The state-run body (Diyanet) claims the tradition of wearing an eye-shaped blue amulet, the ‘evil-eye’ — which is believed to have originated from as far back as 3,300 BCE — is incompatible with Islam and prohibited. This tradition has become widely adopted in Turkey.
"Although the nature and condition of the evil eye are unknown, it is accepted by religion that some people can create negative effects with their gaze," according to the advisory published by Diyanet on the internet.
"In our religion, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs that attribute the ultimate influence on anything other than Allah are forbidden. For this reason, it is not permissible to wear ‘evil-eye’ amulets and similar things around the neck or anywhere for the purpose of benefiting from them."
The history of the ‘evil-eye’ and the belief that its power causes harm dates back to ancient times. The power of the amulet is widely believed across the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. Belief in the evil eye is found in the Islamic doctrine, based upon the statement of Prophet Muhammad, "The influence of an evil eye is a fact..." [Sahih Muslim, Book 26, Number 5427].
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 https://t.co/CwcxdPD5bh
— Pieter Dronkers (@PieterDronkers) January 23, 2021
In the Aegean Region or other areas where light-colored eyes are rare, green eyes, and especially blue eyes, are thought to bestow the curse, intentionally or unintentionally. Thus, in Greece and Turkey, amulets against the evil eye take the form of blue eyes.
Istanbul's Bahcesehir University's art history professor, Nese Yildiran, said the beads' blue color relates to the Central Asian Seljuk Turks' sky god. "The Great Seljuks who accepted Islam continued the use of this color in architectural decoration," she said.
The evil-eye talismans are given as gifts, worn as jewelry, and adorn homes and workplaces across the country and the world. To depict a theme of fusing ancient folklore with the digital era, a nazarlik emoji was created in 2018.
Given the symbol's pervasive nature, many Turks have questioned why the Diyanet decided to denounce a harmless tradition.
"They're just for decoration, really," said Aysegul Aytekin, who runs a small gift shop in Ankara. "They're probably the best-selling product here, but I don't think people really believe in the power of them. It's just a nice tradition, and they make good decorations."
However, there are plenty who attest to the influence of the totems. Ever since he was a boy, Mahmut Sur (58) has enjoyed creating the symbols in his workshop. "This is a belief," he said. "They are blue because it's thought that the color blue distracts evil energy. Of course, I believe in them. It's part of a culture that goes back 3,000 years. When you wear an amulet if someone with bad energy looks at you, the amulet averts the bad energy and protects you.”
Under heavy criticism and ridicule, the Diyanet has issued fatwas against other practices, such as men dying their mustaches and beards, feeding dogs at home, tattoos, and playing the national lottery.
"For Anatolians, it is cultural and traditional to believe in the protective power of blue beads," Yildiran said. "The misconception of the Diyanet is in thinking it can abolish this traditional belief after ages."
Instead, such pronouncements further alienated people from the directorate, "which has caused a huge social reaction with the enormous expenditures and waste they have made in recent years."
