Shiite Festivals in Iran and Iraq - Essay Example

Shiite Festivals in Iran and Iraq 03 August 2007 Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Origins of the Shiite Branch of Islam 4 Ashura: A Major Event for Shiites 6 Celebration in Iran 8 Celebration in Iraq 10 Conclusion 12 Cited Works 13 Introduction Shiites or Shi'a is one of the two major denominations of Islam. It is a minority compared to Sunni. Among one billion Muslim believers only fifteen percent belonged to the Shi'a denomination (Associated Press). Conflict rose between traditional Muslim leaders concerning succession. The Shiites or known as "Shi'at Ali or Party of Ali" did not acknowledge the authority of the three Caliphs recognized by the Sunni majority. For them the legitimate successor was Ali ibn Abi Talib who would later bequeath the role to his son Husayn. The Shiites would eventually suffer defeat from the more dominant "heirs of Uthman, who established the Umayyad dynasty." (Davidson 7). Although the Shiites were considered a minority in most of the Islamic world, they were the majority in countries like Iran and Iraq. Shiites who venerate Ali and his son Husayn or Hussein commemorate their death in the hands of the Sunni's in the 7th century battle in Karbala. Karbala is located in Iraq (Associated Press). The other holy site located in Iraq is Najaf. Shiites in Iraq comprised sixty percent of the Iraqi population but the most oppressed and marginalized during the regime of Saddam Hussein. There is a basic difference between Shiite Muslims in Iran and Iraq. Primarily, Iran's ethnic origin was Persian while Iraq's is recognized as Arab. The most significant festival for Shiites all over the world is the observance of Ashura, a ten-day commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein. Its observance followed the Shiite calendar usually on the tenth day of the first month of the lunar year or Muharram (Rauf). The Shiites observed it as a day of mourning when Hussein and his kinsmen were killed in 680 AD or 61 AH (Shiite calendar) ("Everyday is Ashura and Every land is Karbala", Rauf). Shiites observe the day with public display of mourning, self-flagellation or wounding to commemorate the sacrifices of Hussein. Hussein opposed against the corrupt rule of Yazid, a Muslim caliph and he and his family paid for it with their lives. Unlike the Shiites in Iran where they enjoyed majority rule and political power, the Shiites of Iraq underwent severe oppression and misfortune for decades under Saddam Hussein despite outnumbering Sunni's by 2 to 1. Many of the Shiites in Iraq sought refuge in Iran. The Shiites of Iraq had to celebrate and practice their beliefs with restraint. It was not until Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003 could they openly commemorate Ashura. In Iran, however, Shiism was the recognized Islamic denomination and therefore everyone could observe customs and traditions freely. The Origins of the Shiite Branch of Islam Conflict ensued concerning succession after Prophet Muhammad died in 632 AD between the Sunni and Shiites. According to the Shiites, succession should come from the bloodlines of Prophet Muhammad. The Sunni's believed otherwise. For them, the selection of a successor should be a consensus among community members, on political ascendancy and individual merit. (Armanios CRS-2). However, the closest companion of the Prophet, Abu Bakr was elected by majority of the community as caliph. Although majority would accept this decision, some felt that Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and the Prophet's son-in-law and husband to the Prophet's daughter Fatima was bypassed. Several members of the community supported Ali's ascension as caliph (Armanios CRS-1). The Shiites would later consider Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman as usurpers and illegitimate successors. Shiites considered Ali as the one deserving the recognition as successor. Ali would later be assassinated in 661 AD and his sons, Hassan and Hussein would die in the hands of the Sunnis (Armanios CRS-2). Those that supported Ali's leadership would later be known as shi'at Ali or "supporters" or "helpers of Ali" (CRS-2). The stronger Sunnis defeated the Shiites. True leadership for the Shiites lies with the Imam. Imam signified to the Shiites not only leadership abilities but also blood ties with the Prophet (Armanios CRS-2). Shiites were a minority and weaker than the Sunnis. Thus the function of the Imam became increasingly focused on the spiritual, religious and core practices of the Shiite branch (CRS-2). For the Shiites, the Imam was the bearer of wisdom, political and religious authority (Rahman). The last Imam disappeared in 880 and many Shiites believed that the day will come when he will return and justice would prevail on earth (Rahman). Shiism had three divisions. The Twelvers (Ithna Ashariyya) was the largest and recognized 12 imams including Ali. It would later disappear by 873 but returned as the Mahdi (Messiah). In the Twelvers, followers believed that 12 Imams including Ali and his sons, having descended from the Prophet were the designated successors and were believed to have special knowledge concerning the Scriptures (Dallal). The Twelvers became the state religion in Persia (Iran) under the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century. It is still the prevailing religion of present day Iran (Bijlefeld). The other two divisions include the Seveners (Ismailis) and the Fivers (Zaydites) (Bijlefeld). Shiites being a minority resorted to underground activities to preserve their religion and practices. Shiites believed that in interpreting the Quran, beneath the explicit and literal meaning, there existed esoteric interpretations only known to Imams and they would be revealed to a selected few (Rahman). Iraqi Shiites would continue to suffer repression under Saddam Hussein. In Iran, the situation is better for Shiites. In their effort to propagate the Muslim sect, Iran had extended assistance to persecuted Shiites in Iraq and accepted refugees into their fold. The Shiites compared to Sunni's had differences in religious practice. For example, a typical Sunni would pray five times a day while Shiites, three; one for each - morning, noon and night. The Shiites created monuments to venerate their Imams similar to Catholics where images of saints hold a special place in Roman Catholic rituals and practices. Both Sunnis and Shiites commemorate the Ramadan and Eid 'il Fitr. However, the festival Ashura is unique to Shiites. Here they commemorate the martyrdom of Ali's son Hussein. Shiites also celebrate the birthdays of Ali and Fatima. Shiites also used their religious beliefs to topple secular governments. A prime example is the ascension to power of Shiites in Iran. The clergy and their supporters protested against the corrupt government of the Pahlavis. With the downfall of the Shah in 1979, it was replaced with Shiite regime where the Shi'i version of the shari'ah replaced the modern reforms introduced in the previous regime. The Ayatollah Khomeini ruled and converted Iran into an Islamic republic (enay). Ashura: A Major Event for Shiites Ashura or Ashoura is usually celebrated during the 10th day of the Muharram on the Islamic calendar. The day commemorated with mourning for the massacre of Hussein and many of his kins by hostile Ummayad caliphate led by Yazid I. The Battle of Karbala is significant for Shiite Muslims because this was where the heir to Ali's leadership along with many of his relatives died. This was also the beginning of the struggle to fight for the right of recognition by Shiites all over the world. As a minority group, the Shiites were persecuted and treated as second-class citizens in the more dominant Sunni Islamic world. Ashura literally meant tenth in Arabic. It was also on the tenth day of the siege that Hussein lost in the battle. For many Shiites, it is a day of mourning. Traditionally, Ashura is commemorated with the Shiites dressed in mourning clothes (black). The Shiites also expressed their sorrow through listening to poetry and crying ("Day of Ashura"). Many but not all fast during the event. The informal fasting is referred to as Fakah ("Day of Ashura"). Others would express their grief through self-flagellation and self-mutilation but the practice was not allowed especially by Ali Khamenei of Iran. Traditional bloodletting or "Qame Zani" is also observed in some communities. In communities where self-flagellation is allowed, the "zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain)" also formed part of the rituals ("Day of Ashura"). Passion plays called the Ta'zieh re-enacted the Battle of Karbala and emphasized the suffering of Hussein and his family ("Day of Ashura"). A procession of males performing self-flagellation is paraded in the streets. Food is distributed and shared among the faithful. Ashura also took on political meaning when it was used as an expression of protest against political repression. This was evident in Iran before the Shiites came to power, the Shiites of Iraq protesting against depot Saddam Hussein and other persecuted Shiite communities. It was not until the downfall of Saddam Hussein did the Iraqi Shiite communities gained the freedom to celebrate Ashura. However, the first Ashura celebrated in Iraq after decades was marred with violence. Suicide bombers detonated their bombs in crowds of worshippers in several places in Iraq in 2004. About 100 people were killed and 300 wounded when they flocked the streets to commemorate Ashura. The Iraqi authorities believed that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi perpetrated the attacks (Arraf and Sadler). Every year thereafter, Ashura celebrations had been marked with violence in Iraq. This year's Ashura celebrations, a bomb exploded in Shiite shrine near Baquba, in Balad Ruz. About fifty were injured in separate incidents of violence across Iraq (Santora). Celebration in Iran Iran with a predominantly Shiite population memorialized the martyrdom of Hussein and his families in the month of Muharram. For ten days, rituals and rites were observed, performed and participated by devout Shiites. In the ten-day festival, "communal mourning takes place in the country." ("Culture of Iran") Self-mutilation and flagellation, although discouraged by the authorities served as a reminder for the sufferings and sacrifices of Hussein and his kin. In addition, passion plays are performed and poetries and stories read and told to remember the tragic fate of the Prophet's grandson ("Culture of Iran"). On the tenth day known as the Ashura, a procession is held in the streets of Iran with mourners usually men dressed in black shirts chant and "rhythmically" inflict self-flagellation on their backs using "two-pound chains or beating their chests with both open palms (seeneh-zani)" ("Culture of Iran"). Candles were lit in mosques and shrines. The Shiites also incorporated what was considered a Persian tradition of venerating and mourning for heroes. Zoroastrian belief of light as embodiment of divinity is also incorporated into the rituals ("Culture of Iran"). Food served during Muharram in Iran consisted of a simple meal of Nazri distributed among the believers. Rich and well-to-do Shiites donated the food. A rice dish or thick stew referred to as ash-I-Imam Husayn is served ("Culture of Iran"). During the Muharram, nights were spent at the mosque praying and mourning ("Culture of Iran"). Children were also encouraged to participate in an event called Shaam e Ghariban (the night of the deserted). The children re-enacted the plight of the orphaned children during the attack in Karbala. The children were divided into two groups. Each group would recite poems and sing songs, each responding to the other. The expressions of grief were exaggerated and children were also encouraged to beat themselves lightly ("Culture of Iran"). The Ta'ziyeh or dramatization of the Battle of Karbala is often played to audiences during the observance of Muharram. The Ta'ziyeh is performed in Iran and considered a foremost expression of Persian artistry and dramatic genius (Chelkowski). The play is performed by Shiite actors both incorporating drama and ritual. Traditional stages were often set outdoors in temporary structures usually near public places or crossroads. The erection of the stages referred as takiyeh was often a communal activity. The wealthier Shiites contributed to defray the costs. The structures could accommodate an intimate number of audiences or could be held in areas that could accommodate as much as 1,000. The Takiyeh Dawlat, the Royal Theater in Tehran, "was the most famous of all the ta'ziyeh performance spaces." Nasir al-Din Shah built the structure in the 1870's and could rival European opera houses. Private exhibitions were also held in residences (Chelkowski). Ta'ziyeh stage props were usually austere and the dynamics of the actors on-stage were emphasized. Music also accompanied the play. Drums, trumpets, flutes, and cymbals were part of the orchestra. The size of the orchestra was also dependent on the availability of funds. Many historians believed that the Ta'ziyeh contributed to the preservation of Persian music (Chelkowski). Shiism in Iran had been traditionally interpreted along two streams. The first was the concept of Alavi Shi'ism or "red Shi'ism" propounded by the Iranian intellectual Ali Shariati that espoused the religion of martyrdom and the Safavid Shi'ism or Black Shi'ism or the religion of mourning. During the revolutionary period in Iran, Shiite leaders wanted to use the militant aspect of Ashura to protest against tyranny and corruption (Baghi). Traditionally, Ashura had emotional or political undertones. Emotional and political approaches of Ashura often led to misinterpretations. Emad Baghi believed that emotional interpretations resulted in rituals often beyond human capability. The emotional context of Ashura also constructed extreme expressions as virtues. The political context of Ashura emphasized war and revolution sometimes confusing the fact that Iman Hussein was a man of peace. A third emerging interpretation of Ashura advocated rationality and pacifism emulating the martyred Hussein (Baghi). Celebration in Iraq Iraqi Shiites, a denomination far more numerous than Sunnis and other religious sects, celebrated Ashura often in secrecy to avoid censure from the Iraqi government during Saddam Hussein's regime. The Shiite community were repressed and considered a threat to the stability of the Iraqi government. Mass gathering like the Ashura was prohibited. For the Shiites in Iraq, Karbala, the site of the Battle that killed Hussein was a sacred site. Significant to the religious practice of Iraqi Shiites was visitations to shrines of Imam both located in Iran and Iraq ("Shias in Iraq"). Holy sites inside Iraq include tomb of Imam Ali in An Najaf and that of his son Imam Husayn in Karbala, the tombs of the Seventh and Ninth Imams at Kazimayn, near Baghdad ("Shias in Iraq"). To commemorate the death of Hussein, the Muharram and the Ashura were observed in areas south of Iraq. Traditionally, on the tenth day or Ashura, "ritual mourning (taaziya) is performed by groups of men of five to twenty each." ("Shias in Iraq"). In other areas like villages, religious readings occur throughout Ramadan and Muharram. Men usually congregate at a mudhif (tribal guesthouse), the suq (market), or a private house while women met in their homes. A mumin or a mullah led the readings. Readings were sponsored by shaykhs, elders, prosperous merchants. During the monarchy, the practice was discouraged because it was construed as acts against the Sunni population ("Shias in Iraq"). Saddam Hussein had long suspected that the Iranian government supported Iraqi Shiites. He may be right to be concerned because the Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini did teach and preach in Najah when he was exiled from Iran in 1964 ("Shias in Iraq", Dawoody 5). With the Shiites under constant threat of annihilation, festivals and celebrations were limited. When Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003, the Shiite community immediately embraced American occupation. Saddam's defeat was the emancipation of the Shiite community. In 2004, the Shiites openly practiced and observed religious celebrations but these were marred with violence believed perpetrated by the Sunni faction. In observance of the Muharram and Ashura, thousands converged at the holy site at Karbala. The celebration began with a huge procession with participants crying, wailing and beating their chests to express their grief over the death of Hussein (Zabeeh). Other participants cut their heads and drew blood to express grief. The participants with their bloodied white kaftans continued the procession. The Ashura A'maal was performed and booths were set up to facilitate mourners. Later, participants would be fed with food and drinks that came from community contributions. In 2005, the commemoration integrated the contemporary tragedy of Shiites killed in a series of violence against the group (Zabeeh). Shi'a or Shiite Iraqis flocked to Najaf and prepared themselves for the culmination of the Muharram or Ashura. Within the procession, each group, tribe or village would illustrate different events that happened in the Battle of Karbala. The young men dressed in black swung the chains and their swords to the beat of the drums, cymbals, brass wind instruments and noisy horns ("When the Myth Becomes Flesh and Bone"). People on the sidelines were openly crying and grieving to sympathize with the participants of the procession. After nightfall, a fire procession began with 50 tribal participants. Each tribe built a "fire ship" some with as much as 31 torches. These were paraded around the city for three consecutive nights. To the Iraqi Shiites, the torches symbolized the aftermath of the Battle of Karbala in Imam Hussein's camp where defeated men, women and children were incinerated ("When the Myth Becomes Flesh and Bone"). On the tenth day, plays were also performed in different parts of the city. Conclusion There is not much difference between the rituals and celebrations observed by Iranian and Iraqi Shiites. Many observers believed that Iran's influence in the new emerging Shiite power in Iraq is growing. Borzou Daragahi, in his article, Iraq Returns to its Persian Heritage wrote that Persian cultural influences are re-emerging in present day Iraq. One of them is the revival of the Ashura that was previously banned during Saddam Hussein's regime. The rites were also a symbol to the ascension to power by the Shiites majority long repressed by Sunnis. Everything Persian seemed to permeate the cities of Najaf, Karbala and Baghdad. They include colorful posters of Imams Ali and Hussein frequently seen in public markets and private homes. Even Baghdad's Convention Center was not spared. Young women began to wear their head scarves popular in Iran (Daragahi). The main difference between Iraqi and Iranian Shiites was their ethnicity. Iraqi Shiites derived their cultural identities from "the Arab language and history, the social structure of Shi'ism, and the historical conditions." (Lukitz 59) Iranian Shiites are Persians. Another difference could be the experiences of Iraqi and Iranian Shiites. While Iranian Shiites also struggled for recognition, they were successful. Iraqi Shiites, newly liberated from repressive rule still have to find their place in Iraqi political and social sphere. Cited Works Armanios, Febe, "Islam: Sunnis and Shiites," Congressional Research Service 23 February 2004, fas.org 03 August 2007 Associated Press, "Factsheet: The Shiites of Iraq," 17 April 2003, foxnews.com 02 August 2007 Baghi, Emad, "Iran: Reinterpreting Ashura," 22 March 2006, rferl.org 03 August 2007 Bijlefeld, Willem A., "Shiites, Shia, Shi'a," mb-soft.com 02 August 2007 Chelkowski, Peter, "Time Out of Memory: Ta'ziyeh, the Total Drama," asiasociety.org 03 August 2007 "Culture of Iran," cultureofiran.com 03 August 2007 Dallal, Ahmad, "Shia Islam," mb-soft.com 02 August 2007 Daragahi, Borzou, "Iraq Returns to its Persian Heritage," 16 April 2007, fairuse.100webcustomers.com 03 August 2007 Davidson, Lawrence, Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press,1998. Dawoody, Alexander R. "Governance and the Shiite Political Movement In Iraq," Public Administration and Management,10(1)(2005), 3-28. "Day of Ashura," wikipedia.org 02 August 2007 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashurah> "Everyday is Ashura and Every land is Karbala," ashura.com 02 August 2007 Lukitz, Liora, Iraq: The Search for National Identity. London: F. Cass. 1995. enay, Blent, "Shi'a," mb-soft.com 02 August 2007 Rahman, Fazlur, "Shiites," mb-soft.com 02 August 2007 Rauf, Imam Feisal, "Ashura: A Day of Remembrance," beliefnet.com 02 August 2007 Santora, Marc, "Ashura Attacks Leave Dozens Dead in Iraq," 30 January 2007 nytimes.com 03 August 2007 "Shias in Iraq," globalsecurity.com 03 August 2007 "When the Myth Becomes Flesh and Bone," 23 February 2006, cphpost.dk 03 August 2007 Zabeeh, Ismail, "Ashura Observed with Blood Streams to Mark Karbala Tragedy," 20 February 2005, jafariyanews.com 03 August 2007 Read More