Warding Off The Evil Eye: They Hang
Ayat al Kursi Over A Baby's Bed Or Recite It...
11 March 2012
By Karin Friedemann
People often think it's silly to worry about
protecting yourself from other people's bad thoughts.
Personally, I never would have believed it myself
about the Evil Eye, or that other people's thoughts
could potentially harm me, except that I watched my
newborn baby die in my arms while I nursed him, for no
scientific reason – no cause of death was ever
determined by autopsy – but something spiritually
intense was definitely going on in the room. My cat's
hair was standing on end, her eyes had turned red, and
she was hissing and glaring intensely at the child
that I had just brought home from the Birth Center. I
had never seen my cat this way, she looked like a
demon. I was terrified. This was not the cat I knew.
Unfortunately my husband had left me alone in this
whirlwind of negative energy. Then my baby just
stopped breathing and suddenly died.
Later on I learned that there is an ancient belief,
shared by many Muslims, that the djinn can enter a cat
and suck the life out of a baby. For this reason many
people try to keep cats away from newborn babies. They
hang Ayat al Kursi over a baby's bed or recite it to
keep away the Evil Eye. At the time I had no idea this
level of vigilance was required to protect my child's
life! I was totally prepared in all other ways for the
basic needs of a newborn. If I look back now, I
realize that more than one person held my baby during
his short life of 19 hours, who are causing deliberate
pain in my life to this day. There were other people
who never wanted my marriage to happen. I have no idea
how many people prayed against me or wished harm to
fall upon me and my firstborn son. The lesson I have
learned is to be more aggressive about protecting
myself against harm.
Yet during times of stress our defenses can become
compromised, even when we know what to do. This week
after completely floored by some totally undeserved
accusations and hateful words, I was like a train
derailed. I got so sick that I was sweating and
shivering, while the person who had originally upset
me continued to behave in a ruthlessly unkind manner,
almost seeming to delight in causing me distress. When
people get you down, they actually manipulate you into
hurting yourself sometimes. Not eating, not sleeping,
becoming enraged in reaction to their lack of respect.
So now I'm back to square one in terms of building up
the fortress which is my personal space.
Perhaps the most important thing, after praying for
healing for ourselves and our loved ones, is to
spiritually protect our homes. The djinn congregate in
dirty places, the Prophet (pbuh) told us, so vacuuming
up those cobwebs on the ceiling and taking care of
things long left undone can help dispel the repressed,
negative energy that is symbolized by our
procrastination.
It is important to keep track of what comes into your
house and what goes out of your house. If you feel a
negative association with a gift given to you by
someone who seems like they might not wish you well,
get rid of it. Burn it, throw it down the toilet or
into a river, or at least wash it, with a prayer. And
take a bath. I've been told, if someone who you
suspect dislikes you gives you food, especially
sweets, don't eat it. If a gift disturbs you
emotionally because every time you look at it you have
to relive some old memory, at least put it away so you
don't have to look at it anymore. If you must send
your children to visit people who do not wish you
well, make sure you pray over them before they leave
and also purify your doorstep in some way so that all
who enter into your dwelling will shed whatever bad
thoughts might be with them.
How do you purify a doorway? A home? I am sure lots of
people would tell me it's wrong, but this is what I
have learned from experience can help get rid of
children's nightmares and other negativity. Some
people recite prayers over water and sprinkle the
water in every corner and doorway of the home. Some
people recite prayers and wave smoke at every corner
and doorway of the home. I personally find that the
beauty of fresh flowers in a vase helps counteract the
ugliness of Satan. The basic idea is to ask God to
keep evil out of your home and to keep you and your
family safe. Even when you are not at home, you can
visualize some kind of force field of light
surrounding your home. If you don't have energy for
all of that (like me right now, because I'm sick),
just say a prayer and ask God to protect you "from the
evil of the envier when he envies." The hadith
recommend reciting Ayat al-Kursi and the four Qul's.
Reading the Psalms of David works for a lot of people.
Most importantly, do something. Intention is
everything. You don't have to be an enlightened or
perfect being to pray for protection. It does not
require religious observance or sinlessness. But it
could lead to that.
Karin Friedemann is a Boston-based freelance
writer. karinfriedemann.blogspot.com
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