(And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee…) [68:51]. This verse was revealed when the disbelievers wanted to give the evil eye to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. Some people from the Quraysh looked once at him and said: “We have never seen anyone like him or like his proofs”. The Banu Asad were renowned for their evil eye. A fat camel or cow would pass by one of them and, after giving it the evil eye, he would say to his slave-girl: “O girl, take a large basket and a silver coin and bring us some of the meat of this!” The camel or cow would fall dead straight after that and would then be hamstrung. Said al-Kalbi: “There was a man from the Arabs who used to abstain from food for two or three days and then raise part of his tent, upon the passing by of cattle, and say: ‘There are no grazing camels or sheep today better than these’, and the cattle would not proceed far before some of them would fall dead. The disbelievers requested this man to give the evil eye to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, but Allah, exalted is He, protected His Prophet and revealed this verse”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
