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Iraq - The Festival of the Prophet Zakariyya

In various Muslims countries there is a tradition of festivals celebrating the life of a particular prophet. The following example comes from Iraq, where the Prophet Zakariyya is honoured every year. This is his story as told in the Qur'an.

Long ago there lived a prophet called Zakariyya, who spent his life teaching about God. As he grew older he realised that soon he would die. Zakariyya wondered who would carry on his work when he died. Zakariyya was married be he had no children to carry on his work.

Zakariyya prayed, asking God to find the right person to carry on his work after he had died:

'Lord, my bones are weak, and my hair shines silver with age. My prayers have always been answered by you. Please send me a son who will be my heir. May he be noble and worthy!'

God replied: 'Rejoice, Zakariyya! You shall be given a son, and he shall be called John (Yahya in Arabic): the first man to be given this name.'

Zakariyya was amazed at God's words:

'How shall I have a son, Lord, when my wife is barren, and I am an old man? Give me a sign to show that this will occur!' he asked.

God replied:

'For three days and three nights you shall be bereft of speech, though otherwise sound in body. This will be the sign that what I say is true.'

At this Zakariyya came out of the temple unable to speak, and using sign language he instructed his people to celebrate God in both the morning and in the evening.

Later, John was born. As he grew up God blessed him with the gifts of wisdom and good judgement. He was blessed with love for all creatures, and was a joy to his parents. John was later to prepare the way for Jesus, who was coming to renew and re-interpret God's revelation.

Celebrating Zakariyya in Iraq

The feast of Zakariyya is held on the first Sunday in the Muslim month of Sha'ban.

If a couple is without children, there is a tradition of praying for a child on this day, just as Zakariyya did. If a child is then conceived, it is a tradition to commemorate this by preparing a 'Zakariyya Tray' every year.

This tradition involves fasting the whole day, breaking fast at sunset, and setting up a 'Zakariyya tray' to celebrate the child's birth.

Zakariyya's Tray

This tray is prepared in advance, and holds specific items including: candles, green vegetation (orange tree leaves, and other green bush stems and leaves), plain white yoghurt, wheat bread, water from a well, and water vessels (with a spout for the boys in the family, and with a round neck for the girls in the family). The tray also contains boiled sweets, raisins, sesame seeds, fruits, nuts, and date syrup.

Breaking the fast

At sunset, with the call to prayer, the candles on the tray are lit. The 'break-fast' meal will take place soon after, and the main dish must be Dolma be-al-Silig (stuffed Swiss chard); and the sweet dish would be Zerdah wa Halib, a traditional Iraqi rice pudding.

If the lunar month of Sha'ban falls outside the Swiss chard season, people will plant the chard seeds two weeks before the due Sunday, to ensure that they have this type of chard for the meal, even if the leaves are only small.

Lighting the candles and making a wish

Relatives and neighbours are welcomed to share the meal and light a candle or make a wish. It is customary for a woman seeking to bear a child to wish for one by a 'Zakariyya Tray' of a neighbour or relative. She will insert a pin into a candle when making her wish to God, promising to set up a tray from the following year onwards, if she is blessed with a child.

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