Morocco # English board

Salam,
I'd like to share info on some practices that are common in Morocco but that are very dangerous and false from a religious standpoint.

1) Believing in the protection of "Khmissa" and other objects (blue eye amulet...)
Although it is something pretty common in Morocco and something engrained within Moroccan culture, you should avoid saying/believing the “khmissa” (or other talismans like the blue eye amulet) protects you against evil eye, avoid wearing these objects for protection, avoid saying some typical Moroccan sentences like "khmissa w khmiss" , « khmssa », « khmssa fik » and other sentences for protection against the evil eye, and avoid using specific gestures for protection (for example showing your hand like a “khmssa” against evil eye). It is shirk because nobody protects you besides Allah سبحانه و تعالى, not a talisman or a specific sentence that doesn't come from any religious practices/ sources.

Instead, you should read the Surahs Al-Ikhlas (سورة لإخلاص), Al-Nass (سورة الناس) and Al Falaq (سورة الفلق) three times each, as well as Ayat al-Kursi (ايت الكرسي) every morning/evening, and say some duas to ask Allah ﷻ for protection like :
- ما شاءَ الله/ تَبارَكَ الله (against evil eye)
- فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللهُ وهو السَّميعُ العَليمُ (in any case)
- حَسْبِيَ الله و نِعْمَ الوكيلْ/ حَسْبُنَا الله و نِعْمَ الوكيلْ (against evil eye/ in any case)
Or by reciting morning and evening duas like those you can find here: [bit.ly]


This goes as well for any other items or talismans worn with purposes of protection, bringing positivity, luck (which is a concept that doesn’t exist in religion), etc. They are shirk as well as only Allah سبحانه و تعالى brings us or gives us anything.

It is the case too for any sentences used in certain regions in Morocco for various purposes (for example “mashka + the name of a siyyed (for example the siyyed Abd Allah Ben Hessoun (الله يرحمه)” which is used in Salé for protection when someone talks about their trouble to avoid being affected by it), or any other common practices used for protection, bringing positivity etc like knocking on wood for protection, crossing fingers/ or what is also called “shkouk”, saying the sentence “I cross fingers” to bring positivity, using bokhour with plants, seeds, rocks or animal parts for protection (bokhour can be used to perfume, or for relaxation and meditation, but you shouldn't believe that it protects you )against evil eye or anthing else, sprinkling salt especially at night (when reading ayat Al Kursi is enough to have Allah's protection against anything, even against all devils) and so on, as only Allah سبحانه و تعالى protects us or gives us anything, not these gestures or sentences that come from tradition and not religion. Instead one should say duas like
.. الله يحفظ/ اللهم عافِنا/ اللهم نجِّينا / الله يستر to ask for protection
Or إن شاء الله / الله يسهّل to remain positive in one’s matters, etc.

2) Asking things from the “siyyed” of a mausoleum
Some people also visit mausoleums (“siyyed”), and then pray /make duas so that the person (for whom the mausoleum was built) gives them various things (health, wealth...), and sometimes they also do various rituals to ask for various things (like drink the mausoleum’s water and pray that they get health, wealth, apply the water on their skin to remove an illness because it comes from the mausoleum when it's only ordinary water…). That is shirk as well as only Allah سبحانه و تعالى gives you anything, and you just need to ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى directly for what you need during and through prayers.
(I don’t know if the act of visiting a mausoleum or "siyyed" is bad/permitted in itself though, but in any case the fact of asking someone else than Allah سبحانه و تعالى for something is shirk).

Some people also consult seers( "fqih", and believe in their ability to read the future and tell you what will happen, and give rituals to do (put a paper in water etc...) . That is shirk as well: only Allah سبحانه و تعالى knows the future and nobody else, and only He can cure you, and the only elements you can use as a cure are the Holy Quran and duas to ask for a cure, not rituals /cures made by these healers :"hjab” (even with Quran!) incense/animal parts, potions, powders...

Only Allah ﷻ protects us, and the only things we can do to ask for Allah’s protection, or to ask Him to facilitate our matters, or to ask for success in our matters etc are : recitation of duas, recitation of the Holy Quran, doing roqya (الرقية الشرعية) through recitation of the Holy Quran for protection or for healing, and of course prayers (making duas about one’s needs during the 5 daily prayers especially during prosternation, or adding any additional non obligatory prayers for specific purposes , like Salat Al Istikhara (صلاة الإستخارة /consultation prayer) to ask for guidance on our matters, Salat Al Haja (صلاة الحاجة / prayer of need) for any specific need



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 09:51 by ASDF.

It's funny, these beliefs are also common in Tunisia, I own the kmissa and the blue eye amulet as gifts.
From what i've seen, the majority of the people that believe in those things are the old generation, the younger one tend to be more educated.

Salam


What is strange is that you criticize innocent symbols without knowing their real name.

Quote
ASDF
Salam,
I'd like to share info on some practices that are common in Morocco but that are very dangerous and false from a religious standpoint.

1) Believing in the protection of "Khmissa" and other objects (blue eye amulet...)
Although it is something pretty common in Morocco and something engrained within Moroccan culture, you should avoid saying/believing the “khmissa” (or other talismans like the blue eye amulet) protects you against evil eye, avoid wearing these objects for protection, avoid saying some typical Moroccan sentences like "khmissa w khmiss" , « khmssa », « khmssa fik » and other sentences for protection against the evil eye, and avoid using specific gestures for protection (for example showing your hand like a “khmssa” against evil eye). It is shirk because nobody protects you besides Allah ﷻ, not a talisman or a specific sentence that doesn't come from any religious practices/ sources.

Instead, you should read the chapters Al-nass (الناس ) and Al falaq (الفلق ) three times each or ayat al-Kursi (ايت الكرسي), and say the following duas for protection against the evil eye or anything:
- ما شاء الله
- حسبي الله و نعم الوكيل
- فسيكفيكم الله و هو السميع العليم

This goes as well for any other items or talismans worn with purposes of protection, bringing positivity, luck (which is a concept that doesn’t exist in religion), etc. Only Allah ﷻ brings us or gives us anything.

It is the case too for any sentences used in certain regions in Morocco for various purposes (for example “mashka” which is used in Salé for protection when someone talks about their trouble to avoid being affected by it), or any other common practices used for protection, bringing positivity etc ( like knocking on wood for protection, crossing fingers/ or what is also called “shkouk”, saying the sentence “I cross fingers” to bring positivity etc…) as only Allah ﷻ protects us or gives us anything, not these gestures or sentences that come from tradition and not religion. Instead one should say duas like
.. الله يحفظ/ اللهم عافِنا/ اللهم نجِّينا / الله يستر to ask for protection
Or إن شاء الله / الله يسهّل to remain positive in one’s affairs, etc.

2) Asking things from the “siyyed” of a mausoleum
Some people also visit mausoleums (“siyyed”), and then pray /make duas so that the person (for whom the mausoleum was built) gives them various things (health, wealth...), and sometimes they also do various rituals to ask for various things (like drink the mausoleum’s water and pray that they get health, wealth, apply the water on their skin to remove an illness because it comes from the mausoleum when it's only ordinary water…). That is shirk as well as only Allah ﷻ gives you anything, and you just need to ask Allah ﷻ directly for what you need during and through prayers.
(I don’t know if the act of visiting a mausoleum or "siyyed" is bad/permitted in itself though, but in any case the fact of asking someone else than Allah ﷻ for something is shirk).

That’s what I noticed in the country, please transfer the info and let people know about these practices that are common in case they do all these things!

You understood what I was referring to, so that's the point. Otherwise please let us know about the correct names!
And yes though, believing the symbols bring you something or protect you is shirk, because you believe something else thn Allah ﷻ will protect you, when He is the only one to protect you from anything or bring you anything.

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baliygh75
Salam


What is strange is that you criticize innocent symbols without knowing their real name.

So I'm not just criticizing, it's shirk indeed.

I don't think you should kee them even if they were gifts though. I threw away mine even if I never believed they brought anything or protected me from anything anyways.

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Kaiserin
It's funny, these beliefs are also common in Tunisia, I own the kmissa and the blue eye amulet as gifts.
From what i've seen, the majority of the people that believe in those things are the old generation, the younger one tend to be more educated.

I know but they were given to me by my deceased grandmother, i just left them in my jewellry box, i rarely wear them and when i do i don't believe they can protect me from something.

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ASDF
I don't think you should kee them even if they were gifts though. I threw away mine even if I never believed they brought anything or protected me from anything anyways.

I still think you can't keep/ wear them, it'd be better if you asked someone whether you can keep them. I had mine as gifts as well, but I'd rather be sure to not have anything that can cause me to fall into error. And Allah ﷻ knows best.

Some people also consult healers (charlatans) or astrologers or seers and believe in their ability to read the future and in their abilities of divination, and visit them so they can tell them whether they’ll succeed in the future, or whether something will happen, and they also believe in their ability to prescribe cures/ rituals (putting some paper in water or on a doorsill, put something they write in food or hang it on a wall, wear "hjabs"* or "kemmousas" they make, love potions or other potions and powders, special bokhour to burn to make something happen…) for whatever reason (changing the course of events, attract someone’s love, becoming successful…). That is shirk as well: only Allah سبحانه و تعالى knows the future and nobody else, and only He can cure us, or make us successful, or change the course of our matters and events, or influence people, or let love happen, etc. and the only elements you can use as a cure or to ask for healing, or to ask Allah ﷻ for anything (changing events, success, a spouse..) are the Holy Quran and duas, not rituals/specific cures made by these healers (incense, animal parts, potions, powders…).

*NB: hjabs with Quran written in them are makrooh and to be avoided as well, because we get to believe the Ayah or Surah written in them brings us some measure of protection or facilitation, when only Allah ﷻ brings us anything or protect us, and if reading the Ayah or surah brings us anything, it is only through the will of Allah ﷻ, so only Allah ﷻ brings us anything or lets anything happen to us, or protects us and only He ﷻ is the source of any protection or success, etc.

Read the following Hadith:
Al-Tabaraani narrated in al-Kabeer from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who practices augury [seeking omens in birds] or has that done for him, or who practices divination or has that done for him, or who practices witchcraft or has that done for him.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 5435.

And from the Holy Quran:
قُلْ مَن يَكْلَؤُكُم بِالَّليْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ بَلْ هُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبّـِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ

“Say: ‘Who can guard and protect you in the night or in the day from the (punishment of the) Most Gracious (Allaah)?’ Nay, but they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord”
[Surah Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:42 – interpretation of the meaning]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 10:47 by ASDF.

some Hadiths regarding talismans:

It was narrated from Zaynab the wife of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood from ‘Abd-Allaah that he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘Spells (ruqyah), amulets and love-charms are shirk.” I said, “Why do you say this? By Allaah, my eye was weeping with a discharge and I kept going to So and so, the Jew, who did a spell for me. When he did the spell, it calmed down.” ‘Abd-Allaah said: “That was just the work of the Shaytaan who was picking it with his hand, and when (the Jew) uttered the spell, he stopped. All you needed to do was to say as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say: ‘Adhhib il-ba’s Rabb al-naas ishfi anta al-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illa shifaa’uka shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqaman (Remove the harm, O Lord of mankind, and heal, You are the Healer. There is no healing but Your healing, a healing which leaves no disease behind.’”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3883; Ibn Maajah, 3530), this hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 331 and 2972.

It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani that a group came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) [to swear their allegiance (bay’ah) to him]. He accepted the bay’ah of nine of them but not of one of them. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, you accepted the bay’ah of nine but not of this one.” He said, “He is wearing an amulet.” The man put his hand (in his shirt) and took it off, then he (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) accepted his bay’ah. He said, ‘Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk.”
(Narrated by Ahmad, 16969) , This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 492.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) say: “Ruqyah, amulets and love charms are shirk.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (3883) and Ibn Majaah (3530): classed as saheeh

(more links about this: [www.islamawareness.net]
[islamqa.info]
[islamqa.info] )

Thank you for info. I've just bought ticket to Morocco at https://lowcost.club/ So, next week I'll be there. It's difficult to find a cheap flights. But I did it. And I will ask someone whether I can keep them. Thanks one more time

salam
pls write in french or arabic because only few of young people can understand what you are saying.
BEST REGARDS