This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Hand of Fatima

Location:

Shahaniya, Qatar

Holding Museum:

FBQ Museum

About FBQ Museum, Shahaniya

Current Owner:

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani

Date of Object:

19th century

Museum Inventory Number:

FBQ.HH.358

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Silver; engraving

Dimensions:

Length: 24cm, Width: 16cm

Period / Dynasty:

Alawid

Place of production:

Morocco, Tangier

Provenance:

Morocco

Description:

This object represents the "Hand of Fatima" also known as Khamsa (the Arabic word for "Five"), "Hand of Venus" or "Aphrodite". Jewish silversmiths in Morocco became known for casting and engraving pieces such as this one, used as a talismanic doorknob or jewellery pendant.

Carthaginian excavations traced the open hand to ancient Egypt, whose variations appear across all faiths and time as a representation of God and believed to grant protection against ill will. In Islam, Fatima, the beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) defends anyone regardless of faith against evil.

The hand appears symmetrical with the five fingers indistinguishable, embodying the secret codes of the number five in Islam. The fingers allude to the five pillars of Islam, five daily prayers and five keys to the unseen. While silver casts additional amuletic power, the phoenix and salamanders symbolize life, rebirth and fertility.

How date and origin were established:

The date and origin were established in research-based comparison from an examination of material, engraving and pattern.

How Object was obtained:

Purchase

How provenance was established:

The date and origin were established in research-based comparison from an examination of material, engraving and pattern.

Selected bibliography:

Hildburgh, W. L., "Images of the Human Hand as Amulets in Spain", Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 18 : 1/2 (1955): 67–89.
Koltuv, B. B., Amulets, Talismans, and Magical Jewelry: A Way to the Unseen, Everpresent, Almighty God, Berwick: Nicolas-Hays, Inc., 2005.
Pomeroy, H., Intertwining Cultures: Memories of the Andalusi Past. In the Iberian Peninsula and Beyond: A History of Jews and Muslims (15th–17th Centuries), Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015: 246–57.
Sánchez, A. R., and Mitchell, P., "THE HAND OF FATIMA: SILENT & TACTILE", Artes de México, 131 (2019): 84–86.
Sayed, N. A., "The Hand of Hamsa: Interpretation across the Globe", Hand, 6 : 20 (2016).

Citation of this web page:

Sarah Schroeder "Hand of Fatima" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;qt;Mus22;21;en

Prepared by: Sarah Schroeder
Copyedited by: Janice MedinaJanice Medina

Janice Medina is an artist and educator based in Upstate New York. She studied interior design at Syracuse University and obtained her M.S. in Building Conservation in 2008 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and Master of Fine Arts in 2019 (University at Albany).

Janice is a former participant in the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program and she has taught courses in the history of design and historic preservation. Her artwork is influenced by her experiences in historic preservation, as well as by building materials and the natural environment.

Janice has participated as a copy-editor with Museum With No Frontiers since 2019. In this role she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including Discover Islamic Art, Discover Baroque Art and Discover Glass Art.

MWNF Working Number: QT2 21