- Title: On the river bank, Iraqi women wish upon a holy shrine
- Date: 4th February 2021
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 1, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, UNLOCKING DOOR TO SHRINE NAAMA PUTTING DOWN HER BAG IN SHRINE PORTRAIT OF IMAM ALI WITH NAAME PASSING IN FRONT NAAME STANDING TO PRAY WHERE AL-KHIDR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE PRAYED NAAME PRAYING OFFERINGS SEEN THROUGH BARS PROTECTING PLACE WHERE KHIDR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE PRAYED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "This is the place where Imam al-Khidr stepped, peace be upon him, this is where they saw him pray, they saw him here, doing ablutions, he came here to pray, in this place." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "He exists here, because he is alive." INSCRIBED PANEL SEEN THROUGH BARS DECORATION ON WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "He exists in the Christian faith, in the Jewish faith. He is in their books." NAAMA TEARING PIECE OF GREEN FABRIC APART (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "I am preparing ribbons to wrap the candles of the pilgrims." NAAME CUTTING FABRIC / NAAME'S FACE BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 22, 2021) (REUTERS) WOMAN PRAYING / WOMAN COUNTING PRAYER BEADS WITH HER FINGERS WOMAN PRAYING BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 31, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, UMM SHEIMA, SAYING: "The one who has no child, she prays (for it), she takes a candle and lights it. She prays for a child, to get pregnant. The pregnant woman comes here to wish for a boy, from God. She lights a candle among the candles. She offers 250 dinars (to al-Khidr), so that her wish is granted." WOMAN PRAYING MOSTLY WOMEN PRAYING / FIRST FLOOR OF SHRINE WHERE NAAME IS SEATED VARIOUS OF WOMEN LIGHTING CANDLES AND MAKING WISHES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FRIEND OF AMARA NAAMA, WHO DID NOT GIVE HER NAME, SAYING: "There was nothing here." CARETAKER OF THE AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "There was only one window and stairs. After that, we developed it step by step." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "We enlarged it, we put concrete (floors), we installed electricity, even the bathroom, we built it. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "Before my mother, it was her aunt (working here). She died, and my mother took over. Then my mother died. I have been running this place for 35, me and my children." BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 22, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMAN PRAYING / VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, ZAHERA IBRAHIM, LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, ZAHERA IBRAHIM, SAYING: "My son died of the coronavirus eight months ago. He caught coronavirus and died." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, ZAHERA IBRAHIM, SAYING: "When will they give us the pension (money)? It will still take two or three months. He was sick and died." BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 31, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE VISITOR, UMM SHAWKAT, PRAYING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, UMM SHAWKAT, SAYING: "I am sick because someone made me drink a magic potion, and it unleashed demons on me." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, UMM SHAWKAT, SAYING: "I wanted to come to Khidr from early morning on. May peace be upon him. Because when I stay home, I get tired. This is making me feel tired, I can't sleep, can't eat much. And I don't sleep well at all. So I wanted to come to God and al-Khidr. Al-Khidr has a link to God and companions of the Prophet." BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 22, 2021) (REUTERS) WOMEN PRAYING / NAAMA BLESSING WOMAN COVERED IN GREEN FABRIC BY TAPPING STICK ON HER HEAD NAAMA BLESSING WOMAN COVERED IN GREEN FABRIC BY TAPPING STICK ON HER HEAD BAGHDAD, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 1, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "Because most of our pilgrims are women, when they see that it is a woman sitting here." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "They explain to her what they want, or what they suffer from. Not everyone makes women feel comfortable, I am closer to them than men." NAAMA SPEAKING TO PILGRIMS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CARETAKER OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE, AMARA NAAMA, SAYING: "The most important thing is one's mental state. This place is holy, holy because of God. When they leave the place, they start comforting their heart on the stairs already, they relax. Everyone coming for a visit leaves happy." BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 22, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMAN MAKING WISH WHILE LIGHTING CANDLE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF SHRINE SEEN FROM INSIDE VARIOUS OF WOMEN WALKING OUT OF SHRINE VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF SHRINE, WITH WOMEN SEATED IN GROUPS ON FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR OF AL-KHIDR SHRINE WHO CAME FROM AL-HILLA, NADHIMA NASRALLAH, SAYING: "Al-Khidr granted us our wishes! And we came to give our thanks. He gave my daughter a child. So I came to give my thanks and to make a new wish. I asked for a new wish from al-Khidr. Al-Khidr grants (wishes) quickly. May God bless your name, Khidr. And may God protect the Muslims and every single Iraqi, one by one!" TOP VIEW OF SHRINE
- Embargoed: 18th February 2021 13:48
- Keywords: Baghdad Blessings Holy shrine Iraq Wishes Women al-Khidr
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001DY8BZH1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Every day for 35 years, Amara Naama unlocks the doors to the al-Khidr shrine, a sanctuary where Iraqis of different religious sects flock to make a wish, hoping that the holy figure, believed to be a supporter in times of distress, will grant it fast.
The shrine which lies on the banks of the Tigirs river is believed to be where al-Khidr, a popular saint in Iraq, once set foot and prayed.
Naama said she receives Shi'ites, Sunnis and Christians alike, who visit the shrine to make a wish while lighting a candle.
Most pilgrims are women. They wish to find a husband, to get pregnant, or to heal from sickness. One of the shrine's visitors, Zahara Ibrahim, came to the shrine to ask al-Khidr to speed up the administrative process for her to receive her son's pension after he died of the coronavirus.
Another visitor of the shrine, Umm Shawkat, believed she has been cursed. She came to the shrine to rest after spending many sleepless nights at home.
In the end, Naama believes that most women come here to find some peace of mind and a comforting ear.
"I am closer to them than men", Naama said, adding that pilgrims often open up to her and share their worries, hopes and sorrows.
The sanctuary has been cared for by women in Naama's family for three generations and Naama hopes her children will carry on the legacy.
Not only those in need visit the shrine, but also pilgrims whose wishes have been granted. They come to thank al-Khidr and bring offerings such as sweets, chewing gum but also flowers, paintings, and even baby cribs.
"Al-Khidr grants wishes fast!", a woman from the city of al-Hilla, Nadhima Nasrallah said, whose daughter she says fell pregnant soon after visiting the shrine.
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