Is it possible for an Orthodox Christian to wear a hamsa?

Fatima’s hand (Khamsa, hand of Miriam) is a talisman used throughout the world to protect against bad luck and the evil eye, as well as to attract good luck. It is especially revered by representatives of the Berber culture, who still use the ancient symbol in their customs and rituals. The exquisite talisman represents an open palm. Sometimes an eye is depicted in the middle (in Muslim culture) or one of the Jewish sacred signs – the letter Heh (the oldest in the alphabet), a fish, the Star of David. The Hand of Fatima symbol has several names. The most common of them – Khamsa (sometimes Khomsa) – translated from Arabic and Hebrew means “five” and refers to the number of fingers on the hand. In the Jewish world, the five-fingered symbol is known as the “Hand of Miriam.”

Origin of the Hand of Fatima amulet

Hamsa is one of the oldest symbols. The history of the amulet goes back at least 1800 years. This means that it appeared before the emergence of all major religions. According to one scientific hypothesis, the amulet was first used in Ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) as a magical remedy against the evil eye. It is possible that Hamsa was borrowed by African and Mediterranean cultures as an interpretation of the motif of the patronizing “divine hand”. In Jewish iconography already in 244 AD. e. This motif can be seen on the frescoes of the Dura-Europos synagogue in Syria. Later, the symbol of the Hand of Fatima was adopted by the inhabitants of Carthage, who associated it with the goddess Tanit, the patroness of the city. The origin of the female name with which the symbol is associated is shrouded in legends. According to one of them, the amulet owes its name to the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, Fatima (translated from Arabic as “luminiferous”). One day she was preparing dinner when her husband brought a stranger into the house. Fatima was so amazed that she dropped the spoon and continued stirring the fiery hot halva with her hand, without feeling the pain of the burns. Appreciating Fatima’s endurance, humility and ardent love, the husband changed his mind about taking a second wife into the house. That is why the amulet is perceived as a symbol of incredible patience and humble faith. Another legend says that during a common prayer with her father and children, Fatima raised her right hand up, asking for God’s intercession. After this, the Archangel Gabriel came down to them and granted them protection. As for the Hebrew name Miriam, it belonged to the sister of Moses. She is credited with saving the Jewish people, who had been lost in the desert for 40 years, with the help of an inexhaustible source.

The meaning of the Hand of Fatima talisman

In Jewish and Muslim traditions, Hamsa symbolizes protection from evil forces and goodwill. It is believed that the Hand of Fatima amulet, painted in a soft turquoise color, acquires special power. The fingers can be directed up or down depending on the aesthetic preferences of the owner (the strength of the amulet does not change). By the way, we previously wrote about amulets for good luck and talked about 5 strong talismans, don’t miss it!

The meaning of phalanges

The human hand consists of fourteen phalanges. If we multiply this number by two, we get 28. This is the number of letters contained in the Arabic and Hebrew alphabets. In other words, the Hamsa contains the written wisdom of the Middle East, and can also act as a symbol of day and night. The Arabic alphabet has two groups of letters – 14 solar (“southern” or “daytime”) and 14 lunar (“northern” or “night”).

How and why to wear the Hand of Fatima

• with a Hamsa amulet on a cord (the most common model): due to the fact that the length of the cord can be adjusted, this decoration is suitable for people with any wrist size;
• made of silver: discreet and elegant, such jewelry is especially valued by oriental women; the cost of the product depends on the grade of silver;
• embellished with pearls: a string of shiny mother-of-pearl stones with the imprint of the Hand of Fatima is considered an original and sophisticated accessory that can be worn by both men and women.

By the way, from us you can buy a pendant or bracelet with the Hand of Fatima amulet made of silver and gold from 800 rubles. See the talismans at the link.

Photos of our amulets:
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Symbol of the Hand of Fatima in various religions and cultures

Although the ancient talisman is part of the Jewish and Islamic world today, it has been adopted by other cultures. It can even be seen on the tattooed bodies of North American Indian shamans. Throughout the world, Hamsa is known primarily as a talisman against the evil eye. And yet, in each culture, the multinational symbol has acquired its own characteristics.

Palm of Fatima in Judaism

Adherents of the Jewish religion have long believed in the saving power of an open palm. Jews, like Middle Eastern Arabs, have an ancient custom of raising five fingers upward to attract good luck and to fight the evil eye. According to biblical legend, this gesture helped Moses successfully fight the enemy of the Jews, Amalek.

The Hand of Miriam is a respected and popular symbol among the Jewish people. It is used when concluding marriage contracts, and also as a decoration of the Holy Pentateuch. In addition to 5 volumes of the Torah, the fingers of Miriam’s Hand symbolize human feelings and the main world religions.

Sometimes Jews place Kabbalistic drawings and spells on the fingers of the Hand of Miriam. This amulet is called “kamaya” and it is believed that it is able to protect the owner from all evil and bring him good luck.

During the creation of Israel, the Hand of Miriam acquired the status of a symbol of the state. It has become a sign of a person’s “secularism” and a fashionable amulet promising success in business. Miriam’s hand can be seen on key chains, postcards, and even on lottery tickets and phone cards.

The ancient symbol is no less popular among representatives of Jewish communities scattered around the world. It has become a frequent attribute of branded jewelry and wall decorations.

Hand of Fatima in Islam

• five letters of the name of Allah in Arabic;
• the five pillars of the Islamic religion in the Sunni tradition: abstinence during fasting (eid), confession of faith (shahadah), prayer (namaz), annual charity (zakat) and pilgrimage (hajj);
• five holy personalities of Islam belonging to the family of Muhammad: the prophet himself, his cousin Ali, daughter Fatima and grandchildren Hassan and Hussein (this symbolism is inherent in the Shiite tradition).

In the Koran, Allah recognizes the existence of the evil eye, therefore the Islamic tradition, unlike the Christian one, allows the use of protective amulets. And yet, the use of amulets is not encouraged among orthodox Sunnis. In their view, Allah and the Koran remain the best protection for humans.

Hand of Fatima in Hinduism

In the Hindu world, the open palm has always been considered a symbol of success and good fortune. Therefore, Hamsa was called for help when they started or completed some important business. In addition, the five-fingered hand in Hinduism symbolized the best – from the point of view of this religion – human qualities: non-resistance, patience, openness, kindness, spiritual purity.

Hand of Fatima in Buddhism

Followers of the Buddha considered Hamsa to be the embodiment of compassionate wisdom. In the center of the open palm they always depicted an all-seeing eye. Buddhists associated such a talisman with the omniscient goddess White Tara, who had seven eyes (including those on her palms) and saw all the suffering in the world. People believed that the Hamsa amulet would call Tara to help anyone who needed reassurance and protection, or was tormented by bad thoughts or fears.

Hand of Fatima in Orthodoxy

Some Orthodox pilgrims, having heard about the miraculous powers of Hamsa, bring this symbol to their homeland. However, orthodox clergy do not approve of those who use the Hand of Fatima as a talisman. Their main argument is that the traditions of the Orthodox Church do not include wearing amulets that bring good luck.

However, the Hand of Fatima can also be interpreted as the Hand that bestows divine protection. The “lucky palm” in this case becomes the protector of pilgrims and wanderers. Orthodox worshipers of the Hamsa are confident that they are allowed to wear it since it was brought from the Holy Land.

Despite all the arguments of supporters of the Hand of Fatima, official Orthodoxy continues to insist on the inadmissibility of wearing it in religious buildings. Therefore, when visiting Orthodox churches, it is worth keeping in mind: displaying a symbol of another faith next to a pectoral cross may be perceived by a clergyman as a manifestation of idolatry.

Meaning of the Hand of Fatima in tattoos

The image of Hamsa can often be found as a tattoo on the body of men and women. The meaning of tattoos varies depending on what a person believes in. Many, for example, are attracted not by the deep sacred content of a Hamsa tattoo, but by the eye in the middle of the design. The “all-seeing eye” is interpreted as a sign of special protection or secret knowledge. However, an eye in a tattoo depicting the Hand of Fatima can also mean that a person has nowhere to escape the eye of his own conscience.

• Fatima’s hand with a star in the center instead of an eye means that you have a special relationship with God or reveals your desire to protect yourself from darkness;
• A hamsa with a rose, peony, lotus, sunflower or daisy flower located in the middle indicates that you have a well-developed sense of beauty and adds grace to your tattoo;
• the image of the Hand of Fatima together with a heart means warm feelings towards a loved one or the desire to protect people dear to the heart;
• roses and doves next to the Hamsa also serve as symbols of love and devotion.

Hamsa: interesting facts

Recently, activists advocating a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israelis and Arabs have adopted the Hamsa as a symbol of their hopes.

Since the Hand of Fatima is believed to have sacred meaning for both Jews and Muslims, peace advocates prefer to wear it as a sign of the similarity of the two religions.

Some pacifist-minded representatives of the Jewish and Islamic camps put in Hamsa hope for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

The symbol of the protective palm still plays an important role in the rituals of Sephardic Jews. During the henna ceremony, when the bride decorates herself for her wedding, she places a Hamsa around her neck to ward off evil forces.

An amulet in the form of the Hand of Fatima is often seen on show business stars who are keen on Kabbalistic teachings, in particular on the Queen of Pop Madonna.

Jews believe that insight, or the “sixth sense,” comes to those who use the five “cores,” symbolized by the Hand of Fatima

The Russian name for anchovy fish comes from the Arabic word for “five”, as it is caught with a net with 5-mm meshes.

Instead of a conclusion

The symbol of the Hand of Fatima, which came from hoary centuries, shows us
superiority of the open palm over the clenched fist. Therefore five-fingered
the amulet finds its adherents both in the East and in the West
civilization. Today Hamsa is more than a talisman – it is a symbol of goodwill,
peace and hope in our troubled world.

You can answer the same questions for years, but they will still be asked. Regularly. For years. Firstly, because new people regularly appear in the Church and answers to elementary questions have the same importance for them as for those who once asked us these questions for the first time. Secondly, because the elementary things are forgotten most quickly and therefore the same thing periodically has to be said not only to different people for the first time, but also periodically repeated to the same person.

Take, for example, the theme of jewelry. I believe that every priest has more than once heard questions about whether Orthodox Christians can wear jewelry, whether women can wear earrings or pierce girls’ ears, etc. All this is natural and elementary: neophytes tend to pay special attention to little things and it’s good if they at the same time, they consult with the priest, and do not silently take an example from the most rigoristic Orthodox Christians and declare a little less than everything evil. At the same time, “experienced” believers, having long been accustomed to church life, often begin to be too democratic about things that are actually much more serious than petty neophyte concerns.

Nowadays, traveling around the world is more accessible than ever before, and people are more mobile than ever before. However, as in the old days, when going on a trip, a person invariably brings with him a lot of necessary and unnecessary things, both for himself and for relatives, friends, colleagues, loved ones and not so much. Jewelry of varying degrees of exoticism traditionally takes its place in this heap of trinkets. And among them there are often the most religious attributes and symbols. Non-Christian, of course. All this is given away to those near and far, worn in all sorts of places, from head to ankles, used as key rings, pendants for car mirrors and to disguise the shortcomings of Soviet housing construction. What you sometimes see on a person and around him: runes, ankhs, erzgammas, pentagrams, anchovy (not in the sense of a commercial sea fish, news about the catch of which for a time displaces politics, sports and disasters from the front pages of local newspapers in coastal cities, but in the sense of a colorful pendant in the shape of a palm, which is sometimes called “the hand of Fatima”, sometimes “the hand of Miriam”), Muslim pendants and amulets in the form of some kind of eyes. Unless the swastika is not enough.

You might ask an Orthodox friend what he’s wearing, and he’ll brush it off, saying, okay, we’re Christians, we perceive all this as decor and nothing more. Although the trouble is that, as Christians, we should have a certain immunity that does not allow us to playfully relate to the religious side of life and profess everyday omnivorousness. It is not for nothing that God calls Himself a Zealot. Our knowledge of the vanity of any other faith, except the faith of Christ, should instill in us disgust from everything connected with beliefs that are alien to us, and certainly not the feeling that the sea is knee-deep to us.

What is worse than indifference and carelessness?

However, the above is perhaps the least of the problems of this kind. It can be solved simply: I explained to the person what’s what, look, he won’t hang the erzgamma next to the cross on his chest. It is much worse when a Christian, despite all his churchliness, is unable to part with superstition. As sad as it may be, for some there is no question of whether, for example, Orthodox Christians can wear a red thread or whether Orthodox Christians can wear amulets? People are sure in advance that it is possible. They say that even if it doesn’t help, it certainly won’t hurt. So they wear some kind of triglav, others the same Erzgamma, all sorts of Slavic amulets, the sign of the zodiac. With the latter, it’s generally interesting: people actually believe that character can depend on the date of birth, and the zodiac sign guarantees certain abilities and inclinations. Sometimes they directly say: “I know that the Church does not believe in this, but”. In this case, this “but” says much more about a person’s faith than his prayers, going to services and even confession. I would even say this: a Christian begins where every “but” ends.

Regarding what the Church believes, what it says and what it calls for

True, the superstition does not end there. Why are some Orthodox Christians so attracted to the same red threads? Because, considering themselves Orthodox, people continue to think like non-believers. Judge for yourself: can a truly religious person seek protection from “witchcraft,” “damage,” or the “evil eye,” when such things do not exist at all. Whoever disagrees, find in our missals and books of prayer chants some kind of sequence, or even just a prayer “against witchcraft” (please leave the martyrs Cyprian and Justin alone: ​​during their lifetime they could not even imagine that one thousand seven hundred or eight hundred years after their death there will be “pious people” who will “appoint” them responsible for something that “does not exist in nature, no matter how much you dig the ground”). So how? Not found. And you won’t find it, because there aren’t any. Did not have. And it won’t. Because the Church never seriously believed in any kind of “witchcraft.” That’s why she never offered any means against him. And here you go, red thread. Not funny? Oh yes, some like to say that this is not just a thread, but a thread “from Jerusalem”. Well, okay, even from Jerusalem. But, excuse me, what’s in Jerusalem? Is everything graceful and holy? I’ve been there a dozen times. I saw shrines, temples, places associated with the earthly life of Christ. However, Jerusalem is a residential city and, in addition to shrines and temples, there are shops and markets, coffee shops and eateries, smoking rooms, garbage dumps and even latrines. Can I not continue? And I am also frankly embarrassed by people who call themselves Orthodox and seriously utter words such as “amulet.” Isn’t our hope in God? Isn’t the Lord our defense? What amulets can there be? What can threads, pebbles and pieces of wood protect against? Here you don’t even need to be a believer, it’s enough to just be a thinking person for it to become funny. By the way, it’s no better if a person considers a body icon or cross to be an “amulet.” The cross is a sign of our fidelity to Christ, the body icon is a tangible reminder of God. Without faith and prayer, without repentance and life by faith, they will not save us from anything. Because human life is in the hands of God.

Speaking of the Cross

People often ask about what crosses Orthodox Christians can wear. Is it possible for Orthodox Christians to wear a Catholic cross or a cross without a crucifix, the so-called Jerusalem or Armenian cross? These questions, unlike many others, are extremely simple. Because the answer to them is the same and simple: you can. Any cross: eight, six, four-pointed, Armenian, Maltese, Jerusalem, with or without a crucifix – is always a cross. Therefore, for a Christian there is not the slightest difference, since any cross is, first of all, Christ’s. For the same reason, when asked whether it is possible for an Orthodox Christian not to wear a cross, we answer unequivocally and categorically: no. Because we are Christ’s, and the cross is a sign of our belonging to Christ, an Orthodox Christian cannot but have a cross. And you don’t need to look for alternatives or wonder what you can wear instead of a cross. The tradition of Christians wearing a cross does not provide for an alternative. In this case, the material from which the cross is made does not matter. Gold or silver, tin or copper, aluminum or wood, leather, soutache or plastic – the cross can be made of anything and worn on anything – rope, chain, cord.

Of course, in addition to the cross, there are many decorations equipped with images of icons or texts of prayers. Pendants, pendants, rings (I even came across such an expression as “Orthodox ring”), bracelets, rosary beads. On the one hand, there is nothing reprehensible in wearing them, on the other hand, they cannot be considered obligatory. In addition, excesses are frankly inappropriate here.

A separate topic is the Star of David

Yes, surprisingly, there is a special attitude among Orthodox Christians to the sign called Magendavid (Star of David). After all, it seems like we have a common Old Testament past with the Jews, and King David is a saint for us. And the sign itself can sometimes be found in the ornaments of temple paintings. Nevertheless, I will have to upset some readers: firstly, it is not known for certain whether the six-pointed star has anything to do with King David. Secondly, this sign has long been strongly associated with Judaism. So why would an Orthodox Christian wear the Star of David is not very clear to me. But the same cannot be said about such a decoration as the Star of Bethlehem. In fact, this is an ordinary pendant, but the name refers us to the Gospel story of the Nativity of Christ and the miraculous appearance of the star associated with it. So, although this decoration is not commonly used among Orthodox Christians, it has an obvious Christian meaning. However, this does not mean at all that it can replace the cross.

In conclusion, I will not fail to remind you that even in such a seemingly trivial matter as wearing jewelry, a Christian must remain a Christian. Do not neglect wearing the cross and do not look for an alternative to it. Do not wear paraphernalia of other religions. Do not believe in the mythical power of “amulets” and “talismans” and do not succumb to superstition, cowardice and fears. And besides, remember that a sense of tact, proportion and taste should be inherent, including the Orthodox. By following these simple rules, without a doubt, we will not make mistakes.