At times, without realizing it, we may engage in actions that invite impure Jinn or the Nazr (evil eye). These influences can negatively affect our behaviour, our marriages, our families, and our relationships. Below are some common practices that unknowingly attract harm:
- Impurity and dirt
Jinn and Shayateen are drawn to filth and impurity. Ensure that you and your household remain in a state of purity at all times. If ghusl becomes necessary, do not delay—perform it immediately. Teach this habit to your children as well.
Take care that najasah (urine, stool, blood, etc.) is not spread around the home. Wash off impurities before leaving the bathroom, and rinse soiled clothing before mixing it with other laundry. Islam emphasizes general cleanliness, so keep your home tidy. Do not leave waste or dirt lying around for long periods, as this too can attract Shayateen.
- Bad Bathroom Etiquette
Children are taught in Maktab that the bathroom is not a place to play. Yet as adults, we sometimes spend long periods there scrolling through social media, chatting, or reading the news. This behavior invites impure Jinn.
The bathroom is a place of filth and a habitat for impure Jinn and Shayateen. Recite the Dua for protection before entering and spend only the necessary time therein. Furthermore, ensure that one’s head is always covered before entering and always wear shoes/sandals.
- Going Outside at Nights
The Hadith instructs us to keep our children close once night falls.
إِذَا اسْتَجْنَحَ اللَّيْلُ، أَوْ قَالَ: جُنْحُ اللَّيْلِ، فَكُفُّوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ تَنْتَشِرُ حِينَئِذٍ، فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ سَاعَةٌ مِنَ العِشَاءِ فَخَلُّوهُمْ، وَأَغْلِقْ بَابَكَ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ، وَأَطْفِئْ مِصْبَاحَكَ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ، وَأَوْكِ سِقَاءَكَ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ، وَخَمِّرْ إِنَاءَكَ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ تَعْرُضُ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا
When night approaches, gather your children (do not allow them to go out) for verily the Shayateen spread about at this time. After Esha time has entered, and a considerable time has passed, then you may leave them. Lock the doors (of the home at night) while taking the name of Allah Ta’ala, extinguish the lamps while taking the name of Allah Ta’ala, seal your bottles while taking the name of Allah Ta’ala, cover your utensils while taking the name of Allah Ta’ala, even if you cover it by placing something (like a stick) over it. [Bukhari:3280]
- Tasweer – Animate Pictures
Keeping animate images in the home attracts impure Jinn. Even something as small as a newspaper used for cleaning can be problematic. One pious servant of Allah replaced newspapers with plain paper for this reason, while another stored newspapers outside the home.
Be mindful of children’s toys, dolls, packaging, and household items with pictures. Where alternatives exist, adopt them. If not, ensure such items are properly covered or stored away.
- Music
Music has infiltrated our lives in subtle ways. Perhaps we don’t listen to it objectively. But a little introspection will unravel the extent to which it has infiltrated our lives. Movies, series, news, radio, YouTube. It’s almost impossible to use a cell phone without coming into contact with some form of music. Make sure our homes are music free.
- Sin
As a great personality mentions, “Anything which is against Shariah and Sunnah will attract (impure Jinn and Shayateen).”
- Broadcasting Our Lives on Social Media
Sharing the aesthetic parts of our lives online—especially pictures of ourselves, our spouses, and children—is a definite recipe for disaster. Sorcerers have been known to use images from Facebook, WhatsApp statuses, and profile pictures to create voodoo dolls or perform sihr.
Remember, not every person is a well-wisher. Broadcasting our lives exposes us to people committing Sihr via these pictures, and is a definite means of attracting Nazr. If we must bring it into the public eye, let it be to a small circle of friends and family who have our best interests at heart.
- Dressed To Kill
When going out, dress neatly but simply. Public admiration adds no real value to our lives. Those oohs and aahs are, more often than not, in fact Nazr falling upon our children. Women should, of course, dress in accordance with Shariah.
- Doting Parents
The evil eye is not always intentional. Sometimes, out of love and admiration, parents themselves may cast Nazr upon their children. Make it a habit to say Mashallah whenever something about your little ones amazes you. Hazrat Hafiz Qasim (Hafizhullah) mentions, “Sometimes the parent’s Nazr is the most dangerous.”
- Flaunting Wealth and Possessions
As mentioned earlier, Nazr is not always malicious. Sometimes a person’s circumstance causes them to covet something we have. Often, we take that item or bounty for granted. In this gaze of desire and longing, the person inadvertently casts an evil-eye on us, our family or possessions. So, lets make a habit of silently enjoying the bounties Allah Ta’ala has blessed us with. An eloquent scholar hits the nail on the head;
‘Tone down the volume of your luxuries – Around you is an ummah in distress’
Inshallah in the next article we will discuss some ways to ‘evil-proof’ our families and relationships.