Al Khamsa

The docile mares of Mohammed, also called Al Khamsa ( Abayyah, Saqlawiyah, Kuhaylah, Hamdaniyah and Hadbah ) are a legend of Islam.

According to the story came 622 the Prophet Muhammad and his companions during the emigration Hijra from Mecca to Medina in a sandstorm. His caravan arrived in the evening at a well, but when the exhausted and thirsty horses losstürzten she called back Mohammed. Only five mares - Abayyah, Saqlawiyah, Kuhaylah, Hamdaniyah and Hadbah - reversed dutiful, whereupon Mohammed blessed them and put each thumb in the neck, where then formed small cowlick.

Those cowlick are still called the 'thumb sign of the prophet and the horses who own it are said to be particularly noble. Mohammed founded with those five horses, one permeated by religious beliefs breeding, which is said in the finest lines that they return ( " the five" ) to the Al Khamsa.

According to a variant of the legend Mohammed intentionally left thirsty for days with the same result a herd of mares, before he opened the corral. The five mares, who listened to his orders and not galloped to the water source, were given special names and justified according to the legend the line of Al Khamsa.