Traditionally in countries like Pakistan, cassettes were actively pursued as a means of recording majalis, nohas and lectures. It was a form of documentation, and it enabled the Shias, who were limited by geography and other socio-economic factors, to have access to the great Shia scholars. The VCR was also adopted as tapes of majalis were shared to ensure followers could listen to scholars in comfort and most importantly, safety, of their homes.
With the IT sector developing, CDs began to emerge and albums were created on a wider level. A popular noha-khwan, Nadeem Sarwar, began to connect with Pakistanis all over the globe as his CDs were bought and played by the Shia diaspora.
Things remained at CDs for years. Slowly some videos began to make their way to YouTube. But it was the Iraq war that converted the Shias to the digital realm significantly -- in a way not thought of before. With the war in full force, the Shias all over the world found themselves unable to go for pilgrimage to the holy sites in Karbala. The war in Syria made matters worse where there are more holy sites. How could people access them if they were not able to visit them physically? The solution it seemed was to bring the sites to the devotees.
Traditionally in countries like Pakistan, cassettes were actively pursued as a means of recording majalis, nohas and lectures. It was a form of documentation, and it enabled the Shias, who were limited by geography and other socio-economic factors, to have access to the great Shia scholars.
“One reason why Shias have been so good with using the latest technology of the time is because it enabled them to observe religious practices among ourselves - from cassettes and videotapes to now streaming majalis online via YouTube and Zoom. In the current age it has been a great way to watch speakers/aalims who may be only able to go to one place but their work can be shared worldwide,” said Nawab Hassan Hussain Qureshi, a digital media consultant.
Using Facebook and Instagram, the holy sites were streamed via videos allowing people to see them and ‘visit’ virtually. Once again, Shias who could never afford such trips were able to pay their respects. But most significantly, non-Shias were able to see all the sites, rituals, prayers and traditions which was a reach that no other medium – cassette, tape, CD – has been able to provide.
The advent of Covid-19 meant that more adaptation was needed. Physical access was not available to people that would gather every day during the months of Muharram and Safar to collectively listen to a lecture and mourn the deaths. Utilising cameras and social media apps, majalis were streamed, opening up the audience, which now consisted of the usual Shia audience as well non-Shias who were able to drop in via the privacy of their homes, out of interest or curiousity and listen in without revealing themselves. Inclusivity and diversity was developing and awareness of the Shia faith was growing.
“The pandemic taught us ways to be connected even when we were physically distant,” says Maulana Zafar Abbas, Shia scholar and resident Imam at Birmingham’s oldest Shia mosque.
The most remarkable aspect of this digitisation has been the willingness of the Shias to share their belief without criticising others and the willingness of non-Shias in consuming their content without contentious commenting.
In Pakistan, social media apps are regularly utilised as forms of expression, a means of catharsis and to engage via images and short videos. Spotify is used to create playlists of nohas which can be streamed anywhere in the world and are of all languages. Increasingly, Shia accounts which depict the episode of Karbala visually have mushroomed on Instagram. Live streaming of the holy sites through which people send their prayers and request as comments on the videos are all done on Facebook.These accounts do not address or comment any non-Shia sects or any other religion but in fact are growing in popularity due to their civil language designed to explain, identify the holy figures and communicate the life lessons of the Ahle Bayt (the family of the Prophet PBUH).
Influencers such as Ghazi Taimoor and accounts such as Hussaini Khayal are connecting Shias globally by their content which consists of visits to the holy sites and visual documentation of the traditions and religious practices. This content is then shared by individuals which is increasingly raising awareness of something that once remained within physical pockets across the country.
“Young Shias today are doing great work to archive historical content as well as using modern genres to continue the tradition of telling the stories that are so integral to our belief,” said Qureshi.
The most remarkable aspect of this digitisation has been the willingness of the Shias to share their belief without criticising others and the willingness of non-Shias in consuming their content without contentious commenting.
///Now if only digital could be translated into physical, what a wonderful world it would be.///