Al-Qalam (The Pen): (51) And indeed, those who disbelieve almost slip you with their eyes...

Regarding this verse, there are two issues:

The particle إن (inna) here is the lightened form ($\text{إن}{\text{مخففة}}) of the heavy form (\text{إن}{\text{ثقيلة}}$), and the لـ (lam) preceding ليزلقونك is the lām al-tawkīd (the lam of emphasis).

It has been recited in two ways: ليزلقونك (layazlaqūnak) with a dammah on the yā’ (making it passive/reflexive) and with a fatḥah (making it active).

The root زَلَقَ (zalaqa) and أَزْلَقَ (azlaqa) mean the same thing. It is also recited as ليزهقونك (layazhiqūnak), derived from زَهَقَتْ نَفْسُهُ (zahqata nafsuhu - his soul departed) and أَزْهَقَهَا (azhaqahā - he caused it to depart).

There are several interpretations for this:

First Interpretation: Their intense staring and looking at you askance, filled with enmity and hatred, almost cause your foot to slip. This is based on the common saying: "He looked at me with a look that almost struck me down," or "that almost ate me up," meaning if his gaze could effect the striking down or eating, he would have done it. The poet said:

Ibn Abbas narrated that when he passed by a group of people who stared intensely at him:

Allah the Exalted clarified that this intense gaze occurred specifically when the Prophet (PBUH) was reciting the Qur'an, as indicated by His statement: {when they hear the Reminder}.

Second Interpretation: Some scholars interpret this as referring to the affliction of the evil eye (al-'ayn). Here, there are two points to consider:

1. Does the evil eye have a real effect in principle?
2. If it is established that it does have an effect, is this specific verse an explanation of it?

Point One: The Reality of the Evil Eye

Some people deny this effect, arguing that the influence of one body upon another is only conceivable through physical contact, and since there is no contact here, the effect is impossible.

Know that this initial premise is weak. If a human being is defined as the soul, it is not impossible for souls to differ in their essence and nature. If so, it is also not impossible for them to differ in their necessary consequences and effects. Thus, it should not be dismissed that some souls possess a specific property for influence. If a human being is defined as the body, it is not impossible for a person's temperament (mizāj) to be configured in a specific way that results in a particular effect. In summary, the rational possibility remains open, and there is no doubt, let alone proof, against it. Furthermore, the transmitted textual evidence affirms it, as it is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The evil eye is real," and "The eye can cause a man to enter the grave and a camel to enter the cooking pot."

Point Two: Interpretation of the Verse via the Evil Eye

Some people interpreted the verse in this manner. They said that the evil eye was prevalent among the Banu Asad tribe. A man among them might go hungry for three days, and then pass by something, saying: "I have never seen anything like this today, except that the eye has afflicted it." The disbelievers sought out someone with this characteristic and asked him to say this about the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). However, Allah protected him.

Al-Jubba'i objected to this interpretation, stating that the affliction of the evil eye stems from admiration (istiḥsān) of something, whereas these people did not look at the Prophet (PBUH) with admiration; rather, they despised and hated him. Looking upon someone with such hatred does not necessitate the affliction of the evil eye.

Know that this objection is weak, because even if they hated him religiously, they might have admired his eloquence and his presentation of proofs.

Al-Hasan said: The cure for the affliction of the evil eye is reciting this verse.