Question:
Assalamualaikum, is the hadith narrating about ‘ain disease sahih (authentic)?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The hadith regarding ‘ain disease is narrated in renowned books and it is sahih. Al-Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim both placed it in their Sahih books. The takhrij of the hadith is as the following:
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tib, Bab al-‘Ain Haq. Hadith number (5740):
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ ". وَنَهَى عَنِ الْوَشْمِ
"The effect of an evil eye is a fact." And he (the Prophet PBUH) prohibited tattooing.
- Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salam, Bab al-Tib wa al-Maradhi wa al-Ruqa. Hadith number (2188):
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ وَلَوْ كَانَ شَىْءٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ وَإِذَا اسْتُغْسِلْتُمْ فَاغْسِلُوا
Ibn 'Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny it would be the influence of an evil eye, and when you are asked to take bath (as a cure) from the influence of an evil eye, you should take bath.”
‘Ain disease is an illness caused by the glance or look followed with jealousy or amazement of what is being viewed. It may happen from a person who is envious or even due to love, from evil or even pious individuals. Al-Hafiz Ibnu Hajar Rahimahullah said: ‘Ain disease is an envious and jealousy look from bad attributes which would harm the person looked at. (Fath al-Baari, 10/200)
Thus, we state that ‘ain disease has a basis and it is stated in a hadith narrated by al-Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim (Muttafaqun ‘alaih). Furthermore, it has happened during the time of the Prophet PBUH and it happened to the companion of the Prophet PBUH, Sahl bin Hunaif who experienced the ‘ain disease from the look he received from Amir bin Rabi’ah.
Wallahua’lam.
Endnotes:
[1] ‘Ain is a type of a disease