Tafseer of The Dawn · Al-Falaq · 113:5
And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Concerning His word: وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ — the exegetes differed concerning the envier from the evil of whose envy toward him the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to seek refuge. Some said: it is every envier; the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to seek refuge from the evil of his evil eye and his soul.
*Mention of those who said that:*
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ — he said: from the evil of his evil eye and his soul; and from ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī likewise. Maʿmar said: and I heard Ibn Ṭāwūs report on the authority of his father, who said: "The evil eye is real; were anything able to forestall the divine decree (al-qadar), the evil eye would forestall it. And when one of you is asked to wash [as a cure for the one afflicted], let him wash."
Others said: the Prophet ﷺ was commanded by this verse to seek refuge from the evil of the Jews who envied him.
*Mention of those who said that:*
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ — he said: the Jews; nothing held them back from believing except their envy toward him.
The stronger of the two opinions in this matter, in my judgment, is the opinion of the one who said: the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to seek refuge from the evil of every envier when he envies, reviles him, bewitches him, or wishes him ill.
We said that this is the stronger opinion because Allah ﷻ, in His word وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ , did not single out one particular envier above another; rather He made the command to seek refuge from the evil of every envier general, so that it remains applicable in its generality.
End of the exegesis of Sūrat al-Falaq.
