Folkloric
Festivals Change the Face of Ashura Day in Qatar
QATAR,
March 24 (IslamOnline)-Families in Qatar experienced Ashura in a
unique way this year. They attended their intellectual festival all
over Al Bida’ Al-Matlan garden, waiting eagerly to break their
fast, while listening and watching the flokloric dance groups from
14 different countries perform.
The
spectators did, however, go to pray during the provided interval in
the show.
Despite
the Quranic verses, in which the Imam seemed to be reminding them of
the punishment that can await them on judgement day and how every
gift from God will be accounted for, they returned to their picnics
and once again waited for the show to begin.
The
media in Qatar also did not give Ashura its due. None of the
channels broadcast or wrote anything about the holy occasion except
one coloumnist, Abd Alllah Al Emadi.
He
wrote that the true reason the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) advised
Muslims to fast Tasoua’a (the day before Ashura) and Ashura was to
deviate from the Jews and Christians in order not to be likened to
them even in religious rituals.
El-Emadi
also wrote about the irony that Moses had fasted Ashura in gratitude
to Allah when the Pharaoh, who had abused and tortured the people of
Israel, became weak and lowly before them, indicating that evil
always ends, no matter how strong and forceful it is.
