Karachi- Sacred Stallion takes centre stage in Shi’ite Moharram processions

Headline

Sacred Stallion takes centre stage in Shi’ite Moharram processions.

Intro

A prominent feature of the Shi’ite Ashura processions  is a replica of Zuljinnah, (‘Dhuljanah’ in Arabic) a horse gifted by the Prophet Muhammad to his grandson Imam Hussain when he was young – and which he was riding during his last battle. Shi’ites observe Ashura to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain at Karbala 14 centuries  ago.

Story

Shotlist:  KARACHI , PAKISTAN     (SEPTEMBER 21 , 2018)   ( VNA – ACCESS ALL)

    HUGE SECURITY ESCORT WALKING AHEAD OF SHI’ITE ASHURA PROCESSION
    POLICEMEN ON GUARD
    SHI’ITE DEVOTEES CARRYING RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS AS THEY MARCH WITH PROCESSION
    PEOPLE TRYING TO TOUCH ‘ZULJINNAH’, THE SACRED STALLION, AS IT IS LED THROUGH THE PROCESSION
    VARIOUS OF ZULJINNAH IN ASHURA PROCESSION
    SHI’ITE MEN CHANTING AND BEATING THEIR CHESTS
    ‘ZULJINNAH’, WITH ITS COVERING BATHED IN RED TO DEPICT THE BLOOD OF IMAM HUSSAIN , IN THE PROCESSION

 

            (KARACHI , PAKISTAN)     (OCTOBER 20  , 2018)   (VNA – ACCESS ALL)

    (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu)   CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, SAYING:

“According to our faith, the (spirit of) the Imam comes to acknowledge our reverence and to accept our dutiful worship (during the processions). That is our belief. So, when the horse feels the weight of the rider on its back, it is natural that it gets a bit nervous. It is not afraid of all the clamour around it, but  it gets edgy when it senses the weight on its back. It is just momentary. ”

 

(KARACHI , PAKISTAN)     (SEPTEMBER 21 , 2018)   ( VNA – ACCESS ALL)

    SHI’ITE MEN FLAGELLATING THEMSELVES 

 

              (KARACHI , PAKISTAN)     (OCTOBER 20  , 2018)   (VNA  – ACCESS ALL)

    A SACRED STALLION, ‘ZULJINNAH’, TETHERED NEAR SHI’ITE IMAM BARGAH (MOSQUE)
    CARETAKERS LEADING SACRED HORSE TOWARDS STABLE
    HOOVES OF SACRED HORSE
    VARIOUS OF CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, WIPING SACRED HORSE WITH WET TOWEL
    HORSE EATING HAY
    SHIRAZI BRUSHING TAIL OF HORSE
    (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu)   CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, SAYING:
    “This ‘Zuljinnah ‘ is a representation of the Zuljinnah that Imam Hussain used to ride, and which was a gifted to him by the holy Prophet  Mohammad himself. We make a replica of that Zuljinnah. Of course they were all martyred in the battle of Karbala, but we make effigies of the coffins, the banners, the horse, to remind us of that (battle). ”     
    SHIRAZI RECITING ‘AZAAN’ (CALL FOR PRAYERS) INTO EAR OF ZULJINNAH, AS GESTURE OF PREPARING THE HORSE FOR ITS RELIGIOUS DUTY
    CARETAKERS PUTTING RED VELVET MANTLE ON BACK OF HORSE
    CARETAKERS PUTTING VARIOUS SYMBOLS OF WAR ON ZULJINNAH’S BACK
    CLOSE OF SILVER SWORD AND SHIELD
    (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu)   CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, SAYING:
    “The ‘Zuljinnah’ are selected from high pedigree breeds.  During the battle of Karbala, the Yezidi troops had their specific horses and the Hussain troops had their own specific horses. The Zuljinnah are chosen from the lineage of breeds  that were used by the Hussaini troops.”
    CARETAKER TYING FLOWER GARLANDS ON HOOVES OF HORSE
      (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu)   CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, SAYING:
    “ Then comes a phase when they transcend from the stage of being horses into a higher realm. They start realizing that they are not ordinary horses, but something superior.. There are horses that pull carts,  horses that  run in the races; and there are horses that are fed with almonds, pistachios and milk, and decorated and adorned with love and devotion. These are from the latter breed, because they are symbols of the Zuljinnah, a  representation of the stallion that Imam Hussain rode.  That is why we treat them with the same respect and reverence.”
    ZULJINNAH BEING LED TOWARDS PLACE OF WORSHIP WHERE SHI’ITE  GATHERING IS TAKING PLACE
    GARLANDS AROUND ZULJINNAH’S HOOVES
    VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TRYING TO TOUCH THE SACRED STALLION AS IT ARRIVES AT IMAM BARGAH
      (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu)   CARETAKER, SYED  ZEESHAN SHAH SHIRAZI, SAYING:

“People who come to ask for fulfilment of their wishes  are not only Shi’ites. There is a large number of Sunni Muslims among them who believe in the sanctity of the Zuljinnah, and who have love and respect for Imam Hussain. Those who ask for favors, can sense what the Zuljinnah is paying attention to , and what it is ignoring.”  

 

   (KARACHI , PAKISTAN)  (SEPTEMBER 21 , 2018)   ( VNA  – ACCESS ALL)

    SHI’ITE SCOUTS WALKING AHEAD OF ZULJINNAH DURING ASHURA PROCESSION
    ZULJINNAH WALKING AMID SHI’ITE PROCESSION

 

STORY: Ashura processions are taken out across the Muslim world on the 9th and 10th of Muharram, to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain at Karbala 14 centuries  ago. The tradition began in the Indian subcontinent about 800 to 1,000 years ago, and was gradually adopted throughout the subcontinent, becoming a fundamental part of Ashura.

Thousands of Shi'ite Muslims march through the streets, chanting and beating themselves to mark Ashura,  the climax of a 10-day long event to mourn the brutal death of Imam Hussein. A prominent feature of the processions is a replica of Zuljinnah, (‘Dhuljanah’ in Arabic) a horse gifted by the Prophet Muhammad to Imam Hussain when he was young – and which he was riding during his last battle.

According to accounts of the battle of  Karbala, Imam Hussein and his 72 compatriots (including the Imam’s six-month-old son) were brutally killed by a corrupt caliph’s army of up to 10,000 men. The body of the Prophet’s grandson, shot at by arrows and stabbed 33 times, was trampled under the hooves of the caliph’s army’s horses before he was beheaded.

Legend has it that his loyal horse refused to abandon him. The distraught stallion, covered in his master’s blood, returned to the camp to inform the remaining women and children of Imam’s death, and then disappeared , never to be seen again.

 

Shi’ite devotees believe that the spirit of Imam Hussain often joins them during the processions to acknowledge to their devotion. And he makes it a point to ride the Zuljinnah.

“According to our faith, the (spirit of) the Imam comes to acknowledge our reverence and to accept our dutiful worship (during the processions). That is our belief. So, when the horse feels the weight of the rider on its back, it is natural that it gets a bit nervous. It is not afraid of all the clamour around it, but  it gets edgy when it senses the weight on its back. It is just momentary, ” caretaker Zeeshan Shah Shirazi told Videonews asia.

 

The original name of Zuljinnah was  Murtajiz , believed to be a white stallion which was purchased by the Prophet  Muhammad from an Arab merchant. When the horse was riddled with arrows on both flanks during a battle, Imam Hussain named it Zuljinnah, a horse with two wings. It  features prominently in the traditional narrating of stories about the Battle of Karbala.

 

“This ‘Zuljinnah ‘ is a representation of the Zuljinnah that Imam Hussain used to ride, and which was a gifted to him by the holy Prophet  Mohammad himself. We make a replica of that Zuljinnah. Of course they were all martyred in the battle of Karbala, but we make effigies of the coffins, the banners, the horse, to remind us of that (battle), ” Shirazi said, adding:

“The ‘Zuljinnah’ are selected from high pedigree breeds.  During the battle of Karbala, the Yezidi troops had their specific horses and the Hussain troops had their own specific horses. The Zuljinnah are chosen from the lineage of breeds  that were used by the Hussaini troops.”

    

Muslims in countries like Pakistan, Iran, India,  Bahrain and Iraq often escort a lavishly decorated replica of Zuljinnah during the Ashura processions to pay tribute to the faithful horse that remained by the side of the Imam right till the end despite being badly wounded itself.

 

The horse is decorated with ornaments like sword, arrows, bridle and quivers made of silver (some Zuljinnah horses are decorated with gold ornaments). It is led by its caretaker through the throngs of Shi’ites chanting and beating their chests. Many among the crowd try to touch the horse; some whisper in its ears, believed to be asking for wishes to come true.

 

Zuljinnah stallions are kept is special stables where they get special care throughout the year. The caretakers are specifically assigned this prized job, which they hold for generations.

Shirazi said the horses are weaned from the mother at a very young age, and then trained to go through religious rites and to recognize religious emblems.

 

“ Then comes a phase when they transcend from the stage of being horses into a higher realm. They start realizing that they are not ordinary horses, but something superior.. There are horses that pull carts,  horses that  run in the races; and there are horses that are fed with almonds, pistachios and milk, and decorated and adorned with love and devotion. These are from the latter breed, because they are symbols of the Zuljinnah, a  representation of the stallion that Imam Hussain rode.  That is why we treat them with the same respect and reverence,” he said.

 

Shirazi said devotees often seek the fulfilment of their wishes from the sacred horse, by touching the horse, or whispering in its ears.

 

“People who come to ask for fulfilment of their wishes  are not only Shi’ites. There is a large number of Sunni Muslims among them who believe in the sanctity of the Zuljinnah, and who have love and respect for Imam Hussain. Those who ask for favors, can sense what the Zuljinnah is paying attention to , and what it is ignoring,” he said.

 

He said devotees attach great importance to anything that belongs to the sacred horse, be it a discarded horse shoe or any of the trinkets that are used to decorate the horse.  Many people hang the horse shoes in their homes in the belief that they can ward of evil spells, bad luck and even evil spirits.

 

The Shiite mourning period lasts for 40 days, with the Zuljinnah performing its duties till the last procession on “Arba’ain” (40th day).

 

End of Script

Sheree Sardar ( TNN Islamabad).