Lesson 3 of 6 · What the sunnah affirms, and what it does not
Now look at what the response actually is
This is worth slowing down for, because the response in the report is not the response most people picture.
In the narration from Ibn Abbas, in Muslim, what is prescribed is a washing. That narration names nobody. The detail about who does the washing comes from a separate sound report, in Ibn Majah 3509: Sahl bin Hunaif fell to the ground after a man admired his skin, and the man whose eye had fallen on him was told to perform ablution, and the water was then poured over Sahl. So the one who washes is the one whose eye fell. It is a small domestic act, done by somebody else, in an ordinary house.
There is no session in it. No performance, nothing done to the afflicted person, nobody held, nothing forced. The Qur'an's side of it is the same shape. Seek refuge, recite, and go on with your day.
That Ibn Majah report also contains the words that Sahl had had a fit. Nothing here is built on those words. It is a record of what happened once, in front of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and it is not a way of reading a seizure. Lesson six lists a first seizure at any age as a reason to go to a hospital, and that stands.
Keep that picture in mind, because a great deal of what circulates about affliction has no resemblance to it at all.
Qur’an and Sunnah
Slow down over what the response actually is. In this narration what is prescribed is a washing, and the narration names nobody.
Ibn 'Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny it would be the influence of an evil eye, and when you are asked to take bath (as a cure) from the influence of an evil eye, you should take bath
Sahih Muslim 2188graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The detail about who does the washing comes from here. The man whose eye had fallen on Sahl was told to perform ablution, and the water was poured over Sahl. A small domestic act, done by somebody else, in an ordinary house. Nothing is built on the words about a fit in this report, and a first seizure at any age goes to a hospital.
It was narrated that Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif said:“ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah passed by Sahl bin Hunaif when he was having a bath, and said: ‘I have never seen such beautiful skin.’ Straightaway, he (Sahl) fell to the ground. He was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was said: ‘Sahl has had a fit.’ He said: ‘Whom do you accuse with regard to him?’ They said: “ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah.’ They said: ‘Why would anyone of you kill his brother? If he sees something that he likes, then let him pray for blessing for him.’ Then he called for water, and he told ‘Amir to perform ablution, then he washed his face and his arms up to the elbows, his knees and inside his lower garment, then he told him to pour the water over him.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3509graded sound, albanithe Arabic and its grading