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Archive for the ‘Islam’ Category

In this stunning rendition, Sabri Brothers have combined fragments of historical events to invoke the spirit of the listeners or to create state of mystical delight “Maqam” in such a way that the sheer magic of this rendition gets at you and touches the shores of thy memory again and again like the waves of the Ocean.

It starts of a dialogue between the cupbearer and the drunkard but then turns onto another stage that for centuries has inspired the history of the world in general and Umma’ in particular: The Battle of Karbala and the dialogue between Imam Hussain (a.s) and yazid’s general shimr. It says how Imam Hussain (a.s) and his family sacrificed their life to save the ark of Prophet Muhammad.

Ibn-e-Sa’d: If you pay homage to Yazid, everything will go well for you and whatever worldly comforts and privileges you desire will be at your disposal.

Imam Hussain: Tell yazid to tempt with the worldly comforts those who are after this world. I am the Imam, the representative of the Apostle of God. Hussein will cheerfully meet any catastrophe but never surrender Truth to falsehood.

My faith is that the progress of Islam does not depend on the use of sword but the result of the supreme sacrifice of Hussain (a.s), the great saint. -Mahatma Ghandi

I highly recommend you guys to take heed to this hypnotic Qawali.

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“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it”- Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr.

The ongoing killings of the Shia Ithna-Asheri community in Pakistan is gut wrenching and heart breaking. Rivers of tears and blood flow each day, hope is shattered, humanity is slaughtered and Shia genocide is becoming legal because of your silence!

Now it’s a national and moral duty of every human in Pakistan to stand up against the Shia genocide. If we can protest together for Malal, Rimshah Masih, Shahzeb then we can protest for more than eighty people and their families too, who mourn as they sit beside their loved ones coffins in the freezing cold weather of Quetta.

Some authors said it right that the day we see the truth and cease to speak the truth is the day we began to die.

It’s time to recognize the ravenous wolves, the violent ghosts who butcher humanity, who have hijacked the spirit of Islam and in the name of Islam they killed Islam. They and the like minded fanatics think they have God in their pockets and the Holy Command in their tongue, bah! They know nothing of Islam except the name.

If you think you have a human heart and a seeing eye then give yourself a voice otherwise you’ll be confused alone and lost.

ShiaKilling

We will remember your silence O’my fellow Citizen and Muslim:-

You have street powers, you eagerly move from city to city, street to street, shouting loudly against the killings of Burma, Palestine, Kashmir but you are silent when it comes to Shia genocide in your own country. Is this not a form of hypocrisy?

We will remember your silence O cheap justice:-

You took sue motto action on wine bottle, you took sue motto action for Shahzeb Khan, but you are silent when hundreds of Shias are being killed, butchered or bombed. Where is your Sue motto? Were they not Shahzeb’s of some mother? Eighty five people killed and yet you still sleep. Which group are you trying to appease with sheer silence?

O you the brass military:-

You took the oath to provide security to citizens and to protect their lives. Now you are too silent when they have chopped off people’s heads and even dare to kill a young girl, the product of this mind set is like the dragon whose venom consumes many lives.

O you Twitterists and Facebookers:-

Where are those who were sharing pictures of Burma or Twittering in support of Malala? It is easy Twittering from the comfort of your own sofa but you are silent when it comes to protesting or holding a vigil. Can you imagine the courage it takes to sit out on the streets in freezing weather side by side with bodies of your loved ones? Where is the humanity in you? Is it a deficiency that you are silent to these atrocities? Come out if you have the courage and support the vigil. It’s now or never!! Pakistan civil society has to rise against the corrupt generals and politician to change the mindset of people.

O you bogus Parliament of Zardari:-

You never think beyond your chairs. Now who should we ask, the President? The Prime Minister? Or the un-bearded mulla? Or the bearded mulla? Or the Chaudries, Khans, Sardars, Waderas,  lying day and night claiming to serve the people while hunting for girls to marry?

The time has come to say it’s enough. The silence of my fellow citizens makes me sad, my soul shivers and is full of pain.

As a human I condemn this sheer genocide against Shias and I offer my prayers for the victims and their families. My all support and wishes are with you. As a Pakistani I offer this post in remembrance to Shia Hazara community.

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We will remember your silence!!

AlsoPublished in The Asians UK

-Nooruddin Jalal

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Islam means “Peace”.  It is the religion which Allah has chosen as a medium for mankind to understand their place and the relation with Him. It brings salvation, nobleness and dignity to Mankind. It’s a highway which will not mislead anybody.  It’s a Light which will not die out. It is such a destination that who aim to reach it will never wander away.  Allah (swt) entrusted it [Islam] to the most blessed and chosen of His Prophets, – Muhammad Mustafa Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam.

 The greatest blessings of the Merciful Allah upon Mankind is that He granted us a Prophet: a guide to follow, a leader to obey and a continuous light to show us the way forward. Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was such a guide that his guidance will never deceive us, he was such a leader that his wings of leadership will never mislead us, he was such a Divine Light that his Light will never stop shining for us.  We (Umma) believe that world and faith are inseparable in Islam. We pray, give charity, read Quran. We recite Quran even before plane take off. We take our Tasbihs before interviews. Lots of our prayers involve sending blessings on Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and on his Progeny (Alaihi’s Salaam). FYI: Our religion bases half of its belief system on what the Prophet and his descendants did and said. We act according to their words and look up to them for continuous guidance.

The Holy Prophet of Allah illuminated the world of Arabia when it was in total darkness of ignorance and low standard of morality, when humanity was on the verge of annihilation, when dissension and disunity were rampant, when Mankind were divided into creed, cast and colors. At such time Allah sent the Holy Prophet to reveal the message of “Peace”  and prosperity. He inspired the human society through his deeds and teachings. He  was such an epitome of love and compassion that those who harmed him in return he treated them with love and kindness.  He taught Muslims to forgive and to live peacefully with others. His bowl of flowers makes one mind fragrant, his pearls of the stream and light of wisdom continuously refreshing and nourishing human intellect. His Divine Guidance is such a lamp that from it several lamps are being lighted. He was the perfect Mirror of Mankind and when you look at the mirror it reflects back to you your own nature.

 Taking the recent disgraceful insults and degradation of the beloved Prophet, no Muslim will remain silent or allow lies to be made against Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  At such time to raise voice is a spiritual responsibility of every Muslim but what matters is, how a Muslim protest against those who mock his/her faith.

Today, my brothers and sisters in Islam are in anguish against those who insulted the beloved Prophet. Any Muslim whose heart springs with love, love for Allah, His messenger and Ahl-Al-Bayt will naturally condemns such manifestations of evil. Today they ask: What does ‘free speech’ mean? -that to hurt a Muslim ? or is it a license to play with sentiments? How would you justify such ‘Freedom of Speech” when it becomes freedom to insult? If freedom of speech negates the objectives to nourish the intellectual excellence in the competition of ideas then it will be a grave mistake to not   restrict human impulse from committing profane acts.

A responsible Muslim can not forgive those who mocked beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) neither can he/she forgive the people who claim to be Muslim beheaded and killed innocent humans in the name of Islam. The cries of oppressed human beings in the streets of Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Pakistan and other parts of the world are far more painful to the Prophet than a negate and  insulting movie. Those who think their actions are pleasing to Allah and His messenger,  I ask, how can such actions be justified?- When Prophet Muhammad and His Progeny patiently bore sufferings, insults, even injuries and yet  responded with love; they would lose lives in order to win the souls.  So, don’t defend Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a way that would offend him. Look at him and his noble deeds for guidance – He couldn’t even bear to see a camel in pain! Imagine how he cared for humans.

It is a state of macabre of what my fellow Muslims did on the day of Ishq-e Rasool (Prophet’s day) in Pakistan.  Returning to the times of Jaheelia is’nt showing your Ishq-e Rasool! Don’t pollute the crystal clear spring of Islam by looting, killing and burning others properties and by attacking on a church in the name of Islam. The example of Prophet Muhammad is before you to follow. Show the true Isq-e Rasool by actually following his teachings which include to improve human mind, to raise the standard of human life, to literate the world, to heal the pain, to be humble, to be kind, to respect, to forgive and  to maintain peace and prosperity.

Wish all these people who incited a mob to sack the state and private properties could get together and unanimously send Darud-o-Salam (اللّهُمّصَلّعَلَىمُحَمّدٍوَآلِمُحَمّدٍ) on the  beloved Prophet  to show their love and devotion to him- the message  could have been different. Think the other way of protest O’ believer!! We have our rights too to defend our honour, dignity and faith.

Allah has declared in the Holy Qur’an:

“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace ”  -[Surah Al-Furqan 25:63]

 Peace!!!

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The light which shines in the eye

is really the light of the heart.

The light which fills the heart

is the light of God*, which is pure

and separate from the light of intellect and sense.

–Mathnawi  1:1126-27

The sensuous eye is a horse,

and the light of God is the rider:

without the rider the horse is useless.

The light of God rides the sensuous eye,

and then the soul yearns for God.

How can a riderless horse

recognize the signs of the road?

God’s light enhances the senses:

this is the meaning of ‘Light Upon Light’

–Mathnawi 2.1290-1293.

The Divine light has been mentioned in detail in the verse of Light.

“Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, and the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as though it were a glittering star; it is lit from the blessed tree, an Olive neither of the east nor of the west, the oil of which would well-nigh give light though no fire touched it, – light upon light – Allah guides to His light whom He pleases; and Allah strikes out parables for men; and Allah all things doth know.”

خدا آسمانوں اور زمین کا نور ہے۔ اس کے نور کی مثال ایسی ہے کہ گویا ایک طاق ہے جس میں چراغ ہے۔ اور چراغ ایک قندیل میں ہے۔ اور قندیل (ایسی صاف شفاف ہے کہ) گویا موتی کا سا چمکتا ہوا تارہ ہے اس میں ایک مبارک درخت کا تیل جلایا جاتا ہے (یعنی) زیتون کہ نہ مشرق کی طرف ہے نہ مغرب کی طرف۔ (ایسا معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ) اس کا تیل خواہ آگ اسے نہ بھی چھوئے جلنے کو تیار ہے (پڑی) روشنی پر روشنی (ہو رہی ہے) خدا اپنے نور سے جس کو چاہتا ہے سیدھی راہ دکھاتا ہے۔ اور خدا نے (جو مثالیں) بیان فرماتا ہے (تو) لوگوں کے (سمجھانے کے) لئے اور خدا ہر چیز سے واقف ہے

(Holy Quran 24:35)

Peace!!!

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Think not of those who are slain in God’s way as dead. Nay,
they are living, finding their sustenance in the presence of their
Lord
Qur’an 3:169

Imam Husayn (a.s) was the grandson of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who stood tall  against yazid’s despotism. He was martyred by the evil forces of despotism for not accepting yazid as a leader. Yazid was evil intentious serving people in severe cruelty an injustice person our beloved Imam was aware of yazid intentions that if he accepted yazid as Leader so he will be the cause of great devastation of pure religion(Islam).

Hussain wrote with his blood

On the sand of Karbala

La Illaha Illallah Muhammad rasul Alla

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Here is  a collection of short quotations about Imam Hussayn (a.s)  from a wide variety of Non-Muslim notables from around the world.

Charles Dickens (English novelist):

“If Husain had fought to quench his worldly desires…then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.

Thomas Carlyle (Scottish historian and essayist):

“The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain and his companions were rigid believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain, despite his minority, marvels me!”

Edward Gibbon (English historian and member of parliament):

“In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hosein will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London, 1911, volume 5, p. 391-392)

Antoine Bara (Lebanese writer):

“No battle in the modern and past history of mankind has earned more sympathy and admiration as well as provided more lessons than the martyrdom of Husayn in the battle of Karbala.” (Husayn in Christian Ideology)

Sir William Muir (Scottish orientalist):

“The tragedy of Karbala decided not only the fate of the Caliphate, but also of Mohammadan kingdoms long after the Caliphate had waned and disappeared.” (Annals of the Early Caliphate,London, 1883, p.441-442)

Dr. Radha Krishnan:

“Though Imam Hussain gave his life years ago, but his indestructible soul rules the hearts of people even today.”

Mahatma Gandhi:

“My faith is that the progress of Islam does not depend on the use of sword by its believers, but the result of the supreme sacrifice of Hussain (A.S.), the great saint.”

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru:

“Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) sacrifice is for all groups and communities, an example of the path of righteousness.”

Rabindranath Tagore:

“In order to keep alive justice and truth, instead of an army or weapons, success can be achieved by sacrificing lives, exactly what Imam Hussain (A.S.) did.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad:

“The sacrifice of Imam Hussain (A.S.) is not limited to one country, or nation, but it is the hereditary state of the brotherhood of all mankind.”

Swami Shankaracharya:

“It is Hussain’s (A.S.) sacrifice that has kept Islam alive or else in this world there would be no one left to take Islam’s name.”

Mrs. Sarojini Naidu:

“I congratulate Muslims that from among them, Hussain (A.S.), a great human being was born, who is reverted and honored totally by all communities

Reynold Alleyne Nicholson:

“Hussain (A.S.) fell, pierced by an arrow, and his brave followers were cut down beside him to the last man. Muhammadan tradition, which with rare exceptions is uniformly hostile to the Umayyad dynasty, regards Hussain (A.S.) as a martyr and Yazid as his murderer.” [A Literary History of the Arabs, Cambridge, 1930, p197]

Edward G. Brown (Professor at the University of Cambridge):

“…a reminder of that blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger, and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.” (A Literary History of Persia, London, 1919, p.227)

Ignaz Goldziher (Hungarian orientalist):

“…Weeping and lamentation over  the evils and persecutions suffered by the ‘Alid family, and mourning for its martyrs: these are things from which loyal supporters of the cause cannot cease. ‘More touching than the tears of the Shi’is’ has even become an Arabic proverb.” (Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law, Princeton, 1981, p.179)

Dr. K. Sheldrake:

“Of that gallant band, male and female knew that the enemy forces around were implacable, and were not only ready to fight, but to kill. Denied even water for the children, they remained parched under the burning sun and scorching sands, yet not one faltered for a moment. Husain marched with his little company, not to glory, not to power of wealth, but to a supreme sacrifice, and every member bravely faced the greatest odds without flinching.”

Peter J. Chelkowski (Prof. of Middle Eastern Studies, New York University):

‰ “Hussein accepted and set out from Mecca with his family and an entourage of about seventy followers.  But on the plain of Kerbela they were caught in an ambush set by the … caliph, Yazid.  Though defeat was certain, Hussein refused to pay homage to him.  Surrounded by a great enemy force, Hussein and his company existed without water for ten days in the burning desert of Kerbela.  Finally Hussein, the adults and some male children of his family and his companions were cut to bits by the arrows and swords of Yazid’s
army; his women and remaining children were taken as captives to Yazid in Damascus.  The renowned historian Abu Reyhan al-Biruni states; “… then fire was set to their camp and the bodies were trampled by the hoofs of the horses; nobody in the history of the human kind has seen such atrocities.”
[Ta'ziyeh: Ritual and Drama in Iran, New York, 1979, p. 2]

Sir William Muir (Scottish scholar and statesman) :

‰ “The tragedy of Karbala decided not only the fate of the caliphate, but of the Mohammedan kingdoms long after the Caliphate had waned and disappeared.”
[Annals of the Early Caliphate, London, 1883, pp. 441-2

Simon Ockley (Prof. of Arabic at the University of Cambridge):

 
‰ "Then Hosein mounted his horse, and took the Koran and laid it before him, and, coming up to the people, invited them to the performances of their duty: adding, 'O God, thou art my confidence in every trouble, and my hope in all adversity!'… He next reminded them of his excellency, the nobility of his birth, the greatness of his power, and his high descent, and said, 'Consider with yourselves whether or not such a man as I am is not better than you; I who am the son of your prophet's daughter, besides whom there is no other upon the face of the earth.  Ali was my father; Jaafar and Hamza, the chief of the martyrs, were both my uncles; and the apostle of
God, upon whom be peace, said both of me and my brother, that we were the chief of the youth of paradise.  If you will believe me, what I say is true, for by God, I never told a lie in earnest since I had my understanding; for God hates a lie.  If you do not believe me, ask the companions of the apostle of God [here he named them], and they will tell you the same.  Let me go back to what I have.’  They asked, ‘What hindered him from being ruled by the rest of his relations.’  He answered, ‘God forbid that I should set my hand to the resignation of my right after a slavish manner.  I have
recourse to God from every tyrant that doth not believe in the day of account.’”
[The History of the Saracens, London, 1894, pp. 404-5

Robert Durey Osborn (Major of the Bengal Staff Corps):


‰ “Hosain had a child named Abdallah, only a year old.  He had accompanied his father in this terrible march.  Touched by its cries, he took the infant in his arms and wept.  At that instant, a shaft from the hostile ranks pierced the child’s ear, and it expired in his father’s arms.  Hosain placed the little corpse upon the ground.  ‘We come from God, and we return to Him!’ he cried; ‘O Lord, give me strength to bear these misfortunes!’ … Faint with thirst, and exhausted with wounds, he fought with desperate courage, slaying several of his antagonists.  At last he was cut down from behind; at

the same instance a lance was thrust through his back and bore him to the ground; as the dealer of this last blow withdrew his weapon, the ill-fated son of Ali rolled over a corpse.  The head was severed from the trunk; the trunk was trampled under the hoofs of the victors’ horses; and the next morning the women and a surviving infant son were carried away to Koufa. The bodies of Hosain and his followers were left unburied on the spot where they fell.  For three days they remained exposed to the sun and the night dews, the vultures and the prowling animals of the waste; but then the

inhabitants of a neighbouring village, struck with horror that the body of a grandson of the Prophet should be thus shamefully abandoned to the unclean beasts of the field, dared the anger of Obaidallah, and interred the body of the martyr and those of his heroic friends.

[Islam Under the Arabs, Delaware, 1976, pp. 126-7

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The holy month Ramadan (also pronounced as Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the blessed month in which Quranic Revelation started. It’s a special month of prayer, meditation, contemplation and devotion.

I’m not a scholar of any creed but a wanderer who quests for understanding of the Holy Message. To my understanding Ramadan is a blessed month to celebrate the spirituality in which one remembers the creator, contemplate their life,  imprison all their senses,  sacrifice the ego and  remove all the barriers that cloud the mirror of Perfection.

Fasting (restraining oneself from food) for the day and feasting at night isn’t the real essence of this month. To abstain ONLY  from food and drink  is child’s play, one must abstain from sins, from unlawful pleasures and acts, not eating ONLY  from lawful foods. Abstinence involves many obligations  which are beyond a cetain period.  For the ones who know, it is the month of union with the Universal Soul. The wise ones seek the inner self, they relinquish all the worldly desires and pleasures because they know the’ hidden self’ is behind the veil of ones own physical, emotional and mental bodies.

As Kabir says:

Within this body

Are enchanted landscape and woods,

The seven seas and the innumerable stars.

Within this body

The Eternal keeps singing

And its spring goes on and on flowing.

If you ever get a chance to read Rumi’s Mathnavi, you will be touched by  amazing experiences and you will realize why he compares the human body with the reed flute. To connect oneself with the Divine Spirit, first we need to become hollow like a reed.

In Rumi’s language again:

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.

We are lutes, no more, no less.

 If the soundboxes stuffed full of anything, no music.

If the brain and belly are burning clean with fasting,

every moment a new song comes out of the fire.

The fog clears, and new energy makes you run

up the steps in front of you.

Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

 

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.

When you’re full of food and drink,

Satan sits where your spirit should,

an ugly metal statue in place of the Kaaba.

When you fast, good habits gather

like friends who want to help.

Fasting is Solomon’s ring.

 

Don’t give into some illusion and lose your power,

but even if you have, if you’ve lost all will and control,

they come back when you fast,

like soldiers appearing out of the ground,

pennants flying above them.

 

A table descends to your tents, Jesus’ table.

Expect to see it, when you fast,

this tablespread with other food,

better than the broth of cabbages.

Masters of the truth have said that our physical strength depends on food and drink while, our spiritual strength depends on going hungry and thirsty. Our spiritual masters used to mediate without food and drink for many days. In Allah’s dominion, hunger is a divine food -according to them. Even in the holy scriptures of the Prophet Mosses and the Prophet Jesus you will find the similar wisdom.

Here is selection to share with you from the book Discourses on the Sufi path :

A Bedouin was walking with his dog in the desert, carrying a leather skin of water on his shoulder, and crying pitifully as he went along. When asked why he was crying, he replied,

“Because my dog is dying of thirst!” 

“Why don’t you give him some of your water, then?” the person said.

“Because I might need it for myself.”

 

So it depends on ones spiritual station, revelations by Universal Wisdom to discern between the two “Fanna and  Nafs.” I have seen many pseudo figures, who seem to be very genuine in their speech but when it comes to practice their nafs appear and unfortunately our land is full of such heretics who rule not from a place of highest Truth.

As Nasir Khusraw Says:

By day you fast and moan and finger your rosary,

By night you’re enjoying music and wine.

You’ve memorized the Book of con quite smoothly,

So now you’re grand mufti of Balkh, Nishapur and Herat.

Your words are very heavy with fruits as a date palm

But when it comes to action your thorn appear.

 Baba Bulleh Shah, the mystic of Punjab also alludes the same notion  and criticize  religious orthodoxy of his time.

“Parh nafal namaaz guzaarey

Uchiyaan baangaa chaaagaa maarey

Mimbar te charh waz pukaarey

Keetaa teynoo hirs khawaar”

 You say prayers upon prayers 

You scream and yell loudly 

Sitting on the pulpit, you deliver sermons 

Greed has brought disgrace upon you 

Those who are successful in unfreezing their heart from worldly desires will recognize soon the Divine reality as confirmed by Mustafa and His progeny. May Allah Almighty bless us all , may He fulfil our prayers and wishes and may He makes us understand the spirit of Ramadan . Ameen

In service to the Real,

 Nooru

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 Naw’roz  comes when spring blossoms on Earth, when the trees are crowned with leaves, when you hear the nightingale pour out its song for the rose, when the orchards hang out its lanterns. It is a season to celebrate, to enjoy and an expression of elation for body’s lacma_norooz_2012soul. To experience this magnificent beauty of nature my soul goes on dancing and my thoughts turn towards Him who creates everything. You may not perceive Him but you can feel His presence there on the lips of the rose or in the song of the Nightingale- chanting out loudly “He is here, He is here”.

Naw’roz or Navroz is a Persian word which means “New Day”/ “New Light”. It is the first day of Persian calendar which falls on 21st March of each year. The history of Nav’roz goes back to many hundreds of years ago. It is believed by some that it was the day of Nav’roz when Hazrat Adam(a.s) was bestowed with the soul. It was the day of Nav’roz when Hazrat Abrahim(a.s) destroyed the idols. It was the day of Nav’roz when Hazrat Noah (a.s)’s Ark got rescued. It was the day of Nav’roz when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received the first revelation. It was the day of Navroz when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) revealed the final message at Ghadir-e-Khum.-(Imam Jafar Sadiq -6th Imam of Shia Muslims quoted in Bilhar al-Anwar). Further the significance of the day is also explained in many poems of Shams Tabriz (mentor and master of Rumi) which is also followed by his students in the now famous Mathnawi. Scholars, philosophers from different schools of thoughts have also penned down the beauty of Nav’roz on various stages.

Every community celebrates Nav’roz in their own unique ways. It is celebrated in various parts of the world. In Pakistan, it is celebrated by Shia school of thoughts particularly by Ismailis. I grew up in a very beautiful valley of Pakistan-Chitral, where inhabitants greet this festival with wild jubilation. The green season all around the landscape makes the village a true fairyland. Birds sing in spring, brightly colored flowers sprout up everywhere and give different look to the valley.

(A Family is Celebrating Nav’roz in Tajikistan)

Nav’roz in local tongue called “Pathak” being the famous festival of Chitral among the Ismaili Muslims marks the arrival of spring. It is worth seeing and experiencing the day in Chitral especially the way the rituals are being carried out. I remember some memories of my childhood. At around dawn people clean their houses and get ready for the new day. They wear new clothes and visit each other’s homes to share the happiness. They believe that whatever they do on the first day will influence the rest of their year. The traditional foods of Chitral are must of the day to serve the guests. Boys and girls in separate groups go to each other’s homes to greet one another. Upon the arrival of the guests the host family members greet them in traditional way. A pinch of flour is showered on the right shoulder of the guests as mark of respect. Various games are also organized on this day.

Another reason to celebrate this season is to mark the successful conclusion of Sufi/Pir Nasir Khusraw’s 40 days of meditation. Khusraw was a Fatimid era Ismaili dai (mystic),poet and philosopher who was the first Sufi to seed Islam in Central Asia, Afghanistan and in north of Pakistan. With a little inquiry I’m honoured to come to understand the historically “Pathak” (Nav’roz) used to be common Chitrali festival celebrated as seed sowing ritual. Since 1980s when Gen. Zia ul Haq started sowing the seeds of terrorism and sectarianism; the festival became exclusively Ismaili. Pathak still remains a binding source among the Chitrali community. Let’s celebrate nav’roz day with the same jubilation as we used to before!

E’ed Nav’roz   (Nishat Afroz) Mubarak to all of you. ” Boombarako Boshad”

Nooru Jalal

It has been published in

The AsianUK

Aalmiakhbar

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