Hand of Fatima Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The symbol or design known in Islamic societies as the Hand of Fatima and in Jewish lore as the Hand of Miriam (or as "Hamsa", Arabic for "five") serves as an ancient talismanic way of averting the evil eye. It appears, often in stylised form, as a hand with three fingers raised, and sometimes with two thumbs arranged symmetrically. The symbol is used in amulets, charms, jewellery, door entrances, cars, and other places to ward the evil eye.
Tradition associates the symbol with the daughter of the prophet Muhammed: Fatima Zahra.
It is not a symbol that is condoned by the religion of Islam, but rather a cultural fixture. Some sources assert that its origin predates Islam. The name Fatima's hands or hand of Fatima, is a Western name for this object; in the societies where the symbol is actually common it is referred to using other names, such as khamsa (five) خمسة و خميسة in Egypt, and "hamsa" in Western sources. In Israel it is also known by the latter name, and is often used in Jewish homes as well, although without any Islamic heritage connotations, thus enforcing the notion that it is cultural rather than religious in origin.