Shah ast Hussain (as)

100000

I complete 100000 blogs at Flickr in 28 months..

Posted by photographerno1 on 12 Oct 2009
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Outside The Mosque She Sits, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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outside the
mosque
the house of god
made of mortar
and bricks
she sits
her spirit
is strong
the flesh
of her flesh
is weak
she admits
mouths to feed
she begs
earns a few bits
uneducated
unschooled
married
away early
to her fate
she did submit
under the wheels
of juggernaut
she was badly hit
begging the only
option of this
Muslim misfit
at the mercy
of the rich man
left overs
a few coins
tidbits
imprisoned
she hopes
that from this
earthly situation
her death will acquit
from a spirituality
that promotes
a jihad by bandits
the jihad to change
her life the community
completely omits
eunuch silence
on the sands of karbala
when his throat was slit
the soul of a nation
in two parts it split
two sides of a same coin
to wit…both sides
unwilling
to call it quits
hussain is humanity
a parched drop of a tear
on the ethos of pain
transmits

*the flesh of her flesh refers to her children.

Posted by photographerno1 on 10 Oct 2009
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Man Kunto Maulah, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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Ali imaam-e-man hastam, manam Ghulaam-e-Ali
hazaar jaan-e-giraamii fidaa-e-naam-e-Ali

which means
‘Ali is my Imam, and I am his ghulam (slave),
Thousand lives of mine are dedicated/sacrificed in the name of Ali.

Her Qalb Ali, Jism Ali, Jaan Ali Hai
Ik BeSar-O-Samaan Ka Samaan Ali Hai
Imaan Ka Matlaash E Ye Imaan Keh Doon
Iman To Yeh Hai Mera Imaan Ali Hai
Ali Maula, Maula Ali Maula
Maula Ali Maula, Maula Ali Maula

Haider-E-Um Qalandaram Mastam
Banda-E-Murtaza Ali Hastam
Peshwa-E-Tamaam Rindanam
K Sag-E-Koh-E-Shair-E-Yazdanam
Ali Maula, Maula Ali Maula
Maula Ali Maula, Maula Ali Maula

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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Haq Ali, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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Baghair Hubb-E-Ali Mud’daa-A Nahi Milta
Ibadaton Ka Bhi Hargiz Sila Nahi Milta
Khuda Ke Bando Suno Ghour Say Khuda Ki Qasam
Jisay Ali Nahi Miltay Usay Khuda Nahi Milta

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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Ali Imam Manasto Manam Ghulam E Ali, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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Ali Imam Manasto Manam Ghulam E Ali
Hazaar Jaan E Girami Fida E Naam E Ali

Haiderium Qalndaram Mastam
Banda-E-Murtaza Ali Haastam
Paishwa-E-Tamaam Rinda Nam
Ke Sagay Koo E Shair E Yazdanam

Kabhi Deewar Hilti Hai, Kabhi Dar Kaanp Jata Hai
Ali Ka Naam Sun Ker Ub Bhi Khaiber Kaanp Jata Hai

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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Matam E Hussain, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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Decoding the Shia Child …Marziya Shakir, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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A Shia child carries the credentials of Faith embedded in Hussainiyat.

From the day she has was born Marziya has intuitively shown a sudden surge towards the faith she has inherited as a Shia child.

I have shown Marziya all religiosity every time she accompanied me for a shoot ..but it is her faith that she follows with a frenzy , we are liberal Muslims , modern to a certain extent living in mutual compatibility with everyone else.

Marziya has been bought up by her parents who are less adventurous than I am towards other religiosity..Her father a soft ware programmer is a Shia scholar and a teacher .Her mother a devout Shia housewife from Kazmain Lucknow ..

We have been Mumbaikars as Mumbai is our home and our destiny.

Marziya has never seen a Moharam procession, never seen any blood letting that is part of our ritualism, but she has attended majlis, ladies majlis..

She has seen me come home with a bandage on my head but it never bothered her , the dagger I use to cut my head during Ashura or during Chehlum does not belong to me , I use the same one that is used by others too, all belonging to my good friend Habib Nasser pioneer of the Iraqi Kama Matam in Mumbai.

So Marziya took me by surprise while sitting on the dining table , she picked up the butter knife and began slashing her head , to the chant of Ya Hussain…this was many months back, and she did it again in the kitchen this evening.

At my house its only me who cuts his head , my children dont partake in this ritual.
So Marziya does things that I cant explain , this was important before you misinterpret my following pictures.

I shot all of them this evening , beginning with this one where Marziya is reciting a Noha and beating her chest chanting Ya Hussain in her baby lingo..

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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Shia Eyes Reservoir of Pain, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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I did not plan to write what I wrote below when I posted this picture of Marziya my studious writing loving grand daughter , the look in her eyes bought forth words , Marziya does not go to school yet but her surroundings are school enough..the visibility of the unseen is what she sees ..
There is another picture of her I could never shoot , but will describe it to you, imitating the elders in the house she will pick up a book hold it in both her hands and will begin reciting a noha, than she will balance it in one hand and beat her chest with another hand - we call this matam e hussain.

I shot all these pictures while the house was watching Big Boss and Marziya went about her writing work , and a thought did come to my mind , how can Bakhtiyar and Tanaz Irani leave a 18 month old child to go and live in the house of Big Boss.. How could Big Boss even think of having both of them as contenders beats me this is child abuse and the silent voyeuristic soul of the nation watches it without raising a voice..I am a grand father a day without Marziya kills me..

Money , Glamour Glitz Amitabh Bacchan nothing can be bigger than a childs love for the parents and if Shanti Bai is bringing the child up like Bhaktiyar said than curse the mothers womb that gives birth to a child..

shia eyes
reservoir of pain
tears that we shed
for akka moulah hussain
every day is ashura
bleeding waters
of the Euphrates
flowing through our veins
our hearts hold karbala
our spiritual domain
shah ast hussain
badshah ast hussain
1400 years of a protest
against terrorism
they call us insane
on the soul of Islam
humanity was slain
deen ast hussain
deen panah ast hussain
hussainiyat a path of peace
in our souls we retain
sardaad na dad dast,
dar daste yazeed
we say it vociferously
again and again
haqq ie bina la lilaha
ast hussain
moharam
black clothes
the chant of hussain
from child to father
from father to child
an unbroken chain
dil mashke sakina
hussain al minni
wa ana minal hussain

optional title
Big Boss and Child Abuse

Posted by photographerno1 on 06 Oct 2009
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About Marziya Shakir, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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Makhna is the head scarf that little Muslim girls wear to cover their heads as per Islamic tradition..as they grow older it is the Hijab or the chadar.

Marziya is my 23 month old grand daughter .I began shooting her from the second day of her birth 24 Oct 2007.
Marziya got her name from her parents , Marziya means Allah Be Praised ..and is also a name of the Holy Prophets daughter Princess Fatima or Jannabe Syeda.

Marziya is comfortable with the Makhna but as it is polyester base it gets hot and so she removes it after some time..

Marziya uniquely changes with what she wears , she can be a tomboy or a cute Muslim girl..at 23 months old she knows most of the by lanes of the Bandra West slums , she knows every path that leads to Rajiv Nagar, Indira Nagar Hanuman Nagar or Khoka Chawl..

She knows most of the denizens too..she knows the Fish Market , Shia Mosque , the Umbrella lady, but one person I want her to meet is Appu the limbless guy who begs at Mahim.

Marziya knows most of the tuition classes that are held at homes in Bandra .

Lucky the Labrador is her friend Lucky will not touch Marziya but acknowledge her presence from far, , she loves goats , cats and hens..

Riding horses at Almeida Park is her favorite past time.

She can use my Nikon D 80 with some help from me , and she knows how to measure you for trousers or shirts..

Being born in a Shia family she is totally tuned with her culture and does Matam on the Shia days of mourning..

The amazing quality she has a total camera eye that takes me by surprise..

She loves my jewelry , my head gears and has her own Press Card too..

Her favorite at home she cant do without ever is her Uncle Saif next Assad and my daughter Samiya.

She likes me as I take her around the world that is Bandra ..she is adept with my comp as is adept with her fathers lap top.. she knows most of the commands..

At this young age she has seen all that I have shot , hung on my waist..nothing scares her..I have yet not taken her to a pool or the zoo..

Marziya has her own gmail account,her own website..but she will have to wait a bit longer to come on Facebook..

marziyashakir.wordpress.com

Marziya recites nohas , she prays with open hands for me at the House Imambada ..Allah Dada Ko De..God give my grandfather ..than she will say Paiche that means Money..in her lingo..

Yes with Marziya we all have been blessed ..

Next month she will turn 2.

Posted by photographerno1 on 04 Oct 2009
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