Superstitions in Muslim societies

While inception of monotheism in General and Islam in Particular claim to be antidote against superstitions and some of the practices supposed to be hearsay or shirk; still many Muslim individuals and communities have been found to have been practicing various superstitious rituals, practices and beliefs.

Nazar (amulet) and taʿwīdh
Main articles: Ta'wiz and Nazar (amulet)

The ta'wiz, tawiz (Urdu: تعویز‎,[1] ), muska (Turkish) or taʿwīdh (Arabic: تعويذ‎) is an amulet or locket usually containing verses from the Quran and/or other Islamic prayers and symbols pertaining to magic. The Tawiz is worn by some Muslims to protect them from evil.[2][3]

The amulet called nazar is supposed to protect against the "evil eye", a superstition shared among several cultures including Muslim ones. Superstition in Turkey have been considered as a part of Turkish culture and are often noticed in everyday life.[4]

Occultism (Islam)
Main article: Occultism (Islam)

Ulum al-ghariba ("occult sciences") or Ulum al-hafiya ("secret sciences") refers to occultism in Islam.[5] Occultism in Islam includes various practices like Talisman, Interpreting dreams [6] Sīmiyā’ (from Arabic Simah سِمة is a doctrine found commonly within Sufi-occult traditions that may be deduced upon the notion of "linking the superior natures with the inferior...", and broadly described as theurgy.[7]

Shaitan, Ghoul And Jinn
Main articles: Shaitan, Ghoul, and Jinn

In the Arabic folklore, the ghul is said to dwell in cemeteries and other uninhabited places. A male ghoul is referred to as ghul while the female is called ghulah.[8] When Islam spread outside of Arabia, belief in the jinn was assimilated with local belief about spirits and deities from Iran, Africa, Turkey and India.[9]

Exorcism in Islam
Main article: Exorcism in Islam

Exorcism in Islam is called 'aza'im IPA: ['aza'im]).[10] Ruqya (Arabic: رقية‎ IPA: [ruqya]) on the other hand summons jinn and demons by invoking the names of God, and to command them to abandon their mischiefs[11] and is thought to repair damage believed caused by jinn possession, witchcraft (sihr) or the evil eye. Exorcisms today are part of a wider body of contemporary Islamic alternative medicine[12]

Especially Morocco has many possession traditions, including exorcism rituals,[13]

Karamat
Main article: Karamat

In Sunni Islam, karamat (Arabic: کرامات‎ karāmāt, pl. of کرامة karāmah, lit. generosity, high-mindedness[14]) refers to supernatural wonders performed by Muslim saints. In the technical vocabulary of Islamic religious sciences, the singular form karama has a sense similar to charism, a favor or spiritual gift freely bestowed by God.[15] The marvels ascribed to Muslim saints have included supernatural physical actions, predictions of the future, and "interpretation of the secrets of hearts".[15]

South Asia


Superstition in Pakistan is widespread and many adverse events are attributed to the supernatural effect. Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any physical process linking the two events, such as astrology, omens, witchcraft, etc., that contradicts natural science.[16] In Pakistan, the Magical thinking pervades as many acts and events are attributed to supernatural and ritual, such as prayer, sacrifice, or the observance of a taboo are followed.The penchant for faith healers and black magicians spans society, from the rich landlords of the rural areas to the urban classes of Lahore and Karachi.[17] In Pakistan, mental illness and psychological problems are considered by some to be an encounter with Shaitan (Satan) (Urdu: شيطان‎), evil jinns (Urdu: جن‎) or demons who have taken over one's body and mind.People, especially children and young girls, wear Ta'wiz (Amulet) (Urdu: تعویز‎) to ward off evil eye. Spells, incantations and curses could also result in ghouls or churail (Urdu: چڑیل‎) haunting a person.Muslim holy persons (Imams, Maulvis, Sufis, Mullahs, Faqirs) perform exorcism on individuals who are believed to be possessed. The homes, houses, buildings and grounds are blessed and consecrated by Mullahs or Imams by reciting Qur'an and Adhan (Urdu: أَذَان ‎), the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin.Some of the popular superstitions in Pakistan includes: Black Cat crossing your path will bring bad luck so many people backtrack and take another path; Crow's cawing announce surprise arrival of guests; consuming dairy products with sea food will cause skin diseases; Itchy palms means you will have monetary gains; one could be possessed by evil if sitting/sleeping under trees are after dark; you sneeze because someone is thinking of you and if your left eye twitches then something bad will happen to you.[18]


See Also

References
  1. Also t'aweez, tabiz and other variant transliterations
  2. "On the Permissibility of Writing Ta‘widhat" Trns. Zameelur Rahman May 1, 2010. Prepared by Deoband
  3. Chishti, Hakim (1985). The Book of Sufi Healing. New York: Inner Traditions International.
  4. "Turkish superstitions, rituals and myths". Dailysabah.com. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  5. Sebastian Günther, Dorothee Pielow Die Geheimnisse der oberen und der unteren Welt: Magie im Islam zwischen Glaube und Wissenschaft BRILL, 18.10.2018 ISBN 9789004387577 p. 8
  6. Tobias Nünlist Dämonenglaube im Islam Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2015 ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4 p. 289 (German)
  7. Eric Geoffroy, Introduction to Sufism: The Inner Path of Islam, World Wisdom, 2010 p. 21
  8. Steiger, Brad (2011). The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 121. ISBN 9781578593675.
  9. Juan Eduardo Campo Encyclopedia of Islam Infobase Publishing 2009 ISBN 978-1-438-12696-8 page 402
  10. Gerda Sengers Women and Demons: Cultic Healing in Islamic Egypt BRILL, 2003 ISBN 9789004127715 p. 50
  11. Travis Zadeh Commanding Demons and Jinn: The Sorcerer in Early Islamic Thought,” in No Tapping around Philology: A Festschrift in Honor of Wheeler McIntosh Thackston Jr.’s 70th Birthday, ed. Alireza Korangy and Dan Sheffield (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2014), 131–60
  12. Hall, Helen (2018-04-17). "Exorcism – how does it work and why is it on the rise?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2018-09-10. Beliefs and rituals which could appropriately be labelled exorcism are found in almost all cultures and faith traditions, but in the West are encountered most frequently within Christian or Islamic settings.
  13. Joseph P. Laycock Spirit Possession around the World: Possession, Communion, and Demon Expulsion across Cultures: Possession, Communion, and Demon Expulsion across Cultures ABC-CLIO 2015 ISBN 978-1-610-69590-9 page 243
  15. Gardet, L., “Karāma”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs.
  16. Vyse, Stuart A (2000). Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 19–22. ISBN 978-0-1951-3634-0.
  17. Rodriguez, Alex (29 March 2012). "In Pakistan, faith healers have no shortage of believers". Retrieved 15 December 2017 – via LA Times.
  18. "7 popular superstitions among Pakistanis". The Nation. 25 January 2016.
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