'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."
