All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
First: The evil eye is real and may have an effect by Allah’s permission
It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The evil eye is real. If anything could precede divine decree, it would be the evil eye.” Narrated by Muslim (2188).
This hadith confirms that the evil eye is real and not merely an illusion. It may harm a person, their family, or their property, but everything happens only by Allah’s permission and decree.
It is also reported in the hadith of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The evil eye may cause a man to enter the grave and a camel to enter the cooking pot.” Al-Albani graded this hadith Hasan (sound) in As-Silsilah al-Sahihah (1249).
The meaning is that the evil eye may, by Allah’s permission, be a cause of severe harm to a person, potentially leading to death. It may also severely affect an animal, to the extent that it is slaughtered and cooked. This does not mean that death is inevitable whenever someone is afflicted by the evil eye.
Allah, the Exalted, also says:
“And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes...” [Al-Qalam: 51].
Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that this verse indicates the reality of the evil eye and its effect by Allah’s permission.
Second: Are the hadiths about the evil eye abrogated?
No. The hadiths about the evil eye have not been abrogated. Abrogation applies to Islamic rulings involving commands and prohibitions. As for reports in which the Prophet ﷺ informs us about realities, they are not subject to abrogation.
Ibn Abd al-Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“Abrogation applies only to commands and prohibitions in the Quran and Sunnah. As for reports from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, or from His Messenger ﷺ, abrogation does not apply to them.”
Many hadiths establish the reality of the evil eye. The Prophet ﷺ also guided people to seek treatment through Islamic ruqyah, seeking refuge in Allah, and regularly observing the prescribed supplications.
Conclusion: The evil eye is real and may affect a person by Allah’s permission. The hadiths concerning it have not been abrogated because they report an established reality rather than Islamic rulings that can be abrogated. However, it should not be claimed that the evil eye necessarily causes death; any harm or outcome occurs only by Allah’s will and decree.
And Allah knows best.