Sihr, Evil Eye, or Stress?

An Islamic Guide to Telling the Difference

Published: Dec 16, 2025

Read time: 22 min

Islam Acknowledges Both Spiritual and Psychological Causes

In many Muslim communities, emotional struggles are quickly labeled as evil eye, siḥr (black magic), or jinn possession. While these spiritual realities are affirmed and acknowledged in Islam, the problem arises when every sadness, every panic attack, and every trauma response is attributed to the unseen. This framing can lead individuals to delay seeking the help they urgently need.

Such misunderstandings have left many Muslims suffering in silence. The Islamic tradition, however, presents a balanced approach—one that honors the spiritual realm while also recognizing the physical, psychological, and social realities of the human being.

Qur’anic Perspective

Qur’an speaks candidly about human emotions. Sadness, fear, and anxiety appear throughout the stories of prophets and believers:

Fear:

فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ
“So Moses felt fear within himself.”

Grief:

    وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ
“And his eyes turned white from grief.”

These verses demonstrate that emotional pain is part of the human condition, not a sign of spiritual failure.

Prophetic Guidance

The Prophet ﷺ sought ruqyah, made use of medical treatment, consulted others, and relied on social support. He wept when he buried his son Ibrāhīm, experienced fear at Ḥirā’, and returned exhausted from Ṭā’if. The Prophetic model thus encompasses both spiritual and worldly means. Islam does not demand a choice between faith and therapy; rather, both are means that Allah has placed at our disposal.

What the Evil Eye Really Is and What It Is Not

Prophet ﷺ said, “The evil eye is real” (Bukhārī)

Thereby affirming the existence of al-ʿayn as a form of spiritual harm linked to envy or intense admiration. It can cause distress and should not be dismissed. However, it does not account for every symptom that people experience.

In many contexts, a broad range of complaints is quickly attributed to the evil eye. Fatigue, loss of motivation, social withdrawal, panic attacks, irritability, sleep disturbance, and loss of appetite are often interpreted as signs that “someone gave me ʿayn.” Yet these same features are also hallmark indicators of depression, anxiety disorders, burnout, trauma, and other mental health conditions, as well as possible physical causes such as vitamin deficiencies and hormonal imbalance.

To mislabel these psychological and physiological patterns as “evil eye” can be harmful. It may lead individuals to overlook medical or therapeutic assessment, delay appropriate treatment, and deepen their suffering, even when Islam permits—and in many cases encourages—seeking effective means of healing.

What Islam Says About Black Magic (Siḥr)

Islam affirms the existence of siḥr, but it is not the explanation for every hardship or emotional state. Classical juristic discussions mention rare situations in which siḥr may be considered, such as:

• When behavior changes suddenly without an identifiable psychological pattern

• When symptoms markedly worsen, specifically during Qur’an recitation

• When there is a known history or clear evidence that siḥr has been performed

Even in such cases, scholars emphasize caution, verification, and the avoidance of hasty conclusions.

In the vast majority of situations, emotional and behavioral struggles align with recognizable mental health patterns, such as trauma responses, chronic stress, burnout, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or bipolar disorder. In these instances, mental health intervention is essential rather than optional, and does not contradict reliance upon Allah.

Mental Illness in Islam: A Real and Valid Condition

Islam has never denied the reality of emotional struggle. The prophets themselves experienced intense emotional pain, while maintaining the highest levels of īmān. The tradition thus recognizes both spiritual and psychological dimensions and treats them with wisdom.

Prophet Yaʿqūb عليه السلام cried until his eyes turned white from grief over his missing son. This was not siḥr; it was profound human sorrow.

Anxiety & Worry

The Prophet ﷺ taught specific supplications for anxiety, sadness, and distress, acknowledging that believers may experience these states and providing them with spiritual tools to respond.

OCD & Waswas

Many Muslims confuse clinical OCD with spiritual whispers (waswas). OCD, however, is a neurological and psychological disorder, not a mere weakness of faith. While waswas is a spiritual issue addressed through dhikr and discipline, certain persistent intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors may require clinical treatment alongside spiritual practices.

In some communities, harmful statements are directed at those who struggle: “Just do ruqyah,” “Your īmān is weak,” “Someone did black magic to you,” or “Stop overthinking.” Such remarks can deepen shame, discourage help-seeking, and worsen symptoms. Islam does not shame believers for their emotional pain or mental health challenges; that tendency arises from cultural attitudes, not from the faith itself.

When to Seek Therapy and When to Seek Ruqyah

From an Islamic perspective, both therapy and ruqyah are legitimate means. The question is not whether one should be used, but when and how they complement each other.

Therapy is generally appropriate when:

• There is persistent sadness or low mood

• Panic attacks interfere with daily functioning

• OCD rituals or intrusive thoughts are present

• There is a history of trauma (e.g., abuse, accidents, or significant loss)

• Symptoms last more than two weeks

• Behaviors and reactions can reasonably be linked to life events, stress, or interpersonal difficulties

Ruqyah is particularly appropriate when:

• There are sudden, unexplainable reactions to Qur’an recitation

• There is intense fear or distress without an apparent cause

• Symptoms appear or markedly worsen specifically during worship

• There is credible, confirmed evidence of siḥr or hasad (envy)

In many real-life situations, a combined approach is most beneficial. Just as the Prophet ﷺ instructed us to tie our camel and then place our trust in Allah, Muslims are encouraged to employ both clinical tools and spiritual means together. This reflects the holistic nature of the Islamic tradition, which cares for the body, the soul, and the mind.

A Balanced Islamic Approach: Islam does not require believers to choose between ruqyah and therapy. Both can be blessings and means Allah has placed for healing. However, when every emotional struggle is automatically labeled “evil eye” or “siḥr,” it can harm individuals by delaying the support they genuinely need and prolonging their suffering.

A balanced path recognizes that spiritual means are used for spiritual concerns, clinical means are used for clinical concerns, and both may be used together when the situation is unclear or involves overlapping dimensions. With this balance, a believer protects their faith, honors the Sunnah, and seeks the means Allah has provided—without neglecting any part of the healing journey.

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