Amulets have, since the dawn of time, been famous and popular among people in all countries around the world and are worn by young and old, rich and poor. It’s name derives from the Latin word “amuletum” which signifies an object that is carried and protects a person from trouble. An amulet is an object which you carry with yourself in order to prevent or cure diseases, in order to defend yourself from danger such as firearms, evil spirits or magic. There are many types of amulets, plant based, animal based, amulets made from semi-precious or precious stones, metal and even textual.
In this day and age there are many different functions of the amulet for starters there are many pendants, tattoos, fashion accessories, jewelry, religious symbols, objects to take on a pilgrimage etc. The reason for this is the innate human need for protection and security. Many people who carry an amulet with them admit that even just the thought of owning one boosts their confidence, that means it affects humans on a psychological level as well.
Amulets are especially popular among all peoples in the Middle East, so it is believed that the Messenger of God Muhammad himself wore a ring with the name Buduh, which is believed that the owner of that ring was the first man in the world, Adam. A holy, protective power was attached to that ring. Among Iranians and other Shiites, it is narrated that Imam Hussein had an amulet hung around his neck with the prayers of Falaq and Nas. The same is believed for Aliya, the husband of Hazrat Fatima.
Even though Islam forbids magic, they still allow the usage of amulets and some ritual procedures that fight against evil eyes and malicious impact of evil spirits. The amulets that are allowed, in most cases, are comprised exclusively from sacral texts, whether its selected verses from Quran or an entire printout of a specific prayer. If, on the other hand, an amulet deviates from the above rule in its content, then it emphasizes the firm teaching of Islam by invoking one of the 99 names of God or the fundamental principle of the faith itself, which reads: "There is no god but Allah", or something else, under whose patronage the amulet text gained its religious weight and clearly proclaimed its affiliation with monotheism.
If the printer of the amulet does not state the names of the seven angels and the king of demons, then at the end or in the margins of the text must be found the names of the four archangels, ie Jibril, Israfil, Mikail and Azrail. Their role is to provide spiritual protection to the bearer of the amulet by their presence, expressed in this way, and to connect it with God himself, since the angels mentioned above have the function of mediation between the Creator and men. Sometimes it is enough to write the name Allah in the corners of the amulet because that word contains every healing and gives divine power.
One of the most famous amulets of the Arab world, right after the Hand of Fatima, is the “Duat eš-šems” or “ Sun Prayer” (du-uat of sun) which is comprised of a square with seven rows, in which there are seven houses (7x7). In them are written seven letters that are not in the first Qur'anic prayer, seven names of Allah, seven names of angels, seven names of demonic rulers, names of all days of the week and seven planets, including the Sun and the Moon. Duat eš-šems is very often an integral part of large or small amulets because of its undoubted spiritual strength.
Before putting on the amulet, a person must first clean the negative energy off. Namely, it is believed that the person who is under spells, sorcery, or the action of evil spirits, no prayer will be answered, which is clearly seen by the fact that nothing in their lives is going according to plan.
Therefore, in order to annul the evil action and prepare the body to wear the amulet, short talismans, so-called records, saffron ink and rose water are written which are then dissolved in water. As soon as the text melts, the paper is taken out and the person drinks the water and bathes in part, in order to purify it completely.
This clearly shows the difference between an amulet and a talisman because the former is carried with and the latter is used to heal or cleans off negative energy. Also, it is believed that only those talismans that are printed with spiritual ink, that is, made of saffron and rose water, have this purpose. The reason for such a rule lies in the tradition of the Arab people who attach special powers of nullifying evil to saffron.
In addition to being made for an individual, amulets are written for the whole family, protection of the house and property, and business facilities. It is considered that the amulet is best worn close to the heart, since all black magic attacks are aimed mostly at that part of the body, while amulets that protect the house or other facilities are placed above the door. Namely, every spell is brought to the front door, whether it is something that needs to be spilled, poured or buried. Likewise, out of each amulet, alms in the form of money should be shared with the poor from time to time in order to strengthen its prophylactic powers.
