Are the hadiths related to having a person who has been influenced by an evil eye make wudu sound?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Ibn Abbas (ra) narrates: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

‘The influence of an evil eye is a fact. If anything would precede the destiny, it would be the influence of an evil eye. If you are asked to take a bath, you should take a bath.” (1)

It is included in Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud that Abu Hurayra (ra) reported the following from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) “The influence of an evil eye is a fact.” 

In the narrations except Bukhari, the following addition exists: “He prohibited tattooing.”  (2)

Aisha (ra) narrates:

“The man casting evil would be commanded to perform wudu, and then the man affected would be washed with it.” (Abu Dawud, Tibb 15, (3880).)

Muhammad ibn Abi Umama Ibn Sahl Ibn Hanif reports the following from his father:

“My father, (Sahl) made ghusl at a place near Juhfa called Kharrar. He took off the gown he had on. Meanwhile, Amir Ibn Rabia was looking at him. Sahl was a man with beautiful white skin. Amir said to him, ‘I have never seen anything like what I have seen today, not even the skin of a virgin in a tent.’ Sahl fell ill on the spot, and his condition grew worse. Somebody went to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to inform him. He said, “Sahl cannot raise his head.”  However, Sahl had been enlisted for the army. They said, “O Messenger of Allah! He cannot go with you. He cannot even raise his head.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Do you accuse of anybody about him?” They said, “Amir Ibn Rabia.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) summoned him and said, “Why does one of you kill his brother? Why did you not say, ‘May Allah bless you (Barakallah)?’ Make wudu for him.” Thereupon, Amir washed his face, hands, arms, knees and feet, and the inner part of his garment in a container. Then, somebody poured the water on Sahl from behind. And Sahl recovered.” (Muwatta, Ayn 1, (2, 938).)

EXPLANATION:

The four hadiths quoted above complement one another and express the same decree. We can summarize the main idea expressed in the hadiths above as follows:

1) The influence of an evil eye is a fact; it cannot be denied.
2) Some precautions should be taken against the influence of an evil eye.
3) It is necessary to say “Barakallah” when someone sees something he likes to prevent the influence of the eye.
4) If a person is influenced by an evil eye, it is necessary to make the person who has influenced make wudu, put the water from wudu in a container and pour it on the person who has been influenced. In that case, the statement “when you are asked to take a bath, you should take a bath” mentioned in the first hadith should be understood as follows: “If it is decided that your eye influenced somebody and if you are asked to make wudu, do not object; make wudu properly and give the water.”

The narrations of sound hadiths indicating that there is cure in the water of wudu of a person whose eyes influence others invites us to make a laboratory and clinical search about it. 

Man, who also breathes with his skin, sweats all the time. Some harmful substances (toxins and antigens) are removed from the body with this sweat. These substances collected with wudu water might have the effect of a vaccine on the person who has been influenced and cure him. (Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte)

Imam Nawawi gives the information above while explaining that hadith. According to him, what is meant by washing is not washing the organs really but pouring some water on the organs and collect that water in a container. After that, the bottle / glass / container is turned upside down and put on the ground behind the person. (see Nawawi, the interpretation of the verse in question)

- This practice can be a tradition transferred from the past.

- It may be a prophetic principle that we might not understand with our minds now.

- It may serve to remove negative electricity caused by the influence of an evil eye.

- This practice, which has not been accepted by medicine yet, might be an alternative medicine application based on experience, having a spiritual talisman. (see ibid)

Footnotes:

(1) see Muslim, Salam 42, (2188); Tirmidhi, Tibb 19, (2063). The statement “The influence of an evil eye is a fact” does not exist in Tirmidhi.
(2) see Bukhari, Tibb 36, Libas 86; Muslim, Salam 41, (2187); Abu Dawud, Tibb 15, (3879).

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