Stop judging fellow Muslims: Criticizing other sects, targeting their beliefs, itch to raise objections on Muharram rituals

The Islamic month of Muharram has begun. With this, the annual ritual to criticise the practice of mourning and 'maatam' is also being witnessed.

On social media, there is a flood of messages through SMS, WhatsApp and social media posts, calling mourning and maatam [self-flagellation] as un-Islamic, wrong and backward practices.

This is a matter of belief--mourning the martyrdom of Prophet's grandson and his family in the battle of Karbala.

Shias perform 'maatam' to express their grief at the tragic events. Many Sunnis too mourn*, though they don't perform maatam.

Worse, people use abusive terms for those who perform these rituals.

What do you gain by questioning their practices or condemning them? They are a different sect and they have their own beliefs-traditions.

It hurts them when they are constantly targeted. How upset we [Muslims] feel when questions are raised on Qurbani during Eid-uz-Zuha [act of slaughter termed violent], and there is criticism of the practice by many non-Muslims.

It is unrealistic to expect that everyone will act as per your beliefs. And who are you to decide who is 'Muslim' and who is 'outside pale of Islam'. If you are a believer you should be humble and worry if you are on right path, rather than targeting-abusing others.

Weird: Expecting others to be like you!

Who has the authority to issue certificates of 'Islamic' and 'un-Islamic' behaviour? It is absolutely between God and the individual.

Besides, it is irrational to expect that everyone will behave just like you and adhere to religion exactly in the way, you have seen in your family or grown accustomed to.

Those who object to Muharram practices and call them 'wrong', 'cheap' or 'un-Islamic', should better introspect about their own thinking. When your ways are questioned, you get upset and get ready to pick up fight, don't you?

The sectarian itch prompts you to brand others, blame others. In recent years, this bug has bitten a huge populace. The arguments, counter-arguments and you get another reason to feel special--you are expert 'sectarianist'.

Obsession with sectarianism

"We must correct them, islaah is needed", is the standard answer. Really! So there is nothing else to correct--from social issues to educational matters, from language to character, and why not start it from your house?

The belief is that only we are right and others are wrong, is troublesome. Isn't it better to focus on improving oneself and one's family? Also, there are counter-arguments that Shias practice 'tabarra' and abuse the first three Caliphs.

Ask if you have ever heard anyone do it publicly and there is no response. The belief that all Shias do that is also strange. And, if someone does something in their homes, what will you do? Isn't this plain-hate?

How different is it from the right-wing extremists who presume that beef is cooked in a house and kill Akhlaq. Isn't this hypocrisy? The same majoritarian communalism towards a minority within your society!

When sects are different, why do you judge them?

It is a strange disease [most of us suffer] to target anyone who is not like 'us'--the us is what we have seen growing up in family or neighbourhood. You're are just not aware of the kind of cultural, sectarian and social differences, that exist across the world.

This is totally irrational and also against the basic tehzeeb [manners, decency] of living in a society. Everyone can't be like you. Still, if you insist on calling them names, then forget talk about Ummah and unity among Muslim sects.

In fact, a strange passion overcomes people when it comes to sectarianism. Sane people get into a totally different mode, writing posts after posts, dozens of comments, as if this is the biggest issue on the planet.

Sects are a reality, accept it

Sects are a reality. Not just Barelvi-Deobandi, but Ismaili to Bohra, and so on. When it comes to interpretations and 'hadith', people go as per their own sect's interpretation, terming other 'hadith' as zaeef or ignoring it.

For nearly 1300 years there were Muslim aalims who never so easily branded other as 'non-Muslims'. Aga Khan was in fact considered one of the major leader of Indian Muslims till Partition.

Many prominent leaders of Muslim community were Shia, Ismaili, even Mehdavia and those belonging to the other sects. There was less objection to others' practices and minor differences were ignored.

But in recent decades, it has become a favourite pastime to do tanqeed [criticism] and target others. People strongly feel what they feel, calling them that they are on wrong path, all the time, doesn't help at all.

READ: Either Barelvi or Deobandi. Difficult to be 'simply Muslim' amid growing sectarianism

[*The processions are taken out by Sunnis and Shias on Muharram. Shias carry 'Alams' and perform maatam. Tazias are mostly carried by Sunnis and also some Hindus. However, many urbane people dismiss Tazias as Hindu influence and look down upon even those Sunnis who take part in this rituals]

India's Shia street: Passing by Shia Muslim localities in Lucknow

Urdu verses on Karbala on a hoarding at a haveli in Old Lucknow

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Recently I had a chance to spend sometime in Shia dominated localities in Lucknow during a short trip.

Though Shias form a sizeable chunk of Muslim population in India, being a minority within a minority, their culture and traditions aren't too much in focus.

Except the rituals during Muharram, there is little attention towards the Shia sub-culture among the Indian Muslims.

Though I know many people belonging to the Shia community, I had no close friend and as a result several aspects about them were not known to me till now. As the ruling family of Oudh was Shiite, the influence of the Shiasm was quite strong on the culture and traditions.

One may not agree entirely but several leading historians and writers ranging from Qurratul Ain Hyder to Amaresh Mishra [author of Lucknow: Fire of Grace] have termed the era of Nawabs of Awadh as a confluence of Brahmin-Shia ethos.

Though that period has passed long ago, Lucknow has dozens of Shia mohallas. And hence the Shia street is more visible in Lucknow. At other places, Moharram is observed for ten days or at the most 40 days every year.

A view of Shia college on the day of Eid-e-Zehra

But in Lucknow the mourning period stretches up to 2 months and eight days [68 days]. The 'Azadari' continues during this entire duration.

Even otherwise, the innumerable monuments and puts Lucknow in a different league as far as Indo-Islamic culture is concerned.

Here elegiac Urdu poetry reached new heights. Poets like Anees and Dabeer were masters of this art form [marsia] and composed long sorrowful verses on the tragedy at Karbala.

Apart from this not much is more to non-Muslims or even Muslims. Frankly, there is often a level of prejudice among Sunnis. 

However, there is much more to Shia culture in Lucknow. It is not just about Imambadas or the Ashura rituals.

Just a few observations:

1. A couple of months back when I passed through Nakhas, I'd seen black flags atop all the houses. This time red flags were [crimson] visible all around.

View of a street in Old Lucknow

It was Eid-e-Zehra. Though I was well aware about Eid-e-Ghadeer, I came to know about this festival [Eid-e-Zehra] for the first time. I saw colour spread on the streets also to express the joy.

2. Unlike other Muslim localities where one is used to seeing travel agents' advertisements about Haj and Umrah, here tour operators advertised other trips as well.

They included pilgrimage to places important for Shias that are located in Iran, Iraq, Syria et al.

3. Every few feet one could see posters or pamphets on the walls about a 'majlis'. Most of the posters were in Urdu but some in Hindi and even in Roman Urdu. Many shops had put up boards that 'sheerini' (sweets) for 'tabarruk' to be distributed during the 'majlis' are available.

Poster in Lucknow about Delhi issue

4. Shops were selling casettes and CDs of 'nauhas' [poetic genre about events that led to the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husain AS and his companions at the battle in Karbala].

The posters announced arrival of new 'nauhas' and about facility of downloads on cellphones also. CDs and DVDs include that of marsias, salams, manqabats, nauhas et al.

5. The incident involving alleged police high-handedness at Karbala Jor Bagh [Delhi's Dargah Shah Mardan] seemed to have a strong reaction in Lucknow.

The walled city had billboards in abundance about the Sheila Dixit government's mishandling of the issue and Congress' anti-Shia stance. Another notable feature in Shia quarters is that many people are seen dressed in black.

6. Huge posters dotted the streets. There were long messages in Urdu from religious heads.

Also, photographs and life size images of the clerics were seen.

Posters in Walled Lucknow about 'majlis' and Eid-e-Zehra

7. Advertisements about Shia TV channels and websites were also seen.

A day [or two] later, there was again a clash between Shias and Sunnis, a strange Lucknow phenomenon. The city has no history of Hindu-Muslim rioting except a communal clash. But this sectarian issue continues to take the form of street fights here.

It was after years of agitation that the processions of both the sects were allowed. After writing this post, I realised that I had now written a couple of posts on Shias:

1. Indian Shias: Poor political representation despite substantial population

2. Hidden Heritage: Coming across a Shia shrine in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh

3. Shias focus on acquiring more political clout

4. Shia-Sunni blackboards in Lucknow

Shias focus on acquiring political clout, carve a distinct identity

Maulana Kalb-e-Sadiq attends Shia board's conclave in Lucknow

The Shia community seems increasingly restless in India, especially, about their lack of political clout.

There is a feeling that voice of Shias is not heard and the political parties also ignore them as they are considered a minority within a minority.

Besides, the Shia populace also feels that the Muslim leadership, which is by and large Sunni, doesn't give the Shias proper attention.

It is not that the problems which Shia Muslims face are different from the issues that concern the Sunnis or Indian Muslims as a whole. But as small sects, communities and groups in the country are aiming for political clout, the Shias also feel that they must be counted.

They also feel that there was not proper representation of Shias in the umbrella organisations like All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). Shias feel that they have been neglected at almost all the forums and  this should end now.

Shias also realise that they aren't a minuscule minority either. The Shia population in India is estimated between 2-3 crore [20-30 million] which is similar to the Sikh or Christian population in the country and several times more than the Buddhists or Jains.

The only difference is that Shias aren't concentrated in any state or region. It was in this backdrop that the Shia Personal Law Board was created. As the top Shia leaders remained with the AIMPLB, most had doubts that the All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) would be taken seriously. In fact, many in Shia circles felt that it would not survive for long.

But the Shia Personal Law Board's recent conclave [March 13-14] has indicated that there is a strong feeling among Shias to carve a separate identity at the national level. After all, when Muslim communities ranging from Mevs to Raeens and Hindus--from Gujjars to Jats, closing ranks for better bargaining power, why not Shias?

A speaker said that when small sub-groups can force governments to accept to their demands by sitting on railway tracks, why couldn't Shias do it. It was an example though and he clarified that Shias weren't going to block railway traffic by sitting on tracks.

But then the speaker further said that, if we can't ensure victory to a person in the elections on our own strength, we can at least ensure the candidate's defeat. The message was loud and clear. Shias want political parties to take them seriously.

It was a major victory for Shia leader Mirza Mohammad Athar when the leading Shia cleric Kalb-e-Sadiq attended the Shia Personal Law Board's recent convention. Maulana Kalb-e-Sadiq, who is senior vice-president of AIMPLB, not just sat on the dais but also gave a speech and supported the resolutions passed at AISPLB meet that was held at the historic Sultan-ul-Madaris in Lucknow.

The speakers said that while there had been a so-called elite among Shias in the past, the fact was that general Shia populace was living in penury and facing greater hardships. Shia leaders from different parts of the country, including Kashmir, were also present.

It was decided to press the governments for nominating Shias is the Muslim bodies, government boards, apart from legislature. The focus was also on issues like establishing separate Shia Waqf Boards and strengthening educational institutions.

The state government was urged to name streets in UP after the names of secular Shia leaders including former Nawabs of Awadh. There were resolutions on the long-standing demands particularly putting pressure on Saudi Arab government to lift the ban on constructions at the cemeteries in Jannatul Baqee, as also allowing the pilgrims to kiss the Rauza-e-Rasool.

It was felt that separate waqfs would lead to better management and upkeep of Shia shrines including Imambadas, Ashurkhanas, Shia mosques et al. It must be mentioned that the Shia-Sunni schism isn't as pronounced in India as in other countries.

Besides, the sectarian differences haven't led to tension historically except in Lucknow, where also it has been more publicized (and exaggerated), than it has been on the ground level, particularly in terms of violence. Other than political aspects, social and cultural issues also came up for discussion.

See earlier post regarding Shia population in India on this blog: Indian Shias And Their Lack of Political Representation