We all know about Nazar but damn, this still hit hard.
Professor Ali A Olomi who teaches about the history of the Middle East and Islam in the United States has gained quite the Twitter following because of his enthralling Twitter threads every Wednesday.
And this week, he delved into an oft-discussed and widely believed topic; the evil eye or ‘nazar’. He started off by talking about how widespread the belief still is in certain parts of the world.
The evil eye is a malevolent force that disrupts, harms, and damages through gaze alone. It is a pre-Islamic concept part of the wider Mediterranean, Middle East and South Asia and still widespread today
A thread on the evil eye-
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
He also discussed the original interpretation of the evil eye
Classically, the evil eye was described as a sort of supernatural poison directed by the eyes. It becomes incorporated into Islams and is referenced in the hadiths, likely an integration of pre-Islamic belief into the spreading religion.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
Called al ayn or chesm nazar, the evil eye is said to spring from envy or malice. It can be simultaneously intentional or unintentional. Jawziyya argued that the source of the evil eye is the soul.
It is described as a piercing gaze or a hungry gaze that attempts to swallow up
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
The evil eye according to Professor Olomi has been described as a poison as well as rays. Both of these have the same effect though; ruin something good.
It is described as either poison that toxifies something good (health, wealth, luck) or as a “rays” like the sun that dry up the fecundity of your good fortune.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
According to his knowledge, people could either cultivate the power of the evil eye or be born with the ability. And because of this, it is often associated with magic.
Some people are said to be born with the power of the evil eye while others are said to cultivate it as a supernatural power.
The jinn themselves were said to have their own evil eye. A jinn who falls in love with a person could afflict them with it.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
As a result it is often associated with sihr or sorcery and the possession of the evil eye can be a marker that a person is born with a sorcerous disposition or abilities.
There is some implication that the evil eye can be inherited.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
But the evil eye is not always intentional.
Though envy & malice are said to be the wellspring of it, it can also be unconscious and the person who directs the evil eye doesn’t even mean it or realize it.
It is occasionally preceded by some form of praise
“Oh you have such a lovely home” or “Your child is so beautiful”
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
He then talks about protection from the evil eye.
The popular blue glass eye is said to be a good way to protect oneself from it. The reason behind it may be that the blue of the eye acts as an opposing force towards the ‘harmful rays’ of the evil eye.
The ubiquitous belief in the evil eye has produced an assortment of protections, the most common being the evil eye charm. An amuletic blue eye that can be a wall decoration, necklace, bead, and is usually fashioned of blue glass (plastic is common now too) or occasional red.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
For example pinning a small evil eye bead to the bed of a baby is a common practice to protect the child.
Stores, shops, and homes are also decorated with wonderfully elaborate evil eye charms. These eye charms have fused with hasma or hand of Fatima talismans as well
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
The blue color could perhaps stem from an ancient theory that blue eyed people could inflict the evil eye so the charm is reflective, it can also stem from the treatment of the evil eye as a sort of “hot” ray and so blue cools. It could also be entirely for material reasons.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
He talked about how people wanted to protect themselves from the evil eye even in the times of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.
Eye charms are quite ancient in the region, with examples of the Egyptian and Greek eye charms dating back to antiquity.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
Then he talked about how the concept of evil eye or nazar was integrated into Islam as well and how the Quran even had specific verses that were meant to counter the evil eye. He further talked about other ways to counter the evil eye including incense and special baths among other things.
In one example, a caravan was traveling and one man who infamously had the evil eye, gazed at a she-camel who promptly collapsed. The owner then recited Qur’an 67:3-4 to heal the creature and the eyes of the other man fell out!
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
While charms and invocations are used to ward off the evil eye, bodily washing done with prayers or herbal mixtures can heal the evil eye once it has infected a person.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
Incense is also commonly used, burning of rue seeds can cleanse a person or place. In the Persianate world it is accompanied by rhyming verse.
In the Turkic tradition the seeds are hung in a cloth bag.
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
He further talked about how children are more susceptible to the evil eye and hence most remedies cater to them. But one remedy, in particular, is older women who are said to be uniquely gifted in healing evil eyes.
Children are particular susceptible to the evil eye and so there are many folk practices aimed at protecting them.
Alum beads hung from a bed, or kohl lining the eyes, or smeared on the forehead. (Sometimes indigo)
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
Older women are said to be uniquely gifted in healing the evil eye & a common practice for a young child afflicted was to put them under the care of their grandmother. It was even said salt from a righteous grandma (or a righteous widow) was powerful in curing evil eye
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
He finished by talking about how widespread the belief of the evil eye is
The evil eye is an ancient belief that not only survived but is an example of a global folk belief. Through historical contact we find it in Latin American folk practices & as a feature of popular culture.
I’ll post threads on the evil eye & folk practices in the future
— Ali A Olomi (@aaolomi) March 4, 2020
Quite an interesting read. And definitely very insightful. What do you think about this? Have any instances you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments.
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Cover Image Source: irishfolklore.wordpress.com/@aaolomi via Twitter.com