Prologue:
Why does the concept of magic exist in all cultures and civilizations if magic was never real? It was this simple question I asked as a young girl. It was this simple question I wrote as the title of my research. It was this simple question that led me here to a new world full of magic.
“You see, to prove that magic is real, one must first believe,” I explained to the girl beside me. “I came all the way here to see how people of North Africa perceive magic.”
“What do you mean, Alice? Is there something special about us?” asked the girl.
“Not special since you are not unique in this regard, but you, religious people, are really good at believing. And I mean no offence by this Manal.”
Manal was a grad student and my Airbnb host. We became close friends in my weeks of stay here.
“Religion is often based on faith, so of course, we are good at believing. But when I think about it, most faiths consider magic real,” said Manal.
“I know, right? I love the flavor of magic that is believed around here. You guys have universal concepts like curses and blessings, and you put a lot of emphasis on things like the Evil Eye.”
Manal laughed: “Don’t get me started! Some people get ridiculous about the Bad Eye. They even carry salt everywhere.”
“I bet those people who strongly believe are the ones that suffer from it the most.” I grinned.
“But does that even prove anything about magic?” wondered Manal. “I mean, most of the time, it feels like they are falling into a self-fulfilling prophecy; they anticipate the curse then credit everything bad that happens to it.”
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“Well, “Prove” is a strong word; I have a theory, and I need data to make my theory more credible. It would be cool to get something similar to what I did last year.”
“Last year?” asked Manal.
“You see, last year, I made an extensive statistical study about the effectiveness of the Shinto talismans using more than fifty thousand people as an entry. At first, the talisman impact seemed negligible. But when the true believers were separated from non-believers, the talisman’s effectiveness rose by 8%, whether they were about good grades or good health.
“So you do have proof!” exclaimed Manal.
“No…” I sighed. “Correlation does not imply causation; I have to use magic to prove that magic is real,” I shrugged. “But first! I need more data.”
“Huh! Your talk about belief made me think of a concept we have called “Alyaqin”. It’s a point beyond the belief when a person reaches certainty. It is said that miracles only happen around those kinds of people,” added Manal with a smile on her face.
“See! This is why I am here! I would never have received this kind of lore back home. I am glad I came.”
We were sitting in a garden of a small country house near the small town of Sidi Bou Said. In the 12th century, Sufi mystics gathered here and tried to harness powers from the stars using holy words and mathematics.
“It’s almost time for the meteor shower,” said Manal. “You wanted to see it right.”
That’s when a stroke of epiphany hit me.
“Miracles only happen when people are certain, huh… I got an idea! Quick, give me my backpack.”
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So when the meteor shower hit it, I, 24 years old Alice, was on my knees, wearing my backpack and looking at the sky.
I genuinely believe in magic! It is my life dedication! If channeling all my beliefs from childhood to my adult research... if I make a wish on the stars, I can…
If talismans only affect 8% of reality… If wishes are the same…
So I started wishing. With the depth of my heart, I wished with all the belief I got. I wished three times upon each star. I wished...I wished for a world with more magic.
So when the 14th star appeared, Manal was dumbfounded and alone in the garden.