The HAMSA Hand is an ancient Middle Eastern amulet symbolizing the Hand of God. In all religions it is a protective sign. It brings its owner happiness, luck, health, and good fortune. The hamsa hand has a variety of different spellings including hamesh, hamsa, chamsa, and khamsa.
Known throughout the world as the Hand of HAMSA, the Hand of Mary, the Hand of Fatima, the Hand of Miriam, and alternatively spelled “KHAMSA,” the HAMSA is probably the most famous symbol whose name has rarely (if ever) been heard. Just as other cultures believe in Shambhala or the mysteries of the chakras.
It is also likely that you have seen it many times, but simply did not realize what was before your eyes. Attribute this to the widespread preference for representing it as a stylized and artistic version with various embellishments rather than its most basic form of a human hand with an open eye centered on it.
The eye, often in the context of an “all-seeing eye,” is not a new concept; it is a well-known symbol that appears on objects and buildings throughout the modern world.
However, the HAMSA hand is more closely associated with the worship and protection of a Supreme Being than with a symbol of money, power, and influence that is more common today.
What does the HAMSA hand look like?
Despite the wide variation in illustrations of the HAMSA hand seen around the world—often due to the way it has evolved from its ancient origins to be adapted by peoples and cultures across the globe—some features are almost universally present. The most prominent of these are:
- A hand with five fingers, pointing up or down
- The fingers are clenched together, not spread apart.
- At least one eye in the palm of the hand
The most common and widespread design of the Hamsa/Khamsa shows it as a symmetrical symbol in which the thumb and little finger are identical in shape and size. The more realistic version, with the thumb and little finger clearly and distinctly represented, is not unknown, but it is certainly much less common.
Some cultures prefer a clean look, with no embellishments or enhancements to the design ( or even the color), while most prefer a medium to high level of intricate artistic style. The most common areas where this style emerges are:
On the palm of the hand – Various shapes and designs may adorn and/or accompany the eye. On the fingers – More often in the design of the horizontal partitions of the fingers
Another less common variation is the representation of four fingers between the little finger and the thumb instead of just three. It could be said that this is a more creative way of displaying the HAMSA than a symbol of something openly profound.
When and where did the HAMSA originate?
The HAMSA Hand has been part of our world for millennia, and its true origins are lost in the mists of time. This is a feature that HAMSA shares with all ancient human symbols. The primordial origins of the HAMSA Hand are alluded to by the fact that the eye is the center of most designs.
The symbol of the eye has its roots in the primal fear among humans of the greedy and malicious feelings of others toward what we value and love, whether it be our possessions or the people in our lives.
What we do know for certain is that the earliest known use of the Hamsa/Khamsa dates back to the Phoenicians, a Semitic (Jewish) civilization in the Mediterranean and North African region.
Phoenicia was established around 1500 BC; however, it is very likely that the symbol itself was in use in the region prior to this period and was adapted by the Phoenicians for their own purposes.
Records show that the Phoenicians used the Hand of HAMSA as a symbol of their revered goddess, Tanit. She was the patroness of their capital, Carthage, protecting it from those who wanted to harm it.
The HAMSA hand in established religion
There is no doubt that the HAMSA Hand emerged as a symbol of supervision and protection long before established religions left their mark on our world. A common feature of all conquering religions is that ancient beliefs and motifs are subtly incorporated into their respective narratives to increase their appeal to the unconverted masses.
The Hamsa/Khamsa is the perfect example —it was chronologically adopted by all the major religions that emerged from the simple animism in which their roots lie.
Thus, the Jews, Christians, and Muslims who successively occupied or conquered the Mediterranean and North African region from which the HAMSA appears to have emerged now claim the HAMSA as a symbol of particular aspects of their respective belief systems.
For all established religions, it is generally accepted that the HAMSA is the symbol of an omnipotent Supreme Being who possesses the power to grant protection against evil and bless those over whom he rules. As such, it can be said to be a representation of the “Hand of God.”
In Judaism
Judaism is the first of the three Abrahamic religions, preceding Christianity by about two millennia and Islam by more than 2,700 years. The first recorded use of the HAMSA is related to the teachings of the Jews.
HAMSA is derived from the Hebrew word for the number ‘five’, hamesh. It is used in two contexts; first, to refer to the first five books of the Torah, the holy book of the Jews, and second, to the Jewish teaching that calls on devotees to use the five senses in their worship of God.
The Phoenicians were essentially Jewish, but from a school that deviated from the original teachings of the Torah. Their use of the HAMSA Hand may have been inspired by Jewish tradition, but it was enriched or diluted, depending on how religious issues are perceived, by the incorporation of the worship of ancient pagan deities.
In Christianity
The five books of the Torah that give the Hamsa/Khamsa its name also form the first part of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. While Christianity generally disapproves of symbols other than the cross and its variants, the HAMSA can be used without fear of falling into this trap because of its shared history with Judaism.
This is especially true with regard to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Bible tells us that God sent his Son to earth as the savior of mankind through the Immaculate Conception in Mary. In Christian tradition, this act occurred only once in the past and will never be repeated.
Therefore, only Mary had the incomparable privilege of being part of the birth of Jesus, Son of God, placing her in an exalted position above all women, and possibly above all humanity.
The Hand of Mary in this context becomes a powerful representation of God’s power to exercise His will through the actions of ordinary human beings, imbuing them with gifts and abilities that exceed the ordinary.
We could all use a touch of the Divine to overcome the challenges in our lives, and Mary’s Hand is a reminder of that sentiment for Christians.
In Islam
The third of the Abrahamic religions, Islam, also embraced the Hand of HAMSA when it encountered the symbol during its spread through the Middle East and North Africa in the early 7th century.
As previous religions had done, it also gave it a familiar name of its own to ease the transition to the new form of worship: the Hand of Fatima. The name ‘Hand of Fatima’ refers to Fatima, one of the daughters of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who had no children who lived beyond infancy.
Islam specifically prohibits the representation of human beings in art, considering it a challenge to God and leading to idolatry. For this reason, the symbol is not as well known or widely used in Islamic countries as it is in Judaism and Christianity.
However, visually, the Hand of Fatima departs from the traditional artistic representation of the HAMSA and is drawn in a more realistic manner. It is not depicted as a symmetrical shape in which the thumb and little finger are indistinguishable, but as a true human right hand.
Another important and obvious difference is that while other representations generally show the HAMSA with the fingers touching, the Hand of Fatima is shown with the fingers slightly apart.
Perhaps again due to the prohibition of human representation, the Hand of Fatima is rarely shown with an eye in the center as is the case with the Hand of HAMSA, Hand of Miriam, and Hand of Mary. Instead, the eye is typically replaced by an Islamic seal.
As further proof or reminder that the symbol is being used in a strictly non-worship context, the Hand of Fatima is most often accompanied by verses from the Quran and similar Islamic calligraphy and art. In the Islamic context, the number five symbolizes the five “Pillars of Islam,” five rules by which all Muslims must live their lives.
Specifically in relation to the Shiite branch of Islam, the five fingers of the hand are taken to refer to the “Five People of the Cloak,” a reference to five early Islamic figures whom this sect believes were pure and absolved of all sin.
In modern culture
We often try to find meaning in ancient teachings when the modern world fails us despite its promises of ease and comfort. Many ancient symbols are rediscovered by individuals like you in their search for a connection to the soul of the Universe.
It is perhaps the greatest proof that materialism and wealth leave a void in our lives that the Hollywood elite are often seen wearing this symbol prominently.
Despite their success and wealth, they seek solace from negativity and evil in representations of something that is almost the antithesis of their world. However, the HAMSA has long been an attractive symbol for the masses as well. There are few markets and tourist stalls in the Middle East that do not offer trinkets and tapestries with it printed on them.
It is probably also safe to say that most people who buy these souvenirs rarely delve into the meaning behind the symbolism.
Fortunately for them, there is no requirement or burden on the individual to understand its meaning or to invoke the protection of a particular god or entity to receive its benefits. The Hand of HAMSA only gives and asks for nothing in return.
