she should use a ruqyah for them.
A ruqyah refers to a supplication or protective prayer traditionally used for protection from the evil eye and other forms of harm; such protective objects are also sometimes referred to as ta'wiz. The Prophet reportedly replied that there was no objection to doing so, adding that if anything could precede divine destiny, it would be the evil eye.
Another narration attributed to Imam Ali states that the Prophet performed ruqyah for Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn and recited:
“I seek protection for you both through the perfect words of Allah and all His beautiful names, from the evil of poisonous creatures, harmful beings, every harmful eye, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.”
The narration continues that the Prophet said that Prophet Abraham had used the same form of protection for Ishmael and Isaac.
Another narration attributed to Imam Ali states that the evil eye is real and that seeking protection from it through supplication is also valid.
It is important to note that believers in this tradition may understand such prayers as protective means operating by God's permission, just as prayers are believed to protect against other harmful influences and neutralize them by divine will.
The concept of the evil eye refers to the belief that a person's gaze, particularly when motivated by intense admiration, envy, or jealousy, can cause harm to another person, animal, object, or possession.
Accepting the religious concept of the evil eye does not necessarily mean accepting every folk practice associated with it. Some practices may be regarded as superstitious, unsupported, or contrary to religious teachings. Mixing religious beliefs with popular superstition can also create confusion and cause people to become skeptical of the underlying concept itself.
For example, breaking an egg as a method of removing the evil eye is presented in some traditions as a superstition.
As for esfand (also known as espand or Syrian rue), the text distinguishes it from such practices and cites Islamic narrations that associate it with protection from harmful influences. Some narrations state that its smoke or presence in the home protects the household from harmful beings and that it may also have a role in protection from the evil eye.
Other traditional narrations attribute additional medicinal and protective properties to esfand, including claims that it can ward off various illnesses, reduce fear, and increase courage.
These claims belong to religious and traditional sources and should be distinguished from conclusions established by modern scientific research.
