Procession of Ashura peacefully observed in Peshawar

/in /by

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Ahlul Bayt News Agency –  After peaceful observance of the Ashura days, police and law enforcement agencies took a sigh of relief and appreciated the people cooperation in this regard.

With the commencement of Muharram, contingents of police, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Frontier Corpse (FC) were deployed on sensitive places particularly Imambargahs, big mosques, and Peshawar based consulates of different countries, shopping centres and bazaars.

Extraordinary steps were taken for Ashura processions, and even extra contingents from other districts were called to Peshawar to avert any untoward incident in the city.

The lower cadre police forces performed duties more then 18-hour a day till 10th of Moharram, said a constable wishing anonymity who performed duty on Saddar Road.

“We are thankful to the residents of the city who also fully cooperated for cooperating with the police in security measures at various points of Shia procession.

The ninth and 10th of Muharram always remain sensitive in Peshawar as a large number of the Shia mourners even from some other localities come to Peshawar to participate in the mourning processions and self-flagellation gathering.

/129

Bangladesh police arrest 3 involved in Shia shrine blasts; ISIS Not link to it

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – The Bangladeshi police has arrested three people in connection with the bomb blasts here targeting Shia community that claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy in an attack claimed by ISIS.

“Three men were detained after the blasts and were handed over to the detective branch for questioning,” Dhaka police’s assistant deputy commissioner Sanjib Kumar Roy told reporters. Police filed a case over the bomb explosions under the tough Anti Terrorism Act, accusing unidentified miscreants.

The Bangladesh police arrested a string of Opposition officials on Sunday, a day after the bombing of the country’s main Shia shrine killed one person and left nearly 80 wounded.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the rare attack on the Shia community in the capital which occurred as thousands gathered for the annual Ashura procession.

But home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal denied the jihadist group was behind Saturday’s blast, which came just weeks after an Italian aid worker and a Japanese farmer were shot dead — attacks also claimed by ISIS.

“We want to say it clearly that ISIS does not exist in Bangladesh,” the minister told reporters. “We have not found any basis or anything concrete regarding the (ISIS) claim.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its main Islamist ally Jamaat-e-Islami for the foreigners’ murders.

The police said they detained overnight a former BNP lawmaker in Dhaka and several senior officials from both parties, adding that this was related to previous unrest and unconnected to Saturday’s blast. “He (the BNP lawmaker) was arrested under the country’s anti-terrorism laws,” inspector M. Kamruzzaman said.

A BNP spokesman accused the police of using the blast and foreigners’ murders as an excuse to launch a fresh opposition crackdown.

“It is unfortunate that they’re using these attacks as a pretext to crack down on the Opposition,” BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon said, adding that over a hundred Opposition activists have been arrested in recent weeks.

Mr Kamal said the culprits planned such an attack under a well drawn up design coinciding with the Shia Muslim mourning festival of Ashura so that the incident could be attributed to the ultra Sunni ISIS.

“For now, I would also like to tell you briefly that all the three incidents, the murder of the two foreign nationals and the blasts at the Husseini Dalan, are interlinked… The same group of people masterminded the attack to create instability and discredit our (ruling Awami League) government,” the Mr Kamal said. The police said three bombs were hurled at the procession joined by more than 20,000 people at around 1:30 am at Huseni Dalan, an important 17th century centre of learning for the Shia community.

They said it was believed to be the first attack on the Shias in the Sunni-dominated Bangladesh, which has witnessed an increase in violence in 2015 claimed by the ISIS.

Hours after the attack, the US-based Site Intelligence Group that monitors militant threats reported that the ISIS claimed the responsibility for the bombing on the Shia shrine.

The attack came hours after a suicide bombing at a Shia Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province killed at least 12 people.

/129

Iran condemns Saudi court’s death sentence against Sheikh al-Nimr

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Iran warned on Sunday that the execution of leader of pro-democracy protests, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, would cost Riyadh dearly, shortly after Saudi court confirmed the death sentence against the Shiite cleric.

One of Shekh Nimr’s brothers said that the death sentence was confirmed against the prisoned cleric.

“After the confirmation of Sheikh Nimr’s death sentence by the Court of Appeal and then the Supreme Court, his life is in the hands of King Salman who can endorse the sentence or suspend the execution,” said Mohammed al-Nimr.

He warned his brother’s execution “could provoke reactions that we do not want, as Sheikh Nimr had supporters in the Shiite areas of the Islamic world”.

Among those sentenced to death, “three, including my son Ali, were minors at the time of arrest” for involvement in pro-democracy protests that erupted in the Eastern Province in the wake of the Arab Spring, Sheikh Nimr’s brother told AFP.

The case of Ali al-Nimr, in particular, has aroused strong reactions around the world, with many asking the Saudi authorities to grant the young Shiite a stay the execution.

For its part, Tehran warned that the Saudi move could have dire consequences.

Deputy foreign minister for Arab and African said that if Riyadh will venture and carry out the unjust verdict, it will cost the Saudi regime very dearly.

Abdollahian who was reacting to the reports on near future execution of the prominent clergy said that the reports in that respect cause very deep concern, IRNA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Iranian diplomat said that the Saudis have still not offered any convincing reply to the existing questions on Mina disaster, which led to death of thousands of pilgrims from some 24 Islamic countries.

‘The series of catastrophic events in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage coupled with the incompetent military invasion of Saudi Arabia against the innocent Yemeni people prove that the conditions in that country are inappropriate,’ he said.

Abdollahian added that the provocative and tribal approaches adopted by the Saudi regime against its own citizens, too, will not be to the benefit of the Riyadh regime.

“The Saudi officials have unfortunately resorted to adventurist policies against both their own citizens and the nations in other regional countries, while they are expected to act justly and based on sound and rational policies,” emphasized the Iranian deputy FM.

/129

Appealing to God via Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt Not “Polytheism”

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Speaking on the Egyptian satellite television channel “Capital Broadcast Centre,” Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the former Grand Mufti of Egypt, stated that a helpless person who cannot do what the Prophet Muhammad and his Ahlul-Bayt have done, has done it and if he wants to do tawassul or appeal to the Prophet in supplication, it is not a problem, as some claim, and he has not committed shirk (polytheism) – the association of partners to God.

The top Sunni scholar added that when someone says “Oh God, for the sake of our master Husayn…” and another says “I swear by the Prophet…” it is not considered associating partners with God and one says that this is considered associating partners with God has a “mental disorder.”

He also said that when a person who vows to God Almighty that he will do a certain action due to his love for Imam Husayn, it is a form of oath, not associating partners with God.

Sheikh Gomaa said that swearing to God is a form of worship and the Prophet of Islam also performed such actions of worship. This is while heretical extremists do not know this and consider it an innovation and mock those who perform such action.

The former Grand Mufti of Egypt said that these extremist groups have deviated from the true path of Islam and have introduced into the religion these same falsehoods have led to bloodshed in Iraq and Syria. He added that extremist, radical and heretical elements which act heinously have sought to create a parallel structure within Islam and we have always warned about their actions, which show a lack of religion and are barbaric actions.

/129

Sayyed Mir Baqeri: Western Civilisation modern form of idol worship

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – “In today’s modern world they have created an idol stretching across the entire earth in which they live, and from morning to night they are busy worshipping this idol which they have named modernisation and civilisation however in reality only the face of the idol has been changed,” the head of the Islamic Sciences Academy in Qom, Hujjat al-Islam Mir Baqeri, said.

“In order for us to become true monotheists we must connect to the Ahl al-Bayt. True monotheism is entering the house of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and journeying in this valley of light until we reach the very source of this light.”

Hujjat al-Islam Mir Baqeri pointed to the different level of polytheism: “A monotheist is somebody who has manifested the traits and characteristics of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and on the opposite side polytheism is in the first level idol worship, on the second level to desire from and rely upon something other than God, and on the third level of polytheism are the tyrannical leaders that call people towards the idol worship.”

“If somebody seeks the true monotheism they must perform good deeds and not associate partners to God, because the understanding of the phrase ‘There is no God but Allah’ is that we must recognise polytheism and reject it – even the hidden polytheism – which according to traditions is more difficult to discern than a black ant on a black rock on a dark night.”

Regarding the role of the Infallible Imams in true monotheism, Hujjat al-Islam Mir Baqeri stated: “Polytheism towards God most certainly begins with rejection of the Wilayah of the Infallibles, because entering into the valley of the Infallibles is the same as entering into the valley of monotheism.”
 
“Our existence is similar to a plant seed and the infallible Imam is similar to the clouds which bring the rain, and the sun which shines upon us, and the sky which gives us shade, and the fertile earth from which we grow; therefore if we were to follow the Imam we allow ourselves to grow and reach perfection.”

Regarding the role of patience in a correct understanding of monotheism, he stated: “If we enter into the valley of the Imam, the intercession of the saints of God will encompass us and this will give us the foresight which will enable us to remain patient in the face of the trials and tribulations of this world.”

/129

Qatif protesters hold rally to support senior Shia cleric Sheikh al-Nimr

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Upon hearing of the endorsed sentence of ‪Sheikh Nimr‬, Saudi youth risk their lives by staging a protest in defence of the pro-democracy faith leader in Qatif, Saudi Arabia.

Tens of Saudi protesters have once again taken to the streets, calling on Wahhabi authorities to overturn the death sentence handed to prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

The Saudis staged a rally in the Qatif region of Eastern Province for many times in a row to show solidarity with Nimr, on death row in the kingdom.

The demonstrators carried placards and shouted slogans, urging the ruling Al Saud regime to release the respected cleric, who was sentenced to death by ruling court last night.

The protest was held as calls were growing worldwide for the release of Nimr, who has been in jail for more than three years.

/129

Photos: Ashura mourning hold at Imam Mahdi Mosque of Zamboanga, Philippines

/in /by

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Commemorating the day of Ashura held at Imam Al Mahdi Mosque (A’) of Zamboanga City, Philippines. With Sheikh Abu Mahdi, Sheikh Taleb,Sheikh Melgani, Sheikh Abdurasil and Sheikh Shaheed. Also additional speaker from the crowd Sheikh Mohammad and Ustadz Jamal.

Photos By: Al-Mahdi



















Ashura observed in Punjab cities peacefully

/in /by

In the city of Faisalabad Ashura was observed amid tight security in Punjab cities on Saturday. As many as 153 processions were taken out and 26 Majalis were held.

Heavily guarded by police and volunteers, the processions started emerging from various parts of the city early morning and later assembled at Clock Tower Chowk in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, talking to The News, City Police Officer Afzal Ahmad Kausar, who was monitoring the security arrangements, said that police had made foolproof security arrangements by deputing more than 7,000 policemen in addition to detailing 124 inspectors, 162 sub-inspectors, 462 ASIs, 18 DSPs and seven SPs. Moreover, 25 teams of Elite Force and Quick Relief Force also patrolled around the processions and Majalis, he added.

In the city of Gujranwala the main Alam and Zuljinah procession was taken out from Imambargah Gulistan-e-Marfat while about 86 small processions were also taken out from different Imambargahs across the city.

Strict security arrangements were made by police and the district administration to avoid any untoward incident. Heavy contingents of police and other forces were deployed at all the entry and exit points in sensitive areas to ensure security of the people. DCO Amir Jan and CPO Waqas Nazir visited the procession routes and inspected the arrangements.

In the city of Toba Tek Singh several processions of Tazia, Alam and Zuljinah were taken out from different areas and Majalis were held in Imambargahs to remember the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions in Karbala.

The main procession was taken out from Imambargah Jhang Road and culminated at the same place after passing through its traditional route. The security measures taken for protection of the people were unprecedented as security checkpoints had been established at short distances and everyone had to cross three layers of security for reaching the venues of processions.

In the city of Hafizabad six processions of Tazia and Zuljinah were taken out in the city which gathered at Fawara Chowk where the mourners observed self-flagellation. Police had made strict security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat organised Shahadat-e-Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) conference at Markaz Ahle Sunnat, which was attended by thousands of people. Speaking on the occasion, Peer Syed Waseemul Hassan Naqvi urged the people to follow the teachings of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) for living a successful life. Syed Usman Shah, Peer Burhan Shah, Sahibzada Attaul Hussnain also addressed the conference.

In the city of Burewala the Alam, Tazia and Zuljinah possession was taken out from Markazi Imambargah Hussainia under the aegis of the Anjuman-e-Haideria on Saturday.

The Health Department, Rescue 1122 and Patients Welfare Society had set up their medical camps to provide medical treatment to the mourners. Police had chalked out a comprehensive security plan to avert any untoward incident.

In the city of Lalamusa Youm-e-Ashur was observed with reverence here on Saturday.

The main procession was taken out from Imambargah Qasr-e-Abu Talib, Railway Road. The small processions of Tazia and Alam merged into the main procession. The mourners offered Zohr and Asr prayers at Milad Chowk. The procession ended after marching through Main Bazaar Machli Chowk and Eidgah Road. Police had sealed the route of the procession.

In the city of Jhang district Police Officer Humayun Masood Sindhu while expressing satisfaction over the arrangements for peace in Muharram, especially during Ashura, praised the efforts of religious personalities of all sects, business community, organisers of processions and Majalis, Pak Army, police and other security agencies.

Talking to newsmen here on Sunday, he said that police heaved a sigh of relief as Ashura processions ended peacefully in the district metropolis. He said that Ashura processions and Majalis in the district were held in congenial environment while ideal atmosphere of fraternity and integrity was witnessed among all schools of thought during the day.

Meanwhile, Fesco Jhang division Executive Engineer Operations Syed Saleem Shah appreciated the efforts of all SDOs operations of Civil Lines and other sub-divisions for ensuring duty rostrum in letter and spirit during Ashura. He said that the Fesco line staff worked in three shifts round-the-clock to ensure uninterrupted power supply as desired by the district and police administration.

/149

Halloween Burka Costume Draws Criticism

/in /by

Sparking every year’s criticism, Ebay auction site has come under fire for offending Muslims by offering burkas as Halloween fancy dress costumes, with anti-Islamophobia group calling for the listing to be removed.

“Many Muslim women do not wear the burka, though to associate it with Halloween further stigmatizes women who wear it,” said Fiyaz Mughal OBE, a director of Tell MAMA, adding that the costume “dehumanizes” women who wear the veil, Daily Star reported on Sunday, October 25.

“We ask that eBay remove these so-called costumes and understand the impact that it has on women, perceptions within wider communities and to the safety of some Muslim women.”

The uproar started when an advert on Ebay offered for the sale of the burka costume. The advert describes the traditional outfit as being “perfect for stag parties.”

Sellers Dragons Den Fancy Dress have the outfit listed as a “Halloween Fancy Dress Idea Sharia Burka”.

Offered in various colors, including Forest Green, City Blue and Royal Blue, the costume comes in a range of sizes from small to extra-large at prices between £22.55 and £29.95.

Also available on the site is a mini-skirt and veil combo described as a “Middle Eastern Arab Girl Burka Halloween Fancy Dress Costume”.

Facing criticism, an eBay spokesman said they do not intend to spark anti-Muslim sentiments.

“We do not allow any items that promote intolerance toward religion,” he said.

“We always welcome feedback from our members and take this into account when reviewing items on our marketplace.”

Controversial releases of this year’s Halloween include, the “Clock Bomb Boy” costume, which depicts US Muslim student Ahmed Muhamed who was arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school, “Cecil the Lion killer” and Foxy Megyn Bloody Tampon Halloween costume.

Halloween is an annual Western celebration based on Celtic pagan doctrines and traditionally applied to the evening of October 31st.

Celtics were a group occupying the area known now as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France about 2,000 years ago.

Halloween has clear connections with the Eve of Samhain, a celebration marking the beginning of winter as well as the first day of the New Year among ancient pagans of the British Isles (2nd century BC).

On this occasion, it was believed that supernatural forces gathered together and that the barriers between the supernatural and human worlds were broken.

They believed that spirits from other worlds, such as the souls of the dead were able to visit earth during this time and roam about.

When Christianity came to the British Isles, the church tried to take attention away from these pagan rituals by placing a Christian holiday on the same day.

The Christian festival, the Feast of All Saints, acknowledges the saints of the Christian faith in much the same way that Samhain had paid tribute to the pagan gods.

These traditions were brought to the United States by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.

/149

Shiites of Karachi observed Ashura amid strict security measures

/in /by

Karachi: Commemorated with great religious zeal and fervour amid serious security threats, the mourning processions taken out on Ashura peacefully culminated after passing through the traditional designated routes.

To pay homage to the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (RA) and his 72 companions during the battle of Karbala, the mourners started gathering at the Hussainian Iranian Imambargah, Kharadar – the starting and the end point of the processions taken out on both 9th and 10th Muharram – at around 10am in the morning.

Given the looming threat of a terrorist attack on the processions, a total of 64,414 policemen and 7,408 Rangers were deployed across the province Sindh on for the security of processions and gatherings on the 10th of Muharram, especially in 216 “most-sensitive” areas.

All entry points to the MA Jinnah road were sealed from the 7th of Muharram, whereas CCTV cameras were installed along the route of the procession for close monitoring, aerial surveillance was also carried out by security agencies.

Followed by the end of the processions, the mourners attended various Sham-e-Ghareeban Majalis after saying the Maghrib prayers.

 

MWM protest

With over 30 precious lives lost to two separate bomb attacks during the first 10 days of Muharram this year, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) held a demonstration at the Numaish Chowrangi, after the culmination of the 10th Muharram procession, to condemn the attacks as well as the failure of the federal and provincial governments to maintain foolproof security, despite considerable threats to the Shia community.

Leaders and supporters of the MWM urged the Sindh government to stop “providing cover to terrorists”, and arrest the culprits immediately, while also calling for compensation for the deceased and the injured to be paid on a priority basis.

/149