2024-06-16 20:45:05
After the formation of the Safavid state (which included Azerbaijan) in 1501, the non secular vacation Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) was not canceled, and it may be mentioned that no modifications had been made in reference to its implementation. Kurban Bayram continued to be thought-about one of many primary non secular holidays, which was celebrated by all Shiite believers within the state, together with on the territory of Azerbaijan.
As Day.Az experiences as regards to Azerhistory, in accordance with Muslim custom, kurban refers to every little thing that brings an individual nearer to God, and sacrificing an animal on a vacation implies a religious enchantment to God. For a Muslim, sacrifice was an indicator of devotion to God and some of the essential actions for acquiring his favor and approval.
In historic occasions, individuals believed that by making a sacrifice to the supernatural, one may achieve its favor and approval. They believed that with this they might eliminate risks and accidents.
Kurban Bayram was celebrated as an official vacation by the decrees of the Safavid shahs.
The well-known historian, consultant of the court docket historiography of the Iranian Safavid dynasty, beneath the Shahs Muhammad Khudabend and Abbas I, Iskender Beg Munshi, wrote concerning the vacation, which was celebrated in 1016 AH (1607/1608) by order of Shah Abbas: “On Eid al-Adha, Sunday, His Highness Humayun ordered the carpenters to construct a palace of wooden and columns, exterior the divankhane. Numerous feasts had been held. The generals erected the Shah’s throne on the head of the meeting (Majlis) in order that the Shah may sit on it. Notable leaders, ulemas, emirs, ministers stood in entrance of the door of the ruler’s residence and awaited the distinction of kissing his palms and congratulating him on this glad day.“.
As you’ll be able to see, the generals and ulema, led by the Shah himself, celebrated this vacation along with all of the courtiers.
Throughout the vacation on the state degree, each within the middle and on the outskirts of the state, giant feasts had been organized, and scenes had been staged with the participation of mass performances and musical leisure of assorted varieties.
Whereas in Isfahan in 1624, the Russian service provider Kotov, who adopted the occasions within the presence of the Shah, on the event of Kurban Bayram, left notes on how the vacation came about.
He wrote: “…The third vacation is widely known for 10 days – from the primary day of the brand new lunar month of September, when the brand new moon is seen. Throughout these ten days the camel is bred. The vacation is known as “Gurban Bayram”. They are saying that this vacation arose in reference to Ibrahim’s want to sacrifice his personal son Israfil. Throughout the vacation, a camel, lined with carpets and adorned with flowers, is led via squares, bazaars, and all streets. Folks stroll in entrance of him, play zurnas and beat tambourines. And strangers, ladies and kids pluck hair from the camel to save lots of themselves. When the tenth day approaches, the camel is led out of the town into the sector, and a adorned spear and ax are carried in entrance of it. Earlier than the camel, when it’s led to the place of sacrifice, there’s a giant regiment of Isfahanis, all of them tied to one another and all screaming on the high of their voices, like madmen. And after this regiment comes one other – Tabrizians, additionally tied up, and in addition screaming like mad. And all of the individuals strolling in entrance of the camel scream. The combination of human screams and horse stomping makes it scary…“
Kotov continues: “Within the discipline the place the camel is being led, a spot has already been ready, cleared like a threshing ground and watered. When the Shah himself leaves, and with him all of the khans, sultans, entourage, service individuals and all the boys with their wives and kids, then the daruga additionally leaves, or in our opinion the town boyar, who’s accountable for numerous affairs in Isfahan: he judges and executes the responsible. This Daruga was a Georgian prince. Behind him is carried a shaft, at one finish of which is a spear, and on the different a spear, adorned with a golden apple, and a adorned ax. In that ready place, the camel is thrown to the bottom, its legs are tied, and about thirty butchers sit on its legs and head with knives. The Shah, his entourage, ambassadors and retailers of different states method the camel. The Shah, sitting on a horse, begins to say fatha, and in our opinion, a prayer, on the finish of it he’ll wave his hand to the daruga. Daruga will experience as much as the camel on a horse, take a spear from the spearman and from the horse thrust the spear between the ribs of the camel, experience off himself, and go away the spear in it. After this, the Shah, all his associates, ambassadors, retailers and all of the individuals shortly return again – the horsemen gallop, and the foot troopers run…“
The service provider additional notes that the camel’s head is then reduce off, the physique is reduce into items and carried to the Shah’s palace.
Kotov notes: “The camel’s head is introduced right here on a horse, and on a stone platform in entrance of the checker’s balcony, it’s raised excessive within the palms of males, then lowered to the bottom, and so they themselves scream, and they also raised and lowered the pinnacle 5 occasions…“
Additional, he describes “camel’s head bloodbath“, and the victorious regiment presents the pinnacle of the animal to the Shah, and the Shah rewards this very regiment.
“On this approach they have fun for 3 days, do nothing, don’t commerce, sound alarm bells, blow trumpets, play zurnas, promote pink eggs, take one another’s palms, kiss one another’s palms. And because the week of this vacation passes, they sound alarm bells and timpani all evening, play zurnas, blow trumpets till 5 o’clock within the afternoon,” – writes Kotov.
Fascinating data will also be discovered within the posts of different vacationers.
The celebration was additionally noticed by the Dutch navigator Jan Streis, who visited the Safavid state in 1670-1672.
Whereas within the metropolis of Qazvin throughout the vacation, Streis wrote: “… On the ninth, a Persian vacation came about within the metropolis of Qazvin, which they name Bairam or Gurban Bayram (Bairam del Carban)… Normally a camel was sacrificed. For 3 days the animal, adorned with flowers and greenery, was led via the streets, then a crowded procession led by a mullah studying texts from the Koran set off out of city. Alongside the way in which, everybody tries to tear off a tuft of fur from the animal. This wool is saved as a shrine and used throughout troublesome childbirths.“.
Streis additional writes that exterior the town, one of many taking part noble gents slaughtered a camel, and extraordinary individuals with knives and axes butchered the animal and everybody took a bit of meat for themselves. Some salted this meat and preserved it for a yr as a “nice shrine.”
“Those that are clumsy and lazy, or weak and infirm, are content material with entrails, legs and blood, in order that traces of blood are barely seen on the place of sacrifice. Their celebration of video games and excessive gluttony lasts all evening till daybreak.,” – Strace famous.
The French traveler J. Chardin, additionally itemizing the vacations within the Safavid state, consists of Eid al-Fitr among the many “solemn holidays”: “…they observe and solemnly have fun solely three holidays: one among them is widely known on the primary day after their quick (oruja). I do know that on the finish of Lent, they have fun a vacation that’s Easter Day for Christians. The festivals of the sacrifice of Ibrahim and the martyrdom of Ali’s followers on the trail to faith are revered holidays“.
Based on sources, throughout the reign of the Safavids, numerous occasions associated to sacrificial animals, their slaughter, and so on. had been held throughout the Eid al-Adha vacation. Typically at such occasions, the sacrificial animal was adorned and introduced out, then a sacrifice ceremony was carried out, theatrical scenes had been demonstrated, tightrope walkers and wrestlers confirmed their abilities, fights with bulls and rams had been organized, and leisure was organized accompanied by music and dancing. Normally, the Shah himself participated in such occasions, which had been accompanied by the slaughter of camels within the capital of the nation; within the absence of the Shah, he was changed by the inheritor to the throne. And within the areas these capabilities had been carried out by governors and influential individuals.
As may be concluded from the information of Kotov and Streis, individuals saved hair taken from a sacrificial camel as one thing sacred. Based on widespread beliefs, individuals believed that what was taken away from a sacrificed sufferer would assist them and may gain advantage them.
Regardless of the intense perspective of Islam (particularly the Shiite department) to holidays and a unfavourable perspective in direction of festive occasions, historic sources point out that within the Safavid state, Eid al-Adha was accompanied by quite a few festive occasions, together with numerous video games and leisure, music and dancing.
Primarily based on supplies from the e-book by Kh. Abdullayev
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