al-Ayn Haqq - Muhammad ibn Abd al-Mu'ti - (99)

al-Ayn HaqqMuhammad ibn Abd al-Mu'ti

The first is prescribed remembrances and protective recitations that act as a fortress against the evil eye.

One such measure is to say: Mā shā Allah, lā quwwata illā billāh (Whatever Allah wills; there is no power except through Allah). If someone sees something belonging to himself or another person, admires it, and fears that it may be struck by the evil eye, he should say this, in accordance with Allah’s words:

“Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say, ‘Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah,’ even though you see me as having less wealth and fewer children than you?” al-Kahf (39)

The hadith master Ibn Kathīr (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “This is an exhortation and encouragement to do so. That is: when you entered it, admired it, and looked upon it, why did you not praise Allah for the blessings He had bestowed upon you and for granting you wealth and children that He had not given to others, and say, ‘Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah’? Accordingly, some of the early Muslims said: ‘Whoever admires something about himself, his wealth, or his children should say, “Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah.”’ This is derived from this noble verse.

“A hadith traced back to the Prophet has also been narrated concerning this. The hadith master Abu Yalā al-Mawsilī recorded it in his Musnad: Jarrāh ibn Mukhallad narrated to us: Umar ibn Yūnus narrated to us: Īsā ibn Awn narrated to us: Abd al-Malik ibn Zurāra narrated to us, from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘No servant upon whom Allah bestows the blessing of family, wealth, or children, and who then says, “Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah,” will see it afflicted by any calamity other than death.’ He would cite this verse as its basis: ‘Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say, “Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah”?’ The hadith master Abu al-Fath al-Azdī said: ‘The narration of Īsā ibn Awn, from Abd al-Malik ibn Zurāra, from Anas, is not sound.’” End quote. (1)

Shaykh al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It is recommended that one whose gaze may cause the evil eye pray for the person observed to be blessed, saying: ‘O Allah, bless him and cause him no harm,’ and that he say: ‘Whatever Allah wills! There is no power except through Allah.’” End quote. (2)

(1) *Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr*, commentary on the verse in Sūrat al-Kahf. The hadith cited there was narrated by al-Bazzār, Ibn al-Sunnī, and Abū Ya‘lā al-Mawsilī, but it is not sound. Al-Tabarānī narrates a similar report from Anas in *al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat* and *al-Mu‘jam al-Saghīr*, with the wording: “No servant upon whom Allah bestows the blessing of family or children, and who then says, ‘Whatever Allah wills; there is no power except through Allah,’ will see that blessing afflicted by any calamity other than death.” It is weak, as al-Azdī stated. Al-Jarrāh and Ibn Yūnus are trustworthy, but I could find no biographical entry for Īsā. His teacher, Abd al-Malik ibn Zurāra, was profiled by Ibn Abī Hātim, who mentioned neither criticism of him nor any affirmation of his reliability. (2) *Rawdat al-Tālibīn*, vol. 7, p. 200.

الأول: الأذكار والرقى التى تعمل كالحصن ضد العين. * فمن ذلك أن يقول: ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله: فمن رأى شيئا له أو لأحد من الناس فأعجبه فخاف عليه العين قال ذلك لقول الله تعالى: ﴿وَلَوْلا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللَّهِ إِنْ تُرَنِ أَنَا أَقَلَّ مِنْكَ مَالا وَوَلَدًا﴾ الكهف (٣٩) قال الحافظ ابن كثير ﵀: هذا تحضيض وحث على ذلك أى هلا إذ أعجبتك حين دخلتها ونظرت إليها, حمدت الله ما أنعم به عليك وأعطاك من المال والولد ما لم يعطه غيرك, وقلت ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله, ولهذا قال بعض السلف: من أعجبه شيء من حاله أو ماله أو ولده, فليقل: ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله, وهذا مأخوذ من هذه الاَية الكريمة. وقد روي فيه حديث مرفوع, أخرجه الحافظ أبو يعلى الموصلي في مسنده: حدثنا جراح بن مخلد, حدثنا عمر بن يونس, حدثنا عيسى بن عون, حدثنا عبد الملك بن زرارة عن أنس ﵁ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: ما أنعم الله على عبد نعمة من أهل أو مال أو ولد, فيقول ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله, فيرى فيه آفة دون الموت. وكان يتأول هذه الاَية ﴿ولولا إذ دخلت جنتك قلت ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله﴾ قال الحافظ أبو الفتح الأزدى: عيسى بن عون عن عبد الملك بن زرارة عن أنس لا يصح حديثه. اهـ (١) وقال الشيخ النووى ﵀: ويستحب للعائن أن يدعو للمعين بالبركة فيقول: اللهم بارك فيه ولا تضره، وأن يقول: ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله. اهـ (٢)

(١) تفسير ابن كثير عند تفسير الآية من سورة الكهف والحديث الذى ذكره أخرجه البرزار وابن السنى وأبى يعلى الموصلى لا يصح ونحوه عند الطبرانى فى الأوسط والصغير عن أنس ولفظه: ما أنعم الله على عبد من نعمة من أهل وولد فيقول ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله فيرى فيه آفة دون الموت. وهو ضعيف كما قال الأزدى: فالجراح وابن يونس ثقتان لكن عيسى لم أجد له ترجمة وشيخه عبد الملك بن زرارة ترجم له ابن أبى حاتم ولم يذكر فيه جرحا ولا تعديلا. (٢) روضة الطالبين (٧/ ٢٠٠)