Shrines in Lakana, Sindh, Pakistan.

Shrines in Lakana, Sindh, Pakistan. After the death of the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, some Islamic communities have developed a rich tradition of shrine culture. However, in his lifetime such shrines did not exist. In fact he forbade taking graves as places of worship. Most Islamic shrines are dedicated to various Sufi Saints and are widely scattered throughout the Islamic world. It is a tradition to commemorate the death of the Saint, by holding festivals at his tomb to commemorate his life. In several countries, the local shrine is a focal point of the community, with several localities named specifically for the local saint. In some parts of the Islamic world, such as in Pakistan, these festivals are multi-day events and even draw members of the Hindu minority who often revere the Muslim saint, such as in the case of the famous Lal Baz Qalandar shrine in Sindh, Pakistan – an important example of religious syncretism that blurs the distinction between members of different religions. Sufi shrines in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are also host to a night of commemoration by songs and dances every Thursday. Some people claim that such practices of singing and dancing were influenced by Hinduism long ago when Muslims and Hindus co-existed in the sub-continent since Islam clearly forbids any singing or dancing in worship. In Turkey, the famous Whirling Dervishes perform their dance at the shrine of Jalal-ud-Din Rumi in Konya, while in Morocco and Algeria, brotherhoods of Black African Sufis, the Gnouia, perform elaborate song and dances at the shrines of their Saints. Further, Shia's have several shrines dedicated to various religious figures important in their history, and several elaborate shrines are dedicated to Shia Saints and religious figures, most notably in Kerbala, Najaf, and Samarra in Iraq, and Qum and Mashad in Iran. Other important Shia shrines are located in Mazar-e-Sharif ("the Noble Shrine") in Afghanistan, and in Damascus, Syria. Numerous Shia and Sufi shrines were once located in Saudi Arabia in its initial days. However, they were destroyed in the 1930s by Saudi Arabian government as Muhammad had forbidden building over graves since it leads to Polytheism and idol worship. Other important Shrines were once found in Central Asia, but many were destroyed by the Soviets. According to some teachings of Islam, it is totally forbidden to build structures over graves.Those who adhere to these teachings of Islam strictly disapprove of shrines and visiting them.It was narrated that Jaabir said: The Messenger of Allah forbade plastering over graves, sitting on them and erecting structures over them. (Narrated by Muslim, 970). Islam has also inspired a hard-line and anti-Shrine ideology in traditionally tolerant and shrine-revering areas, such as in Egypt and Pakistan, on the grounds that they are forbidden within Islam, and in the case of Pakistan, are a throwback to pre-Islamic Hindu traditions since Hinduism and Islam co-existed before the independence of the two countries. The Sufis allow dancing, drums and musical instruments, and raising the voice when making dhikr, but Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts…” [al-Anfaal 8:2] Muhammad said : “When a righteous man died among them, they would build a place of worship over his grave and put those images in it. They are the most evil of mankind before Allaah.” (Al-Bukhaari, 427; Muslim, 528) It was narrated that Abu’l-Hayaaj al-Asadi said: ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib said to me: “Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allah sent me? Do not leave any statue without erasing it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it.” (Narrated by Muslim, 969) http://jsqm.webs.com/apps/videos/videos/show/4936154-historical-tour-larkana-to-saan-sain-gm-syed-shrine ">">