Traders offering what they term as "blessed" products that claim to cure magic spells, effects of jinns, bad souls and other ailments are cashing in on demand from anxious customers, according to local media.
Customers who want to get rid of magic spells, jinns and bad souls spend between SR250 ($66) and SR300 ($80) to buy these products, local media reported citing a market survey.
These food and makeup items carry stickers claim that they have been "blessed with recitation."
All that the reciter does is to blow some "breaths" on the bottles of Zamzam, oil, or saffron, according to the report.
Although these reciters normally do not have their own shops, their products are gaining popularity in the Kingdom and the Gulf region.
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jafali, executive vice president of medicine at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), said that perfume shops are not allowed to sell such items. Anyone seeking to market such herbal items, has to first register such products with the SFDA, he said.
All such shops are closely monitored by the SFDA with the help of the municipalities, the official added.
Monitoring agencies, however, do not intervene directly in the case of herbal products, which claim to treat effects of black magic and jinns, he said.
Despite the warning, shop owners and the reciters are jostling to win customers seeking a cure for depression, obsession, fear and panic attacks.
These products are also used to exorcise jinns and to get rid of effects of magic.
For example, there is a mixture of safflower and saffron packed in small bottles for sale. They are produced with Qur'anic verses written on them with saffron ink to drink or wash something as a treatment.
Then there are Sabkha, which are different from each other, depending on the recitation. They are mixed with sidr, henna, garlic, barley or fenugreek. They reportedly cure mental diseases and those who suffer from "fantasies."
There are also herbal treatments for infertility, delayed pregnancy as well as cough and fractures, the report said citing a survey of markets in Riyadh.
Water bottles that not sealed are sold for SR5 each, said a shopkeeper.
"This reciter knows everything. Whoever takes these bottles feels a lot of improvement in their psychological condition. I will advise you to take a full carton."
