On Eid-e-Ghadir, Justice Katju Urges Restraint and Unity Among Muslims
Justice Katju Calls for Low-Key Eid-e-Ghadir Celebrations to Strengthen Communal Harmony
Eid-e-Ghadir and the Need for Shia-Sunni Unity: Justice Katju’s Message
Justice Katju Appeals for Peaceful Eid-e-Ghadir Observance Amid Regional Tensions
Faith, Restraint and National Unity: Justice Katju’s Eid-e-Ghadir Appeal to Shias
Ahead of Eid-e-Ghadir, Justice Katju appeals to Shia Muslims to celebrate the occasion in a restrained manner, stressing the importance of Shia-Sunni harmony, national unity, and social cohesion amid heightened regional tensions….
My appeal to Shias
By Justice Markandey Katju
Tomorrow is Eid-e-Ghadir, a major festival primarily celebrated by Shia Muslims commemorating Prophet Muhammad's final sermon at Ghadir Kumm on 18 Dhu al Hijjah on 632 AD.
According to Shia tradition, in this sermon, the Prophet designated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as his successor.
Now the basic difference between Sunnis ( who constitute the majority of Muslims in the world ), and Shias is that Sunnis believe that after the Prophet Muhammad's death, his successors as Khalifas were (1) Abu Bakr, (2) Umar, (3) Usman, and (4) Ali, in that order. But Shias believe that the first 3 were only usurpers, and the true Khalifa or Imam after the Prophet's death was Ali. They believe that when the Prophet died, his son-in-law Ali was busy in the funeral preparations, and at that time, the group hostile to him fraudulently held a secret meeting surreptitiously behind his back, and declared Abu Bakr as the Khalifa.
Shias celebrate Eid-e-Ghadir as the day on which Prophet Muhammad nominated Ali as his successor, and announced that just as Muslims regard the Prophet as their maula, they should also regard Ali as their maula after him.
Sunnis interpret the word maula to mean a friend, but Shias interpret it to mean the leader.
Now there can be no objection to celebrating Eid-e-Ghadir. But my appeal to Shias is that it should not be flamboyant, extravagant, or splashy, and celebrated on streets, but should be observed in a low-key and restrained manner, preferably at home or in an enclosed hall. This is because Sunnis may get offended and incensed if it is celebrated flamboyantly on the streets, thinking that it indirectly denounces and insults the first 3 Khalifas whom they respect and believe in, and this may lead to conflicts between Shias and Sunnis.
At one time in Lucknow and some other places, 'azardari' processions were taken out during Moharram, and in this procession, a song called 'tabarra' was sometimes sung, in which the first three Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Usman), whom many Shias historically viewed as having usurped the rightful claim and authority of Ali, were cursed, abused and condemned. This often led to Shia-Sunni riots.
There was at one time even an Avadh Tabarra Association, a prominent Shia sociopolitical organisation, which was most active in Lucknow during the late 1930s, to defend azadari and the right of Shias to practice tabarra—the public condemnation of the first three khalifas.
Today, unity among Indians is vital, unity not among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, etc but also among different denominations of the various religions, e.g. Shias and Sunnis. Our enemies, both internal and external, seek to divide Indians and make us hostile to each other, but we must see through their game and not fall into this trap. Without unity, we will never be able to solve the huge problems facing us, but will be condemned to remain in poverty, with massive unemployment, an appalling level of child malnutrition, an almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for our masses, skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, etc
Because of the US-Iran war, Shias in India and Pakistan are very much emotionally disturbed these days ( as I am informed by my Shia friends ), and may be considering celebrating Eid-e-Ghadir tomorrow publicly and in an extravagant, florid, overdone, pompous, and grandiose manner. I respectfully appeal to them to reconsider their decision after reading this article.
(Justice Katju is a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India and a former Chairman of the Press Council of India. These are his personal views.)
