'atil wa batil

Incantations play an important part in the efforts to remove the influence of the evil eye. When an afflicted person is thought to be a victim of nazar, or the glance of the evil eye, a particular kind of incense, which is made of seeds of the wild rue, mixed with leaves of myrtle and frankincense, is burned at sunset; and while the smoke is curling about the head of the victim, the following incantation is repeated:

Wild rue, who planted it ?...... Muhammad.

who gathered it ?................... Ali.

who burned it ?......................Fatima.

for whom ?........................... For Hasan and Husain.

The names of the " Five " are all in this incantation, combining their power with that of the incense. The Iranian women call this incantation 'atil wa batil, or " offensive and defensive."