For centuries,
humans have been manipulating the truth, especially in life and death
situations. To verify truthful information and spot lies, people used primitive
methods, including lie detectors. One of the oldest lie detectors in history is
the Bishaa, which was used by bedouins.
اضافة اعلان
The Bishaa, which
gets its name from a metal spoon, involves using a red-hot metal spoon, usually
used for stirring coffee beans, to touch the tongue of a suspect during a
trial. If the suspect's tongue scars, they will be pronounced guilty.
But what is the
justification? Well, the tradition is
based on the belief that a guilty person's tongue will be dry due to fear,
while an innocent person's tongue will be wet due to the lack of anxiety.
However, some innocent suspects may also feel anxious, and some guilty suspects
may be too daring to have dry mouths.
Torture for justice?Many believe that
Bishaa is just a form of torture, but others saw it as a means to achieve
justice, especially in old times.
However, some people
argue that the Bishaa should not be grouped with other old lie detection
methods that were based on torture. These methods include trials by combat,
where the winner is declared innocent because it is believed that God helped
them win, and ordeals, where accused persons undergo physical tests such as
being thrown into cold water or putting their hand into boiling water.
These methods were
believed to protect the innocent from harm because it was believed that God
would intervene on their behalf.
But Bishaa is not as
simple as that, at least that is what was argued.
Judges used it to
rule out guilt in cases where there is no other evidence or witnesses.
According to Bedouin Sheikh Ali Al-Waked, the Bishaa is a last resort and
cannot be done by just anyone.
So, what goes into
the Bishaa practice?Well, only an expert
known as the Mobashee, who had extensive knowledge of how to heat the spoon and
how to perform the touch, was allowed to execute the Bishaa.
According to bedouin
master Ali Al-Waked from the Jordan Valley, the Mobashee had to be able to
influence the psychology of suspects before the touch in a way that would lead
them to confess.
Furthermore, a judge
could not compel a suspect to undergo the Bishaa. The suspect had to consent to
it willingly, even if they were innocent and feared the procedure.
Waked explained that
if suspects agreed to undergo the Bishaa trial, they would spend a couple of
days with the Mobashee. During this time, the Mobashee would encourage them to
reconcile and warn them of the painful experience they would undergo.
These strict
guidelines demonstrate the importance placed on the Bishaa in Bedouin culture.
It was not a procedure that could be taken lightly, and only those with
specific expertise and training were allowed to perform it.
Found in other
civilizationsThe Bishaa principle
is found in many other civilizations. For example, in ancient China, suspects
were asked to chew dry rice. In India, a trick involving a donkey was used to
identify lying suspects.
The donkey's tail
was immersed in oil, and then the donkey was placed inside a tent. The suspects
were then asked to go inside and pull the tail. If the donkey brayed, it was
believed that the suspect was lying. It was thought that anxious suspects would
not pull the tail, fearing that the donkey's braying would give them away.
While the Bishaa may
seem outdated, modern lie detecting technologies, such as the Polygraph, are
based on the same principle of noticing the difference in bodily behaviors
between guilt and innocence.
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Jordan News
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