Superstation is a belief whose origin is unknown in most cases and has no scientific or reasonable foundation. This is a belief that over time is taken as truth for those who are privy to it through their culture. For example, there are those who believe that if a black cat crosses your path then you are headed for a misfortune. That is why a lot of people still visit astrologers, palm readers and voodoo practitioners in the mistaken belief that they can be assisted. Perhaps, a superstition will work if you choose to believe.
Some may believe that superstation is a traditional way of thinking which exists in traditional societies. However, the fact is that every culture has superstitions. Some people believe them more than others. Even in modern technological societies, superstitions still hold a powerful influence.
Superstitions vary greatly from one country to another. For example, in Afghanistan it is said that if you see a magpie sitting on a wall, a message will be coming for you. In India it is considered bad luck if someone sneezes while you are leaving your house. The remedy is to come back into the house and wait for a few hours before leaving. In China people say that one should not sweep or dust on New Year’s Day or good fortune will also be swept away. In Italy there is the fear of the number 17 rather than number 13. This originates from Ancient Rome, where 17 was written as XVII, which can be re-arranged as VIXI in the meaning of “I have lived”, so “I am dead.” Some people turn back from a journey if a black cat crosses their path, although, some countries, such as Britain, believe it is lucky to see a black cat. An alleged cause for this would be that Emperor Napoleon saw a black cat just before a lost battle against the British. This would explain yellow cat being seen as a bad sign in Italy and Bermuda and as a good one in Great Britain.
In modern America, where superstitions are seen as nothing more than the beliefs of a weak mind, a survey conducted for the journal American Demographics found that 44 percent of the people surveyed still admitted they were superstitious. 56 percent claimed to be only “optimistically superstitious,” meaning they were more willing to believe superstitions relating to good luck over ones related to bad luck. For example, 12 percent of those who said they were not really superstitious confessed to knocking on wood for good luck and 9 percent confessed they would pick up a penny on the street for good luck. A further 9 percent of non-believers also said they would pick a four-leaf clover for luck if they found one. And some still believed in kissing under the mistletoe for luck.
It might be expected that people with more education would be less superstitious, but results from the survey indicated almost equal numbers of believers between those with and without college degrees. Of those survey respondents who never finished or only finished high school, 42 percent reported being at least a little superstitious. For those with a college education, 47 percent claimed the same minimal level of belief.
In the survey, ten common superstitions were listed for the people who responded. Of these superstitions, five were related to good luck and five to bad luck. Respondents were then asked to check the ones they believed. Of the superstitions in the list, good-luck superstitions were more widely held. The top superstitions related to good luck that most people followed “very much” were picking four-leaf clovers, knocking on wood, picking up pennies, and crossing fingers for luck. Of the bad-luck superstitions, the most common belief was that breaking a mirror brought bad luck. Other bad luck superstitions included seeing black cats, walking under ladders, seeing the bride before the wedding and doing anything on Friday the 13th.
1998 was a very bad year, especially for people who believed the number 13 is an unlucky number. In 1998, three months had a Friday that fell on the 13th of the month – February, March and November. This is actually the most Friday the 13ths possible in a year. The origin goes back to the time of Jesus’ death. At last supper, Jesus gathered his followers for a special meal but including himself, there were a total of 13 people at the table. One of those followers later betrayed Jesus and turned him over to be killed.
Today, superstitions about the number continue to worry people. As a result, most American skyscrapers do not have a 13th floor. In addition, most airplanes lack a 13th row because few customers would buy tickets to sit there.
Many superstitions are rampant in our society. Women are more superstitious than men and they mostly visit mullahs for talisman (Tawiz). In our country there are many superstitions, which are mostly rife among the women. For instance, it is not good to let someone compliment your child or other loved one too much, because they may become jinxed and back luck may fall on them which is called “Nazar.” For example if you say a child is beautiful, the child may become sick. You can ward this off by reciting a surah from the Holy Quran. Moreover, water is thrown after a person while leaving the front door to go on a long trip. This is done so the person will have a safe and pleasant trip, and return unharmed. During an eclipse if pregnant woman scratches herself, a black mark will appear on her baby. You will be falsely accused of something if your feet touch a broom. If you bite your tongue, someone must be talking bad about you (backbiting). Jingling your keys will cause a fight to occur. If the palm of your hand itches, you will soon receive money. The smoke from burning incense (called Span) will keep bad luck and bad spirits away.