Shah ast Hussain (as)

Yes We Are Shias -Oops Fuck Taqqaiya

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Maksade Hussain

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

on my bleeding third eye
the emulsion creating an image
shot of pain in pain for pain
no greater pain than hussain
ashura and karbala
heart and soul
of a cosmic brain
a karmic path of humanity
that a single thought engrain
allah ho akbar our blood
that we willingly drain
we live as shias die as shias
and after death shia remain
no cybernetic power
or kintetic energy
greater than maksade hussain

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Hussain Lives Hussainiyat Never Dies

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Karbala a bleeding path of faith
that leads us to paradise
our blood sweat tears our cries
yes he gave his head but not his hand
well worth the prize
to save his grandfathers heritage
from a yazidi vice
a refreshed Islam did arise
hussin lives hussainiyat never dies
a shia is a shia is shia
needs no jehaddi disguise
shiasm based on truth and not
radical lies

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Thank you Habib and Baqar Nasser

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

These are my pictures taken on Habib Nassers camera when I did my Kama Zani on the streets of JJ junction on the Ashura Juloos of Habib Nassers Anjuman that was doing the first time ever Iraqi Kama Matam in Mumbai..
It was Habib Nasser and his younger brother Baqar Nasser that got me interested in all thing Moaharm, for 17 years I had kept away from conregational gathering of Moharam keeping my pain for Imam Hussain private ,personal and away from public eye..
Habib and Baqar changed all that about 6 years back

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Hussainiyat v/s Yazidiyat

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

It takes several hours to prepare the Khandak, maybe six to eight hours and finally it is cured and made walkable , this khandak began after midnight, first the Sajjads the alam bearers move on the khandak, than the public.
Munna the Namaz praying guy was denied the right to pray on the khandak, but he took it in his stride..
After the Khandak walk gets over there is a hand matam the fire is put off by splashing pails of water…
One of the reasons for the fire walk is the misery and pain that Imam Hussains family members and survivors suffered after the battle of Karbala.
The women children manacled in chains , beaten, robbed were made to walk barefeet from Karbala to the court of Yazid in Damascus..
And Imam Zainul Abedin the sickly son of Imam Hussain who survived the genocide and mayhem, walked in chains barefeet and he was known as Syede Sajjad, hence the modern counterparts in his memory wear green tops showing their symbolic solidarity walking on fire at the khandak.
This is Shiasm, reliving pain in the Memory of Imam Hussain..
Reminding the Tyrant and the Opressor that Karbala will never happen again- this singular string of a thought unbroken since 1400 years is Hussainiyat..
And the lovers of Yazid and their agenda of Jehhadi hate destroying the pillars of Islam is known as Yazidiyat..
Yazidiyat not only hates Shias or lovers of Hussain..
Yazidiyat hates Humanity and global Peace..
Allah ho Akbar is not just a cry that Allah is great but words used in the context of cybernetic hate from the minarets of Shia hating web sites…profit dot net..

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Safdar Bhai the Khandak Specialist

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

He is always dressed in white , hails from Bhavnagar and is an expert in preparing the fire ramp or khandak.I know him very well , I have walked on fire twice at Mira Road , many a times at Bandra Supari Talao and once at this place where he is standing. as I used to walk on fire with my camera I ended with maximum damage to my lens back elements..
But walking at Hussain Tekri Jaorah is an experience of a life time,he had prepared that khandak too last when I had visited Hussain Tekri in Chehlum.
I personally liked walking the Khandak at Kazmain and Diyanutdaulah in Lucknow during Athvi celebrations..

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Hussain is Humanity-The Khandak

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

This isolated corner at the end of the Shia Khoja cemetery is the place for the fire walk or Ag ka Matam , it is away from the souls in the sleeping graves.
This section is knows as the Khandak..
Absolute discipline is maintained by the organisers , no rushing no pushing , of course the Shia kids just want to get in round after round by hook or by crook…

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Graves at the Shia Khoja Cemetery

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Graves at Shia Khoja Cemetery

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Niyaz e Hussain

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

At every Shia Majlis or event the organisers offer food, tea, cold drinks , that unbelievably is there for everyone, blessed in the memory of Imam Hussain..
And these folks in the picture are having Dal Ghost, and rice , eating from a single plate , than they will hear the Majlis as its already late , the fire matam ramp is known as the Khandak, and is at the back end corner of the Shia Khoja cemetery, cut off by scaffoldings, you enter to walk on the fire from one end and leave from the other end..

For every tear that drops from a Shias eye
for every tear and a screamless cry
Bibi Fatima gave a pledge that
the rivers of Shias soul till eternity
will never run dry
Niyaze Hussain
food for thought
food you get
you need not buy
a manna from karbala
with a silence and a sigh
water to our enemies
we will never deny
ashura our committment
to hussain
do or die
a moment held
in the pearl of our conscience
between the bleeding earth
and a weeping sky

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Ali the Videographer

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

He was shooting all this for his dad settled in America.

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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The Shia Photo Blogger-Firoze Shakir

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Somebody told me you shoot everyone can I shoot you on your camera , so I stood and posed for him at the Shia Khoja cemetery before the Ag Ka Matam began.

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Fire Matam at Shia Khoja Kabrastan

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

I start a new series on 22 Jan 2008 there was an Ag Ka Matam or Fire Matam at the Khoja Shia cemetery , one of the most picturesque and beautifully maintained cemetery.Even the dead souls here are satisfied in their eternal repose.The Khoja community leaves no stone unturned to spend lavishly on the upkeep of the dead.
As I had come here very early I decided to shoot the surroundings and the Roza, the small Imambargah here.
The fire ramp is prepared here by Safdar and his gang from Bhavnagar..they are the best in laying up the ramp that takes meticulousness, and skill.
Riyaz one of the guys told me the story behind the fire matam..
The story goes a certain ruler in Burma did not like the Shias taking out Alams and doing Azadari and mourning for Imam Hussain, to stop them from doing this he placed embers of coal in the path of the processionists , and the mourners of Hussain bravely walked over it with their Alams and continued on their way.This impressed the ruler he relented and Ag Ka Matam or fire matam found its way to Lucknow from where it spread to other cities of India.
The fire Matam takes place at Bandra Supari Talao, at Mira Road , and the famous one at Hussain Tekri Jaorah Madhya Pradesh in Chelum 40th day of Hazrat Imam Hussains Martyrdom.
On 6th Moharam it is held at Bada imambada in Lucknow.
But the most well prepared and carefully organised are those of Kazmain and Diyanuthdaulah in Lucknow on Athvi..the last segment when the mourning period of two months eight days of the Shias comes to an end.
And I can assure you if a Shia Momin has not seen the Athvi of Lucknow he has really missed the most beautiful event of Moharam..The Chup Tazia of Lucknow moves out from Shia College in old time Nawabi pomp grandeur and splendour, elephants amary, and silence just the vocal strains of Ghabrayegi Zainab redered by the Lucknowi nohakars , and personally I felt you could just be swept away in a flood of unstoppable tears.. and ths Juloos is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of Bibi Zainab..
Well back to the Khoja Kabrastan, I met thing young kid Ali who was videreographing the Matam like me, and when I asked him, he said he was shooting this for his father in United States.This is the fervour of Shia kids, the backbone of our religiosity without the blinkers placed on their eyes by bigotry or parochialism.

Posted by photographerno1 on 28 Jan 2008
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Hussainiyat is Humanity

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

Hussainiyat is a kinetic force that connects Man to Allah.
Hussain is Humanity
Hussain is voice raised against Oppression and Tyranny
Hussain is beyond caste color and creed encompassing human dignity..
Hussainiyat is a shortcut to Allah..
Allah loves Hussain and lovers of Hussain..

Posted by photographerno1 on 27 Jan 2008
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Matamdars of Mumbai

Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

The Muslim mourners of Imam Hussain are known as Matamdars.
They are a unique rare breed.Their sincerity towards Ghame Hussain, their spontaniety and their Shia earnestness engulfed , immersed in the pain of all pain the pain of Imam Hussain.No greater pain than this , this one Pain , this immense pain carried forward from generation to generation for 1400 years..
A solemn pledge to Princess Fatima for the loss of a garden of her loved ones, Hassan and Hussain.The Shia were drops that fell from her eyes.. drops that spread all over the world , to become mourners of her pain.
Yes we shed tears , our blood that the majority community terms as heresy and if this love for Hussain is heresey so be it…its his supreme sacrifice that saved Islam from the hands of Yazid..Even the songs written for Indian freedom fighters on our Repbulic day 26 Jan blared Sar Kata Sakte hain lekin Sar Jhuka sakte Nahin..
A popular freedom song that means we can cut our heads but we shall certainly not bow it in front of the Oppressor..
This was Imam Hussain he firmly upheld human rigteouness , Godly dignity in Truth and Justice , he did not take a short cut to live , he placed his head on the platter of humanity and today Yazidiyat is alive and so is Hussain , though Yazid is dead and forgotten..And rogue Mullahs and rogue suited booted clerics funded by drug money petro dollars who praise Yazid , Razi o Tala, shame on such half baked truths..
If Hussain was wanting a political victory as mentioned time and again, he would have chosen to live and carry on with a political agenda of survival..
But Imam Hussain was the seed of a Holy Messenger , he was the bark the branch the root of a noble Islamic Tree who gave us the Kalma and shepherded us to Allahs fold..So Imam Hussain with mere 72 warriors faced Yazids army a more powerful army, fought valiantly , did not retreat or run away from Battle..
So it is this aspect of Hussainiyat that we endear ourselves too.
Hussain is not Shiasm , Hussain is Humanity - he touches all of us beyond caste color or creed..
Yes the Matamdars of Mumbai are passionate about Hussain and Hussainiyat..
Little children fearless , unafraid wearing a white shroud that by the time they reach Rehmatabad will be stained with blood sweat and tears..
I shot these pictures, I cried with them, I cut my forehead too..
This is Ashura in Mumbai 2008…
Women men children trailed along with the Juloos beating their chests invoking Ya Hussain a cry of Freedom from Oppression and Tyranny -a cry of Human dignity..
This and more than this is what Shiasm means to me..

Posted by photographerno1 on 27 Jan 2008
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