Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

What is the evil eye? I've seen this terminology been used so many time on this webpage. Can you please explain in detail?.
Praise be to Allaah.
These follow some information and fatwas that have to do with the evil eye. We ask Allaah to benefit readers thereby.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
What is the definition of the evil eye? Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And from the evil of the envier when he envies”
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Is the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saheeh in which it says that “One third of those who are in the grave are there because of the evil eye”? If a person thinks that someone is envying him, what should the Muslim do and say? If the person who put the evil eye on someone washes himself, will the water he used bring healing to his victim? And should he drink the water or wash himself with it?
They replied:
The Arabic word al-‘ayn (translated as the evil eye) refers to when a person harms another with his eye. It starts when the person likes a thing, then his evil feelings affect it, by means of his repeated looking at the object of his jealousy. Allaah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to seek refuge with Him from the envier, as He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“And from the evil of the envier when he envies”
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Everyone who puts the evil eye on another is envious, but not every envier puts the evil eye on another. The word haasid (envier) is more general in meaning than the word ‘aa’in (one who puts the evil eye on another), so seeking refuge with Allaah from the one who envies includes seeking refuge with Him from the one who puts the evil eye on another. The evil eye is like an arrow which comes from the soul of the one who envies and the one who puts the evil eye on another towards the one who is envied and on whom the evil eye is put; sometimes it hits him and sometimes it misses. If the target is exposed and unprotected, it will affect him, but if the target is cautious and armed, the arrow will have no effect and may even come back on the one who launched it.
Adapted from Zaad al-Ma’aad.
There are ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which speak of the effects of the evil eye. For example it is narrated in al-Saheehayn that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell me to recite ruqyah for protection against the evil eye.
Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath.” This was classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi, and also by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1251.
Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi (2059, where he classed it as saheeh) narrated that Asma’ bint ‘Umays said: “O Messenger of Allaah, the children of Ja’far have been afflicted by the evil eye, shall we recite ruqyah for them?” He said, “Yes, for if anything were to overtake the divine decree it would be the evil eye.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Abu Dawood narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The person who had put the evil eye on another would be ordered to do wudoo’, then the person who had been afflicted would wash himself (with that water). This was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Imam Ahmad (15550), Maalik (1811), al-Nasaa’i and Ibn Hibbaan narrated from Sahl ibn Haneef that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out and traveled with him towards Makkah, until they were in the mountain pass of al-Kharaar in al-Jahfah. There Sahl ibn Haneef did ghusl, and he was a handsome white-skinned man with beautiful skin. ‘Aamir ibn Rabee’ah, one of Banu ‘Adiyy ibn Ka’b looked at him whilst he was doing ghusl and said: “I have never seen such beautiful skin as this, not even the skin of a virgin,” and Sahl fell to the ground. They went to Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, can you do anything for Sahl, because by Allaah he cannot raise his head.” He said, “Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?” They said, “ ‘Aamir ibn Rabee’ah looked at him.” So the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called ‘Aamir and rebuked him strongly. He said, “Why would one of you kill his brother? If you see something that you like, then pray for blessing for him.” Then he said to him, “Wash yourself for him.” So he washed his face, hands, forearms, knees and the sides of his feet, and inside his izaar (lower garment) in the vessel. Then that water was poured over him, and a man poured it over his head and back from behind. He did that to him, then Sahl got up and joined the people and there was nothing wrong with him.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Mishkaat, 4562.
The majority of scholars are of the view that people can indeed be afflicted by the evil eye, because of the ahaadeeth quoted above and others, and because of the corroborating reports and other evidence.
With regard to the hadeeth that you mention, “One third of those who are in the grave are there because of the evil eye,” we do not know how sound it is, but the author of Nayl al-Awtaar said that al-Bazzaar narrated with a hasan isnaad from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Most of those who die among my ummah die because of the will and decree of Allaah, and then because of the evil eye.”
The Muslim has to protect himself against the devils among the evil jinn and mankind, by having strong faith in Allaah and by putting his trust in Him and seeking refuge with Him and beseeching Him, reciting the prayers for protection narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), reciting al-Mi’wadhatayn [the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan], Soorat al-Ikhlaas, Soorat al-Faatihah, and Aayat al-Kursi.
Du’aa’s for protection include the following:
A’oodhu bi kalimaat-illaah il-taammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil of that which He has created).
A’oodhu bi kalimaat-illaah il-taammati min ghadabihi wa ‘iqaabihi, wa min sharri ‘ibaadihi wa min hamazaat al-shayaateeni wa an yahduroon (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from His wrath and punishment, from the evil of His slaves and from the evil promptings of the devils and from their presence).
And one may recite the words of Allaah:
“Hasbi Allaahu laa ilaaha illa huwa, ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabb ul-‘arsh il-‘azeem
(Allaah is sufficient for me. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne)”[al-Tawbah 9:129 – interpretation of the meaning]
And there are other similar du’aa’s that are prescribed in sharee’ah. This is what was meant by Ibn al-Qayyim in the words quoted at the beginning of this answer.
If it is known or suspected that a person has been afflicted by the evil eye, then the one who put the evil eye on him should be ordered to wash himself for his brother. So a vessel of water should be brought, and he should put his hand in it, rinse out his mouth into the vessel. Then he should wash his face in the vessel, then put his left hand into the vessel and wash his right knee, then put his right hand in the vessel and wash his left knee. Then he should wash inside his garment. Then the water should be poured over the head of the one on whom he put the evil eye, pouring it from behind in one go. Then he will be healed, by Allaah’s leave.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta, 1/186
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen was asked:
Can the evil eye afflict a person? How is it treated? Does being on one's guard against it contradict putting one's trust in Allaah?
He replied:
Our opinion concerning the evil eye is that it is real and is proven both by Islamic teachings and by real life experiences. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred)”
[al-Qalam 68:51]
Ibn ‘Abbaas and others said, commenting on this verse: this means, they put the evil eye on you with their glances. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath.” Narrated by Muslim. Al-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah narrated that ‘Aamir ibn Rabee’ah passed by Sahl ibn Haneef when he was bathing… and he quoted the hadeeth.
Reality confirms that and it cannot be denied.
In the event that you are afflicted by the evil eye, you should use the treatments recommended in sharee’ah, which are:
1 – Reciting ruqyah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “There is no ruqyah except in the case of the evil eye or fever.” al-Tirmidhi, 2057; Abu Dawood, 3884. Jibreel used to do ruqyah for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say, “Bismillaahi arqeeka min kulli shay’in yu’dheeka, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin haasid Allaahu yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you).”
2 – Asking the person who has put the evil eye on another to wash, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded ‘Aamir ibn Rabee’ah to do in the hadeeth quoted above. Then the water should be poured over the one who has been afflicted.
With regard to taking his waste, such as his urine and stools, there is no basis for doing so; the same applies to taking any of his belongings. Rather what is narrated is that which is mentioned above, washing his limbs and washing inside his garment, or likewise washing inside his headgear and garments. And Allaah knows best.
There is nothing wrong with taking precautions against the evil eye before it happens, and this does not contradict the idea of tawakkul (putting one's trust in Allaah). In fact this is tawakkul, because tawakkul means putting one’s trust in Allaah whilst also implementing the means that have been permitted or enjoined. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn and say: U’eedhukuma bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammati min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli ‘aynin laammah (I seek refuge for you both in the perfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).’” Al-Tirmidhi, 2060; Abu Dawood, 4737. And he would say, “Thus Ibraaheem used to seek refuge with Allaah for Ishaaq and Ismaa’eel, peace be upon them both.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/117, 118
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A

green tea-health benefits

I hope this is of benefit bi'idhnillah ta'ala. Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor. Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:1. Green Tea and CancerGreen tea helps reduce the risk of cancer.The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E.This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer. 2. Green Tea and Heart DiseaseGreen tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol.Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells. 3. Green Tea and Anti-AgingGreen tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals.What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity. 4. Green Tea and Weight LossGreen tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally.It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day.That translates to 7 pounds in one year. 5. Green Tea and SkinAntioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging.Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer. 6. Green Tea and ArthritisGreen tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage. 7. Green Tea and BonesThe very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea.It helps keep your bones strong.If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density. 8. Green Tea and CholesterolGreen tea can help lower cholesterol level.It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level. 9. Green Tea and ObesityGreen tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells.If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese. 10. Green Tea and DiabetesGreen tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate. 11. Green Tea and Alzheimer'sGreen tea helps boost your memory.And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's. 12. Green Tea and Parkinson'sAntioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's. 13. Green Tea and Liver DiseaseGreen tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers. 14. Green Tea and High Blood PressureGreen tea helps prevent high blood pressure.Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure. 15. Green Tea and Food PoisoningCatechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria. 16. Green Tea and Blood SugarBlood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level. 17. Green Tea and ImmunityPolyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections. 18. Green Tea and Cold and FluGreen tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu.Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold. 19. Green Tea and AsthmaTheophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma. 20. Green Tea and Ear InfectionGreen tea helps with ear infection problem.For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear. 21. Green Tea and HerpesGreen tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes.First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment. 22. Green Tea and Tooth DecayGreen tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases.It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath. 23. Green Tea and StressL-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety. 24. Green Tea and AllergiesEGCG found in green tea relieves allergies.So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea. 25. Green Tea and HIVScientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells.What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Today's Hadith please do read this hadith and apply on yourself

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) told us that there was a group from the Bani Israel who went to visit a graveyard. There they said, “How about if we pray two rakahs and ask Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to resurrect someone, so we can ask him about death.” So they prayed two rakahs and asked Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to resurrect one of the dead. A dark man was resurrected, who had the sign of sujood (prostrations) on his forehead. He said, “What do you want from me? I died one hundred years ago and the pain of death only just stopped at this moment. Pray to Allah and ask him to return me to as I was.” [Abu Daud]There are three lessons to learn from this hadith:1. The pain of death is severe and it lasts for a long time. We should pray to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to make it easy for us.2. The value of shahada. One of the many honors that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) will give a shaheed is that his/her pain of death would feel no more then the sting of a mosquito. We should pray to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) for shahada. The Sahaba always had the desire to die as shaheed.3. The importance of thinking about death. These men of Bani Israel went to the graveyard to contemplate death. We are living in a dream and we only wake up when we die. Hasan al-Basri said “I have never seen something so certain but people treat as doubtful, as death.” There is no doubt that every one of us will die. We should think about our death and prepare for it, so that we may have a good end.