Bahrain Mirror: Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qassim issued a statement (July 31, 2021) on the commemoration of Ashura and precautionary measures, in which he recommended that commemoration activities be carried out according to the same preventive measures imposed on other gatherings where caution should be exercised, i.e. gatherings tolerated by the state.

He said that the measure preventing Ma'tams (Shia place of gathering) from putting religious material, sermons and useful lessons on loudspeakers for those who attend outside the Ma'tam has nothing to do with health, and cannot be interpreted as precautionary.

Below is the full text of the statement.

In the name of of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

A statement was issued by Bahrain's senior religious scholars on the commemoration of Ashura (1443 AH / 2021), including a recommendation that the faithful believers who love this glorified season adhere to the preventive measures recommended by the national medical team, such as social distancing, wearing masks inside and outside Ma'tams, and during mourning processions.

The scholars-May Allah protect them, guide their steps and benefit others by them- are concerned with two things; preserving the general health of all, and commemorating Ashura in the largest and most fruitful image where minds and souls are built the right way, as well as the unification of ranks on the path of [Imam] Hussain's guidance and the generous and bountiful gifts of Karbala.

What they mean by precautions that they recommend adhering to are only those that are truly based on taking precautions and prevention from the pandemic.

This does not include what has another basis that is far from this objective, which represents nothing but a form of restriction and obstruction to the commemoration of the significant and holy season.

This is a clear matter not to be disputed among esteemed scholars.

The measure of moderation with regards to these precautions, since they are only for the purpose of prevention; that it comes on par with the precautions for other gatherings where caution should be exercised, gatherings that are blessed by the state.

The precaution preventing Ma'tams from putting religious material, sermons and useful lessons on loudspeakers for those who attend outside the Ma'tams has nothing to do with health, and cannot be interpreted as precautionary, which is similar to what the official [state] party is used to focusing on, on multiple religious occasions.

Undoubtedly, the scholars recommend following the sensible health precautions, taken in the various permitted gatherings, excluding the precautions that are intended for the areas of Ashura commemoration without clear justification and with fabricated reasons.

Moreover, the official party should stop any provocations that incite on the religious level, which counter the commemoration of the season, and put an end to the policy of unjust criminalization of preachers, eulogy reciters and heads of Ma'tams and processions, as well as the targeting of manifestations of allegiance to the great Imam of the Islamic nation, the master of the martyrs of Karbala.

Isa Ahmed Qassim

July 31, 2021

Arabic Version