Turkey’s religious authority has finally proclaimed the use of talismans to ward off “the evil eye” prohibited in Islam.

Al Jazeerah reports that the use of the eye-shaped blue glass amulets in Turkey is widespread, as it’s believed they can ward off malevolent intentions and jealousy.

In a recent fatwa (decree by a religious authority), the ‘Diyanet’, which governs all matters relating to Islam in Turkey, denounced the use of the ‘nazarlik’ or ‘nazar boncugu’.

The Diyanet published on its website: “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. It added that in Islam, all attitudes, behaviors and beliefs that attribute the ultimate influence on anything besides Allah were forbidden, and therefore it was not permissible to wear evil eye amulets believing one would benefit from them.

According to Al Jazeera, the practice of wearing the evil eye amulet dates back to 3300 BCE, at least.a Meanwhile, Nese Yildiran, professor of art history at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University, said the blue color of the beads relates to the ‘sky god’ of the Central Asian Seljuk Turks, before they accepted Islam.

Umm Muhammed Umar