Ashura Procession In China
Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
China and India may be at loggerhead
over territorial dispute for decades. But both the countries have one thing in
common i.e. Introduction of Imami beliefs. Like India, it is the Sufis who
preached about the exalted status of Ahlebait and introduced practices to
commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. It was again Sufis who also
highlighted the life and works of Holy Prophet, his daughter, Hazrat Fatima and
other infallibles. The world is unaware of these facts as China is not a
democratic country like India with complete freedom to observe religious
ceremonies. Moreover, China is also devoid of a free media. Rather, media has
to strictly adhere to government regulations.
Hence, the world is not aware that majority
of Muslims in China are Sunnis but their religious practices have surprisingly
considerable Persian influence. Chinese Muslims also refer to God as Huda, a
Persian word. One of the most popular names in China is Ma, a shortened version
of Hazrat Fatima. Chinese Muslims also celebrate Fadimajire(Fatima remembrance day).Muslim
women also make it a point to attend religious discourses on the life and works
of Hazrat Fatima Zahra, known as Akhund.
Ashura, the first 10-Day Phase of
Muharram mourning, is also observed in China with traditional somberness.Muharram programs are organized in cities like Beijing and Shanghai to mourn
the death of Imam Hussain and his small band of companions. Another popular practice
of Imami origin is ‘Chiragh-i-Roshan’ a lamp lighting ceremony celebrated by Ismailis
settled in China.Islam was introduced in China by Saad
bin Ibne Wiqas in 650 AD. Apart from Sufis, Persian merchants also propagated Islamic
and Imami principles while trading with China. China also served as a place of
refuge for Imamis when they were
persecuted by Umayyad and Abbasid regimes. Eminent Imami preacher and scholar Hazrat Khamosh Shah is believed to have
entered China in 1256 . When Imamis were persecuted by Uzbeks China offered refuge to them.
The contribution of Baba Hamza Isafahani , a 6th
century Sufi, in propagating Imami beliefs and rituals is also worth mentioning
. Sufis and their disciples turned Hezu as a melting pot and it came to be
known as Little Mecca in view of the constant flow of scholars from different
regions. Name such as Zainul Abdeen Al Shirvani(1790-1837) also figures in this
context. He was head of Niamatullah Sufi order. In China, Kubraviya Sufi order
has been also influenced greatly by Twelver Imamis despite being Hanafis by
faith. They recite Qawwalis and other devotional songs to invoke Holy Imams and
seek their intercession for resolving their problems. They also follow certain
other Imami rituals. There are tens of thousands of Imamis in China and they
include both Twelvers and Ismailis. China is home to 20 to 100 Million Muslims,
belonging to different ethnic groups. History of Imamis trace back to 7th
century. Ismailis are predominantly Tajiks, living mostly in Pameer region and
their only Mosque being in Tashkurgan, about 100 Kms from China-Pakistan border. Twelvers mostly
belong to Azeris and Iranis and they are found mostly in Pameer and Siachin
region, bordering Kashmir.(References available on request. Photo Courtesy
Google Images)
