Do you think there is such a thing as evil eye? Can someone's mere gaze at something pure and beautiful cause it harm? If yes, what is it that can protect one against it? Different cultures around the world have different answers to these questions – some based on religion, other superstition. For the people of Turkey, if there is one thing that comes to mind as an answer to the last question, it is certainly the nazarlik or nazar boncugu, a blue-white amulet believed by many to prevent one from the dangers of the "evil eye."

While some may link the usage of this charm to religion, Diyanet, the top religious body in Turkey made it clear last week that it had nothing to do with it. A fatwa – ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority – denouncing its usage under Islam was thereby issued, invoking the ire as well as commendation of people from different strata of the society which have been attached to this amulet for centuries.

"The diyanet just proclaimed that using the blue 'evil eye' amulets is prohibited within Islam. I guess I keep the three I have at home till I am vaccinated #bettersafethansorry #nazarlik," tweeted @PieterDronkers

"Diyanet didn't ban anything. They said if you use the evil eye by believing that it will protect you, it becomes a type of polytheism because only the God has that power to protect you," wrote @ZezeValaderes.

"Although the nature and condition of the evil eye are not known precisely, it is accepted by religion that some people can create negative effects with their gaze," a prominent media outlet quoted the Diyanet as saying in an advisory published on its website.

A deep-rooted belief

For centuries, many people around the globe, especially the Mediterranean and parts of Asia, have believed in the curse of the evil eye, which stems from the belief that great success or beauty attracts envy, which manifests as a curse to cause harm or possibly undo good fortune.

"Belief in the evil eye is ancient and ubiquitous; it occurred in ancient Greece and Rome, in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions, and in indigenous, peasant, and other folk societies, and it has persisted throughout the world into modern times. Those most often accused of casting the evil eye include strangers, malformed individuals, childless women and old women," according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

It is to ward off this "evil eye" that a range of talismans, prayer beads and even everyday products such as lime, red chili and even bathroom slippers are used.

Eyes off please

Probably not as widespread as the evil eye charms in Turkey, but it is a common sight in Pakistan to see a dirty, worn-out slipper hanging by the bumper of an exquisitely painted truck used for logistics. But why? To divert, capture or nullify the malevolent gaze of an envious competitor. After all, you don't want to meet an accident just on your way out of the garage after a fresh paint job.

Similarly, across Pakistan and parts of India, mothers would "blemish" the beauty of their newborns by putting on their face a small arbitrarily shaped black mark, usually sourced by the ink from their own eyeliner. Sometimes, they would pretend to be spitting on their babies' faces, all the while proclaiming loudly how not-beautiful is their child. Concerns and "rationale": What if an evil glare is unintentionally cast by an envious childless woman yearning for an offspring as beautiful as hers? The "evil eye" could cause the baby to get sick or get injured in an accident. So, let's make the baby "less beautiful" by putting that mark.

For similar reasons, if not the same, some would put a charmed necklace around the baby's neck, recite verses from the holy scriptures and blow it on their faces, or if one is in Turkey, possibly present with an evil eye amulet or other products depicting the eye.

All these observances can be broadly classified as being part of apotropaic magic – a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences. And these are not just limited to good luck charms and amulets, but also extend to gestures such as crossed fingers or knocking on wood.

However, when it comes to the evil eye amulet, its significance has increasingly become more cultural than superstitious as designers of jewelry, clothes and decorative items continue to use the symbol for making a range of items.

(Cover: An evil eye amulet hanging from a tree in Cappadocia, Turkey. /Getty)