'Abdul Does Not Celebrate Norouz': Anti-Norouz Campaign Prompts Backlash In Afghanist

[khushal]

Would the Kashmiris celebrating it be the Shi’a ones? Seems Nowruz is popular among Shi’as.

The Kashmiri families I knew were Sunni that celebrated it. I also heard Baluch celebrate it too.

It seems like in Panjab and Sindh, only the Shia celebrate it. But in Panjab, they celebrate a holiday called Basant which is in Spring, they feast, hold fairs and fly colorful kites. Some Muslim clerics have started to preach against it since it has hindu roots.

[Firdousi]

First of all that is not the answer to my claim.
You can't rebuttle with diverting attention to pashtunwali.
But we can discuss pashtunwali and my take on it in another thread.
............................

What is nowroz


Although having*Iranian*and religious*Zoroastrian*origins, Nowruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethno-linguistic communities. It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in*Western Asia,*Central Asia, the*Caucasus, the*Black Sea Basin, *It is a*secular*holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians.[43]

Nowruz is the day of the*vernal equinox, and marks the beginning of spring in the*Northern Hemisphere. It marks the first day of the first month (Farvardin) in the*Iranian calendar.[44]*It usually occurs on*March 21*or the previous or following day, depending on where it is observed. The moment the*sun*crosses the*celestial equator*and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year, and families gather together to observe the rituals.


Ok let's see what Omar khayyam wrote about nowroz.
In the book*Nowruznama*("Book of the New Year", which is attributed to*Omar Khayyam,a well known*Persian poet*and*mathematician), a vivid description of the celebration in the courts of the kings of Iran is provided:*"From the era of*Kai Khosrow*till the days of*Yazdegard, last of the pre-Islamic kings of Iran, the royal custom was thus: on the first day of the New Year,*Now Ruz, the king's first visitor was the High*Mobad*of the*Zoroastrians, who brought with him as gifts a golden goblet full of wine, a ring, some gold coins, a fistful of green sprigs of wheat, a sword, and a bow.

In the language of Iran, he would then glorify God and praise the monarch.

This was the address of the High Mobad to the king: "O*Majesty, on this feast of the*equinox, first day of the first month of the year, seeing that thou hast freely chosen God and the faith of the ancient ones; may*Sraosha, the angel-messenger, grant thee wisdom and insight and sagacity in thy affairs. Live long in praise, be happy and fortunate upon thy golden throne, drink immortality from the*Cup of*Jamshid; and keep in solemn trust the customs of our ancestors, their noble aspirations, fair gestures and the exercise of justice and righteousness. May thy soul flourish; may thy youth be as the new-grown grain; may thy horse be puissant, victorious; thy sword bright and deadly against foes; thy hawk swift against its prey; thy every act straight as the arrow's shaft. Go forth from thy rich throne, conquer new lands. Honor the craftsman and the sage in equal degree; disdain the acquisition of wealth. May thy house prosper and thy life be long!"

It is obvious that nowroz is a pagan Zoroastrian religious holiday which is celebrated on the first day of the Iranian calender to celebrate the first day "universe being put in motion".

Kings would come from different colonised nation to pay homage to Persian king on this day so that explains why this pagan Persian feast was pushed on other nations.


Let's see what other experts and historians say

Mary Boyce*and Frantz Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment: "It is possible that the splendor of the*Babylonian*festivities at this season led the Iranians to develop their own spring festival into an established New Year feast, with the name*Navasarda*"New Year" (a name which, though first attested through Middle Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period)." Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear in general to have been a seasonal ones, and related to agriculture, "it is probable that they traditionally held festivals in both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the natural year."[52]

Nowruz is partly rooted in the tradition of*Iranian religions, such as*Mitraism*and*Zoroastrianism. In Mitraism, festivals had a deep linkage with the sun's light. The Iranian festivals such as*Mehrgan*(autumnal equinox),*Tirgan, and the eve of*Chelle ye Zemestan*(winter solstice) also had an origin in the Sun god (Surya). Among other ideas, Zoroastrianism is the first*monotheistic*religion that emphasizes broad concepts such as the corresponding work of good and evil in the world, and the connection of humans to nature. Zoroastrian practices were dominant for much of the history of ancient Iran. In Zoroastrianism, the seven most important Zoroastrian festivals are the six*Gahambar*festivals and Nowruz, which occurs at the*spring equinox. According to*Mary Boyce,[53]"It seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by*Zoroaster*himself"; although there is no clear date of origin.[54]*Between sunset on the day of the sixth Gahambar and sunrise of Nowruz,*Hamaspathmaedaya*(later known, in its extended form, as*Frawardinegan; and today known as*Farvardigan) was celebrated. This and the Gahambars are the only festivals named in the surviving text of the*Avesta.

The 10th-century scholar*Biruni, in his work*Kitab al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim, provides a description of the calendars of various nations. Besides the Iranian calendar, various festivals of Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Sabians, and other nations are mentioned in the book. In the section on the Iranian calendar, he mentions Nowruz,*Sadeh, Tirgan, Mehrgan, the six Gahambars, Farvardigan, Bahmanja,*Esfand Armaz*and several other festivals. According to him, "It is the belief of the Iranians that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion."[55]*The Persian historian*Gardizi, in his work titled*Zayn al-Akhbār, under the section of the Zoroastrians festivals, mentions Nowruz (among other festivals) and specifically points out that*Zoroaster*highly emphasized the celebration of Nowruz and Mehrgan.[56][57]

We got it: you dont like Nowruz. I find it legit. But you didnt answer my question: do you consider Pashtunwali Islamic or not?

Hope you are not one of those Pashtun nationalists who uses Islam as a tool to eradicate or attack what you consider "non Pashtun influence in Afghanistan". That would be a bit disappointing and unacceptable.

[Firdousi]

Nowruz has nothing to do with being Shia or Sunni. Uzbekistan, Turkemenistan, Kyrgiztan, Kazakhistan, are Sunni and not even Iranian countries and they celebrate it. Also its popular among Kurds, Sunni Iranians, Tajikistan and Sunni Afghans.

I believe Nowruz has been a bit intoxicated by Persian nationalists. They celebrate it as a symbol of their pre-Islamic Iranian heritage. Thats why many Muslims, specially Sunnis, refuse to celebrate Nowruz. They want to distance themselves from Iranian secular nationalists and Shias both of them despised historically by Muslims.

[Sarbani]

I do more or less celebrate Nowroz.
There aren't any paganistic, blasphemic elements in the rituals of celebrating Nowroz. So wannabe arab mullahs can fck themselves.

I've heard pashtuns of kurram agency celebrate Nowroz too.

East of the Durand Line, only Shias celebrate Nowruz. Even Indic Shias celebrate Nowruz.

[Iblis_Efreetzai]

It’s probably made up like the claim that Pashtuns have existed for 5000 years.

Pashtunwali is so integrated into Islam that, if a pre-Islamic form ever existed, it was probably radically different from what we know of today.

I agree that Islam and Pashtunwali are very integrated but that's exactly the point. Something Pre-Islamic became integrated into an Islamic Society. As Islam spread this was quite common.

I don't think key aspects of Pashtunwali were radically different. But obviously terms like "Ghairat" and '"namous" both being derived from Arabic words, did not exist before Islam came to the region.

But Tribal customs and cultures tended to have common principals they all shared , especially when it came to family and preserving social structure. Yes I do realize that Pagan Arabs were also tribal, but they had undergone some adverse impacts of being vassals of the Romans, who were decadent.
Persians weren't decadent until the time of Muhammad(saw) and they had little impact on their satrapies which would include modern Afghanistan.

This is just my understanding, it's not "right" because I am just speculating, but I am basing this speculation on certain things that seems to lend in support of it.

[Sarbani]

Nowruz has nothing to do with being Shia or Sunni. Uzbekistan, Turkemenistan, Kyrgiztan, Kazakhistan, are Sunni and not even Iranian countries and they celebrate it. Also its popular among Kurds, Sunni Iranians, Tajikistan and Sunni Afghans.

I believe Nowruz has been a bit intoxicated by Persian nationalists. They celebrate it as a symbol of their pre-Islamic Iranian heritage. Thats why many Muslims, specially Sunnis, refuse to celebrate Nowruz. They want to distance themselves from Iranian secular nationalists and Shias both of them despised historically by Muslims.

You're right. The groups you listed celebrate Nowruz because of Persian cultural influence. The reason why Shias east of the Durand Line celebrate Nowruz is because they have more Persian cultural influence than Sunnis do since Shia Islam was brought to them by Persian missionaries.

[maneatinglizard]

Interesting that it’s not celebrated among Pakistani Pashtuns. What about in Waziristan/other parts of FATA?

This would suggest that Afghan Pashtuns either adopted it recently, or Pakistani Pashtuns lost the practice. From what I’ve heard here and from the elders I know, it seems ubiquitous among Afghan Pashtuns, to the degree that I don’t think the central Afghan government would’ve been able to spread it in the time we’ve been split. So I’m wondering if there’s any evidence that Paki Pashtuns used to celebrate it but stopped?

[khushal]

I don't think key aspects of Pashtunwali were radically different. But obviously terms like "Ghairat" and '"namous" both being derived from Arabic words, did not exist before Islam came to the region.

The terms didn't exist but the concept did. Many cultures and societies had these concepts in one form or another at one time.

Yes I do realize that Pagan Arabs were also tribal, but they had undergone some adverse impacts of being vassals of the Romans, who were decadent.
Persians weren't decadent until the time of Muhammad(saw) and they had little impact on their satrapies which would include modern Afghanistan.

Kind of like today with the Gulf Arabs.

[khushal]

You're right. The groups you listed celebrate Nowruz because of Persian cultural influence. The reason why Shias east of the Durand Line celebrate Nowruz is because they have more Persian cultural influence than Sunnis do since Shia Islam was brought to them by Persian missionaries.

Many Shias believe that Ali was born on Nowroz or that they believe he became Khalifa on Nowroz. It probably has something to do with that.

[Sarbani]

Interesting that it’s not celebrated among Pakistani Pashtuns. What about in Waziristan/other parts of FATA?

This would suggest that Afghan Pashtuns either adopted it recently, or Pakistani Pashtuns lost the practice. From what I’ve heard here and from the elders I know, it seems ubiquitous among Afghan Pashtuns, to the degree that I don’t think the central Afghan government would’ve been able to spread it in the time we’ve been split. So I’m wondering if there’s any evidence that Paki Pashtuns used to celebrate it but stopped?

Its not celebrated in FATA. In Pakistan, ONLY Shias (regardless of ethnicoty) celebrate it.

Among Afghan Pashtuns, I don't think that its celebrated like how it is in Iran with Chaharshanbe Suri and all that, could be mistaken though. I don't know the degree to which its celebrated among Afghan Pashtuns but there is a difference between simply observing it and celebrating it the way Persians do. Another user here (@Akbar) said that only poetry is recited and people go to parks, and its not really celebrated. If thats the case, then we can say that the Afghan government giving it official/national status or whatever could have caused many Afghan Pashtuns to start observing it.

[Iblis_Efreetzai]

The terms didn't exist but the concept did. Many cultures and societies had these concepts in one form or another at one time.



Kind of like today with the Gulf Arabs.

that's basically what my point was, there may not have been much change as far as the principles themselves just new terms in place. it seems much of the values can be explained as a consequence of the habitat and lifestyle of nomadic and tribal peoples.

[khushal]

Yes, I know you meant that but I wanted to clarify it for some readers.

[Akbar]

A quick point.
The people or the clerics who are spearheading the anti nowroz campaign are not Pashtuns but Tajiks.

[maneatinglizard]

Its not celebrated in FATA. In Pakistan, ONLY Shias (regardless of ethnicoty) celebrate it.

Among Afghan Pashtuns, I don't think that its celebrated like how it is in Iran with Chaharshanbe Suri and all that, could be mistaken though.

It's not, but I think that's not the traditional practice of Tajiks either. [MENTION=19424]Firdousi[/MENTION] mentioned that the practice was imported from Iran recently among non-Pashtuns too.

As I mentioned before, in my village (which is very close to the border and Parachinar, so not exactly close to any center of Tajik culture) they jumped over fires as part of the festivities of the two Eids, not Nowruz.

I don't know the degree to which its celebrated among Afghan Pashtuns but there is a difference between simply observing it and celebrating it the way Persians do. Another user here (@Akbar) said that only poetry is recited and people go to parks, and its not really celebrated. If thats the case, then we can say that the Afghan government giving it official/national status or whatever could have caused many Afghan Pashtuns to start observing it.

The Afghan government didn't have a strong influence in many of the Pashtun areas. It's possible but the fact that there existed a lot of variation in the activities suggests to me that it has probably been around a long time. If it was a modern addition from a central source, then there'd be more uniformity in the celebration.

Does anyone in Pakistan use the Solar Hijri calendar? On that note, do Paki Pashtuns celebrate the Lunar Hijri new year (or Gregorian one if that's the standard calendar)?

[maneatinglizard]

By the way, [MENTION=1547]khushal[/MENTION], do you know if they still celebrate it in your village?