Iran, Islam, Revolution & Shi'ism: A Travelogue
By
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
13 July
2023
Iran
Mein Kuch Din (Few Days in Iran)
Author:
Mohammad Alamullah
Publisher:
Pharos Media and Publishing Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India
Year
of Publication: 2018
Pages:
128, Price: Rs 120
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Iran is an
important nation in the comity of Muslim nations. Before the Iranian revolution
of 1979, the conditions were quite different in Iran. Now things have changed
and being a revolution that was hijacked by Islamists headed by Ayatollah
Khomeini, Iran is chalking out a path towards progress.
Religion
has played a very important role in mitigating the crisis, consolidating the
power as well as stopping any attempts at counter revolution. Iran has appeared
as a great nation among the Muslim nations, and it did try to stake a claim in
leading the Muslim world. Iran since the revolution, has been in competition
with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the staunchest allies of USA, and
enemy of Iran as it terms USA as the Biggest Satan of all. The proximity and
enmity towards USA became the defining and decisive element in the relationship
between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Both these nations wanted Muslims to follow
their model, with Iranian revolution inspiring Muslims and threatening the
Saudi monarchical regime.
However,
what curtailed the reach of Iranian revolution was its Shia creed, that it
tried to import like Wahhabism by Saudis. Both these creeds are minority in the
Muslim world, so they could never become mainstream, decisive, prominent or
powerful. This tussle however, got a sectarian colour as political ambitions of
domination exploited religion to achieve hegemony in the Muslim world. The
sectarian divide became more prominent during the Arab Spring as both Saudis
and Iranians wanted the new dispensation in the Arab world to favor them. The
worst manifestation of this sectarian strife and internecine wars was witnessed
in Yemen and Syria.
This book
is a travelogue of a journalist Mohammad Alamullah in Iran, for whom travelling
is a passion. This journey for Alamullah is more academic and journalist than
adventurous, as we get to know. He discusses the political and foreign policy
of Iran, that has led it to be mired in a plethora of problems. Before travelling
he was advised by many not to undertake the journey to Iran, given its bloody
role in Syria, but he did not pay heed to them. He does not believe in
boycotting any nation because of its criminal role. Such a similar stance
should be adopted by Muslims towards Israel too, because visiting it will
certainly help Muslims broaden their vision, and observe closely the workings
of State of Israel. Earlier, Muslims had opted for boycott of Israel, not only
at individual level but even at the diplomatic levels. But now, every Muslim
nation has been coerced to accept Israel, have economic and diplomatic
relations with it.
The Twelver
Shias (Ithana Asharias) believe in the hidden Imam (Imam e Ghaib) whom
they call as Imam Mehdi, the last of the twelve Imams who will reveal himself
in the end times. In the city of Qum, the Shia scholars await his return. What
is different among the Ulema is that spirituality and materialism seem to be
balanced and now Westophobia too is becoming rare in Iran as they seem to have
opted for a path of moderation. On one hand if there is moderation, on the
other we find that sectarianism has not been decimated, because immediately
after the revolution, the Iran-Iraq war resulted in the reinforcement of
Shia-Sunni sectarian divide. Similarly, now Iran believes that it is the real
vanguard of Islam, while Saudi Arabia contests any such claim. Further, the
Arab Spring has fueled the sectarian divide, even as it has retrograded to Arab
Winter, but the bitter poisonous sectarianism has not died. This sectarianism
does not let the Muslims unite even in the face of external aggression.
Iran after
the revolution had to consolidate itself and forge a unity among the people.
The best way was to trumpet the external aggression and threat by USA and
Israel. It was a factual reality too, that USA and Israel in cahoots with Saudi
monarchy wanted to dismantle the revolution. They failed in their attempts, and
Iran used the slogans of Death to America and Israel quite judiciously to
engage people. However, the things on ground are changing, although Iran still
politically maintains an anti-USA stance, but culturally it follows it. Hence,
there are contradictions in the policies of the regime and what is being
followed on ground by the masses. A similar contrast is witnessed in theorizing
and pragmatic following of the Islamic values. The western movies, culture and
media has executed an onslaught in Iran through the use of soft power. Even
Indian movies are dubbed into Persian and masses cherish and relish them.
The life
style, food habits are discussed too. The vegetables are mostly prepared in
water, with very less use of oil, salt and other spices, in contrast to India.
Sunnis, in Iran although a minority are persecuted and rendered invisible, with
the authorities and management not allowing them to meet any Iranian Sunni.
Thus, during his whole trip he could not come across a single Sunni. Some Iranians
believe that Prophetic medicine is a cure to all ailments as deadly diseases
like AIDS and Cancer, had been discovered during Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)’s
times. But reality certainly is different, as these diseases like traffic and
aviation were not prevalent or invented yet (P-91). Such beliefs are not
confined to Iranians only but most Muslims have such superstitious beliefs.
The
travelogue is a nice read, and offers few insights about Qum and Tehran. As the
trip was a short one, so the travelogue does not offer an exhaustive
understanding into the complexity of Iran. It takes decades, to understand
people and a country, travelogues certainly can offer few glimpses about
different facets of life in Iran, but no permanent opinions about Iran, Shi’ism
or the country should be formed after reading this small travelogue.
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M.H.A.
Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/iran-revolution-shiism-travelogue/d/130201
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