Editing Witchcraft (section)

====Middle East====
{{Main|Witchcraft in the Middle East}}

Witchcraft beliefs in the [[Middle East]] have a long history, and magic was a part of the ancient cultures and religions of the region.{{sfnp|Hutton|2017|pp=47–54}} 

In ancient [[Mesopotamia]] ([[Sumer]]ia, [[Assyria]], [[Babylonia]]), a witch (m. ''kaššāpu'', f. ''kaššāptu'') was "usually regarded as an anti-social and illegitimate practitioner of destructive magic ... motivated by malice and evil intent".{{sfnp|Abusch|2002|p=65–66}} Ancient Mesopotamian societies mainly used counter-magic against witchcraft (''kišpū''), but the law codes also prescribed the death penalty for those found guilty of witchcraft.{{sfnp|Hutton|2017|p=49–50}} 

For the ancient [[Hittites]], magic could only be sanctioned by the state, and accusations of witchcraft were often used to control political enemies.{{sfnp|Hutton|2017|pp=50–51}} 

As the ancient [[Hebrews]] focused on their worship on [[Yahweh]], [[Judaism]] clearly distinguished between forms of magic and mystical practices which were accepted, and those which were viewed as forbidden or heretical, and thus "witchcraft".{{sfnp|Hutton|2017|pp=51–52}} 

In the medieval Middle East, under [[Islam]]ic and [[Christian]] influences, witchcraft's perception fluctuated between healing and [[heresy]], revered by some and condemned by others.{{cn|date=October 2024}} In the present day diverse witchcraft communities have emerged.{{cn|date=October 2024}}