Pakistan tense on Ashura but no violence expected in Europe

LONDON: As Pakistan and many other Islamic countries stay on edge today on the occasion of Ashura, Shia Muslims in Western Europe will solemnly commemorate the occasion with full reverence but without any fear of violence by terrorist groups.
Almost every year now, Shia Muslims, particularly in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, come under attack from deadly sectarian groups including their new allies in al-Qaeda and Taliban and hundreds are martyred only in the ten days of Ashura but millions of Muslims in western countries face no violence and don’t have to undergo the immense psychological stress or the suspension of public or mobile phone services as happens in Pakistan.
In every Western European country, and increasingly in the Eastern parts, Muharram is observed in mosques and Imambargahs in the same tradition of incidents, mourning and rituals that defines and distinguishes the tragic event of Karbala, unlike any other tragedy in the history of humanity.
In Britain, more than a dozen major Ashura processions are organised in major cities which are attended by tens of thousands of people. According to an estimate, more than 150 ‘majalis’ are organised in different parts of Britain, which includes most of the ‘majalis’ organised by Pakistanis and the rest by Arabs and other Muslim communities. Hundreds of scholars and Noha reciters are invited from Pakistan and India to attend these majalis.
Maulana Syed Kalab Abbas Shah, who is now affiliated with Stanmore Imambargah London, migrated in 1981 from Pakistan to teach at the Imamia Mission in East London. To his credit, he got the permission from the government in the same year and led the first ever Ashura procession on the streets of London. That procession was covered by the BBC and world media based in London as it was something new for them.
Sayyid Ali Raza of Majlis-e-Ulama Shia Europe stresses that there is a huge increase in the number of people who want to hold majalis but the strict planning rules by the local councils are preventing Muslims from doing so. “We are asking the local authorities to look into our concerns and allow us more space to build and expand our mosques and religious centres.
Mourners are allowed to beat their chests publicly and Zuljinahs and historic symbols of flags and Karbala memorabilia are taken out but flagellation (zanjeer zani) is not allowed in public and allowing under-17s to flagellate themselves is a crime.