Moroccan Mothers’ Secret Weapon Against Evil

In Morocco, the fight against envy sometimes starts with the softest gesture from a mother.

Fez – Some things happen so fast, you miss them. A mother adjusting her child’s shirt. A small gesture near the shoulder. The flick of her fingers. And then, just like that, the mother steps back, proud and relieved.

In Morocco, many mothers carry secrets passed from their mothers and grandmothers before them. One of these secrets hides in a simple act: spitting, gently, on a child’s clothes. It’s not visible, not loud, but it holds the weight of centuries of fear, love, and protection.

This habit lives deep in Moroccan culture. It comes from the ancient belief that envy, or “l’ayn”, can destroy everything good.

A child’s beauty, health, and success can attract jealous eyes. Those eyes might not even mean harm, but the belief says envy travels like invisible arrows, piercing innocence and leaving sickness, bad luck, or endless crying behind.

Mothers, the eternal guardians, have created their own shield. This light spit works like a secret barrier. It mixes the mother’s own spirit with her child’s fate. It’s not random. It always lands near the heart, the back, or the shoulder, places believed to catch envy first.

This spit carries love, but also something stronger. In Morocco, saliva holds meaning. People believe it can hold “baraka” (blessing) when it comes from a loved one.

At the same time, it can hold a secret power when used to curse or protect. The mother’s spit is pure intention, a message to the unseen world that says you cannot touch this child.

Older generations say this tradition existed before Islam reached Morocco. Amazigh tribes used saliva in healing rituals and protective spells. Even today, in some villages, healers sometimes blow softly on water before offering it to drink, mixing breath, saliva, and prayer.

In big cities, the habit fades. Modern mothers fear judgement. They might touch their child’s shoulder or chest and whisper a “mashallah” hiding the spit within a kiss or a hug.

The intention stays the same “to protect” even if the gesture hides behind modern manners.

What makes this custom powerful isn’t the spit itself. It’s what lies beneath it.

The belief that a mother’s spirit can shield her child. The fear that happiness is too bright, too loud, too visible. The love that turns into quiet rituals small enough to miss, but strong enough to last.

So next time you see a Moroccan mother fixing her child’s shirt, look closer. You might witness a piece of ancient magic, wrapped inside a simple, loving touch.