2572 — “If any of you sees something in his brother, himself, or his property that pleases him, let him invoke blessing for it, for the evil eye is real.”

Al-Hakim (4/215) and Ahmad (3/447) narrated it through Wakiʿ ibn al-Jarrah ibn Malih, who said: My father narrated to us from Abdullah ibn Isa, from Umayyah ibn Hind ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf, from Abdullah ibn Amir, who said: Amir ibn Rabiʿah and Sahl ibn Hunayf went out intending to bathe. They went in search of a sheltered place. Sahl—this is how it appears in al-Mustadrak, and it is correct; al-Musnad instead has “Amir”—removed a woolen cloak that he had been wearing. I looked at him and afflicted him with the evil eye. Sahl then entered the water to bathe. I heard a rattling sound coming from him in the water, so I came to him and called out to him three times, but he did not answer me. I then went to the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and informed him. He came walking and waded into the water; it is as though I can still see the whiteness of his shins. He struck Sahl’s chest with his hand and then said: “O Allah, remove from him its heat, its cold, and its suffering.” He then stood up. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, then repeated the above words.

Al-Hakim said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. But this is open to criticism, for al-Dhahabi included Umayyah ibn Hind in al-Mizan and said: “Ibn Maʿin said: ‘I do not know him.’ I say: Saʿid ibn Abi Hilal and others narrated from him.” He did not mention anyone who declared him trustworthy, though Ibn Hibban did declare him trustworthy (4/41 and 6/70). He is therefore unknown in status. For this reason, al-Hafiz said in al-Taqrib: “He is acceptable”—meaning that his reports are weak unless corroborated. I have not found any corroborating narration for him in this hadith.