The Hand (Khamsa) has long represented blessings, power and strength and is thus seen as potent in deflecting the evil eye. The evil eye is a look that is superstitiously believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. The term also refers to the power attributed to certain persons of inflicting injury or bad luck by such an envious or ill-wishing look.