Arabic Jewellery - Hand of Fatima - Part two

Arabic jewelry reflects the culture and heritage of people from the

Mediterranean through the Middle East. Each piece of jewelry has a meaning

and in some, a long history.

The Hand of Fatima

An Islamic alternative name for this charm : “Eye of Fatima or the hand of Fatima” , regarding to Fatima Zahra, Prophet Muhammad’s daughter. The other meaning in Jewish is Miriam’s hand , as regards Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses. It is a sort of “protection of the hand” or “The hand of God“.

The evil or wandering eye is recognized by Islam. Mohammed the Prophet( saw) spoke of it, but he told his disciples to recite verses from the Qur'an to avert it, but he never recommended carrying the Khamsa, "a distant souvenir of paganism like talismans and other cabalistic symbols," ( the Fatima amulet is called a "Khamsa" in Algeria, from the Arabic word for five).

The scolars said the Hand of Fatima, medals containing verses from the Qur'an and even illuminated paintings from the Koran that some Muslims hang on the wall 'should all be banned.

Throughout northern Africa, Turkey, and in other parts of the Middle East, you can see Muslims wearing the "Hand of Fatima". This is an example of Berber jewelry that has involved religion and superstition. Fatima was the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad who married Ali, the nephew of the Prophet( saw). (It is from their descendants that the Shi'a Muslims claim a direct line of authority over Muslims.) Miracles were attributed to Fatima, such as when she prayed in the desert, it started raining. She is described as a faithful, holy woman.
This article from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey tells of the importance of jewelry named for her:

"Almost all Anatolian (Turkish) jewelry has a special meaning of its own and its own story, and the 'Hand of Fatima Necklace' is one of these, a lovely piece of silver and gold from which silver hands are hung and in whose good luck the women of Anatolia (Turkey) believe. Its romantic story is as follows: One day Lady Fatima (daughter of the Holy Prophet Mohammed) was roasting halvah (a sesame honey cookie) in a pan in the garden when suddenly the door opened and her husband the prophet Ali entered along with a new and beautiful female slave. When the Lady Fatima saw her husband's beautiful young concubine (slave-girl), she was deeply grieved and in confusion began stirring the halvah with her hand. Because of the grief in her heart she never even felt the pain of her hand mixing the hot halvah. However, when her husband hurried to her side and exclaimed in surprise "What are you doing there, Fatima?" she felt her hand burning and the pain. Thus it is from that day on the hand of the Lady Fatima has been used in the Islamic world as a symbol of patience, abundance, and faithfulness, and thus it is that girls and women wearing this necklace from whose end the hands hang believe the hands of Lady Fatima will bring them good luck, abundance and patience."

From a Moroccan Treasures website we learn:

"The motif (pattern) of the Hand of Fatima is used everywhere in North Africa, especially in jewelry and in door knockers, naturally, because it keeps away the Evil Eye, considered to be a problem there."
"Fatima was the daughter of the prophet Mohammed, but in fact this hand has been around before Islam, and there is still much right hand-left hand magic in Morocco. The left hand is for doing bad things; it also protects against the evil eye if you put it palm up in front of you (so naturally that's an insulting thing to do to someone, implying they have the evil eye)."

But we as a trully muslims, we should never fall into those innovations over our religion, and follow the footsteps of Sheytan, this is not part of our religion as for we must follow the corect Qur'an and Sunna !