Evil Eye in Islam: Signs, Symptoms, Protection and Ruqyah Treatment

The evil eye (al-ayn) is real according to the Quran and authentic Sunnah. It is harm that can reach a person through admiration or envy that is not accompanied by remembrance of Allah. Common signs include sudden tiredness, loss of motivation, sleep problems and repeated setbacks, especially after something good happened and was praised. The cure is Ruqyah: reciting the Quran and authentic supplications with trust in Allah, together with the Sunnah remedies explained below. Because many of these signs can also have medical causes, a doctor’s check-up should always come first.

This guide explains what the evil eye is, the signs people commonly report, how to protect yourself, and how it is treated according to the Quran and Sunnah. It is written by Sheikh Abrar Ul Haq, a graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah who has provided Ruqyah since 2010.

What Is the Evil Eye in Islam?

The evil eye (in Arabic al-ayn, in Urdu and Hindi nazar) is a real form of harm that can affect a person, their health, children, wealth or relationships. It happens when someone looks at something with admiration or envy and does not remember Allah. It can come from an envious person, but also from someone who loves you, and even from a person looking at their own blessings.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The evil eye is real” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5740; Sahih Muslim 2188). In the narration of Muslim he added: “If anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye.”

Allah also refers to the harm of envy in Surah Al-Falaq: “And from the evil of an envier when he envies” (113:5). Many scholars of tafsir explain the verse “And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes” (68:51) as referring to the evil eye.

Evil Eye and Envy (Hasad): What Is the Difference?

Envy (hasad) is a disease of the heart: wishing that a blessing be taken away from someone. The evil eye is the harm that may result from a look. Every envier can cause the evil eye, but not everyone who causes it is an envier. A loving parent who admires their child without saying “Masha Allah” can also cause it unintentionally. That is why the Prophet ﷺ taught us to ask Allah to bless what we admire, rather than only warning us against envy.

Signs and Symptoms of the Evil Eye

There is no laboratory test for the evil eye, and no single symptom proves it. The signs below are what patients commonly report. They become more meaningful when they appear suddenly after a blessing was praised or shown to others:

• Sudden tiredness, heaviness or weakness without a clear medical reason
• Headaches, excessive yawning or drowsiness, especially when the Quran is recited
• Difficulty sleeping, waking up repeatedly, or feeling restless at night
• Loss of motivation or interest in things you used to enjoy
• Things repeatedly going wrong at the last moment: a job offer, a marriage proposal, a business deal
• A sudden change in a child after being admired: constant crying, refusing to feed, or falling ill
• Pale or yellowish complexion, or feeling “drained” in the presence of certain people
• Yawning, tears or heaviness when the Quran is recited. A reaction alone does not prove the evil eye, and no reaction does not mean you are not affected.

In the hadith of Umm Salamah, the Prophet ﷺ saw a girl in her house with a change of colour in her face and said: “Seek Ruqyah for her, for she has been affected by the evil eye” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5739).

Important: stress, depression, anaemia, thyroid problems and many other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Islam encourages medical treatment, so see a doctor first and use Ruqyah alongside it. Ruqyah and medicine do not contradict each other.

Can the Evil Eye Cause Sleep Problems?

Yes, many patients affected by the evil eye report difficulty falling asleep, waking up through the night or a constant feeling of unease. Before sleeping, the Sunnah is to recite Ayat al-Kursi (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311), the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009), and Surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, blowing into the hands and wiping over the body three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017). If sleep problems continue, also speak to a doctor. Read more about Ruqyah for sleep problems and bad dreams.

How to Remove the Evil Eye According to the Sunnah

1. Ruqyah with the Quran and authentic duas

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet ﷺ instructed her to seek Ruqyah for the evil eye (Sahih al-Bukhari 5738; Sahih Muslim 2195). The most important verses are:

• Surah Al-Fatiha
• Ayat al-Kursi (2:255)
• The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285-286)
• Surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas
• Verses that mention the eyes and envy, such as 68:51-52 and 113:5

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said the Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge from the jinn and the evil eye of humans until Al-Falaq and An-Nas were revealed; then he used them and left everything else (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2058).

Recite with full attention, blow lightly into your hands and wipe over your body, or recite over water and drink from it. Consistency matters more than any single long session.

2. The washing of the person who caused it

If you know who may have caused the evil eye, the Sunnah is to ask them, kindly, to perform wudu, and to pour that water over the affected person. When Amir ibn Rabi’ah’s look affected Sahl ibn Hunayf, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Why would one of you kill his brother? If you see something you like, pray for blessing (barakah) for it,” and he ordered Amir to perform wudu for Sahl (Sunan Ibn Majah 3509; see also Sunan Abi Dawud 3880). In Sahih Muslim 2188: “When you are asked to wash, then wash.”

3. Supplication and reliance on Allah

Healing is only from Allah. Make sincere dua, give charity, keep the five daily prayers and be patient. Ruqyah is a means, and the result is in Allah’s hands.

4. Ruqyah from a qualified raqi

Reciting the Quran over yourself is dhikr and protection, and you are rewarded for it. But when the evil eye is strong or long-lasting, treatment is Ruqyah recited over you by a qualified raqi, just as a doctor who falls ill goes to another doctor. Receiving Ruqyah from someone else is from the Sunnah: Jibreel performed Ruqyah on the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih Muslim 2186), and Aishah recited Ruqyah over him during his illness (Sahih al-Bukhari 5016; Sahih Muslim 2192). Daily, consistent sessions with a raqi who uses only the Quran and Sunnah are the most effective path. Our evil eye Ruqyah treatment includes live online sessions every day from Sunday to Thursday.

Dua for Evil Eye (Nazar): Authentic Supplications

These are authentic supplications from the Quran and Sunnah for the evil eye (nazar). Say them with presence of heart and certainty that healing is only from Allah. Saying them over yourself is dhikr and protection; when the evil eye is strong or long-lasting, treatment is Ruqyah recited over you by a qualified raqi, consistently, until your condition clearly improves.

1. The Ruqyah of Jibreel: Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin hasidin, Allahu yashfika, bismillahi arqika (In the name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you, from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah I perform Ruqyah for you) (Sahih Muslim 2186).
2. The Prophet’s ﷺ dua for healing: Adhhibil-ba’s, Rabban-nas, washfi antash-shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uka, shifa’an la yughadiru saqama (Remove the harm, O Lord of mankind, and heal, You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness) (Sahih al-Bukhari 5743; Sahih Muslim 2191).
3. Dua for nazar on children: U’idhuka bi kalimatillahit-tammah, min kulli shaytanin wa hammah, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah (I seek refuge for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, every poisonous creature and every harmful eye). The Prophet ﷺ said this for Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371).
4. For pain in the body: place your hand where it hurts, say Bismillah three times, then seven times: A’udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhir (I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear) (Sahih Muslim 2202).
5. Evening protection: A’udhu bi kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created) (Sahih Muslim 2708).
6. Al-Falaq and An-Nas: the Prophet ﷺ relied on these two surahs for protection from the evil eye and left everything else (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2058). Recite them three times in the morning and evening (Sunan Abi Dawud 5082).
7. When you admire something: say Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah (Quran 18:39) or Allahumma barik ‘alayh (O Allah, bless it). The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you see something you like, pray for blessing for it” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3509).

There is no dua that removes the evil eye “in one minute”, and no reaction during recitation proves or disproves it. Judge by the overall pattern of your life: when sleep settles, energy returns and the repeated setbacks stop, you have reached a good stage. Then move from treatment to steady daily protection.

How to Protect Yourself From the Evil Eye

• Morning and evening adhkar every day, including Ayat al-Kursi and Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times each.
• Say “Masha Allah, la quwwata illa billah” when you admire something, as taught in Surah Al-Kahf (18:39), and pray for blessing for others.
• Protect your children with the Prophetic dua. The Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge for Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn with: “U’idhukuma bi kalimatillahit-tammah, min kulli shaytanin wa hammah, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah” (I seek refuge for you both in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, every poisonous creature and every harmful eye) (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371).
• Do not display every blessing. Prophet Yaqub advised his sons to enter the city through different gates (12:67). Be wise about what you share, especially on social media.
• Recite Surah Al-Baqarah in your home (Sahih Muslim 780).
• Avoid amulets and taweez. The Prophet ﷺ warned against hanging amulets, and protection is sought from Allah alone.

What to Avoid

People looking for a quick cure are sometimes led to practices that cause more harm than the evil eye itself. Avoid anyone who:

• Asks for your mother’s name or your date of birth to “find out” who did it
• Gives taweez with numbers, squares or unknown writing
• Claims to see the person who gave you the evil eye, or to get information from jinn
• Uses eggs, lead, salt rituals or charms such as the “nazar” bead
• Guarantees a cure within a fixed number of days

Ruqyah Shariah is simple: the Quran, authentic duas and reliance on Allah. Learn more in What is Ruqyah Shariah?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the dua for the evil eye?

The best known is the Ruqyah of Jibreel: “Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay’in yu’dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin hasidin, Allahu yashfika, bismillahi arqika” (Sahih Muslim 2186), together with Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas. For children, use “U’idhuka bi kalimatillahit-tammah, min kulli shaytanin wa hammah, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371).

What are the signs of the evil eye in Islam?

Common signs include sudden tiredness, sleep problems, loss of motivation, headaches or yawning during Quran recitation, and repeated setbacks after a blessing was praised. No single sign proves the evil eye, so see a doctor as well.

How do I know if it is the evil eye or just stress?

You cannot be certain from symptoms or from one session. Look at the pattern: did the problems start suddenly after a blessing was praised, and do the same setbacks keep repeating without a clear reason? Stress and medical conditions can look similar, so see a doctor, and book an assessment session rather than diagnosing yourself.

Which surah is best for the evil eye?

Surah Al-Fatiha, Ayat al-Kursi, and Surahs Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas. The Prophet ﷺ relied on Al-Falaq and An-Nas for protection from the evil eye (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2058).

Can I give the evil eye to my own family or myself?

Yes, the evil eye can happen even without bad intention, including from people who love you. This is why the Prophet ﷺ taught us to pray for blessing when we admire something.

Can the evil eye affect children?

Yes. Children are often admired, so protect them daily with the Prophetic dua for Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn and with Ruqyah when needed.

How long does it take to cure the evil eye?

There is no fixed timeline. Some cases improve quickly, others need weeks or months. Healing is from Allah, so do not stop after one good day: continue until your life clearly stabilises, then move to steady protection with the daily adhkar.

Is online Ruqyah effective for the evil eye?

Yes, by the will of Allah. Ruqyah is the recitation of the Quran and duas, and its effect is not limited by distance. Our patients abroad receive live daily sessions with the raqi, Sunday to Thursday, along with a daily program to follow at home.

Get Help With the Evil Eye

If you have followed the steps above and the problem continues, you do not have to face it alone. At Ruqyah and Ajwah Center, treatment starts with a private assessment session (45 to 60 minutes, $15 USD). Patients who need regular treatment can join our monthly program with live Ruqyah sessions every day from Sunday to Thursday for $95 USD per month. See how our treatment process works and why patients choose our center.

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Ruqyah is a religious and spiritual practice. It does not replace medical diagnosis, prescribed medication, psychological therapy or emergency care.