Talismanic Devices and Imbuements on Islamic Arms

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Evidence of the Alam plus pennant tradition of combined flag and Alam which transferred to Battle Ensign style and it seems that the potent Talisman effect would be greatly enhanced by the pennants being covered in the blood of the opponents!

I searched for https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...ri&FORM=HDRSC2 as to clues on the combination of flag/pennant and Alam and arrived at an astonishing artwork below ~

The procession which appears to be a wedding group parading along with musicians but led by the several Alam of rectangular form with finials with religious script and pennants tied high on the poles...again decorated in religious script.

Excellent!

It makes sense that pethaps the 'alem/alam' in concept as a talisman used as a battle standard as well might have the term used more broadly. I think that the term 'talisman' may extend beyond its well known definition of protection and bringing good fortune to that of inspiration in a sense.


These factors are certainly in mind in battle, and warriors would be more inspired to fight with these elements present..........inspiration.

We know that inscriptions such as the thuluth on Sudanese swords were inscribed with invocations in such talismanic sense and these were present on known examples of alem in the Mahdist campaigns.


While I had thought of the alem as being a device in the shape of an enlarged spear head on a pole, it was certainly also present in the manner of finial on the shafts carrying battle standards and flags.