Question:
Assalamualakum, is it true that it is impermissible to show the picture of our newborn baby to the public, such as by uploading it on Facebook?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Such restrictions may be because one fears the baby may fall ill due to ‘ain sickness (the sickness of the evil eye). ‘Ain disease is a type of disease caused by ill-intentioned or jealous look of the eye. Only the look from a spiteful and evil person is enough to cause the person he looks at to fall ill. However, a look of amazement, excitement and a little bit of envy can also cause ‘ain illness according to Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani. (See Fath al-Bari, 10/200). This is what happened to Sahl bin Hunaif who fell ill after Amir bin Rabiah looked at him in envy.
In a hadith from Amrah from ‘Aisyah, she said: “One time the Prophet PBUH enters a house. Suddenly he heard the cries of a child, then he said:
مَا لِصَبِيِّكُمْ هَذَا يَبْكِي، هَلَّا اسْتَرْقَيْتُمْ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ
“Why are your child crying? Did you not find a person who could treat him from the influence of the evil eye?”
Musnad Ahmad (24442)
There is also another hadith that mentioned this:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْمُرُهَا أَنْ تَسْتَرْقِيَ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ
“Indeed, the Prophet PBUH instructed (Aisyah) to treat herself from the influence of the evil eye.”
Sahih Muslim (2195)
According to Ibn al-Qayyim, “The evil feeling of a person is the cause of ‘ain disease not just the look he gives. Sometimes, even a blind person could cause this, when it is narrated to the blind person and he has evil feeling about it, then this could result in ‘ain disease without him even look at the other person. There are numerous causes of ‘ain disease just through narrations without looking.” (See Zad al-Ma’ad, 4/149). This means, ‘ain can happen just through one’s feelings without looking such as through the television or pictures.
However, there is no specific restrictions against uploading photos of a baby on social media fearing that the baby would fall ill due to the influence of the evil eye. The reason is ‘ain disease could happen to anyone whether it is through face to face or photograph. However, as a precaution, parents should consider the following carefully:
- For those who may cause ‘ain disease to others, it is best to supplicate blessings (recite Barakallahu fik or tabarakallah) to the person of whom he is amazed at. This is in accordance with the advice given by the Prophet PBUH in a hadith of Abu Umamah. (Sunan Ibn Majah, 3509)
- To prevent or protect a baby from ‘ain disease, recite the supplication of the Prophet PBUH for his grandsons, Hassan and Hussain:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ
O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.'
Sahih al-Bukhari (3371)
- Do not perform any syirk or superstitious actions to avoid ‘ain disease such as placing scissors, charms or amulets on the baby.