Hello, everyone, and welcome to other Iraqi beliefs that will shock you: You can read the previous edition [here][@discovering-iraq/iraqi-beliefs-that-will-shock)
No Sweeping Allowed After Sunset
This one is another superstition started by our grandmothers. I remember when my grandmother stayed over at our house, she'd always prevent my sisters and mother from sweeping the floor after sunset. One time she told my little sister that she would turn into a scorpion if she does. The funny part is that what she said stuck with my sister and she still wouldn't do it even though she is 25 years old and has 2 children. I guess this one will live on in our family tree.
Throwing Seven Rocks or Water After Whoever Travels
If true, this one can be used for either good or evil purposes. The rule of thumb here is: If you want whoever leaves to return, you throw water after they return. The idea is by doing that you'd be watering their longing to return. The other part is throwing seven rocks or stones when you don't want the person to return.
Depending on your intention, do you hate the person and don't want good for them so you'd throw rocks so they wouldn't return when they want to or throw water so you'd force them to return despite their wish or vice versa.
Wearing The Same Shirt During Every Exam Will Duplicate the Results
This one is more common to be fair to Iraq, I have even seen people in Turkey and Egypt do it. This superstition really comes out of desperation I believe. Some people don't believe they studied hard enough to get the grade they wish for so they believe that wearing the same shirt that they got the grade they wanted before.
Pulling Your Ear When a Disease is Mentioned Will Protect You From it
If only the world listened to this one, we wouldn't be dealing with lockdowns and pandemics. All the world needed to do was pull their ears slightly down when Covid is mentioned and we would have been fine.
Rabbits Will Jinx Your House
So people in Iraq take getting jinxed seriously. There are many things Iraqis do to avoid getting jinxed, be it scaring black cats, throwing rocks to push away crows. But, at least you can see the connection in those as black has a certain stigma to it. But this one is just weird.
I was actually baffled by this one and asked so many people about it and the answer was always the same: it just is
Always Lock the Bathroom Door When you Take a Shower
This one seems common, doesn't it? However, the reason behind it is what makes it join this list.
There's a big superstition that devils and Jinns live in bathrooms and toilets. The reason they do apparently is so they eat feces (Sorry for the image). This caused so much ass-whopping for me as for while I wouldn't flush just to check out stuff and see if it was eaten.
The funny part is that the belief goes that if you don't lock the door, devils and Jinns will take the shower with you. However, don't they already stay there? I guess it is just another case of "It just is"
The End
Thank you for reading. Share any beliefs and superstitions that exist in your country.