We are still in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and in the spirit of the Sunni-Shia blogring it seems appropriate to point folks to Other Muharram Posts in the Blogistan which is a set of Ashurah/Muharram links collected over at Sister Scorpion's site.
It seems like every year, Muharram is a time for tension to come out between Sunnis and Shias. I wonder how folks out there, especially su-shi blogring members but in reality everyone, think about the issue. What's being done to encourage unity. I hear hints in the wind here and there, but I wonder if anything has been happening lately.
3 comments:
Salams,
Well I think tensions get high in areas that already have high sectarianism to begin with. Example-- you can be sure that some fool will go shooting into a crowd of shi'is in Pakistan and quite possibly Iraq. Saudi police will patrol shi'i areas to bug its shi'i population at this time-- usually with the result of nothing ever happening in the open.
But in bloglandia-- I really haven't had a problem, nor in the US. In fact, my experience these past 3 Muharrams have been quite happily positive, from both Sunni and Shi'i and even non-Muslim readers. It was actually surprising to me to hear about the New York thing, especially considering the huge amount of issues we Muslims have to deal with already.
Anyway, I think place has a big chunk to do with it- various locations have a longer history of of harassment or violence over these issues than others.. As for myself, I've not felt any sectarian animosity myself during this time towards anyone, although I do usually find myself feeling a growing pride in regards to following the Ahlul Bayt, etc...
The sectarian issue came to my mind recently because in my local community it seems like every year there is at least a minor flurry or argument about ashurah and the reasons for celebrating it. Not that it ever gets violent or anything. Far from it. But there are still arguments where people's feelings get hurt.
I keep wondering about how possible it is to find a middle ground... a way to talk about the past which Sunnis and Shias would both find respectful.
I dont know, in any religious difference, (whatever religion it may be, and whatever difference it may be) I think it's inevitable someone's going to get pissed off-- namely because each person tends to A) think that they have the "real" thing, B) they see their faith through their own "groups" eyes, and (most importantly) C) egotism.
As for me, I don't care how one chooses to commemorate it. I've found not getting my * in a wad over things like this is far more healthier both psychologically and spiritually. I won't claim I've felt some sectarian feelings at times (because I have) or been ticked off by something a person from a different sect has said (again, because I have), but I think we all have to strive for some sense of empathy for people-- and if we don't, then what results is all the "isms" that make life particularly ugly
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