Countries in the world where the belief in the "Evil Eye" is common

The belief in the Evil Eye is also common among some communities in the USA

Nazars are charms used to ward off the evil eye.

Belief in the evil eye dates back to Classical antiquity.

Belief in the evil eye is strongest in West Asia, Latin America, East & West Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and Europe, especially the Mediterranean region.

In the Aegean Region & other areas where light-colored eyes are relatively rare, people with green eyes, and especially blue eyes, were thought to bestow the curse, intentionally or unintentionally. Thus, in Greece & Turkey amulets against the evil eye take the form of blue eyes.

In Islam, the evil eye, or al-’ayn العين, is a belief that individuals have the power to look at people to cause them harm. It is tradition among many Muslims that if a compliment is to be made one should say "Masha'Allah" (ما شاء الله) ("God has willed it") to ward off the eye.

The evil eye is mentioned several times in the classic Jewish text Pirkei Avot. 5 disciples of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai give advice on how to follow the good path in life & avoid the bad. Rabbi Eliezer says an evil eye is worse than a bad friend, a bad neighbor, or an evil heart.

Italy (especially Southern Italy) employs a variety of other unique charms and gestures to defend against the evil eye, including the cornicello, the cimaruta, and the sign of the horns.

The evil eye or 'Mal de Ojo/mal-olhado’ has been deeply embedded in Iberian popular culture throughout its history and Spain & Portugal are the reasons for the belief in Latin America, adopted after 700 years of Muslim rule in Iberia.

In Latin America, infants are considered at special risk for the evil eye & are often given an amulet as protection.

One traditional cure in rural Latin America involves a curandero sweeping a chicken egg over the body of a victim to absorb the energy of the eye from a person.

In Lebanon, you can see evil eyes hanging in cars, on walls and doors, pinned on newborn babies or even worn as jewelry pieces.

If you have such an amulet and it cracks or breaks, this is a good sign. It means it has protected you from coming evil & you should replace it.