Adil Najam
I write these lines as midnight strikes in Pakistan on the night between 9th and 10th Moharram. I write these lines as the news on television flashes news about blasts and bombs all around. How much more poignant could the message of Ashura be than it is today? Each year, it seems, the message of Ashura becomes more poignant and more important than the year before. But each year, it also seems, that the message becomes less understood. Each of us has to understand what that message means to us. All I can do today is to repeat my own understanding, in the very same words I had used the last two years.
To me, Ashura commemorates a struggle that is steeped in deep spiritual meaning, not only for Islamic history but for all humanity. It is a struggle between good and evil, between just and unjust, between weak and powerful, between immediate and the eternal, between principle and ambition. The power of Ashura is not only in the epic events that it commemorates, it is in the narrative of those events, in the symbolisms that we construct. Ultimately, it is in the meanings that we derive from those events.
Muharram is, of course, of special significance to Shias. But the events and meaning of Ashura is of significance and relevance to all Muslims, and I would suggest, to all humans everywhere.
Like so many others growing up in a Sunni household I grew up observing ehteram-i-Muharram and am always drawn in these days leading up to Ashura towards thinking about the meaning of religion and of faith. To me these have always been days of deep spiritual reflection; especially of intellectual enquiry into the meaning of justice (the concept of ‘adl’ holds a deep significance to me given the name I was given at birth and therefore I have always interpreted Ashura particularly as a time to reflect on what justice is).
Growing up, the night of Ashura was always defined for me by the Majlis i Shaam i Gharibaan (often by Allama Naseer ul Ijtihaadi) on PTV on the night of dasveen Muharram, which was followed immediately – and at right about midnight – by Syed Nasir Jahan’s soulful recitation of Salam-i-Akhir.
Bachay to aglay baras hum hain aur yeh gham phir hai
Today, as I listen to him again, so many more layers of meaning unfold. So many deep wounds open up. So many new thoughts come flooding in. And, yet, I have nothing new to say. Maybe you can share what the message of Ashura means to you in a world that continues to be unjust and unjustly violent?
Karbala revived! For these shameful acts cannot undermine the endurance of Ashura, as we mourn the deceased we are committed to fight terrorism is all its manifestations and the nation will not rest till put a end to this un-holy war.
Karachi suffered billions of Ruppees in yesterday’s event. The event was not different than two years ago when Benazir was killed and her Jiyalays (the leftist version of Talibans) burnt the entire Sind. Once again same stunt was repeated exactly after 2 years.
The shiites were busy in mourning,where did angry mob come from? How come they spread like a fire and burnt almost entire MA Jinnah Rd properties? It was all pre-planned. Had it been a Talibanic type stunt then we would have observed similar pattern in other parts of Pakistan too but ironically yesterday’s pattern is no different than what happened 2 years ago. “The Janisars” burnt had burnt everything at that time.
Also one should not forget PPP’s interior minister openly admitted that he and his guys wanted to break Pakistan two years ago. One can sense what did he mean. It would not be surprising if all things were repeated gain in the favor of “Sind card”
Ignorants will keep diverting Pakistanis by associating everything with Talibans; the attitude is not different than ignorant yanks who blame Osama even if their toddlers pee in pants.
It is sad to see that instead of unconditionally condemning the Ashura massacre in Karachi, Taliban apologists are trying to spread sectarian hatred over the internet.
It is sad, but hardly surprising. Taliban and ‘Friends of Taliban’ operate at different levels, towards a common purpose.
Taliban attack innocent Pakistanis irrespective of their religion, ethnicity etc.
‘Friends of Taliban’ try to justify the Talibanic terrorism on one pretext or the other.
Hizbut Tahrir is one such organisation which has a dedicated group of internet activists who, in addition to developing and posting videos for ‘Al Sihab studios’, also post hate mongering comments and articles on the internet.
A few weeks ago, some of such terrorists were arrested in Islamabad. According to a news report in Dawn:
“Police raided a ‘safe house’ of the proscribed student organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir in Islamabad and took into custody over two dozen activists.Six activists of the group managed to escape despite a siege of the house in sector F-8/3.”
Guess where are the escaped activists currently?
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-l ibrary/dawn/news/pakistan/16-hizb-ut-tahrir-safe-h ouse-raided-in-islamabad-hs-07
@ Ali Hassan
am glad to see that you as a Shia disowned the general character of Shiites in character assassination of Sahaba’s or friends of holy Prophet and the early Caliphs. As such I would not like to argue on this matter as all of this is a matter of record and there might be some exceptions like you in the 6-7 % of shiittes in the entire Muslim population.
I speak for Muslims, not Sunnis, Shias or Wahabis or others and you are unnecessarily accusative and averse and intolerant to the opinion of a born Muslim!! this is the reason there is NO peace in the world!
The killings and attack in Karachi at a Shia procession is another attempt by those who want to create differences within sects to break the religion apart. These enemies of Pakistan and of Muslims are now targeting Shias, but really no one is safe from them. Their agenda is of hatred and making us fight against each other.