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THE RACE - ISSUE 13
The Darkness is Real!
A dark room. Eerie lights. A cool breeze on the
neck. And . . . BOO!!!
Did that scare you? Was it a little creepy? For
many of us, ghosts and ghouls, magic and sorcery are just parts of fairy
tales. Not a part of "real life." We don't fear these things or even think
about them.
But what if you did? What if your life was in constant
danger of supernatural forces that wanted to do you harm? How would you
live? How would you protect yourself?
In North Africa, millions live
in fear and bondage of the Darkness. Yes, Islam is the religion of people.
But where Islam falls short of providing a personal and intimate God, the
occult tries to supply lost people with the means and the power to protect
themselves from the unknown.
These occultic practices are called "folk
Islam" or "popular Islam." They are a mixture of orthodox Islam and ancient/
modern occultic practices. Amulets, sorcery, incantations, superstitions,
fortune telling are all a part of "normal" life for many in
Algeria.
For example, during the first forty days of its life, an infant
will never be left in the house alone- not for a moment. If the child is
left unattended, there is a grave danger that it will e stolen by a djinn
(a mischievous spirit) and replaced by "a child of the djnoun (plural
of "djinn")" born at the same time as the infant. This belief is
very prevalent in Algeria.
Special ceremonies are required on the
fortieth day after the child's birth. The mother is escorted to the "hammam
(public bath)" by the midwife who herself carries the infant. Other women,
relatives or friends of the mother, accompany them. Upon arrival at the door
of the "hammam", the mid-wife brings the infant, seven times, close to the
doorpost on the right- repeating each time "You have children and I have
children. Don't destroy me; I won't destroy your. This is my little one and
yours." The ceremony is repeated inside the "hammam".
The mother and
the midwife must chew cumin on this occasion- spitting in the various rooms
through which they pass. Two red candles are lit and placed in a niche of
the "hammam" wall- they are left to burn out completely.
Another
example, in the realm of treatment of sickness caused by the "brothers"
(djnoun of the same age as the infant or young child, who share the home),
fumigations of the rooms and courtyard are practiced. Materials used in
these fumigations are balsam, aloe wood, amber and coriander. The woman
carrying out the fumigation pronounces a plea to the djnoun not to destroy
the child.
Probably the best known and easiest to recognize amulet, or
charm, is the "Hand of Fatima." This is used as an emblem to ward off the
"evil eye." This symbol is in the form of an open hand as a piece of jewelry
hanging from a woman's pendant or as a drawing on an entrance
door.
Please understand- Occult subjection or bondage is a spiritual
matter and must be countered at the spiritual level. The way of deliverance
is by Jesus Christ alone:
"If the Son shall make you free, you shall
be free indeed." (John 8:36)
As an intercessor, you must stand
four-square on the limitless power of the risen Christ, knowing that ALL
power in heaven and in earth is given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Scripture
declares that He "is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians
2:10).
Please, the next time you see movie or read a story with an
occultic practice in it, remember the millions of Algerians.
For them,
it's not just a story.
The Algerian Arab Team
therace@therace.ws
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