According to research conducted by the Presidency of Religious Affairs through provincial mufti offices across Turkey, 1,380 different superstitions are widely practiced among the population. Of these, 335 relate to family, 319 to luck and bad luck, 272 to funerals, 78 to healing, 73 to shrines and sacred tombs, 49 to Hฤฑdrellez, 39 to fortune-telling, 36 to prayer, 31 to evil eye, 26 to prayers, 25 to votive offerings, 23 to pilgrimage, 17 to holy days and nights, 12 to guests, 12 to holidays, 9 to jinn and fairies, 9 to magic and fortune-telling, 8 to ashura, 7 to halal and haram, 6 to amulets, and 2 to lunar and solar eclipses. This study demonstrates how widely superstitious beliefs and practices are maintained among the population.
1
Evil Eye Bead (Nazar Boncuฤu)
Wearing a blue evil eye bead to protect against harmful glances, especially for babies, new homes, and vehicles.
2
Pouring Water After Travelers
Pouring water behind someone leaving on a journey so their path flows smoothly like water.
3
Black Cat Crossing Path
A black cat crossing your path brings bad luck and misfortune.
4
Coffee Fortune Telling
Reading future predictions from patterns in coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup.
5
Spilling Salt
Spilling salt causes quarrels. Spilled salt should be picked up immediately and sugar sprinkled over it.
6
Upturned Slippers
Upturned slippers or shoes signal death and must be corrected immediately.
7
Not Cutting Nails at Night
Cutting nails at night brings misfortune, especially regarding elderly family members.
8
Lead Pouring (Kurลun Dรถkme)
Melting and pouring lead into water over someone’s head to cleanse negative energy and relieve discomfort caused by the evil eye.
9
Owl Hooting
An owl hooting or landing on a house signals death.
10
Not Walking Under Ladders
Walking under a ladder brings bad luck.
11
Not Sweeping the Threshold
Avoiding sweeping the doorway to prevent prosperity from leaving the home.
12
Breaking a Mirror
Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
13
Not Leaving Scissors Open
Leaving scissors open causes arguments and discord in the home.
14
Saying “Mashallah”
Saying “mashallah” when seeing something beautiful to prevent the evil eye.
15
Spitting Three Times
Making a symbolic spitting gesture three times (“tuh tuh tuh”) to ward off the evil eye.
16
Marriage Between Two Holidays
Getting married between two religious holidays brings unhappiness.
17
Ear Ringing
Right ear ringing is good news, left ear ringing means someone is gossiping about you.
18
Palm Itching
Right palm itching means money is coming, left palm itching means money is leaving.
19
Dog Howling
Dogs howling at odd hours signals a death in the area.
20
Wearing Amulets
Wearing amulets containing Quranic verses or special writings for protection and wishes.
21
Red Ribbon
Tying red ribbons on babies and newly purchased items for protection.
22
Not Standing on Threshold
Avoiding standing or sitting on the threshold as it brings bad luck.
23
Hanging Garlic
Hanging garlic at the door or in cars to protect against the evil eye.
24
Nose Itching
Nose itching means a guest will arrive or you’ll get beaten.
25
Eye Twitching
Right eye twitching is good news, left eye twitching is bad news.
26
Not Giving Milk at Night
Not giving milk or yogurt to anyone at night, or there will be a death in the house.
27
Not Turning Bread Upside Down
Turning bread upside down causes prosperity to leave.
28
Dreaming of Teeth
Dreaming about teeth falling out signals death in the family.
29
Empty Rocking Chair
A rocking chair moving by itself signals a guest is coming.
30
Fortune Opening Ritual
Special rituals performed for people who can’t get married to “open their fortune.”
31
Not Whistling at Night
Whistling at night summons jinn and brings bad luck.
32
Not Combing Hair at Night
Combing hair at night summons jinn.
33
Not Taking Out Garbage at Night
Taking out garbage at night causes prosperity to leave.
34
Covering Mirrors at Night
Covering mirrors at night to prevent seeing jinn.
35
Saying Same Thing Simultaneously
When two people say the same thing at the same time, they make a wish.
36
Not Moving on Friday
Moving house on Friday brings bad luck.
37
Taking Photos in Threes
When three people take a photo together, the middle person will die.
38
Butterfly Entering Home
A butterfly entering the house means a guest will arrive or good news is coming.
39
Crow Cawing
A crow cawing and flying away is a sign of bad luck.
40
Cuckoo Bird
The number of times a cuckoo calls indicates how many years you will live.
41
Not Killing Spiders
Killing spiders causes loss of wealth and property.
42
Rooster Crowing
A rooster crowing from the right is good news, from the left is bad news.
43
Bees Leaving
Bees leaving the house means prosperity is departing.
44
Cat Washing Face
A cat washing its face means a guest will arrive.
45
Hanging Horseshoe
Hanging a horseshoe at the door brings good luck.
46
Four-Leaf Clover
Finding a four-leaf clover brings good luck.
47
Hiccups
Having hiccups means someone is thinking about you.
48
Salting Newborns
Newborn babies are rubbed with salt for protection from the evil eye.
49
Not Cutting Hair Before 40 Days
Baby’s hair shouldn’t be cut before the 40th day.
50
Pregnant Women Avoiding Rabbits
Pregnant women seeing rabbits will cause the baby to have a cleft lip.
51
No Jumping Rope While Pregnant
Jumping rope while pregnant causes the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby.
52
Odd Number of Nuts
Having an odd number of nuts means bad luck.
53
No Glass on Bread
Placing a water glass on bread is disrespectful.
54
Not Passing Salt and Pepper
Salt and pepper shouldn’t be passed directly at the table to avoid quarrels.
55
Not Talking While Eating
Talking too much while eating causes prosperity to leave.
56
No Dough on Friday
Dough shouldn’t be made on Friday as it brings bad luck.
57
No Meat in Muharram
Meat isn’t eaten during the first ten days of Muharram.
58
First Iftar with Soup
The first iftar in Ramadan must be broken with soup.
59
Distributing Ashura
Ashura is made and distributed to neighbors on the 10th day of Muharram.
60
Red Ribbon on Bride’s Car
Tying a red ribbon on the bride’s car for protection from evil eye.
61
Even Number of Wedding Gifts
The number of gold coins given at weddings must be even, not odd.
62
Passing Under Quran
The bride passes under the Quran when leaving her home.
63
Throwing Flowers to Singles
Throwing flowers to single people at weddings; whoever catches them will marry next.
64
No Tea at Funerals
Tea isn’t served at funeral homes, only water.
65
Body Washing Water
Water used to wash the deceased must be poured on the ground.
66
Drinking Water After Funeral
After attending a funeral, water must be drunk upon entering home.
67
40th Day Meal
Special food is distributed on the 40th day after someone’s death.
68
Not Eating in Cemetery
Eating food in a cemetery is disrespectful.
69
Friday is Lucky
Friday is considered a blessed and lucky day.
70
Tuesday is Unlucky
In some regions, Tuesday is considered unlucky for starting new ventures.
71
Hฤฑdrellez Wishes
Making wishes on Hฤฑdrellez night and sleeping under a rose tree.
72
New Year’s Wish
Making wishes at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
73
Born at Exact Hour
People born at exact hours (e.g., 3:00, 5:00) are considered lucky.
74
Lunar Eclipse
Making noise during lunar or solar eclipses to scare away evil spirits.
75
Saying Names When Ear Rings
When your ear rings, say names until the ringing stops at the correct name.
76
Sweeping Someone’s Feet
If you sweep someone’s feet, they won’t get married.
77
Money in Gifted Wallet
When gifting a wallet, money should be placed inside.
78
Gifting Knives
Gifting a knife cuts friendship unless payment is received.
79
Wearing Clothes Inside Out
Accidentally wearing clothes inside out means you’ll get beaten.
80
Rain with Sunshine
When it rains while the sun is shining, it’s called a “fox wedding.”
81
Sewing While Wearing Clothes
Sewing while wearing the garment reduces intelligence.
82
Not Lending Salt at Evening
Salt shouldn’t be lent in the evening as it takes away prosperity.
83
Shooting Star
Make a wish when you see a shooting star.
84
Salt at the Threshold
Keeping salt at the doorway to ward off evil.
85
Not Praising Children
Avoiding excessive praise of children to prevent the evil eye.
86
Giving Ugly Nicknames
Giving children ugly nicknames to protect them from the evil eye.
87
Fallen Evil Eye Bead
A fallen or broken evil eye bead indicates it has absorbed negative energy.
88
Salt in Four Corners
Sprinkling salt in the four corners of the house for protection.
89
Scissors Under Baby
Placing scissors under a baby’s pillow to protect from evil spirits.
90
Not Going Outside Village at Evening
Going outside the village in the evening is dangerous as jinn roam.
91
Hitting Snake’s Head
You should crush a snake’s head rather than hit its neck.
92
Hanging Frog on Tree
Hanging a frog on a tree is believed to cure warts.
93
Dove Cooing
A dove cooing is considered a death omen in some regions.
94
Big Hands and Feet
Children with big hands and feet will grow tall.
95
Parental Saliva Healing
Parents’ saliva can heal anything when applied.
96
No Kneading During Menstruation
Dough shouldn’t be kneaded during menstruation as it won’t rise.
97
Stepchild Stepping on Bride
Having a stepchild step on the bride’s foot helps her adjust to her mother-in-law.
98
Name Godparents Can’t Marry
People who are name godparents to each other cannot marry.
99
Stain on Chin
Getting a stain on your chin means you’ll get married soon.
100
Photo Falling
A deceased person’s photo falling from the wall is a bad omen.
๐ References
1. Presidency of Religious Affairs. (2019, December 6). *Friday Sermon: False Beliefs and Superstitions* (English, Turkish, Arabic, German).
diyanet.gov.tr
2. TรBฤฐTAK Encyclopedia. (n.d.). *Superstition (Batฤฑl ฤฐnanรง)*.
ansiklopedi.tubitak.gov.tr
3. Ministry of Culture โ Culture Atlas. *Examples of Superstitions in Rize*.
ktb.gov.tr (Rize Culture Portal)
4. Ministry of Culture โ Culture Portal. *Tokat Superstitions*.
kulturportali.gov.tr
5. Kฤฑrklareli Cultural Properties Inventory. *Superstitions*.
kirklarelienvanteri.gov.tr
6. Atฤฑlฤฑm University / Marmara University via AVESฤฐS. *Psychosociological Analysis on Superstitions and Behaviors*.
avesis.marmara.edu.tr
7. Uludaฤ University Institutional Repository. *Superstitions and Life Satisfaction: A Study in ฤฐzmir*.
acikerisim.uludag.edu.tr
8. Sakarya University Repository. *Superstitions in Modern Society and the New Age Movement*.
acikerisim.sakarya.edu.tr
9. รukurova University / Turkology Department. *Superstitions in Tekirdaฤ*.
cu.edu.tr
10. General Directorate of Culture (Kฤฑrklareli). *Superstitions in Kฤฑrklareli*.
kirklarelienvanteri.gov.tr