Boiling Water ‘Friendship Test’ Resurfaces in Egypt Despite Warnings

A challenge involving exposing hands to extremely hot liquids has resurfaced in Egypt, despite warnings from doctors and Dar al-Ifta, Egypt’s Islamic advisory body.

Presented in video clips as a simple test of friendship, the challenge turns a dangerous act into a way of proving loyalty between friends.

The apparent simplicity of what appears on screen masks the risk of severe burns. Contact with boiling water or other very hot liquids can cause injuries with consequences that last long after filming ends.

Framing the act as proof of friendship also raises concerns about pressure to participate. A person’s willingness to risk injury is no measure of the strength of a relationship.

The challenge’s return brings renewed attention to the warnings surrounding it: what is filmed as a brief moment between friends can leave lasting harm.