Last modified: 2025-01-18 by ian macdonald
Keywords: holy shrine defenders | iran |
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image located by William Garrison,
22 February 2022See also:
Source:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203833611583?hash=item2f756e153f:g:U9UAAOSwj-hiDCrI
Iranian holy shrine defenders flag sourced directly from Iran January of
2022.
(posted on eBay.com)
William Garrison,
22 February 2022
image located by William Garrison,
25 October 2023
The green-field flag of the "Modāfe'ān-e-Haram (Persian: مدافعان حرم)
{"Modafean"] or "Holy Shrine Defenders". {Per Wikipedia}: "it is a phrase used
by the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran government to refer to their advisers and
military personnel, whether Iranians or otherwise, fighting in Iraq and Syria in
defense and protection of Shia peoples and holy shrines often targeted by Sunni
fighters. The most prominent shrine associated with the mission of the "holy
shrine defenders," and to which their presence in Syria is ostensibly dedicated,
is the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in Damascus. The term not only includes Iranians,
but also Afghan and Pakistani fighters, such as those who fight with Liwa
Fatemiyoun or Liwa Zainebiyoun and other Shia militias." A flag-pole sleeve is
at the right (hoist).
William Garrison, 25 October 2023
image located by William Garrison,
22 February 2022
A yellow-field flag with a black unknown slogan in Arabic and a secondary
slogan in English reading "I am a Revolutionary", used by Iran-backed PMF
(Popular Mobilization Forces) in Iraq & Lebanon to defend Shia-Muslim holy
shrines; c. Jan. 2022.
William Garrison,
22 February 2022
image
located by William Garrison, 1 November 2023
[Click on image to
see explanation of details]
A variation of the "Zainabiyoun Brigade" flag for a Shia-Muslim "Holy Shrine Defenders" militia (sometimes also spelled as "Zainebiyoun"). While many of these militiamen hailed from Pakistan, they were organized by Shia-Iran (IRGC) to operate in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. There is a flag-pole sleeve at the right (hoist) side; c. 2015.
The "Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque" is a Shia-Muslim shrine located in the city of "Sayyidah Zaynab", in the southern suburbs of Damascus, Syria. According to Shia-Muslim tradition, this mosque contains the grave of Zaynab, the daughter of Imam Alī and Fātimah and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Zaynab accompanied her brother, Shia Imam Hussain/Husayn, to Karbala, Iraq, where he was killed at the Battle of Karbala in Oct. 680 CE. Zaynab's and Hussain's half-brother, Abbas, was also killed there. This battle was fought when Hussain tried to oust the (Sunni) caliph Yuzdi, whom Hussain thought was being oppressive -- but lost. During the battle, Abbas supposedly carried the Hussain-clan flag around the battlefield upon his horse named Uqab. Zaynab was captured along with some others and taken to Damascus, where she heralded Hussain's and Abbas' bravery. After some delay, she was released but died shortly thereafter.
While there is dispute as to where she is actually buried, a holy shrine in her memory was built in southern Damascus. During the Syrian civil war (1980s-2024), Sunni-Muslim al-Qaeda militias threatened this Shia shrine; in response, the Shia-oriented Liwa Zainebiyoun was organized, in part, to defend Zaynab's shrine.
Regarding this flag, the top large slogan reads: "Oh, Zeynab, We are all your Abbas" -- referring to Zaynab's championing the bravery of the Hussain clan -- sort of like Abbas' parading the Hussain flag in a spirited "Rally around the (clan) flag" moment. Also, at the far left, atop what appears to be a long horizontal line, there is a smaller slogan with a small "flag" at the far left, that reads: "Oh, Flag holder in Karbala" (again, referring to Abbas' parading of the Hussain flag). So, the conjoined top slogan is a chant for Shia/Shiites to inform the spirit of Zeynab that modern Shiites today "rally around" in remembering the bravery of Zeynab in touting the heroic deaths of her relatives at the Battle of Karbala, just as Abbas carried the Hussain-clan flag to "rally around" defending Hussain during the battle.
A lot of symbolism is represented in the top slogan(s), and there is more. Along the bottom of this flag there is a three-part "ribbon" with additional slogans or expressions. The left-third section reads a short: "Ya/(Oh) Abbas" acknowledgment, or an appeal to his spirit. The middle section reads: "Every Day is Ashura". Ashura is a day of Shia public mourning that takes place on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala, when Hussein & Abbas were killed in 680. This expression was originated by the 7th Shia Imam: Sadiq, who uttered it as a reminder to all Shiites to "every day" remember and work towards promoting Shiism; essentially a reminder to devout Shiites that there is, and will be, an ever-ongoing and unstoppable battle for Shiites until they can reclaim control of the Muslim ummah (community/nation). Finally, again referring to Abbas, the right section reads: "Ya/(Oh), Qamar Bani Hashem", meaning: "Oh Moon of Bani Hashem". Banu Hashim (Arabic: بنو هاشم) is an Arab clan within the Quraysh tribe to which the Islamic prophet Muhammad (Ali, Hussain and Abbas) belonged, named after Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim ibn Abd Manaf. Because Abbas was considered to be beautiful, like a "full moon" or "Man in the Moon", he was nicknamed "Qamar" (Arabic for "moon") [pronounced as: "badr"], meaning: "the beautiful full-face man of the Hashem tribe".
With all of the references to Abbas, this flag seems to be more about him than his half-sister Zaynab. But this flag represents the overall conjoined acts of Zaynab "waving around" her public recounting of the battle heroism of her brothers before her captors, symbolic like Abbas waving around the Hussain-clan flag during the actual battle.
While this flag contains few words, they provide an expansive theological review of the Shia struggle. Bani Hashem flags in FOTW can be seen at Qamar Bani Hashim Flag, and a flag memorializing Abbas' horse (Qutb) can be seen at Hazrat Abbas' horse Uqab
William Garrison, 14 January 2025