العادات والخرافات الاجتماعية في المجتمع البغدادي في مجلة لغة العرب/Social Customs and Superstitions in Baghdadi Society as Documented in Lughat al-Arab Magazineمحاضرة
by
قاعه د نبيله داود
مركز احياء التراث العلمي لعربي
Social Customs and Superstitions in Baghdadi Society in Lughat al-Arab Magazine
As part of its ongoing academic activities aimed at reviving heritage and documenting Iraq’s historical memory, the Center for the Revival of Arab Scientific Heritage at the University of Baghdad organized a scientific seminar on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 12:00 noon. The seminar was delivered by Dr. Liqaa Amer Ashour, a lecturer at the Center, and attended by a distinguished group of professors and researchers interested in history and heritage studies.
In her study, entitled “Social Customs and Superstitions in Baghdadi Society in Lughat al-Arab Magazine,” the researcher highlighted the magazine’s pioneering role in documenting and critically examining social life in the early twentieth century through articles written by a number of prominent intellectuals and writers, including Mohammed Baqir Al-Shabibi, Ahmed Hilmi, Muslim Al-Baghdadi, and Ahmed Hamid Al-Sarraj.
The researcher explained how the magazine documented numerous beliefs and superstitions prevalent at the time, such as the use of locks and keys in rituals intended to facilitate marriage for women whose marriages had been delayed, painting the doors of religious shrines with henna, raising ceremonial flags, beliefs associated with beads and the newborn’s navel, as well as superstitions concerning certain days and numbers, particularly the number 13.
The study also highlighted the magazine’s criticism of harmful and socially unacceptable practices, including firing gunshots during wedding celebrations, breaking pottery upon sighting the crescent moon of Safar, and the rural custom known as “Al-Nahwa,” whereby a man could claim a form of customary authority over a woman and prevent her from marrying someone outside his family or tribal group.
At the same time, the researcher discussed the magazine’s interest in authentic folk heritage, including traditional games, traditional Baghdadi clothing such as the Yashmagh and Kufiya, and Iraqi Maqam music.
The seminar concluded by emphasizing that the primary objective of the magazine’s articles at the time was to purify Iraqi customs and traditions of superstitions and foreign influences that had become incorporated through interaction with other communities, while preserving Iraq’s authentic cultural identity.
The seminar witnessed considerable interaction and valuable academic contributions from the attending professors and researchers, enriching the subject of the study and stimulating discussion on the importance of approaching heritage with historical awareness and critical understanding.
سمنار علمي
