What is the difference between the evil eye and envy, and which books deal with this subject?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Oct 24, 2026
Envy is the desire for a blessing to disappear, while the evil eye is the affliction by the eye, and the 'ain (person who afflicts with the evil eye) is one who afflicts others with the evil eye. The envious person and the 'ain both share the inclination of the soul towards harming whomever they wish. However, the 'ain needs to see the person or thing afflicted, whereas envy can occur whether the person is present or absent. The 'ain might afflict something he does not envy, such as an animal or a plant, but he invariably envies its owner.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/41101
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 41101
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy