Introduction: The Shi‘a in South Asia

Abstract

The Shi‘i communities of South Asia, roughly 60 million people, represent, after those of Iran, the second largest grouping of Shi‘as in the Muslim world. Until recently our knowledge of them has not matched their numbers. Indeed, they, and here I refer to the Twelver Shi‘as rather than the Isma‘ilis, have suffered from the paradox of being both highly visible but in scholarly terms largely invisible. Where the Shi‘a live in South Asian towns and cities, arguably, no community has been more visible or more audible: visible because of their great processions at Muharram; and audible, certainly at Muharram, but also throughout the year in theirmajalis, as they recount the events of Karbala, often transmitting them by loudspeaker to themuhalla.

Peran Sunni-Syiah Dalam Pembentukan Budaya Masyarakat Muslim Hatuhaha Di Pulau Haruku, Maluku

“…Bila diperhatikan, beberapa aspek ritual ma'atenu seperti adegan menikam, memotong dan mengiris diri sendiri dengan pedang memiliki kemiripan dengan adegan debus di Jawa maupun tradisi Islam Syiah yang menyiksa diri dalam perayaan kematian Ali, sepupu sekaligus menantu Rasulullah yang diyakini menjadi pemimpin Syiah (Aceh, 1980) atau juga ekspresi emosional dan sentralitas rasa identitas komunitas Syiah atas kematian Husein Bin Ali yang dibunuh oleh pasukan tentara Ummayah di perang Karbala (Robinson, 2014).…”