Alam
Encyclopedia
For the organization ALAM, see Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
Alam can be an Arabic surname or it can also mean flag, sign, or world.
_procession_barabanki_india_(jan_2009).jpg)
'Alam means "flag" or "sign" in Arabic. In Egypt, it may refer to a stone heap set up to mark a path in the desert.
'Alam is also of spiritual significance for the Twelver Shia Muslims. Though all Shias including those of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Syria carry 'Alams in their processions in Ashura, the ones in India and Pakistan are specifically of a different kind and have more of a spiritual significance. An Alam with a "Panja" on top of it is considered to be a religious flag of Islam, and it is said to be carried by the Prophet Muhammed, Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali during battles or expeditions. The battle of Karbala
further glorifies its importance. An Alam is usually seen during Muharram
processions and at designated sites in Shia Mosques.
Historically, the Prophet's family had a unique flag that represented the Bani Hashim clan in specific. One honorable member of the family would be chosen to carry this as a representation to others. Earlier it was green in color and was given to first Imam Ali ibn Abitalib by Prophet Mohammad himself, then Ali ibn Abitalib gave this Alam to his son Al Abbas ibn Ali
who held this Alam till his last breath in the Battle of Karbala
. After the event of Karbala, Alams during azadari procession are colored black or red.
It is thought to have been a black drape on a wooden pole with an emblem on the top. The Alams of India
and Pakistan
usually have one that is a long wooden pole mounted with a silver or metal "Panja" (meaning a claw or palm of your hand). An 'Alam is usually seen during Muharram
Processions and at designated sites in Shia Mosques today. Though there are Sufi shrines or mausoleums of Pir
s that still have decorated 'Alams in Muharram
in such cities as Karachi
and Mumbai
, this practice being performed by people other than Shia Muslims has subsided over the last two decades out of fears of attacks by Wahhabis. An example of people who still practice "Hosay
" or a multicultural event on the tenth of Muharram
and carry 'Alams can be found in Trinidad and Tobago
. These Indians left India at a time when the Pir system was still in effect and this cross cultural event was still practiced without persecution.
The practice of taking out Alam procession during the holy month of Moharram or any festival season is prevalent in India
and Pakistan
when hundreds of thousands of people come out on the streets holding the Alam in their hands. Alams taken out during celebration are usually green in color and the ones taken out during mourning procession are mostly either black or red in color, black signifies grief while red reminds of revenge for martyrs of Karbala still remaining. Alams in India
and Pakistan
are sometimes more than 20 feet in length.
People who hold these Alams are referred as Alamdars (the Flag Bearers).
(arabic:دين) or Deen
refers to "way of life" or "code of life" and religion (in Islam
). The difference in Latin spelling originates from westernization of the Arabic name into various European languages. The original spelling (علم الدين) remains the same when the Arabic script is being used.
Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
The Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers , originally the Manufacturer's Mutual Association , was an organization originally formed to challenge the litigation of the fledgling automobile industry by George B. Selden and the Electric Vehicle Company. Ultimately, the organization took...
Alam can be an Arabic surname or it can also mean flag, sign, or world.
Al'am as flag or sign
'Alam means "flag" or "sign" in Arabic. In Egypt, it may refer to a stone heap set up to mark a path in the desert.
'Alam is also of spiritual significance for the Twelver Shia Muslims. Though all Shias including those of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Syria carry 'Alams in their processions in Ashura, the ones in India and Pakistan are specifically of a different kind and have more of a spiritual significance. An Alam with a "Panja" on top of it is considered to be a religious flag of Islam, and it is said to be carried by the Prophet Muhammed, Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali during battles or expeditions. The battle of Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
further glorifies its importance. An Alam is usually seen during Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
processions and at designated sites in Shia Mosques.
Historically, the Prophet's family had a unique flag that represented the Bani Hashim clan in specific. One honorable member of the family would be chosen to carry this as a representation to others. Earlier it was green in color and was given to first Imam Ali ibn Abitalib by Prophet Mohammad himself, then Ali ibn Abitalib gave this Alam to his son Al Abbas ibn Ali
Abbas ibn Ali
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...
who held this Alam till his last breath in the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
. After the event of Karbala, Alams during azadari procession are colored black or red.
It is thought to have been a black drape on a wooden pole with an emblem on the top. The Alams of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
usually have one that is a long wooden pole mounted with a silver or metal "Panja" (meaning a claw or palm of your hand). An 'Alam is usually seen during Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
Processions and at designated sites in Shia Mosques today. Though there are Sufi shrines or mausoleums of Pir
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
s that still have decorated 'Alams in Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
in such cities as Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, this practice being performed by people other than Shia Muslims has subsided over the last two decades out of fears of attacks by Wahhabis. An example of people who still practice "Hosay
Hosay
Hosay or Tadjah is a West Indian commemoration, in which multi-colored model mausoleums are paraded, then ritually offered up to the sea, or any body of water...
" or a multicultural event on the tenth of Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
and carry 'Alams can be found in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. These Indians left India at a time when the Pir system was still in effect and this cross cultural event was still practiced without persecution.
The practice of taking out Alam procession during the holy month of Moharram or any festival season is prevalent in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
when hundreds of thousands of people come out on the streets holding the Alam in their hands. Alams taken out during celebration are usually green in color and the ones taken out during mourning procession are mostly either black or red in color, black signifies grief while red reminds of revenge for martyrs of Karbala still remaining. Alams in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
are sometimes more than 20 feet in length.
People who hold these Alams are referred as Alamdars (the Flag Bearers).
Ālam as a family name in Laqab (لقب) names
As a Muslim laqab (لقب) name, Ālam often occurs as a joined names such as Ālameddin, Alameddine, Alamuddin, Alamettin, Alam Ed Din, Alam Ud Deen, Alam Ad Din, Alam Ud Din, ....etc. DinAd-Din
ad-Din, , is a laqab, a component of some Arabic names, meaning "of the faith". The names concerned are used by Muslims all over the world.The meaning of the word "Din", simply translated "faith", is explained further on the Dīn page....
(arabic:دين) or Deen
Dīn
is an Arabic word commonly associated with Islam, but also used in Arab Christian worship. The term is sometimes translated as "religion", but as used in the Qur'an, it refers both to the path along which righteous Muslims travel in order to comply with divine law, or Shari'a, and to the divine...
refers to "way of life" or "code of life" and religion (in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
). The difference in Latin spelling originates from westernization of the Arabic name into various European languages. The original spelling (علم الدين) remains the same when the Arabic script is being used.
Instances
Several notable people share the surname "Alam":- Nawab Alam yar jung BahadurNawab Alam yar jung BahadurNawab Mir Alam Ali Khan , also known as Alam yar jung bahadur, was an Indian judge and politician.-Early life and education:Alam Ali Khan was the son of Hashim Ali Khan, a colonel with the Hyderabad Imperial Service Troops. He received his education at Madrasa-e-aliya and Nizam College, where he...
(1888–1972), Chief Justice and later Law minister of Andhra Pradesh, India. - Alexander Alam (1896–1983), English-Australian state politician, son of Lebanese-English parents
- Amir Asadollah AlamAsadollah AlamAmir Asadollah Alam was an Iranian politician who was Prime Minister from 1962 to 1964. He was also Minister of Royal Court, President of Pahlavi University and Governor of Sistan and Baluchestan Province.-Early life:...
(1919–1978), Iranian academic administrator and Prime Minister of Iran - Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Muhammad Mahmood AlamMuhammad Mahmood AlamAir Commodore Muhammad Mahmood Alam is a retired Pakistani fighter pilot, North American F-86 Sabre Flying ace and one-star general who served with the Pakistan Air Force...
(born 1935), Decorated Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air ForceThe Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
Flying Ace - Intikhab AlamIntikhab AlamIntikhab Alam Khan is a retired Pakistani cricketer who played in 47 Tests and 4 ODIs from 1959 to 1977. He also played in English county cricket for Surrey between 1969 and 1981....
(born 1941), British Indian (Pakistani) cricketer - Faria AlamFaria AlamFaria Alam is a former Football Association secretary.-Background:Alam was born on 13 February 1966 in Dhaka, Bangladesh to a moderate and educated Muslim family. Her father was a Pakistani bank employee and her Bangladeshi mother, with two brothers and one sister...
(born 1966), Bangladeshi society figure and television personality - Jahangir AlamJahangir AlamJahangir Alam is a former Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 3 ODIs from 1997 to 1999.An opening batsman who could keep wickets if necessary, Jahangir Alam was ideally suited for one day cricket...
(born 1973), Bangladeshi cricketer - Rabih AlameddineRabih AlameddineRabih Alameddine is a Lebanese-American painter and writer. He was born in Amman, Jordan to Lebanese Druze parents . He grew up in Kuwait and Lebanon, which he left...
(born 1959) Lebanese writer and painter