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    Categories: 2021

Turkey’s religious authority denounces ‘evil-eye’ charms

Al Jazeera


By Andrew Wilks
Jan. 23, 2021

[The state-run body says the eye-shaped blue amulets – believed to
date back to at least 3,300 BCE – are incompatible with Islam.]

Ankara, Turkey – The state-run religious authority has caused alarm by
proclaiming the use of talismans to ward off “the evil eye” prohibited
under Islam.

The proliferation of the eye-shaped blue glass amulets in Turkey is
widespread, as is the belief in their ability to ward off malevolent
or jealous intentions.

In a recently published fatwa – a legal or general decree by a
religious authority or court – the Diyanet, which governs all matters
relating to Islam in Turkey, denounced the use of the ornaments, known
locally as nazarlik or nazar boncugu, as forbidden.

“Although the nature and condition of the evil eye are not known
precisely, it is accepted by religion that some people can create
negative effects with their gaze,” the Diyanet said in an advisory
published on its website.

“In our religion, attitudes, behaviours and beliefs that attribute the
ultimate influence on anything other than Allah are forbidden. For
this reason, it is not permissible to wear evil eye amulets and
similar things around the neck or anywhere for the purpose of
benefiting from them.”

Ancient talisman

Belief in the power of the evil eye to cause harm dates back to
ancient times and is widespread across the Mediterranean and parts of
Asia.

The logic behind this conviction is that success or admirable objects
inspire envy, which can be transmitted in a harmful gaze. Amulets are
used to intercept the curse and protect the wearer.

The tradition is believed to date back to at least 3300 BCE and has
become widely adopted in Turkey.

Nese Yildiran, professor of art history at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir
University, said the blue colour of the beads relates to the sky god
of the Central Asian Seljuk Turks.

“The Great Seljuks who accepted Islam continued the use of this colour
in architectural decoration,” she said.

The use of two shades of blue, cobalt and turquoise in Muslim art “was
also the result of expression with the understanding of Islam”, which
incorporated the name of God and Arabic calligraphy, Yildiran added.

The charms are given to newborn babies – as new additions to the
family are thought to be especially susceptible to the evil eye – and
are also worn as jewellery.

More commonly though, they adorn homes, workplaces, cars and buses –
more or less any place where they can be hung.

In a sign of the digital era catching up with ancient folklore, a
nazarlik emoji was created in 2018.

“Many people believe in the power of the evil eye,” said Cansu Polat,
a 35-year-old construction engineer who wears a small nazarlik around
her neck.

“I’ve known many cases where people are complimented on something,
like a new pair of shoes and shortly after they trip and scuff them.
This is the evil eye, or so a lot of people think. Either way, it
can’t hurt to have some protection.”

A harmless tradition

Given the pervasive nature of the symbols, many Turks have questioned
why the Diyanet decided to issue a denouncement of a harmless
tradition.

“They’re just for decoration really,” said Aysegul Aytekin, who runs a
small gift shop in Ankara.

“They’re probably the best-selling product here, but I don’t think
people really believe in the power of them. It’s just a nice tradition
and they make good decorations.”

However, there are plenty who attest to the influence of the totems.

Mahmut Sur, 58, has been making the symbols in his workshop in the
village of Nazarkoy, near the western city of Izmir, since boyhood.

“This is a belief,” he said. “They are blue because it’s thought that
the colour blue distracts evil energy. Of course, I believe in them.
It’s part of a culture that goes back 3,000 years.

“When you wear an amulet, if someone with bad energy looks at you the
amulet averts the bad energy and protects you,” he added.

The Diyanet, or Directorate of Religious Affairs, did not respond to a
request for comment.

Criticised, ridiculed

In the past, it has been criticised and ridiculed for issuing fatwas
against other practices, such as men dying their moustaches and
beards, feeding dogs at home, tattoos and playing the national
lottery.

“For Anatolians, it is cultural and traditional to believe in the
protective power of blue beads,” Yildiran said. “The misconception of
the Diyanet is in thinking it can abolish this traditional belief
after ages.”

Instead, such pronouncements further alienated people from the
directorate, “which has caused a huge social reaction with the
enormous expenditures and waste they have made in recent years”.

The Diyanet has also been criticised for previous proclamations that
appeared to condone or belittle child abuse and violence against
women.

In such cases, the body has said its statements were misconstrued.

It has also come under fire for lavish spending on items such as
luxury cars for its officials, as well as its growing budget, which at
about $1.75bn outstrips those of both the foreign and interior
ministries.



 

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