1252 — “If anything were to precede divine decree, the evil eye would precede it.”

Al-Tirmidhi (2/6, Bulaq edition), Ibn Majah (2/356), Ahmad (6/438), and Ibn ʿAdi (228/1) recorded it from Sufyan, from ʿAmr ibn Dinar, from ʿUrwah—who was Abu Hatim ibn ʿAmir—from ʿUbayd ibn Rifaʿah al-Zuraqi, from Asma bint ʿUmays, who said: “O Messenger of Allah, the evil eye swiftly affects Jaʿfar’s children. Should I seek ruqyah for them?” He replied: “Yes, for if…” and mentioned the rest of the hadith.

Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good, authentic hadith.”

I say: Its narrators are well-known and trustworthy, and all are among the narrators of the two Shaykhs, apart from ʿUbayd ibn Rifaʿah, who is trustworthy, and ʿUrwah ibn ʿAmir. Al-Taqrib states: “His Companionship is disputed. He has a hadith concerning ill omens (1), and Ibn Hibban included him among the trustworthy Successors.”

Al-Tirmidhi then recorded the hadith through Ayyub, from ʿAmr ibn Dinar, from ʿUrwah ibn ʿAmir, from ʿUbayd ibn Rifaʿah, from Asma bint ʿUmays, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I say: Ayyub thus explicitly stated that it is a hadith of Asma, contrary to what might be inferred from Sufyan’s first narration. The hadith also has an authentic supporting report from Ibn ʿAbbas, which has preceded it. Al-Tirmidhi narrated it with the wording: “If anything were to precede divine decree, the evil eye would precede it; and if you are asked to wash, then wash.” He said: “A good, authentic hadith.”

1253 — “Beware the gates of rulers, for going to them has become difficult and humiliating.”

Al-Daylami (1/2/345) narrated it through al-Tabarani; as did Ibn Mandah in al-Maʿrifah (2/62/2) and Ibn ʿAsakir (13/232/1), from ʿUbayd ibn Yaʿish, who said: Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from Ismaʿil, from Qays, from Abu al-Aʿwar al-Sulami, who attributed it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with this wording.