Muharram begins with sermons

As men, women and children dressed in black walked into Ashiana, the sprawling house of Rahimtula Hasan he made sure that Maulana Dr MM Taqui Khan was comfortable before the Muharram sermon on Wednesday.

The residence of Late Putli Ameer Ali Rahimtula has been conducting the majlis (a congregation that gathers during Muharram to hear sermons on the death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet) for the last 40 years during the first month of the Islamic calendar.

Soon after the sermon we caught up with Dr Khan who opined that Islam does not propagate violence; it is the misguided people who are advocating violence. “Jihad has been misinterpreted,” says Dr Khan, who has previously worked with the former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Dr Khan, who presently resides in the United States of America, makes it a point to be in Hyderabad during Muharram delivering sermons and spreading the word of peace.

He adds, “In Karbala every year there is a peace march and people from all religions take part in it. Two years ago, representatives of the Pope and distinguished guests from Hindu religion were also part of it.”

On Wednesday, children, young and the elderly sang praises of Hussain’s martyrdom and hit their chests to express grief.

Syed Akbar Hussain who was present at the majlis says, “To respect every fellow human is the message of Imam Hussain and it is our duty to spread it. These congregations make one go back with a sense of peace and knowledge.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Syed Mehdi Ali who makes it a point to attend all sermons says, “We strongly believe that a messiah will come to save the world from injustice.

“We would like to live like Ali, die like Hussain,” he pledged. Muharram majlis is conducted at Bargah-e-Fatima, Mir ALam Mandi, Bagh-e-sehra, Moula Ali and several other places in the city. The sermons are also telecast via community radio and the video footage is available on You Tube.