A decorative object or lucky charm, the hand of Khamsa is present in many cultures and religions. Considered a symbol of protection and bulwark against the evil eye, it would have the power to ward off any threat or evil action against oneself. Worn in the form of jewelry, adorning homes or hanging in cars and at the entrance to small shops, the hand of Khamsa brings good fortune, health and prosperity to those who possess it. So if you don't have a Khamsa hand in your jewelry collection or home decor, it might be time to do something about it.

The Khamsa hand - "five" in Arabic - refers to the five fingers of the hand. Originally from the Middle East and North Africa, it is also present in other regions such as India or Turkey. Its exact origin is uncertain, but for some researchers, its first appearance dates from ancient civilizations, notably Egyptian and Phoenician. Very widespread in the North African world (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, but also in Libya and Egypt), Khamsa is often painted on the facades of houses, made of brightly colored ceramic or turquoise, attracting the eye and brightening medina and surrounding streets.

Genealogy of an apotropaic amulet

Khamsa is not necessarily linked to monotheistic religions (Muslim, Jewish or Christian) . This talisman itself precedes these religions, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and Carthage (Tunisia), where it was associated with the goddesses Ishtar and Tanit or even with the Egyptian goddess Isis: figure of motherhood, fertility and protection. These divinatory references add a mystical and spiritual dimension and recall the importance of femininity in the symbol of the hand.

Moreover, Muslim women are very faithful to this amulet because they believe that it will not only bring luck, wealth and joy, but also patience, faith, self-control and wisdom...

"This talisman itself precedes monotheistic religions"

In Islamic tradition, the five fingers of Khamsa's hand represent the five pillars of Islam: prayer, faith, pilgrimage to Mecca, alms and fasting. Also called the hand of Fatima, it refers to Fatima Zahra, fourth and last daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

For Shiites, however, the fingers of Fatima represent the "five saints" of the prophet's family: Muhammad, Fatima, Ali, Hassan and Hussein. Ali's name and sometimes all the names of the twelve imams are inscribed on Fatima's hands.

Lucky charm, talisman and religion

In Judaism, the Hand of Khamsa is associated with the tribe of Judah. She is often called the hand of Miriam - sister of Moses and Aaron. F or Eastern Christians, it is called the Hand of Mary, in honor of the Virgin Mary. Finally in Buddhism, it is used to represent the five Buddhas of wisdom.

However, for Sunni Muslims and according to the Quran, only Allah protects the believers. Wearing a Khamsa to ward off bad luck, according to them, is a form of polytheism ( shirk ). Thus, believing that the hand of Khamsa itself provides protection would amount to deifying it.

“For Sunni Muslims, only Allah protects the believers”

Unlike the Shiites who recognize a place for a sign referring to God. For them, the fingers of the Khamsa are frequently engraved with the five highly respected names of the prophet's family (Mohammed, Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein). Thus the hand would be a reminder of the number of prayers to be practiced daily. Each of these prayers being, according to the Shiites, more or less linked to one of these five founding names of Islam. Idea that we also find in certain Sufi currents according to Louis Massignon (1883-1962) - academic and Catholic Islamologist.

Variations on the same theme

Throughout history, the hand of Khamsa has been used as an amulet to ward off the evil eye , promising protection and bringing good fortune to its wearer. Over the centuries, it has taken on different aesthetics. Some hands have the Eye of Horus (the Eye of Horace, the Egyptian sun god) in the center of the palm, representing additional oversight and protection. Others may include religious symbols or decorative designs that vary by culture or region.

The amulet can also be depicted with fingers extended to ward off evil or thumbs raised or closed for good luck. But the Khamsa hand often consists of three fingers and two thumbs, one on each side of the downward-pointing fingers. This feature would likely be intended to prevent the hand from being used as a graven image or idol.

“An amulet to repel the evil eye”

Indeed, Judaism and Islam prohibit any reproduction of the human aspect. So you won't find such images in mosques. The same goes for synagogues, where images of people or animals are not represented, because this could be taken as idolatry.

However, there are rare exceptions to these prohibitions in Jewish tradition. The iconography of the Khamsa always reflects this idea: the hand of God, which symbolizes power and divine protection against evil, should not be represented in the form of a realistic human hand.

The evil eye against negative energies?

And then there is the question of the eye. Many Khamsas do not have one, but some do, particularly those hung on walls or in cars. The eye is often blue, which would have been an exceptional, even singular, eye color throughout the Middle East, where the tradition originated.

The eye is a protection, not only against illness and bad luck, but also against the notion of the evil eye, which is very powerful in almost all cultures, but especially in the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin. Khamsa is a protective talisman that wards off the evil eye . The evil eye is like an invisible and supernatural entity. Jewish superstition, in particular, has it that it lurks throughout the world, ready to afflict individuals with a malignant force if provoked.

But the evil eye is also envious of the luck or happiness of others. And to counter it, anything is possible: wear an antidote object, hide your good fortune to avoid attracting jealous people or show self-deprecation with your superstitions.

“Superstitions have always existed”

For example, in the Mediterranean world, we will sometimes emphasize the ugliness of a newborn rather than its beauty to ward off bad luck and spare the child from supposed future ugliness...

Superstitions have always existed: from the black cat which brings bad luck to the lucky four-leaf clover or Friday the thirteenth; they are part of our existence. We could also evoke gorgons (monstrous gorgon heads) in the decoration of ancient Greece or gargoyles in Gothic architecture. The aesthetic is certainly not very reassuring and we probably prefer to hang a hand of Fatima on our windows. It's prettier and if it also wards off the evil eye, it's even better.