Since its inception, Pakistan has been plagued by sectarian violence. People belonging to different sects of Islam routinely commit atrocities against each other in vehement condemnation of the other’s divergent religious beliefs. Each sect sees the other as a religious infidel and considers it responsible for the adulteration of the doctrines of Islam. Now, another sectarian catastrophe looms closer as Shia and Sunni clerics in Gilgit Baltistan challenge each other to a ‘Mubahila’, a religious debate. The condition of the Mubahila is that the loser of the debate must jump into the fire to ‘prove’ that religious traitors are destroyed by the wrath of God. What Happened: The Ahl-e-Sunnat and the Imamia Council of GB have issued separate statements on the matter. The elders of the Ahle-e-Sunnat said that an important meeting of the ulema and elders of the group with other religious and political parties had been held under the chairmanship of the Emir-e-Tanzeem. The statement said, “one side was constantly bent on disturbing the peace and order in various ways. Therefore, all Muslims will play a constitutional and democratic role in the establishment of peace. A case of blasphemy will also be registered (against the other side). Also, the challenge of Mubahila has been accepted; come and decide about the place and time”. The Sunni side demands the ‘loser’ to be charged with blasphemy. On the other hand, the Central Imamia Council of GB issued a statement the same day saying, “Our call is based on the truth of sincerity that all Muslims should accept the religion of truth and achieve success and prosperity in this world and the hereafter, … Since there have been many debates in the past which have not yielded any result, this time it has been decided to dispute so that the reality is clear and the riots in the area end forever and the truth prevails”. Meanwhile, the Shia side wants the ‘loser’ to, quite literally, ‘jump into the fire’. What Next: The district administration of Gilgit is expected to arrange firewood on Friday, May 21, 2021, at 3 pm at the Royal Polo Ground. In the presence of the provincial government, force commander, chief secretary, and esteemed judges of the courts, Agha Rahat Hussain Al-Husseini from the Shia sect and Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmad from Ahl-e-Sunnat and Jamaat will jump into the fire to prove their legitimacy. The survivors will be the winners of the longstanding conflict between Shia and Sunni sects, whereas the loser will be burnt in the fire and pronounced a traitor to Islam and its cardinal principles. The Central Imamia Council of GB also wrote a letter to the central Khatib of the Ahl-e-Sunnat Jamia Masjid, Gilgit. Its Secretary-General also sent copies of the letter to the Chief Minister of GB, the Home Secretary GB, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Gilgit SSP. However, it is unclear these authorities will intervene in this sectarian catastrophe. Response : Many have taken to Twitter to express their shock and concerns over the demands of the groups, which involve being burned to death, as #Peace4GilgitBaltistan trends.
No Muzahira or Mubahila is going to bring prosperity to our homeland. Only unity can. Time to stand together and reject everything that divides us.#Peace4GilgitBaltistan
— Nida Ibrahim Shah (@nidaibrahimshah) May 19, 2021
No mubahila & manazira is acceptable unless it discusses ppl's real issues. Faith is a personal matter & should remain as such. No one enjoys monopoly over the truth, esp in a diverse region such as Gilgit-Baltistan. #Peace4GilgitBaltistan
— Zaighum Abbas (@zaighum_abbass) May 19, 2021
Down with sectarianism. Peace should be the first priority. Any wishes of munazira or mubahila should be discouraged in strongest possible words. #Peace4GilgitBaltistan
— Naveed H. Gul (@NaveedHGul) May 19, 2021
ISLAM IS THE NAME OF PEACE, NOT MUBAHILA OR MUZAHIRA!
Say no to sectarian violence!#Peace4GilgitBaltistan pic.twitter.com/EgTUbr5Rka— Syed Azhar Dashman (@sa_dashman) May 19, 2021