Like any other different experience I've had here, I started the Persian New Year in a very different way: I was attending a lecture at the moment of equinox. Technically speaking, Persian year begins at the vernal equinox where the length of day and night is equal and that marks the beginning of spring.
Iranian traditions hold that whatever you do at that very moment will determine what you will be doing for the rest of the year. Well, I'm not much into that sort of traditional beliefs. But if that be the case, I'll probably be attending lectures for the rest of the year. Not so odd. That's why I'm here.
This is the shiny part of the story, however; I felt sad to start the New Year thousands of miles away from my family and (especially this year) Imam Reza. This year, anniversary of our 8th Imam was just one day before Nowruz (first day of spring). To me (and probably a lot of people like me), it sounded like Imam Reza was bridging the years 1385 and 1386, delivering us the New Year and thus making it blessed by God.
There's something unique about Iranian culture. Persians, who used to have a rich culture for millenia, took Islam from invading Arabs and internalized it within their culture. The blend of Islam you find in Iran is something inseparable from Iranian culture. Islam is not merely the official religion of this country; it's part of the culture of this people. They are so intertwined. Nowruz is an example.
People of this country who are proud to be Iranian and Shia at the same time (me included), start the New Year praying to God, asking Him to make the New Year a blessed one. And they prefer to celebrate the New Year at holy places. Mashhad (where the shrine of our 8th Imam is located) tops the chart.
People travel to/from Mashhad all over the year. But over Nowruz, so many pour in there that you can hardly get a free room in any of the numerous hotels (even star-less hostels). You'd find people sleeping in the street, literally. Over Nowruz, you'd see lots of tents not only around camping sites and parks, but also along the streets leading to the shrine of Imam Reza. And Mashhad could be cold over March. Yet, nothing stops this influx of people. This year, coincidence of Imam Reza's anniversary with Nowruz must have made Mashhad virtually a city of tents.
I've lived almost all my life in Tehran, but I've never missed Tehran even for a single day since I arrived here. But I do miss Mashhad and Nicosia (for different reasons of course!) by and large. And especially with such a coincidence this year, I felt more like deep yearning to be in Mashhad for Nowruz.
My parents have migrated to Mashhad recently. So, I used to be a frequent flyer between Tehran and Mashhad over recent years without worrying about hotels. And I could easily celebrate Nowruz near Imam Reza. But this year, I had to visit (ziyarat) him from thousands of miles afar on the other side of the planet. And I started the New Year in a lecture hall instead of the golden dome I felt so homey praying beneath. And that was not the only unusual experience here.
In Iran, anniversary of Imam Hussein's martyrdom has been a national day of mourning all over the years this country had a Shia govt (except for a short period during Reza Shah rule), no matter what kind of politics ruling the system (over the early centuries of Islam, puppet rulers allegiant to Umayyad or Abbasid caliphs suppressed Shia in Persia ruthlessly). The day that Imam Hussein was brutally killed is known as Ashura (surely, Shia don't hold true things mentioned as Significance of Ashura for Sunni Muslims under 3rd and 4th paragraphs of this explanation about Ashura).
Ashura is an inseparable part of Iranian (and Shia) culture. In Iran, Ashura ceremonies take over the whole country and overwhelm people's life. When you walk around streets in Iran, you can observe even non-practicing Muslims joining the ranks of mourners. And this is not limited just to Shia Iranians; even non-Muslim Iranians like Zoroastrians, Armenians and Jews participate and sometimes contribute to it by way of providing nazri meals for Muslim mourners (one of my Sociologist friends in Iran told me that Jews in Isfahan have their own Hussainia commemorating martyrdom of Imam Hussein). When I was in Iran, I had ample time as a Sociologist to study people while participating in Ashura ceremonies.
And this year, I had to commemorate Ashura in a very different way. Ashura was on Tuesday. So, I had to rush back home from my first class, say the prayers and salutations (ziyarat) and rush back to campus for my next class (which was ironically, Religion in Post-Modern Culture). And again, doing that ziyarat from thousands of miles away. And trivially, all that without being present amid mourners in Mashhad streets marching to the Shrine of his grand-grand-grandson Imam Reza. Yet, he can hear me and watch me even here.
I started my education here on Ghadir. May God keep me observant and seeker of their path for the duration of my study and career as a Sociologist.
Iranian traditions hold that whatever you do at that very moment will determine what you will be doing for the rest of the year. Well, I'm not much into that sort of traditional beliefs. But if that be the case, I'll probably be attending lectures for the rest of the year. Not so odd. That's why I'm here.
This is the shiny part of the story, however; I felt sad to start the New Year thousands of miles away from my family and (especially this year) Imam Reza. This year, anniversary of our 8th Imam was just one day before Nowruz (first day of spring). To me (and probably a lot of people like me), it sounded like Imam Reza was bridging the years 1385 and 1386, delivering us the New Year and thus making it blessed by God.
There's something unique about Iranian culture. Persians, who used to have a rich culture for millenia, took Islam from invading Arabs and internalized it within their culture. The blend of Islam you find in Iran is something inseparable from Iranian culture. Islam is not merely the official religion of this country; it's part of the culture of this people. They are so intertwined. Nowruz is an example.
People of this country who are proud to be Iranian and Shia at the same time (me included), start the New Year praying to God, asking Him to make the New Year a blessed one. And they prefer to celebrate the New Year at holy places. Mashhad (where the shrine of our 8th Imam is located) tops the chart.
People travel to/from Mashhad all over the year. But over Nowruz, so many pour in there that you can hardly get a free room in any of the numerous hotels (even star-less hostels). You'd find people sleeping in the street, literally. Over Nowruz, you'd see lots of tents not only around camping sites and parks, but also along the streets leading to the shrine of Imam Reza. And Mashhad could be cold over March. Yet, nothing stops this influx of people. This year, coincidence of Imam Reza's anniversary with Nowruz must have made Mashhad virtually a city of tents.
I've lived almost all my life in Tehran, but I've never missed Tehran even for a single day since I arrived here. But I do miss Mashhad and Nicosia (for different reasons of course!) by and large. And especially with such a coincidence this year, I felt more like deep yearning to be in Mashhad for Nowruz.
My parents have migrated to Mashhad recently. So, I used to be a frequent flyer between Tehran and Mashhad over recent years without worrying about hotels. And I could easily celebrate Nowruz near Imam Reza. But this year, I had to visit (ziyarat) him from thousands of miles afar on the other side of the planet. And I started the New Year in a lecture hall instead of the golden dome I felt so homey praying beneath. And that was not the only unusual experience here.
In Iran, anniversary of Imam Hussein's martyrdom has been a national day of mourning all over the years this country had a Shia govt (except for a short period during Reza Shah rule), no matter what kind of politics ruling the system (over the early centuries of Islam, puppet rulers allegiant to Umayyad or Abbasid caliphs suppressed Shia in Persia ruthlessly). The day that Imam Hussein was brutally killed is known as Ashura (surely, Shia don't hold true things mentioned as Significance of Ashura for Sunni Muslims under 3rd and 4th paragraphs of this explanation about Ashura).
Ashura is an inseparable part of Iranian (and Shia) culture. In Iran, Ashura ceremonies take over the whole country and overwhelm people's life. When you walk around streets in Iran, you can observe even non-practicing Muslims joining the ranks of mourners. And this is not limited just to Shia Iranians; even non-Muslim Iranians like Zoroastrians, Armenians and Jews participate and sometimes contribute to it by way of providing nazri meals for Muslim mourners (one of my Sociologist friends in Iran told me that Jews in Isfahan have their own Hussainia commemorating martyrdom of Imam Hussein). When I was in Iran, I had ample time as a Sociologist to study people while participating in Ashura ceremonies.
And this year, I had to commemorate Ashura in a very different way. Ashura was on Tuesday. So, I had to rush back home from my first class, say the prayers and salutations (ziyarat) and rush back to campus for my next class (which was ironically, Religion in Post-Modern Culture). And again, doing that ziyarat from thousands of miles away. And trivially, all that without being present amid mourners in Mashhad streets marching to the Shrine of his grand-grand-grandson Imam Reza. Yet, he can hear me and watch me even here.
I started my education here on Ghadir. May God keep me observant and seeker of their path for the duration of my study and career as a Sociologist.
O Reformer of the hearts and eyes,
O Moderator of the night and day,
O Transformer of the shifts and moods,
Transform our being to the best.
(Prayer recited at the beginning of the Persian New Year)
3 comments:
Having perused your blog site i find your outlook very refreshing for a devout religious person. I was brought up a strict catholic but found it very limited it was only as i went to uni and lived life that i found that it does not matter your religion but if you believe in it without pushing your views to others but share when asked and do no harm to others in the proces you can make a positive difference to peoples lives no matter their religion. I believe religion is so good when good comes out of it I am just sad when religion causes hate and suffering to others unneccesarily. I have not found a religion I truly aspire to but feel through exploration one day I may find the right one until then I explore and beleive that no one religion is the right one. But if you believe in a particular religion and you feel it is right for you then it does no harm and can help you through the joys and sorrows of life equally as well and many people need that to build a better place in this world. all the best for your studies.
I was born into a family who were very religious and open-minded at the same time; two important qualities that are considered "mutually exclusive" (unfortunately, that could really be the case most of the time).
Problems (hatred, intolerance, etc) begin when people feel they must sacrifice one for the other (religiosity for liberalism or vice-versa). That would push people to either end of spectrum; i.e. religious fanaticism or anti-religious zeal. Both are bigotry of the same nature, just sounding differently.
Thanks for your comment and best wishes for all people who seek truth.
I wonder what made you reach such an irrelevant conclusion.
Religious fanaticism is not attractive for sure, but if one experiences an intimate relationship with God through religion (i.e. follwoing His rules instead of one's whims), that IS the new life and nothing could match that sweetness.
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