Hamsá, or Hand of Fatima, is a famous symbol throughout the world. If you don't know him by one of these names, you've probably seen him on key chains, pendants or even the print of some clothing. Some decor items also feature this design.
However, not all people who use Hamsa understand what it means. To avoid confusion, the ideal is to learn more about it and, consequently, learn how the symbol can be useful for your life, if you want to use it. Learn more about the Hand of Fatima below!
what is hamsa
Hamsa is the name of an object that has the appearance of an open hand, with the fingers extended and joined together. In general, the pinky and thumb are the same size, as are the index and ring fingers. The middle finger, however, is taller than the others.
In the center of the symbol, it is common to find decorations, which can be an open eye, pigeons, fish, Hebrew words and stars of David. In this case, the symbolism of the Hamsa is joined to the symbolism of these other drawings that are in the palm of the hand.
Although there is no standard color for the Hamsa, the symbol is usually reproduced in blue or in metal tones, depending on the material from which it is made.
Origin of Hamsa
Understanding the appearance of Hamsa is still not enough to understand the origin of Hamsa. The first appearances of this symbol were in Eastern Antiquity, without a specific date.
The Phoenician people believed that Hamsa was a way of connecting with Tanit, the goddess-protector of Carthage. Despite this, over time, the Hand of Fatima was appropriated by Arabs and Jews, with different meanings.
Currently, even those who do not follow a religion can use Hamsa. But the spiritual significance of the play still holds. Learn more about this aspect in the next topic.
What does hamsa mean?
First, there is not just one meaning of Hamsa. That's why we're going to start by understanding what this word means, and then analyze how each culture made use of it.
Thus, Hamsa means "five", relating to the number of fingers on a hand. The word comes from the Arabic language, and is a variation of the word “chamsa”, with the same meaning. That is, the name of the object does not say so much about what it can symbolize for a person.
Hamsa Symbolism:
The Hamsa symbology may seem a little confusing, because different religions make use of this symbol. However, excluding the religious aspect and keeping only spirituality, we understand that the symbolism of Hamsa is protection. This means that the Hand of Fatima is like an amulet against envy, the evil eye and negative vibrations.
On the other hand, Muslims often call Hamsa the Hand of Fatima because Fatima was the favorite daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, an important figure in the religion. In addition to referring to this character, the symbol represents the five pillars of Islam: faith, prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage.
For Jews, Hamsa is directly related to the Torah, which features five books. They also call the symbol the Hand of Miriam, with Miriam being the sister of Moses and Aaron. So, for both Islam and Judaism, Hamsa is the embodiment of some aspect of the religion.
In Buddhism, the Hand of Fatima is also present. For this belief, the symbol is a representation of the mudra, which is the sacred posture of the hand. When the drawing is with the fingers pointed up, it refers to spiritual elevation.
How to use Hamsa
Whether you have a religion or not, the Hamsa can be a useful symbol for your life. If you want to use it according to the religious meaning, you need to dedicate yourself to your faith, and use the Hand of Fatima as a symbol to strengthen your belief. Therefore, the object can accompany you when you say a prayer or meditate.
However, you can use Hamsa to protect yourself every day, against all the bad energies that are around you. For this use, it is recommended that you wear jewelry with this symbol, key chains or other types of amulet, believing that the symbol will protect you. A tattoo would also help you in that aspect.
You may also like
- Analyze how amulets can protect you
- Reap the benefits of mudra, finger meditation
- Learn to recognize that envy has got you
Now that you know how powerful Hamsa is, and how the uses of this symbol have changed throughout history, how do you prefer to bring it into your life?
