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Old 29th March 2011, 06:15 PM   #12
Ibrahiim al Balooshi
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Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dom
a significance ... for sure

Hi Vandoo, you opened a large subject ...

traditionaly; Saudi Khanjar have 7 rings and Omani only 4 ...
if I can't give an explaination for 4 rings excepted the custom, I might digress much more about the symbolism of 7 (seven)
judge by yourself ...
The number 7 is one of the most striking numbers. It is closely related to human history (the seven wonders of the world ...),
the symbolism of religions (7 days a week, 7 deadly sins ...) and science (the 7 crystal systems, the 7 basic units of the international system,...).
It represents perfection and is considered a magic number.

The word comes from the Latin "Septem" September "seven", whose root is found in all Indo-European: Germanic * sebun (Sibun Gothic, German sieben, seven English)
SEDM Old Church Slavonic, Lithuanian septyni, Celtic * Sextan (Sechter Old Irish, Welsh saith, Breton seiz and Sanskrit Sapte, all of Indo-European * septm.
sebt Arabic and Hebrew words Shabat both mean "seventh day ".
but also ....
According to tradition
Myths, symbols and superstitions

* The rose petals to the seven.
* The number of heads of certain monsters like the Hydra of Lerna.
* The number of deadly sins: lust, greed, envy, pride, sloth, gluttony and anger. Called capital because it is from them that of all other rights.
* For the Statue of Liberty, New York, the seven rays of the crown represent the seven seas and continents.
* The number of years of misfortune that should befall one who would have broken a mirror.

Religions
In the Bible

* The Menorah or seven-branched candelabrum.
* The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
* The number of days in a week is a highly symbolic number among Jews and Christians,
because it is the number of days with which God created the world.
* The number of sacraments in the Catholic religion.
* The collective name "The Seven", the first seven deacons ordained by the apostles (cf. Acts 6.1 to 6).
* The number of Archangels of the Apocalypse, as "stars" and "candles"
(symbolic representatives each of the seven archangels of God and the "Seven Churches")
and letters to seven churches.
* The number of heads of the beast of the Apocalypse.
* The number 7 itself appears 77 times in the Bible.

In Islam

* The number of ayat in Surat al-Fatiha.
* The number of heavens in Islamic tradition.


In other traditions

* Greco-Roman Tradition
o The traditional number of the Seven Wonders of the World.
o The traditional number of stars and metals associated with them:
Iron = Mars, Venus = copper, lead = Saturn, Jupiter = tin, mercury = Mercury, Moon = silver, gold = sun).
o The number of Athena to Pythagoras and Proclus, and by extension the number of philosophy.
* In the East:
o The number of chakras in the holy cities of Hinduism (the sacred number par excellence).
o The number of basic principles of Bushido.
* In numerology, seven is the Interior Life.

and it's could be possible to continue ....
the Muslim in general and Arab in particular have been every time very attracted by the "wonders" ......
as well as with "Islamic magic bowls" for instance ...
where we may found Koranic verses, Seal of Solomon and magic squares

à +

Dom

This is interesting however the Omani kHANJAR has either 4 or 7 rings. The 7 ringers are from The Sharqiyyah eastern Oman in the Wahibah desert region. The other 7 ring style is the Royal Khanjar variant apparently designed by a previous Sultans wife. That one also has a monumental handle copied from an Indian dagger hilt. The question as to whether it is cakled a 5 or a 7 ringer is probably lost in time because both numbers are very significant ... 5 being the hand of Fatima link and 7 the Koranic link already mentioned in the quote. 7 is a very respected number but I find that most people have forgotten the significance of the 5 though it continues to appear on many items especially silver Omani and other Islamic Jewelery. I reckon the 4 ringer doesnt have any significance... it just does the job .
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