The hamsa: the protective hand of Islam, Judaism and the Mediterranean
The hamsa, hand of Fatima or of Miriam: the origin of its name, its use against the evil eye, its meanings in Islam and Judaism and the hand of the Alhambra.
An open, symmetrical hand, often with an eye in the centre of the palm: the hamsa is one of the most widespread amulets of North Africa and the Middle East. The name comes from the Arabic word for the number five, like the fingers of the hand. In Europe it is known above all as the “hand of Fatima”, but in Jewish communities it is also called the “hand of Miriam”, a sign of a history shared by several cultures and faiths.
A hand to ward off evil
The hamsa's main function is to protect against the evil eye, the envious gaze that, according to beliefs found all over the Mediterranean, could cause illness, misfortune and loss of property. The open hand, shown from the front, seems to halt evil with a defensive gesture. In many amulets an eye appears in the centre of the palm, sending the danger back to whoever sent it. The hamsa is often made of silver, blue enamel or ceramic.
The image of the hand as a protective sign is very old, and attempts have been made to link it to symbols of the ancient Near East and the Punic world. These hypotheses are debated and do not allow a continuous line to be drawn to present-day amulets. More certain is the hamsa's wide diffusion in the medieval and modern Maghreb, where it appears on doors, jewellery, textiles and household objects.
Fatima and Miriam
In the Muslim world the hand is associated with Fatima, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali, a figure deeply venerated especially in the Shia tradition. In some religious circles the use of amulets has been criticised, but the hamsa has remained popular as a cultural object. The five fingers have been linked, according to different interpretations, to the five pillars of Islam or to the five members of the Prophet's family especially revered by Shia Muslims.
In the Jewish communities of North Africa and the Middle East the hand has been connected with Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, and sometimes with the five books of the Torah. Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews also brought the hamsa to Israel, where today it is an extremely common decorative motif, often accompanied by Hebrew inscriptions and small fish, another traditional symbol of protection.
The hand of the Alhambra
A famous example of a carved hand can be found in Granada. On the Puerta de la Justicia of the Alhambra, built in 1348 under the Nasrid sultan Yusuf I, an open hand is carved on the keystone of the outer arch, while a key appears on the inner arch. The meaning of these signs has been interpreted in various ways, from a reference to the principles of the faith to a simple protective value. A local legend holds that the Alhambra will fall only when the hand manages to grasp the key.
The hamsa shows how an amulet can cross religious boundaries without losing its symbolic force. Muslims, Jews and Christians of the Mediterranean have adopted it, reinterpreted it and at times contested it. Today it is also a fashion item, sold in bazaars and shops all over the world, but behind its popularity lies a simple and universal gesture: the raised hand that orders evil to stop.