Reliving Karbala: Martyrdom in South Asian Memory

by Syed Akbar Hyder

In 680 C.E., a small band of the Prophet Muhammads family and their followers, led by his grandson, Husain, rose up in a rebellion against the ruling caliph, Yazid. The family and its supporters, hopelessly outnumbered, were massacred at Karbala, in modern-day Iraq. The story of Karbala is the cornerstone of institutionalized devotion and mourning for millions of Shii Muslims. Apart from its appeal to the Shii community, invocations of Karbala have also come to govern mystical and reformist discourses in the larger Muslim world. Indeed, Karbala even serves as the archetypal resistance and devotional symbol for many non-Muslims. Until now, though, little scholarly attention has been given to the widespread and varied employment of the Karbala event.

In Reliving Karbala , Syed Akbar Hyder examines the myriad ways that the Karbala symbol has provided inspiration in South Asia, home to the worlds largest Muslim population. Rather than a unified reading of Islam, Hyder reveals multiple, sometimes conflicting, understandings of the meaning of Islamic religious symbols like Karbala. He ventures beyond traditional, scriptural interpretations to discuss the ways in which millions of very human adherents express and practice their beliefs. By using a panoramic array of sources, including musical performances, interviews, nationalist drama, and other literary forms, Hyder traces the evolution of this story from its earliest historical origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Today, Karbala serves as a celebration of martyrdom, a source of personal and communal identity, and even a tool for political protest and struggle. Hyder explores how issues related to gender, genre, popular culture, class, and migrancy bear on the cultivation of religious symbols. He assesses the manner in which religious language and identities are negotiated across contexts and continents.

At a time when words like martyrdom, jihad, and Shiism are being used and misused for political reasons, this book provides much-needed scholarly redress. Through his multifaceted examination of this seminal event in Islamic history, Hyder offers an original, complex, and nuanced view of religious symbols.

Genres: Islam, Religion, Pakistan

278 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kavya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good combination of anthropology, literature analysis, and political explanations of Karbala. Lots of material for those interested in intersections of Islam and progressive ideas. I never knew that the Progressive Writers looked up to Ghalib as a "forefather." The poetry quoted is amazing; it's a pity that people are not as interested due to the language barrier.

[Manahil Raza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although people with background knowledge of Islamic history might be tempted to skip a few chapters, what an amazing book to understand the intertextuality of Karbala, while also getting to read some beautiful poetry.

[Wasi Rizvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly written book that is truly admirable... But, it isn't exactly perfect or flawless. Inbox me on goodreads if you seriously wish to discuss the book.