'Ten dead' in Karachi explosion

[Hasib]

'Ten dead' in Karachi explosion

Authorities in Pakistan say at least 10 people have been killed in a suspected bomb attack on a mosque in the business district of Karachi.
The chief medical officer at the city's main hospital said more than 100 others were injured, 25 critically.

The mosque was full of Shia worshippers attending Friday prayers.

Witnesses say ambulances have been ferrying casualties to hospital for treatment, and the scene is one of devastation and carnage.


An interior ministry official said the death toll might rise further.

Some reports said the explosion was a suicide bombing, but other witnesses said a man left a package among the rows of worshippers shortly before the blast.


Angry locals

A local government official told Reuters news agency more than 100 people had been inside the mosque at the time of the blast.


Something hit my arm and I saw blood all over my body

Kalb e-Abbas, witness

A worker at a nearby brokerage house told the agency: "Our office on the 14th floor was shaken. We saw plumes of smoke, blood and bodies."


Another witness, Kalb e-Abbas, told the Associated Press: "I was inside the mosque for Friday prayers when a bomb exploded. Something hit my arm and I saw blood all over my body."

Angry locals besieged the area shouting abuse at officials and police officers.

The explosion occurred at around 1300 local time (0800 GMT). No one has yet said they carried out the attack.

Provincial government adviser Aftab Sheikh said many of the injured were in critical condition and several had lost limbs.

"I condemn this attack; it was a barbaric act," he said.

The mosque is inside one of Pakistan's oldest and most famous educational establishments, the Sindh Madrassah-tul-Islam.


The establishment has separate mosques for Shias and Sunni Muslims.

Pakistan is 80% Sunni Muslim with the remainder Shia. The communities have a history of violence.

On 2 March, Sunni radicals killed more than 40 people and wounded 150 in an attack on a Shia procession in the south-western city of Quetta.

Last July an attack on a Shia mosque in Quetta left around 50 dead.

[Sultan]

Two Bomb Blasts Rock Pakistan, Two Hurt

Fri May 7, 4:07 AM ET

By NASEER KAKAR, Associated Press Writer

QUETTA, Pakistan - A bomb exploded in the parking lot of a provincial court in this southwestern Pakistani city on Friday, a day before the prime minister was set to address a conference nearby. Two people were wounded.



The explosion came a day after a homemade bomb blew up at Quetta's railway station, shattering windows of offices but causing no injuries.


The blasts were the latest in a series of unsolved bomb and rocket attacks in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, which has seen deadly sectarian violence in recent years.


The bomb that went off outside Baluchistan High Court on Friday morning was tied to a bicycle, said Ghulam Nabi, a police official. Bomb disposal expert Ghafoor Khan said it had a timing device.


One of the two wounded people was a policeman.


Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali was scheduled to inaugurate an international investment conference at a nearby hotel on Saturday.


Mir Jam Mohammed Yousaf, Baluchistan's chief minister, told reporters that the blast was the work of "anti-state elements" who wanted to sabotage the conference. He didn't elaborate on who they might be, and it was not immediately clear if the conference would go on.


Nobody claimed responsibility for either blast, and no arrests have been made.

[MohammedA]

Karachi mosque blast 'kills 12'
A bomb has exploded in a mosque in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi killing at least 12 people, according to officials.
More than 100 other people were hurt, 25 of them critically, said the chief medical officer at the main hospital.

The mosque, in the business district, was full of Shia worshippers attending Friday prayers.

Witnesses say ambulances have been ferrying casualties to hospital and the scene is one of carnage.


An interior ministry official said the death toll might rise further.

Some reports said the explosion was a suicide bombing, but other witnesses said a man left a package among the rows of worshippers shortly before the blast.

Appeal for blood


President Pervez Musharraf said the attack was a "heinous act of terrorism" and ordered an immediate investigation.




We are at the mercy of terrorists who are getting bolder because they are not being punished. Now we have to defend ourselves
Hasan Turabi, Shia cleric
A local government official told Reuters news agency more than 100 people had been inside the mosque at the time of the blast.

A worker at a nearby brokerage house told the agency: "Our office on the 14th floor was shaken. We saw plumes of smoke, blood and bodies."


Another witness, Kalb e-Abbas, told the Associated Press: "I was inside the mosque for Friday prayers when a bomb exploded. Something hit my arm and I saw blood all over my body."

A state of emergency was declared at the main Civil Hospital where weeping relatives gathered amid scenes of chaos.

Vehicles drove around making appeals for blood donations.

Police cordoned off the mosque as angry locals besieged the area shouting abuse at officials and police officers.

People from both Sunni and Shia communities chanted slogans and youths hurled rocks, damaging several official cars.

Famous building


The explosion occurred at around 1300 local time (0800 GMT). No one has yet said they carried out the attack.

Provincial government adviser Aftab Sheikh said many of the injured were in critical condition and several had lost limbs.

"I condemn this attack; it was a barbaric act," he said.


A Shia Muslim cleric, Hasan Turabi, said: "We are at the mercy of terrorists who are getting bolder because they are not being punished. Now we have to defend ourselves." I agree with him. Seems that govt hasn't got the guts to finish off these groups. Govt will guve usual crap about RAW or foreign involvement.

The mosque is inside one of Pakistan's oldest and most famous educational establishments, the Sindh Madrassah-tul-Islam.


The establishment has separate mosques for Shias and Sunni Muslims.
- Can someone explain to me why they have separate mosques within the same place?



Pakistan is 80% Sunni Muslim with the remainder Shia. The communities have a history of violence.

On 2 March, Sunni radicals killed more than 40 people and wounded 150 in an attack on a Shia procession in the south-western city of Quetta.

Last July an attack on a Shia mosque in Quetta left around 50 dead.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...ia/3693023.stm

Published: 2004/05/07 12:33:00 GMT

© BBC MMIV

[H Khan]

The establishment has separate mosques for Shias and Sunni Muslims.
- Can someone explain to me why they have separate mosques within the same place?

Sunni call their place of worship "masjid" and Shia call their "Imambaragh" and I don't know the reason behind this

[Hasib]

In pictures: Karachi explosion

[uazim]

Sunni call their place of worship "masjid" and Shia call their "Imambaragh" and I don't know the reason behind this

Khan Saab,

Shia do not call every place of congregation Masjid, they have very strict standards (Fiqahi) for Masjid, this is on reason you dont see many Shia masjids. This is common mis-conception that Shias' place of worship is called Imambargh. There are many examples like Masjid-e-Ali in Kufa.

[H Khan]

Azim,

You are right about the Shia masjid issue, however, in Pakistan their places or worship are usually called Imambaragh, and again I don't know the reason behind this.

[Muhammad Hasan]

The death tool has increased to 15 and it is feared that it can increase further...

I cannot understand what the security agencies are doing in the country. Not any part is safe, be it karachi incident, be it Quetta or be it killing of Chinese engineers. These incidents are going to harm the country`s image very badly. It is time the government pays attention to this or else, I fear the condions are going to become worse for country in comming times...

[Maisum Ali]

Azim,

You are right about the Shia masjid issue, however, in Pakistan their places or worship are usually called Imambaragh, and again I don't know the reason behind this.

Actually .. the reason is that in Shia fiqh, there are strict rules for having masjids. I am not too knowlegeable on the issue myself, but as far as I know, there can't be more than 1 masjid in a an 8 farsukh radius ( I think it translates to 8 kms but I am not sure). Therefore other places of gathering or congregation are called imambargahs, where religious rituals, lectures, azadari etc take place. Also, there might be congregational prayers there as well. As far as I know, the Friday prayers can only be held at a masjid, and therefore there are only 5-7 friday prayers in alll of karachi. The idea is to get as many people towards one place of worship as possible. Again, please don't quote me on this, cuzz I don't have references with me. I will ask some scholar and post the exact reasons.

[Maisum Ali]

I don't know how the government can do anything about suicide bombings. There is no way of stopping them, unless you search every namazi entering the mosque, its next to impossible. Another way could be, the way the Ismaelis and their JamaatKhanas work. They have a huge compound and mostly people that the chowkidar knows can enter. But with other communities there might be a space problem. I know people pray all the way to the gullis and roads on fridays and eid etc.

[Maisum Ali]

I was very glad to hear what Dr. Ameer Liaquat Hussain (host of Alim online on Geo) had to say about this. He said, as soon as this happened, all the Sunnis from the masjid across, Masjid-e-Umar came running and helped with the transporting of dead and injured. At the time, the helpers didn't know who was a Kazmi, Abidi, Naqvi or Haideri .. and the ones that were being helped didn't know who was a Farooqi, Siddiqui or a Qureshi. Such show of bhaichara is a slap on the face of those who want to create sectarian strife in Pakistan.

[Maisum Ali]

Karachi mosque blast 'kills 12'
The establishment has separate mosques for Shias and Sunni Muslims.
- Can someone explain to me why they have separate mosques within the same place?

I think the reason is fiqhi as well. For congregational prayers, there are certain conditions for the Imam. The Imam, among other things has to be an Aadil person. Aadil is a very wide term in fiqh and it also includes a condition, whereby the person does not commit sins, or if he does then we know that he is a person who will repent. Basically someone of very high moral character. Also, the Imam has to be the most knowledgeable person in the congregation. Other conditions are faith based. This is why Shias don't pray in congregation behind just anyone. What I do at our MSA prayers, is I attend the congregation, stay towards the back, do my niyyat of normal prayers(non jamaat) and hope that God gives me the thawab of a congregational prayer, because all the conditions of the jamaat are not fulfilled. This might be a reason why they have their own mosque there.

[Rafaqat]

Maisum,

what i have seen for myself is a bit different from what you said. Within my village, there is an Imambargah and its not used for specific occasions but instead like a mosque. The times of azaan were distinctly different and significantly, the Azaan was very different.

Village has 2 sunni mosques. I have observed that shias do not attend for prayers at any of the two sunni mosques. Once upon a time i had wondered why it was so but i think that its due to the significant differences between shia and sunni islam.

I was wondering whether it was common for a person of shia faith to visit only a shia mosque or is there no restriction ?

Rafaqat

[Sultan]

As far as I know, the Friday prayers can only be held at a masjid, and therefore there are only 5-7 friday prayers in alll of karachi. The idea is to get as many people towards one place of worship as possible.

Maisum please do clarify the above in regards to the belief held by Shia's.

Because on the face of what you wrote to state that a salah irrespective of whether it is Jumaah or not can only be held within the confines of a masjid is fundamentally wrong according the teachings of Islam.

Islam is not represented by any one institution as is the case in Christianity whereby worshippers can only divulge in their faith through what Christians believe to be a divine institution i.e. the Church. The very fact that Christians can only make contact with their lord through a proxy legitmises the immense power and influence the Church (a man made and run institution) holds over Christianity's followers.

However in Islam this is not the case. As we all know a Muslim irrespective of where he/she is can make direct contact with our Creator as Islam is not represented by an institution or proxy. One of the fundamental differences of Islam compared to other "Abrahamic faiths". But to state that a Muslim can only offer his/her salah in a masjid is to equate the masjid as being an institution and the Imam as a divine representative of Allah hence a proxy. This is just plain wrong.

I was wondering if members of Shia faith could enlighten me upon a number of observations I have made recently and in the past in regards to your belief's

Firstly, during the recent pilgrimage by Shia's across the globe to Hazrat's Ali's tomb I had seen a number of shia's inflicting wounds on their backs with metal chains. I always wondered why they did that as according to my understanding it is strictly forbidden in Islam to self inflict harm upon oneself?

Secondly we are all aware of the term "Inshallah" (if Allah wills it) but some pilgrims being interviewed by Channel 4 (UK TV) replaced Allah's name with Hazrat Ali's name! I cant remeber the exact word's they used but it was to the effect of if Hazrat Ali will's it. What I dont understand that how can Hazrat Ali determine the fate of an individual seeing as how he was a) a mortal and is b) dead??

[Rafaqat]

Interesting questions Sultan. I am sure Maisum would make efforts to provide us information in that regard.

the bit about insha allah caught my attention particularly, because it relates to "Azaan" i heard day in day out from the Imambargah. The words "Mohammad ur rasool ullah" were replaced by something like "ali wali allah".

Also, the klima was modified with additions of similar words.

Rafaqat

[Maisum Ali]

Maisum,

what i have seen for myself is a bit different from what you said. Within my village, there is an Imambargah and its not used for specific occasions but instead like a mosque. The times of azaan were distinctly different and significantly, the Azaan was very different.

Village has 2 sunni mosques. I have observed that shias do not attend for prayers at any of the two sunni mosques. Once upon a time i had wondered why it was so but i think that its due to the significant differences between shia and sunni islam.

I was wondering whether it was common for a person of shia faith to visit only a shia mosque or is there no restriction ?

Rafaqat

You are right. Here in Waterloo, we have a mosque, but the scholars here tell us to call it an imambargah on the basis that the Fiqhi conditions for a mosque are not fulfilled. We have prayers there too. I don't know the exact religious conditions for a mosque, but I'll try to get the information from someone.

Azaan
You are right about the Azaan as well. Actually the Azaan has been altered by both sects. The original Azaan did not have Assalato Khairum Minnan Naum (Instead it had, Hayya Ala Khairil Amal, ... Come towards the greatest of deeds) This change was made at the time of Hazrat Umar (RA) (I can do some more research on this topic and find out .... why it was done)

Now the Shia Azaan has, Hayya Ala Khairil Amal in it. The actual Azaan that is recited goes like this

Allahu Akbar (*4)
Ashhado An La Illah IllAllah (*2)
Ashado Anna MohammadurRasoolullah (*2)
Ashado Anna Aliyan Waliyullah (*2)
Hayya Alas Salat (*2)
Hayya Ala Falah (*2)
Hayya Ala Khairil Amal
Allahu Akbar (*2)
La Ilah Illallah (*2)

The fourth line, I don't think is required, but is recited everywhere as an attestment of faith. I think the Azaan is considered complete without it.

Again please, don't take my reply as cast in stone. I am not an authority on the subject myself.

Timing
The timing is a bit different for Maghrib. The Maghrib prayers are supposed to start at the fall of night. (I think there is a Qur'anic verse for it too, but I can't remember) Now the difference is in the interpretation of fall of night. According to Sunni sources, the fall of night happens when the redness starts spread across the sky. Shia sources say, the fall of night happens when the redness has receded to about half way across the sky. The difference is of about 10-12 minutes. Fajr has something similar as well.

Visiting Sunni Mosques
Shias are allowed to visit Sunni mosques, and I do that myself a lot. The only problem is praying Jamaat. Since the person does not know that the Imam fulfills the conditions of Imam in Shia fiqh, you are not allowed to pray behind him in Jamaat. So Shia guys usually.. if the attend Jamaat prayers at a Sunni mosque will stay towards the end.. and pray with the niyyat of a non jamaat prayer. I try to increase understanding and love among each other and I usually do visit Sunni mosques. The other reason might be.. that they are afraid how they will be received. I know of people that take a bus to go to a Shia mosque, but don't go to a Sunni mosque when its right behind their work place, because they really don't know what would happen. And when once or twice they have actually gone, they have tried to make their stay there as short as possible It has a lot to do with the gap that exists between us.

Sultan, I gotta run now, but I'll answer your questions in a couple of hours. I don't think I can answer the masjid question at the moment. I don't have the knowledge to do so. I'll find out soon. The metal chains one I'll answer in a little while.

[Maisum Ali]

Maisum please do clarify the above in regards to the belief held by Shia's.
Firstly, during the recent pilgrimage by Shia's across the globe to Hazrat's Ali's tomb I had seen a number of shia's inflicting wounds on their backs with metal chains. I always wondered why they did that as according to my understanding it is strictly forbidden in Islam to self inflict harm upon oneself?

There are quite a few reasons for doing so. I'll outline them below. First things first, the reason I am answering these questions, is only to remove misunderstandings amongst us. I have noticed in the past on other forums, that people get to emotional about this stuff. All I request, is some open mindedness. All I expect is some understanding, if I have convinced you.

Firstly we need to distinguish between rituals and religion. Maatam (encompassing chest beating and zanjeer) is not considered part of the religion. There is not fiqhi basis for it. Now the main points.

Love for the Prophet(PBUH) and his Household(A.S)
People will do so out of love, or out of grief that they feel for the family of the Prophet. I remember the incident of the Prophet's teeth being broken (shaheed) in the battle of Ohad. Upon hearing this news, Hazrat Ovais-e-Qarani (RA), one of the sahabas, broke his own teeth in grief. So, we know from the life of this sahabi that his love for the Prophet led him to do such an act, and that is one of the reasons. One does not know what is in the heart of a person. People have their own reasons, but we can see here, that an act against the Prophet led him to inflict the same amount of pain on himself cause of his love for him.

As a means of protest and propogation
One of the reasons, why this happens and used to happen in such an organized way was as a means of protest. In Islamic history, after the Prophet, there was always doubt as to who was right. Whether it be, Hazrat Abu Bakar's prosecution of the apostate tribes, or the issue of governing Damascus. Whether it be Saqifa Bani Saadiya, or Sulah-e-Hudaibiya. We can always find some doubt as to what positions were taken. But Karbala, is one instance where there is clear demarcation of right from wrong. Which one you perceive to be right is your choice, but their is clear demarcation between the two positions. It is such a great event that Allama Mohamamad Iqbal wrote

Qatl-e-Hussain Asal Mein Marg-e-Yazid Hai
Islam Zinda Hota Hai Har Karbala Kay Baad

Therefore it is a responsibility on the Shia to protest and keep this issue alive year after year. That's why you see the great insitution of Azadari. Which amongst other things is a place where I have gained most of my Islamic knowledge. To be reminded of your roots year after year, by orators. To be given the same dose of the love of Prophet year after year. To hear about the hardships of the Prophet and his Family, brings a stone hearted person like me, to tears.

Anyways, back to the topic. So this Maatam is considered an act of protest. When the American public was protesting against the invasion of Vietnam,. many of them outside the UN building, took stones and hit their heads with it. It is these visual reminders, that tell us about the hardships that are being felt around the world.

My father was telling me about a great Alim of his time. Agha Shariati in Karachi, who said that Maatam is only a means to propogate the message. It is not the end. Unfortunately, like many things in our culture, we tend to get lost and start considering the means, the end itself. Nowadays, their are new innovations in maatam. Hitting heads with knives, with star shaped knives and what not. Here we see how the message has been lost. But the problem remains that we can't judge everyone with the same stick. How do we know that there aren't some people that are actually doing this out of love or out of recognition of a greater end. Agha Shariati(in 1971) also said, that with time the means have to be changed. He said, if you ask me if you should do this in England, I would say no. Why? because they will consider you savages, and it will acheive the opposite end. And nowadays we see that same is the case in Pakistan. It creates rifts in communities, and it ends up doing damage.

Unfortuantely, maatam has become a tradition and a ritual, that it was never supposed to be. We see people in Iraq, protesting the American forces by beating their chest. That is the Arab way of protesting and we have to find our own way that is not a mere tradition.

Risking your life
This is true, that if you cause harm to yourself to a point, where your life is danger, is not permissible. But that is completely subjective. It has to be decided by the person who is doing the maatam whether he is risking his life or not. I have seen, that if someone is getting outta hand, usually a group of volunteers will tackle him and tie him to a stretcher and then medicate his wounds. Also, we now have all these diseases, like AIDS that can be spread by this behaviour, and its about time Ayatallahs became a bit more vocal about it.

Fatwas
Most of the Ayatollahs, barring a very few, have issued fatwas banning Zanjeer maatam. I have heard that Ayatollah Khamenei issued a fatwa after reading the UN Human Rights report, where they said something like Shias are one of the few people that flagellate themselves and follow this savage and primitve tradition. This obviously is not the purpose that one was trying to acheive and hence the fatwa. (Again I have heard this from someone. So don't ask me for references)

Before I end. I will say again that this is not part of the religion, but it is part of the culture (if you will). Differs from place to place. Arabs beat their chest lightly. Us Pakistanis like to go to extremes. That has more to do with our culture than anything else.

Now, before I start sounding like Jehovas Witness, I shall end my post. I hope some of the misunderstandings have been cleared.

About replacing Ali with Allah in Inshallah
I have never seen this happen or heard about it ever before. But if you say so, then all I can say is that we got a few fanatics of our own

[H Khan]

I little advice Maisum, only write what Shia have in their faith and don't write what Abu Bakir or Omar or anyone else did or say because this will only lead to Ahle-Sunnah writng what Shia have changed eventually leading to this thread being deleted.

[Fred]

It is sad to see that when such a condemnable act such as this sick terrorism takes place where namazis who were offering namaz-e-Juma were butchered by an animal who went straight to hell ...

NO ONE ON THIS ESTEEMED FORUM HAS THE MORAL COURAGE TO COME OUT AND OPENLY EXPRESS THEIR REGRET AND SORROW OR EVEN HAD THE COURAGE TO CONDEMN THIS MOST VILE ACT ...

all I see is that some people with a very twisted rational and logic used this occasion to FURTHER divide us Pakistanis by questioning the differences in the Shia ....

You should all be ashamed at yourself .... do you consider yourself DECENT HUMAN BEINGS when you can so obviously continue a thread like this without expressing sorrow or condemnation ....

shame on you ....

do you know that silence is affirmation .....

anyways .... for those who would like to see a MORE HUMANE face of Pakistani society ... I suggest you click the follow link and read the thread IN DETAIL ... ;

A HUMANE EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS

[SyedA]

Mr Fred

let me explain something to you, you might be seeing this for the first time, we have heard it too many times. We condemn it, we feel sorrow about it, and we get frustrated, just because we are not showing it, doesnt mean we support such acts.

By the way, a nice intro from you would be nice in the new member introduction forum.

[Maisum Ali]

I little advice Maisum, only write what Shia have in their faith and don't write what Abu Bakir or Omar or anyone else did or say because this will only lead to Ahle-Sunnah writng what Shia have changed eventually leading to this thread being deleted.

Got it HKhan. That's the last thing we need here. Would totally defeat the purpose of my replies. I was just trying to make a point that the original Azaan was different than what any of us hear today. Changes have been made, whether they were permissible or not, I am not in a position to say. I hope people don't interpret my post in a bad way. I know the four Caliphs is an emotional matter for both the sects alike. I'll try to steer clear of such topics.

Fred. Every single person on this forum has condemns this act. No sane person can try to justify it. And on the topic of asking questions, that's the only way we'll ever be able to understand each other. This ignorance of each others beliefs and fanatics on both sides have led us to the situation we face today.

[Rafaqat]

Fred's post is bloody insulting and he gas given an impression of being very very arrogant as if he cares more for people than anyone else.

Rafaqat
p.s, thansk for your responses maisum

[uazim]

Maisum,


I was wondering whether it was common for a person of shia faith to visit only a shia mosque or is there no restriction ?

Rafaqat

How many times did you visit the Shia Mosque in your village? Tolerance is one thing which both sect. does not has.

[uazim]

Interesting questions Sultan. I am sure Maisum would make efforts to provide us information in that regard.

the bit about insha allah caught my attention particularly, because it relates to "Azaan" i heard day in day out from the Imambargah. The words "Mohammad ur rasool ullah" were replaced by something like "ali wali allah".

Also, the klima was modified with additions of similar words.

Rafaqat

You have very bad memory, Rafaqat. next time you go to your village please pay attention to Shia Azan and you will hear something different than what you described above.