and andalUsia during the seventh and eighth
centuries. Arabians were also used in the sport
of horse racing, and many race horses today have
Arabian blood.
Experts disagree about their origin. Some say
Arabians developed during the fourth or fifth
century in the Arabian Peninsula from horses
that had migrated from Central Asia. Others say
the breed originated in North Africa. Arabians
were introduced into Europe during the Middle
Ages, where they contributed to the develop-
ment of some of the best European breeds. They
declined in the Arabian Peninsula when modern
transportation and weapons technologies arrived
in the 19th century, but meanwhile they became
favorites among breeders in Europe and North
America. In recent times, the practice of breeding
Arabians has been revived in saUdi arabia and
Jordan. An Arabian horse is the central figure
in Walter Farley’s, The Black Stallion, a popular
children’s novel (1941) and film (1979). Another
famous breed from Islamicate lands is the Akhal
Teke (also known as the Persian or Parthian
horse), indigenous to Central Asia and consid-
ered by many to be one of the oldest breeds in
existence. It has been embraced by the Turkmen
culture, which has strong nomadic roots.
The horse is held in high esteem in Arabo-
Islamicate literature. It was said to be the animal
closest in nature to humans because of its noble
demeanor. In the qUran, horses are described
as creatures that God created for men to ride (Q
16:8); elsewhere they are identified with Women,
children, stores of precious metals, and land as
being among the beautiful things to be enjoyed
in life (Q 3:14). According to commentators, hav-
ing a horse in the house is a way to keep sata n
and the Jinn from harming its owner. In Islamic
lore, Ishmael (Ismail) the son of abraham was the
first human to tame a horse for riding, and King
Solomon was said to have ridden a winged horse,
like Pegasus in Greek mythology. The hadith
indicate that mUhammad rode horses and that he
even approved the holding of horse races (with-
out betting) in medina. Also, he is said to have
used a magical horselike animal named bUraq
when he traveled from mecca to JerUsalem and
ascended into heaven during his night JoUrney
and ascent. Among the Shia, the most famous
horse is the one belonging to hUsayn ibn ali ibn
abi talib (d. 680). This animal carried him to
karbala, where he was martyred. It is also said
that at the end of time it will be resurrected from
the Euphrates River to carry Husayn once again
into battle against wrongdoers.
Horses were a favorite subject for poets, and
it is estimated that more than 100 books about
horses and horsemanship circulated in Islamdom
during the Middle Ages. These books often have
detailed descriptions of a horse’s physical features
and markings, which are interpreted as omens
affecting the fortunes of its rider. Technical knowl-
edge about breeding, training, and veterinary care
is also provided, but it differs considerably from
modern methods of horse care and training.
See also arabic langUage and literatUre;
camel.Further reading: Walter Farley, The Black Stallion (New
York: Random House Books for Young Readers, 1991);
David James et al., “The Arabian Horse.” Saudi Aramco
World 37 (March/April 1986); Jonathan Maslow, “The
Golden Horses of Turkmenistan.” Saudi Aramco World
48 (May/June 1997): 10–19; David Pinault, Horse of
Karbala: Muslim Devotional Life in India (New York:
Palgrave, 2001).houri
Houris are beautiful wide-eyed virgins who are
believed to await good Muslims in paradise. They
are mentioned only four times in the qUran,
which describes them as being pure, modest, and
like hidden pearls in appearance (Q 55:56; 56:23;
37:49). Much more is said about them in medieval
commentaries and stories about death and the
aFterliFe, where they are portrayed in sensuous
detail, living in luxurious mansions and palaces.K 310 houri