A talisman is generally seen as a tangible object that can be used to attract power to oneself. For the people that believe in it, talismans may grant good luck or be a part of an individual’s religion and faith. In the Middle Ages, Christians adopted the use of amulets for protection and hoped for miracles by bringing the power of God with them. Sometimes English speakers refer to it as “charm.”
Professor Ronald Hutton, says “One way of understanding taweez (amulets) is as the name the discerning people of the medieval and modern world use for ‘talismans’ (they are about five centuries behind in this respect). They have various usages but most importantly taweez provide protection from evil and hostile forces from inside and outside as well as bad character. It discourages evil spirits from residing where there is a taweez present. Taweez, otherwise known as talismans, can be found all over the world in many different cultures across the centuries. Islam also embraces these kinds of talismans. Some different types of taweez are:
- Love taweez: Usually features symbols like circles and hearts and letters to denote things like heartbreak and romantic love. Some love taweez show illustrations of birds shown as pairs and this represents all the closeness that people want in a relationship. It is also what couples want in their marriage or relationship they share.
- Lost taweez: An interesting category that includes things like protection from robbery, absence of malicious gazes, etc.
- Hatred taweez: Uses symbols like swords, knives and daggers to evoke negative feelings in someone who has wronged the person trying to influence them or possess them through this type of talisman.
- Taweez for Money: They help people to accumulate infinite wealth because Allah confirms that ‘’without wealth one cannot be rich in any respect.’’
- Taweez for Health: The adverse impact of these winds are minimalized by these long-shaped pieces of clay with written formula on them. Wearing such a piece of luck can enhance the chanting process with all successful endeavors!
A taweez features Quranic verses or pure clay. It has immense power to promote people’s success, alleviate their pain and ills, erase boring and banish depression. Taweez is a tool that has been used in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia for centuries. It was the process of blessing objects with the energy of will to create supernatural reactions. Talismans are key elements in types of taweez and they can be applied to jewelry or written on paper.
Some people believe that talisman power, also known as “barzak-e-fali” is being generated due to the action of human specialists. In contrary, the shopkeepers sell these for money and some even say it can change destinies for better ones. Older people who live around Cairo said these peculiar objects all possess special powers from different Prophets and saints like Moses, Jesus or Muhammed. Women usually ask them their husbands to carry a taweez- e-shabih during their first visit to the shrine, especially during the time of three Hajj pilgrimages. “I have seen a lot of people wearing them and I have never seen any side effect. Both for men and women, these objects are very useful for keeping our health in good condition or preventing some diseases”, remarked an elderly man in the old part of Cairo. Some of these people believe there are special kind of amulets that defy all the celestial laws and mysticism and endow their wearers with extraordinary powers…
In the United States Islamic mystic practices have declined, but the belief in talisman and amulets still permeates the Muslim faith both in North America and around the world.
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