The Zulfikar (ذو الفقار), literally „the one with a spine“, is said to be one of the swords of Muhammad and to be then borne by Ali in a crucial battle. With this it has become a main symbol of Shiite Islam but is also represented among Alawites in Syria a lot. Today it serves as one of the most prominent symbols in product design for a Muslim target group. There are Zulfikars as mobile phone hangers, as jewellery or wall hangings. A plastic replica for children though was a surprising discovery to me, since the usual Zulfikars on sale only have decorative function. This toy adds a religious note to the wide section of military toys for Syrian boys.