GenocideSouth SudanWhat We Carried

Prayer Beads, El-Gadarif, Sudan

Jim Lommasson
Jim Lommasson / What We Carried

Rudwan Dawod:

These are prayer beads (Misbaha). They are very common in my native country of Sudan, particularly among Sufi Muslims.  We use them for prayers, but also as a decorative necklace sometimes. These beads are from my parents and are very dear to me. The brown one is made of brown amber and dark agate and it was my mom’s favorite. She kept it her entire life until she gave it to me right before she passed away in 2009. My mom was the greatest person I’ve ever known. She was my inspiration, a personal hero and everything to me. It meant a lot that she chose me from among my 11 siblings to receive this priceless gift. I feel these beads are blessed by my mother’s prayers. To have them makes me feel protected somehow, and I also believe they bring good luck to my life.

Rudwan Dawod