Susuk or charm needles, are
needles made of
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
or other
precious metal
Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical elements of high economic value.
Chemically, the precious metals tend to be less reactive than most elements (see noble metal). They are usually ductile and have a high lustre. ...
s, which are inserted into the
soft tissue
Soft tissue is all the tissue in the body that is not hardened by the processes of ossification or calcification such as bones and teeth. Soft tissue connects, surrounds or supports internal organs and bones, and includes muscle, tendons, ligam ...
s of the body to act as
talisman
A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...
s in several communities of
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. Susuk has various supposed purposes, ranging from the purely aesthetic to the treatment of joint pains and other minor ailments. This practice is also used as protection against injuries and accidents. Because the Susuk practice pre-dates the
Islamicization
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occur ...
of the region, it is prohibited (forbidden) by modern Islamic scholars (
haraam
''Haram'' (; ar, حَرَام, , ) is an Arabic term meaning 'Forbidden'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowle ...
).
With the advent age of modern medical technology i.e.
radiography
Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeut ...
, the presence of susuk must be highlighted, as they may be mistaken for undesired
foreign objects.
Beliefs
Susuk is claimed to be embedded accompanied by incantations and is usually done at a certain time to increase its effectiveness. It was also said that the susuk needs to be removed before death or the person will have difficulty dying. As such, susuk is usually removed once the person concerned is becoming old or falls ill. Removing the susuk also needs the skill of a knowledgeable person; usually the same person who inserted it in the first place. However, removing the susuk which was originally for beauty, will cause the person's face to revert to its natural age within six months.
Daisy Fajarina, mother of model
Manohara Odelia Pinot
Manohara Odelia Pinot (born Manohara Odelia Manz; 28 February 1992) is an Indonesian model. She once held dual Indonesian and American citizenship. She married Malaysian Kelantanese prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra on 26 August 2008.
Person ...
, was said to have diamond and gold susuks in her chin. Her ex-husband, George Manz said, "Once when we were together, I took Daisy to a dentist who was then shocked when he saw her X-ray. She had small gold needles and diamond stones embedded inside her chin."
My ex-wife's an evil mother' says Manohara's dad".
See also
* Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientifi ...
* Body piercing
Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn, or where an implant could be inserted. The word ''piercing'' can refer to ...
References
External links
Canadian Medical Association Journal article on the analysis of the health effects of multiple susuks in a patient, as detected by radiologyRoyal College of Physicians, Edinburgh article on the detection and analysis of susuks; includes photos of skull x-rays with susuks
(requires Acrobat Reader
Adobe Acrobat is a family of application software and Web services developed by Adobe Inc. to view, create, manipulate, print and manage Portable Document Format (PDF) files.
The family comprises Acrobat Reader (formerly Reader), Acrobat (forme ...
)
Dentomaxillofacial Radiology article on susuksAnalysis of the Islamic stance on susuks, at Islam Online
Malay culture
Body piercing jewellery
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