Hamsa Invitations

You’ve spent so much time and money on planning your incredible celebrations – wedding, birthday party, anniversary celebration, etc. – that you don’t want anything to go wrong. In fact, you might need as much protection for your event as possible. That’s why some hosts and hostesses are choosing to send out invitations decorated with the hamsa symbol.

If you’re not aware of what hamsa is, then keep reading for an explanation of the history and significance of this symbol.

The Religious Connection to the Hamsa

The Hamsa is a unique hand-shaped symbol. There are a wide variety of designs. In fact, even something as important as the pointing direction of the fingers doesn’t affect the significance of the symbol.

Originally, the hamsa was seen as a protection from the Evil Eye, a curse that could be placed on one person by another just with a penetrating stare. The Evil Eye could cause all types of calamities but now the symbol is viewed as a way to ward off bad luck – the same type of bad luck you don’t want ruining your special event.

Acceptance of the hamsa and its powerful protection can be found in two of the world’s most powerful religions: Judaism and Islam. This isn’t entirely surprising given the close proximity of the two cultures in the Middle East, where the symbol is the most common. One difference between the religions is their alternative names for the symbol. You may never have heard of the hamsa, but you may very well have heard of the Hand of Fatima (Islam) or the Hand of Miriam (Judaism).

The only constant with the symbol is that it includes five fingers. The significance of those five fingers differs, however. Jews believe the fingers represent the five books of the Torah, their main religious text. Muslims believe the fingers represent the five pillars of Islam, an important part of their religion.

Different Takes on the Hamsa

In many parts of the world, the hamsa is believed to be so powerful and important that people literally paint them on their homes. Jewish believers sometimes decorate the symbol with fish imagery because they already believe in the good luck associated with fish so this combination is sure to be even more effective.

Not everyone in these cultures accepts the power of hamsa as a given. Some actually find it offensive. In many Islamic areas, some view the use of the symbol as a form of idol worship that goes against their holy teachings. For them, the only provider of protection is God, not a hand symbol. Basically, they denounce the symbol’s protective possibilities as mere superstition.

Using the Hamsa

If you like the invitations or if you’re interested in incorporating more of the symbol into your wedding plans, then first you may want to do your own homework with your guests and determine their feelings. You don’t want to do something that might offend some of the people you care about the most.

Also, try to use the hamsa only for very important events. Don’t waste its importance on Super Bowl invitations. Even if you’re not completely sold on the power of the symbol, it never hurts to take a few precautions.