http://www.mehfilekhorasan.org
Friday, October 18, 2013
Commentary:
Aalame Akhlaque ko zairo zabar Karta Hai Tu
Khoone Ahl-ul-Bayt Say Lukhmay Ko Tur Karta Hai Tu
(Shabbir Hassan khan- Joash Maleehabadi)
Look at the art work, the pomp and the ceremony that surrounds this Shia Rock Star for his performance. The concert like event at this particular Center will cost the sponsors at least $2000, however, during the ensuing weeks, this man will move on with his show at quite a few other Shia Islamic Centers of North America, where his fan club continues to grow and he expects to pocket thousands of dollars, by the time he is done and gone . Now please take a look at the grotesque splash, where Shia Rock Star's name and photograph dominate the space, as he has been featured by his promoters as the focus of all the attention for Saturday, October 19, 2013 evening. There is, most tragically, no mention of the exalted Persona of our first Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS), nor are the most relevant renderings of either Khan- e- Ka'aba (House of God) or the Shrine of Najaf Ashraf projected in this manifest. The event, of course will be quite colorful, where this man, on his demand, will be provided with special acoustics as well as a close to perfect sound system. Rest is left to the man who has mastered the art of entertaining his audience by timely use of his larynx and by shaking his head and neck in all directions to excite the crowd.
This sort of decorum and the demeanor are totally contrary to the teachings of our very endeared Ahl-ul-Bayt. While thousands of Muslims, both Shia & Sunni are being maimed and massacred in Muslim lands, and the ranks of destitute and distraught segments of our populace continue to swell, as one orphanage after another is in dire need of funds to feed and shelter the unfortunate offsprings of the dead and gone. Muslim families in these countries are not only left homeless, they have no one as bread winner of the household much less a piece of bread to satisfy their hunger and never ending fear of death. Furthermore, right here across all of North America, every other Islamic Center and Husseineyya is faced with ever looming foreclosure due to the shortfall in revenue caused by lack of khums and other donations. And yet a few amongst us have the audacity to look the other way, and forget the fact that the Imam of the time will not forgive us.
Shia Islamic centers such as the one holding this particular event are not at fault, because they are simply providing the space to the community they serve, but they do not contribute a penny towards the hefty fee that is showered by either a single or multiple individuals onto this professional chanter. Nor can this Shia Rockstar be blamed, because he knows that there is a captive market for his kind of work, and thus he can command his wages as he wishes, and then laugh all the way to his bank. The naive and gullible sponsors of such events, though, are the real victims, because they are confused about their role and responsibilities as true followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt. Also these folks are a bit bewildered about the priorities our Imams have established for us as Shia Muslims.
Agha Shaukat Jafri
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