http://www.chowrangi.com/worshipping-at-graves-destroys-imaan.html Pakistan Politics, Current Affairs, Business and Lifestyle Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:35:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 http://www.chowrangi.com/worshipping-at-graves-destroys-imaan.html#comment-121569 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:12:40 +0000 http://www.chowrangi.com/worshipping-at-graves-destroys-imaan.html#comment-121569 thanks for the info thanks for the info

]]> http://www.chowrangi.com/worshipping-at-graves-destroys-imaan.html#comment-120736 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:03:06 +0000 http://www.chowrangi.com/worshipping-at-graves-destroys-imaan.html#comment-120736 Until 1980, the poor were not able to go for Haj, so instead they would visit the tombs of the dead saints. In Sindh they say that making seven trips to the tomb of Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan is equivalent to performing Haj. They actually used to perform "Haj" at Lowari Sharif, but later it was stopped by the High Court after a lawyer filed a petition. Moreover, going to the tombs ("mazaars") every year is very popular among women, because it is the only time they are able to leave their towns and see the outside world. By the way, there are people called "Zikris" in Karachi, Sindh and Balochistan/Iran, who perform "Haj" in Turbat on the 27th Ramadhan every year. The JUI has tried to force the government to declare them non-Muslims (since they have another prophet), but so far the government has not responded. The Zikris call themselves Muslims, they read the Koran, but they do not perform "namaz", they do zikr! And for them the period 1st to 9th Zilhij is very sacred, they fast on these days. Even the poorest of them raise goats and perform the sacrifice on Eid-al-Azha. Until 1980, the poor were not able to go for Haj, so instead they would visit the tombs of the dead saints. In Sindh they say that making seven trips to the tomb of Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan is equivalent to performing Haj. They actually used to perform “Haj” at Lowari Sharif, but later it was stopped by the High Court after a lawyer filed a petition. Moreover, going to the tombs (”mazaars”) every year is very popular among women, because it is the only time they are able to leave their towns and see the outside world. By the way, there are people called “Zikris” in Karachi, Sindh and Balochistan/Iran, who perform “Haj” in Turbat on the 27th Ramadhan every year. The JUI has tried to force the government to declare them non-Muslims (since they have another prophet), but so far the government has not responded. The Zikris call themselves Muslims, they read the Koran, but they do not perform “namaz”, they do zikr! And for them the period 1st to 9th Zilhij is very sacred, they fast on these days. Even the poorest of them raise goats and perform the sacrifice on Eid-al-Azha.

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