All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
The evil eye is real. It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"The evil eye is real." Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Therefore, the possibility of being affected by the evil eye cannot be ruled out. However, this does not necessarily mean that the house itself has been affected; the evil eye may affect some members of the family without affecting the home.
First: Treatment and protection against the evil eye
One should regularly observe Islamic supplications, recite the Quran, and perform the ruqyah reported in the Sunnah. Among the supplications narrated from the Prophet ﷺ are:
- "In the name of Allah, may He cure you, and from every illness may He heal you, and from the evil of an envier when he envies, and from the evil of every person who casts the evil eye."
- "In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you, against everything that harms you, against the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you."
If the person responsible for casting the evil eye is identified, it is prescribed to ask that person to perform ghusl or ablution for the affected individual, as established in authentic Sunnah.
Second: Is Moving to Another House Necessary?
Moving out of a house is neither obligatory nor a required treatment for someone who suspects that they have been affected by the evil eye.
However, if a person experiences repeated hardships, lives in a place where they feel uncomfortable, experiences loneliness or persistent troubling thoughts, moving to another home may be better if it is possible without causing harm.
The permissibility of this is supported by the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), in which a man complained to the Prophet ﷺ about moving from one house to another and the changes that followed in their circumstances. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Leave it while it is blameworthy." Narrated by Abu Dawud and graded Hasan by Al-Albani.
Ibn Al-Qayyim explained that one of the wisdoms behind this guidance is leaving a place that has become burdensome to one's feelings and seeking relief from the sadness and loneliness experienced there.
Conclusion: The evil eye is real, but it is not permissible to conclude that a house has been affected merely because a family experiences frequent misfortunes. One should maintain Islamic ruqyah and supplications, take the appropriate practical measures, and may move to another home if doing so brings comfort and benefit, without believing that moving alone guarantees the removal of hardship.
And Allah knows best.